EDIT** I am legitimately baffled by the number of bad reviews that blame the scanner for lack of understanding by the purchaser. This scanner will arrive at your door unprogrammed and you will have to input the data needed to make it work. The data is freely available. There is no need to pay any kind of monthly fee or subscription in order to program this scanner.
You can absolutely program this scanner by hand. But the days of inputting a couple analog frequencies are basically over. Most systems at a minimum will require inputting of control channels and talkgroup information. While possible via the keypad, it will take a LONG time to put in more than a few "channels". Modern trunking systems require a lot of data to function. THIS IS NOT YOUR PARENTS ANALOG SCANNER. If any of the terms are unfamiliar to you, expect to spend some time reading online forums and fiddling with things. Again...this is no fault of the scanner. It is the nature of scanning in the 21st century. There are softwares available to make programming easier, but you will still need to know the required data and input it correctly.
Just because you nor 1200 of your closest IT buddies have the experience/understanding to program this radio, does not mean the scanner is at fault. It would be like saying that heart surgery is pointless because you don't know how to do it. You have to LEARN. And Amazon, Whistler, some guy on the street, or the seller cannot just magically have this programmed when it shows up at your door. Every system is unique. Every scanning interest is unique. Would you buy a vehicle where the seat is adjusted (and locked) for the salesperson and the radio is stuck on their favorite station? No, of course not.
This scanner functions just fine for the price. And 90% of the negative reviews are written by people who do not understand modern scanning and don't seem to want to learn. You can purchase pre-programmed scanners...at twice the price. Or you can spend a couple hours and learn the information needed to program your own radio. There is no free lunch when it comes to scanning modern systems. Sorry.
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Whistler has taken over the design from GRE, but the heart of this radio is still the same. As such, all accessories like programming cables and brackets will work across the board from GRE/Radio Shack/Whistler.
The scanner is a Phase 1 capable, digital trunking unit. It does not have the most robust front-end (particularly on VHF) but handles other bands extremely well. It does an okay job on VHF if you fiddle with the programming and understand how it acts around strong signals such as in simulcast systems. This is a minor annoyance when you consider the price. At around half the cost of a scanner which only marginally handles dense RF environments better, I can easily look beyond the shortcomings.
Be aware however, if you need TDMA (Phase 2 or DMR) reception, NeXTEL, or a few other newer protocols, this scanner cannot and WILL NOT be able to listen to them. Also be aware that this does not decode encryption. If your local agencies are encrypted, this scanner nor any other will allow you to listen to them.
If you are coming from the world of analog scanning, the step up into trunking and digital worlds can be daunting. Expect to spend a little time with this unit to get everything firing on all cylinders. If you are a long-time scanner buff, you can have this thing tracking a local system within a few minutes of opening the box. Everything is just easy and intuitive.
For the price, if you only need phase 1, this scanner is hard to beat. It is also probably the most user friendly option for someone who wants to get into modern scanning but still tinker with things. You can get touchscreen scanners which run off a database that requires no previous knowledge. But if you want to finagle with settings and aren't afraid to learn new things, this is a fine scanner to cut your teeth on.
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From the manufacturer
WS1065 -Desktop/Mobile Scanner Radio
System Requirements: Only for use on Windows Operating System
The WS1065 stores up to 1,800 frequencies and lets you search for nearby frequency transmissions and automatically jump to a found transmission. Plus, it lets you hear storm reports and more before they are broadcast on TV or radio.
What is Object Oriented Scanning?
Programming scanning receivers can be challenging, but object-oriented programming simplifies the process by using common conventions for scanning concepts that have common characteristics.
Features
- Intuitive Object Oriented User Interface
- Context Sensitive Help
- Scan List
- V-Scanner Technology - Save complete backup radio configurations, up to 21 versions.
- SKYWARN Storm Spotter Function
Reviews with images
Great Fire Police NOAA Weather Scanner
I love everything about it. it was easy to set up (Attach the antenna and base) and easy to program.( enter in the Freqs) that you would like to monitor. it is small and can fit on my nightstand along with my lamp and my mobile radio. A bit of background I do Photography for a fire department. and it works wonders for that.A pro is that during a weather emergency it will auto broadcast a weather alert.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2019
Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2024
Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2023
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2022
Top reviews from other countries
Allan (Canada)
Great scanner but not entry level
Reviewed in Canada on July 24, 2021
Brian Di Pierro
Must have additional software to run this radio which cost extra
Reviewed in Canada on August 8, 2021
Jay
This is an excellent radio for the price
Reviewed in Canada on December 12, 2016