Alinco R8T HF Receiver on the Bench

Right now I'm up in the shack looking at the faceplate of the new Alinco R8T HF receiver. This has been a very interesting radio to test so far and may be a very worthy candidate if you are looking for a desktop shortwave radio. I will be working up a review of this radio shortly for the pages of Monitoring Times magazine in our First Look column.

You can get more information on this radio at http://www.alinco.com/Products/DX-R8/

GRE PSR-200 Desktop Scanner

This scanner is a analog only, no trunking VHF/UHF scanner. No 700/800 MHz coverage.

● Frequency Coverage:
29.000-54.000 MHz (5-kHz steps FM)
108.0000-135.9875 MHz (12.5-kHz steps AM)
137.0000-143.9875 MHz (12.5-kHz steps FM)
144.0000-148.0000 MHz (5-kHz steps FM)
148.0125-150.7875 MHz (12.5-kHz steps FM)
150.8000-161.9950 MHz (5 kHz-steps FM)
162.0000-174.0000 MHz (12.5-kHz steps FM)
380.0000-512.0000 MHz (12.5-kHz steps FM)
*Only two tuning steps available.

● Double conversion receiver.
● Five pre-programmed bands: Marine, Fire Department/Police Department, Air (Civilian), Amateur Radio, Weather. Uses five "one-touch" keys.
● 200 memory channels in 10 banks.
● 200 channels lock-out in scan mode.
● 200 channels automatic scanning for VHF to UHF band.
● QUICK PROGRAM when receiving signals up to 200 channels.
● 45 channels per second scanning rate and 80 steps per second searching rate.
● "Zeromatic" tuning system.
● 10 digit channel and frequency display with all function indicators (seven segment).
● One built-in priority channel.
● Weather alert and SAME programming with 10 FIPS area code memories.
● Skywarn function.
● Lock/Out Review key to confirm lock out frequencies sequentially.
● Change the direction of searching (up/down).
● Two second scan and search delay.
● Manual selection for channel.
● Scan mode [Leared channels (000.000 freq) do not scan].
● Tune from the channel frequency function.
● Program mode.
● Key press tones.
● LCD back-lighting.
● Low battery indicator by LCD.
● Duplicate frequency check system.
● PC programmable and unit-to-unit cloning.
● BNC antenna connector.
● Earphone jack (3.5mm stereo).
● 9 VDC power jack.
● PC Interface and clone jack (3.5mm mono).
● Operating voltage: 120 VAC (60-Hz)
● Dimensions: Approximately: 210(w) x 175(d) x 60(h) mm.
● Weight: Approximately 700 grams without antenna.
● Accesories: Telescoping antenna, UL listed AC-DC adapter, and owners manual.
● Memory Backup: No battery backup required. EEPROM used.

This scanner has not yet been FCC type accepted so no pricing information is currently available.

GRE PSR-400 Desktop Scanner

This is an analog only trunking scanner. No digital decode capability.

● Frequency Coverage
25.000-54.000 MHz
108.0000-174.0000 MHz
216.0025-512.0000 MHz
764.0000-960.0000 MHz*
1240.000-1300.000 MHz

*Excludes by US federal law cellular telephone frequencies: 824-848.9875 and 869-893.9875 MHz.

● Frequency steps: 3.125, 5, 6.25, 7.5, 10, 12.5, and 25-kHz
● New 700 MHz coverage** and upgradeable CPU firmware for future rebanding.
● 10 banks and 1000 channel memories for trunking bank and channel combined with conventional scanning mode memory.
● Scan both trunking channels and conventional channels at the same time.
● Multi trunking of Motorola (Type I, Type II and hybrid analog systems), EDACS wide and LTR.
● CTCSS and DCS sub-audible encoded squelch mode.
● 1500 Talkgroup ID memories in 10 ID banks, 5 sub-ID memories in each bank, and each sub-ID memory has 30 ID locations.
● Alphanumeric data entry.
● PC programmable and unit-to-unit cloning.
● Spectrum sweeper function.
● Pre-programmed marine, CB, FRS/GMRS/MURS, Public safety, Aircraft, Amateur radio, Railroad and Weather frequencies.
● Weather alert and SAME receiving 10 FIPS rea code memories.
● Skywarn function.
● Attenuator control (normal and global settings -- 20 dB)
● Frequency tune mode (Up/Down)
● "Zeromatic" tuning system.
● Search up or down function.
● 60 channels per second scanning rate and 75 steps per second search rate.
● Two second scan and search delay.
● Manual selection for channels.
● Scan mode [Cleared channels 000.000 freqs) are not scanned]
● Deleting a frequency from a memory channel.
● One search limit bank
● Key lock for safety.
● LCD 16 characters x four lines and eight icons.
● Signal strength meter.
● Backlit LCD and keypad with dimmer.
● LCD contrast control
● Built-in power save function and low battery indicator on the LCD.
● Triple conversion scanner.
● Crystal filer for the 2nd IF stage and a ceramic filer for the 3rd IF stage.
● 50 lock out frequencies per search bank (250 total search lockouts).
● Frequency and channel lock-out review.
● BNC antenna connector.
● Earphone jack (3.5 mm stereo).
● PC Interface/Clone jack (3.5mm stereo). Computer cable (GRE USB cable No. 30-3290)
● External power jack
● Operating voltage: 13.8 VDC
● Dimensions: 185(w) x 135(d) x 55(h) mm, DIN-E in-dash mountable.
● Weight: 790 grams without antenna
● Acessories: Telescoping antenna, owners manual, mounting bracket, AC adapter, and DC cable.
● Memory Backup: No battery backup required. EEPROM used.

This scanner has not yet been FCC type accepted so no pricing information is currently available.

**This is not a digital scanner so reception of anything intelligible will not happen in this band since it is entirely digital.