Whistler 1095 Mobile scanner finally appears

Please see this thread on radio reference for pictures:

http://forums.radioreference.com/general-scanning-discussion/305241-ces-2015-starts-tomorrow.html#post2316267

From the pictures, the scanner has a nice minimalist look to it.  The SD Card is easily accessible from behind the detachable radio head.  The display is nice and of course the remote head is a much welcomed and overdue feature.

If anything beats the Uniden 536, it is the remote head.  I never liked the fact of having to use my phone, or an old ipod/tablet for a remote display.  The last thing I want to do when I get in my car is have to manually turn something else on, worry if the batteries are charged, or even coming up with a way to mount it.  Lets all not forget that this is still speculation, and that a year later, we still have no remote head option from Uniden.  I would not be surprised if the 1095 comes out before Uniden has the software out.  Fortunately, I never planned on using the wifi option to begin with.

Operational wise, I posed a blog a while back comparing the Uniden's to the PRS-800/WS-1080 radios.  My opinion hasn't changed much.  Bear in mind that this is essentially a 2+ year old scanner in mobile form.  If you already have a PRS-800 or WS-1080, you already know the pluses and minuses.

Without GPS, or an easy access to the scan list, I still don't feel this is really a great mobile scanner.  The exception is if you only keep to 1 or 2 area's, or plan on monitoring a statewide trunk system.  The radio can by design change to the trunk site with the strongest control channel.  There will come a day when most of the state is on the NJICS Trunk system, or their own county 700 systems, tied into the state system.  When that takes place many years from now, this scanner would surely be a winner.

As a base scanner, this is sure to be a nice addition, however you will probably run into the VHF overloading if you have a base antenna.  From what I have seen and read, the GRE/Whistler scanner either works great for some people, or it works like crap.  There seems to be no middle ground.  If you are one of the lucky ones, then this radio will be for you.  I had been considering this one to replace my Home Patrol 1 on my desk, however I am probably more likely to go with the HP-2.   Now that I have perfected the radio id import script, it makes more sense for me to stick with Uniden (despite how pissed I still am at them).  I also had problems with VHF overloading, so the Uniden makes sense for me.

I give Whistler credit for jumping into the scanner arena and coming out with this finally.  Although I will be passing this one up, I am hoping that within a few years, we will be seeing newer scanner models designed by Whistler and with improvements over the current scanner shortcomings.