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Thread: UHF Newby questions and unit selection

  1. #1
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    UHF Newby questions and unit selection

    Hi Aulro,

    I'm in the final stages of setting up our 16' D4 for longer duration Touring with our Van, am now at the point of UHF Selection/Install and have a couple of questions. Being a relative Newby to UHF, I appreciate the comments from the more experienced in the group, thanks in advance.

    1. What are the real life use cases of Channel Scan? I've read a bit about it and the two models i'm looking at (Below), seem to have different advantages for scanning & channel use. I'm just after some clarification of how Channel Scanning (Group or Otherwise) might look like in the real world while driving? (e.g - Am I correct in thinking that Group Scanning Channels is good for safety if travelling hilly or blind corner terrain in that you'll hopefully have notice of people coming in the opposite direction (assuming they announce of course)

    2. I'm also interested in how people use their UHF in real life while on the road, not necessarily in convoy. E.g The UHF is no use if it's not switched on, but I don't know that SWMBO is interested in listening to chatter the whole way around, so, how do you use yours in real life situations like this?

    Unit Selection

    I'm looking at the;

    "XRS-330CTP - XRS™ CONNECT TOURING PACK" - From what I can see, the main pro of this one is i've read it has a real life very fast scan rate? The App update & GPS stuff is neat gadgetry, but I have a Garmin Montana 700i so that's not 100% required.........RRP is $620 but I've seen them on sale for about $530 ish.

    &

    ORICOM DTX4200X Ultimate 4×4 Touring Pack - The main pro of this unit is the DUAL Receive Function, but I'm wondering if the "Scan Suite" of the GME Above will allow similar functionality, not exactly, but similar. Slightly more affordable than the GME Unit above and comes complete with 3 & 6 dBi Gain antennae in the kit.

    I'm leaning towards the GME for Aussie made and supported, and I generally prefer like the GME handheld unit, but really appreciate any thoughts on the above.

    Again, Thanks in advance,
    CBurgo

  2. #2
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    My preference is GME. Interestingly, we were talking about this at work this week and 2 of the drivers who I was chatting with also prefer GME thinking that they’re a bit more durable.

    Depending on what’s going on, I normally don’t have it turned on.

    If I’m touring, then I leave it on the truckies channel

    If I’m with a group then I normally just leave it on the group channel

    If I’m remote I use the priority scan to either scan all channels with priority to our channel or trucks only with priority to our channel. It just depends on where I am.

    Don’t get caught up with scan speed, they’re all fast and I don’t think the speed difference makes any real difference when using the function.

    I do have programmable channels, and with that to listen to the police was all the rage years and years ago, but I soon learnt that I’d rather not know what they’re dealing with and remain a little more ignorant and a lot more happy.
    Cheers
    Slunnie


    ~ Discovery II Td5 ~ Discovery 3dr V8 ~ Series IIa 6cyl ute ~ Series II V8 ute ~

  3. #3
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    I have had two oricoms and removed them and replaced with the gme.
    I know a lot have oricoms and had no issues, both my microphone cords pulled out of the plugs inside. Gme and uniden are like Holden Ford it’s what individuals like.

  4. #4
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    personal experience:
    (so note that this was not a scientific test, just personal experience).

    In my D1 I originally got myself an Oricom unit with a remote head setup. model was the UHF380. was a very reasonable price, and worked well enough for me(so I thought, which I'll explain below).

    In a rush of blood to the head, I somehow bought a GME XRS 370 for a bit less than the $500 most places had it for online .. at a store, in my hands that moment, fitted a few more once at home.
    I didn't need it, I already had the Oricom. What would have been a better irrational expense could have been a better antenna instead. But rush of blood, and one XRS370 later, I felt satisfied in some way.

    Actually what felt satisfying was the much more sturdy/solid construction of the GME remote head unit compared to the Oricom.
    Oricom felt OK whilst I had it, but I really only noted how flimsy the Oricom actually was compared with the GME control/mic unit.

    (note here tho, not all GME mics feel as solid as some folks wax lyrically about .. the work truck mics feel pretty crappy for supposed high quality GME products. I reckon the Uniden mics(note just plain old mics) feel more solid.
    And the Oricom remote head feels more solid than the work GME truck mics.

    But this XRS remote head takes mic/remote head unit quality to another level(I reckon). Solid, heavy! .. but solid. Nice button feel, etc.

    So with a spare UHF unit, and brothers D2 having an old GME 40ch unit, and really badly aged GME mic .. I thought to hand him a hand(so to speak), and his unit had not so good Tx ability, which I thought was simply the really bad way a previous owner routed the coax or something.

    Anyhow, Oricom now in brothers D2, XRS370 in my D1.
    We had to swap carsa few times on a drive once, as I could understand what he was saying. I was too loud according to him, but he was barely audible in most situations. After a few swaps and a few different distances apart, the Oricom was simply terrible on Tx. I thought it was the original whip aerial, coax to it was all new, solid length apart from the connects to the radio and aerial. Previous owner had three sections with two PL259 connectors between radio and aerial.

    Anyhow, new 6dbi GME aerials didn't help him, and made no difference to my XRS370.

    And to be sure I roughly fitted my XRS370 to his D2 as a test and using a cheapo handheld UHF from Aldi ... his D2 now sounded 'loud' too. Oricom back in to the D2 ... weak Tx, which translates to fuzzy dim Rx on other units I've tried.
    Just something weak with the Oricom UHF380 design. quickly fitting the XRS370 to his D2 confirmed that my coax fitting wasn't the issue in his D2.

    So if I had to buy a UHF unit again, or recommend to anyone a product to get, I'd go for the GME. I'm not a fan of in dash units and buttons and controls on the dash, I like the remote functionality of the remote/mic systems.
    I have mine setup in my D2 with a RJ45 port fitted to the centre console and radio unit hidden behind a panel somewhere(maybe behind glovebox.. can't remember) .. so remove is to simply unplug and stash it.

    On a drive, any type of drive, not just off road to touring into another state, or remote area ... UHF is always on.
    I set it to scan all channels, eg. listen to other users, farmers, etc. A lot of gibberish(eg. avoid Ch 40 in main cities as it's just idiots being morons!) out of the cities, truckies usually just chattering along some with BS, some with useful info on road conditions and stuff. It all depends on where you are.

    With my XRS, I've set the additional channels capability to listen to emergency services. In the high country that'll be fire. So via the app, I did the app thing and it was easy to do to program the additional channels. A few button presses.
    On the Oricom, you can program more channels(200 Oricom vs 80 on the XRS) but each one needs to be singularly programmed, and who has time to do that? Never used on the Oricom.

    Very rarely do I actually interact with the communicating public, but once I did out in the desert area of Western Vic. Radio on, mainly to listen out for vehicles, but on one occasion, one chap asked if such and such road was open or easily trafficable. I was on that track and after a few seconds of no reply.. I did. Again radio on scan, and just happened along this chatter.

    Last 18 months have been hit and miss for easy travel due to the pandemic and threat of lockdown .. so haven't used the UHF at all.

    I personally don't believe that GME are 'more durable' in any way. I've had two myself that simply broke down, mainly really badly lasting mics, but also display on my TX3500 went cockeyed.
    Brothers D2 came with a TX3400(or similar) 40ch remote head(not remote mic/head) unit. Again head unit half died, mic piece fell to bits .. etc.
    I know you can get some replacement parts and suchlike, but as far as being more durable in some sense .. I've never seen it myself.
    What I refer too above with the XRS370 remote mic/head is not so much durable, more so quality feel. The feeling is solid, better quality plastic, where the Oricom plastic feels cheap/flimsy(less solid).
    This is not the same as more durable.

    One thing I can highly recommend to get (if whatever you get doesn't have it) .. that's a magnetic mic mount!
    I know GME have it (MB207) .. not sure if other brands use magnetic mounts.

    Absolutely awesome! I'll get one myself one day to replace the archaic clip on hook on thing you get as standard.
    Some of our work trucks are newer and others older. The older ones have the traditional hang on hook. The newer ones use the magnetic attachments.
    The magnetic ones have a magnet system, where the hook up is rounded/convex/concave and magnetised.
    So much easier to pickup and put down again. You never need to take eyes off the road .. you just feel for it. It does the rest.
    I remember seeing AStPW do a quick review of one and thought .. what an idiot .. it's not needed. Just waste of $s getting folks to think they need a new system... but having used it now at work .. I was the idiot. Makes so much more sense this magnetic system.
    Our work involves some quite extreme rough driving, and I feel 100% confident that it won't pop off the magnet under almost any situation in a road vehicle.
    Arthur.

    '99 D1 300Tdi Auto
    '03 D2 Td5 Auto

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by AK83 View Post
    GME XRS 370
    Thanks for this. Coincidentally, sometime shortly down the track (next 12 months) I'm looking to buy that particular unit.
    Cheers
    Slunnie


    ~ Discovery II Td5 ~ Discovery 3dr V8 ~ Series IIa 6cyl ute ~ Series II V8 ute ~

  6. #6
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    I would suggest that the XRS330 is the better value for money product in most situations(installations).
    One of the key advantages of this type of remote head system is that you can install the body of the radio unit somewhere hidden our of sight(or simply neatly).

    Only difference between 330 and 370 is that the 370 version has a speaker on the radio body. But as in many situations the radio body will be a hidden install, it's also unlikely that it'd be used, and that in the setup process the remote unit will be the main speaker used(or can be setup to use an aux speaker or car stereo aux system too). Other difference is that the 330 has a much smaller plastic cover for the radio, so is easier to locate a hidden place to install, 370 has a metal body and is larger unit. Still easy to install hidden away.

    Only reason I got the 370 was that Radio Parts didn't have any 330's in stock.. otherwise I'd have got the 330 unit. Also, the price was quite reasonable at under $500 back then when all online prices wee over $500.
    Arthur.

    '99 D1 300Tdi Auto
    '03 D2 Td5 Auto

  7. #7
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    Thanks!

    Thanks Slunnie, Rob and AK83!

    Really appreciate your comments and suggestions.

    Llllllllets Go Shopping!


  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by AK83 View Post
    I would suggest that the XRS330 is the better value for money product in most situations(installations).

    Only reason I got the 370 was that Radio Parts didn't have any 330's in stock.. otherwise I'd have got the 330 unit. Also, the price was quite reasonable at under $500 back then when all online prices wee over $500.
    AK, is the RADOME Aerial that comes part of the GME Kit - XRS-370C4P XRS™ CONNECT 4WD PACK worth going for the 370?

    I'm guessing that as it's only 2.2dB I'd need to stump up for a 6.6db whip and it looks like the RADOME parts are $$$, so I'm wondering if the 330CTP with elevated feed but less rugged 6.6 aerial would still be your choice?

    The C4P is only about $60 more online at the moment, so......just wondering if I'm better off with the RADOME aerial and speaker.....

    I've only got the LAB Electronics SS aerial mount like Scott aka LRD414, so the Chunky radome might look a bit.....chunky..... sitting off to the side of the D4?

    I suppose the question is, is the RADOME Aerial worth it?

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by CBurgo View Post
    AK, is the RADOME Aerial that comes part of the GME Kit - XRS-370C4P XRS™ CONNECT 4WD PACK worth going for the 370?

    I'm guessing that as it's only 2.2dB I'd need to stump up for a 6.6db whip and it looks like the RADOME parts are $$$, so I'm wondering if the 330CTP with elevated feed but less rugged 6.6 aerial would still be your choice?

    The C4P is only about $60 more online at the moment, so......just wondering if I'm better off with the RADOME aerial and speaker.....

    I've only got the LAB Electronics SS aerial mount like Scott aka LRD414, so the Chunky radome might look a bit.....chunky..... sitting off to the side of the D4?

    I suppose the question is, is the RADOME Aerial worth it?
    If its bullbar mounted, I really do prefer the fibreglass units, they are strong and sprung so they take hits pretty well. I have run a AE4705 for probably 20 years and I cant speak more highly of them. I' sure mine is 4.5db/1200mm. They just live forever.

    Whips will work on the bar as well but it will be more vulnerable and you will end up breaking it.

    If it is mounted off the side of the bonnet, then I would use a whip rather than fibreglass because of the mounting.

    Just note the db just relates to the transmission pattern. The 2.2db has a wide (vertically) transmission pattern for steep country, the 6.6db has a flatter transmission pattern for flat but will give more distance in flat terrain.

    I've got 3 aerials for the Disco, and to be honest, the AE4705 never comes off unless I'm in the desert where the AE4706 (mine is a 6db 2.1m fibreglass) gets used as the worlds most expensive sand flag. I have a 6/9db whip that never gets used.
    Cheers
    Slunnie


    ~ Discovery II Td5 ~ Discovery 3dr V8 ~ Series IIa 6cyl ute ~ Series II V8 ute ~

  10. #10
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    UHF Newby questions and unit seletion

    Slunnie. My flag cost more than my antenna.

    Take a look at the RFI antenna as well.

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