which uhf to get?

Hey guys,

Im after a UHF radio for my car but not sure which is the best for me. Ultimately i want one with UHF, CB and police scanner built in (if there is one made with them all). Can anybody help me with some models that sorta suit wat im looking for?

Thanx

Sorry mate I don't know the first thing about them, I have a basic GME unit.

The best one for you will be what u can aford.
Try browsing the manufacturer websites.
Uniden, GME, Icom etc.

I haven't kept up with them enough to know how many would have police scanners built in but it really does come down to how much you are willing to pay.

Despite the many different brands making UHF radios they all essentially do the same thing, and for the majority of users that is more than enough so it more often that not comes down to users preference for either brand or cost. I've used GME's, Undiens and even cheap Chinese imports and they all work for basic car to car communications.

Aerials can and should be selected for general jobs or specific jobs and it pays to research those according to your needs, but ultimately it's still going to come down to how much you are prepared to pay for something you want.

I have a Uniden and I sell them at work, there is a unit with UHF and AM, and ther is a unit with UHF and Scanner, but from what I know they dont make 1 with all 3 in the 1 unit. If you are after 1 to listen into the police it will depend on where you live, for example in Vic, if you are in metro or Geelong area you can no longer listen into the police at all as they have converted to digital radios, but if you are in regionla areas they are still on analogue for a little bit yet.
I would surgest going for a UH015sx- UHF and Scanner, and then getting a seperate AM CB as they are the cheapest to buy seperatly.
You will also have to factor in probably $150-$300 just for antenas and cabeling, pluss brackets can set you back upto $50 each depending on where you want to mount them. Have a search on this forum for info about the types of antenas eg; 3db, 4.5db, 9db, there is plenty of info and it depends on where you drive mostly as to which is going to be best for your needs.

Hope this helps

Problem with a Scan/UHF is the antenna's are either made to suit one or the other.

Typically a scanner will want a RX range from about 20Mhz up past 1Ghz and the UHF will be made for the TX/RX range approx 470-480Mhz.

And you will need another ant for the AM 27Mhz CB.

You have some choices to be made.

AS for a Scanner, if you still want one and to last you into the future,
get a standalone unit (Digital) as pretty much only Aircraft comms is still on anologue.

Good luck

Krankin said:

Problem with a Scan/UHF is the antenna's are either made to suit one or the other.

Typically a scanner will want a RX range from about 20Mhz up past 1Ghz and the UHF will be made for the TX/RX range approx 470-480Mhz.

And you will need another ant for the AM 27Mhz CB.

You have some choices to be made.

AS for a Scanner, if you still want one and to last you into the future,
get a standalone unit (Digital) as pretty much only Aircraft comms is still on anologue.

Good luck

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Good point about the antenas, I am not 100% but I think that maybe the combined units have 2 antena inputs.
And the Digital scanners are a bit of a waste of money if all you want to listen to is police fire and such as they are still arround $1000 and you wont pick up the police anyway. If you want to listen to Vic metro police the only way is to knock over a policeman and take his radio as there coms are incripted now and even the digital trunk tracking scanners are not able to pick it up.

Hi Guys

I have a gme tx4400 uhf radio in navara.Dont know about built in scanner but in NSW most police have gone over to encrypted radios in Greater Sydney area.Some country area are still analogue but will convert to encrypted in the future???

Shane

thanx evryone for ur help, as for listening to cops im on the gold coast and i think the police scanners still work well up here. Antenna wise its not gonna cost me anythin as i work as an apprentice HCV mechanic for a trucking company and when they change the antennas to bigger ones they keep the old ones for us. I was looking at that uniden u mentioned and it seems close to wat im after. I wasnt wantin to spend over $450 on it so that seems alright coz ebay has them startin at $280.
thanx again

i'm no expert, but PrestigeCom.net.au seem to be the best prices regardless.

Prestigecom.net.au Your Garmin GPS and Two-way cb radio shop in Australia

see how you go with them.