The Whistler TRX-1 is a digital handheld scanner designed for monitoring a wide range of radio communications, particularly in public safety, amateur, and business applications. Below is a detailed overview of its specifications, release date, frequency coverage, and modes supported.
Release Date
The Whistler TRX-1 was announced in May 2016 and released to the market in late June 2016. It has since become a popular choice among scanner enthusiasts due to its versatility and support for digital modes.
Specifications
- Form Factor: Handheld, powered by 4 AA batteries (alkaline or rechargeable Ni-MH), offering 7-13 hours of continuous operation depending on usage.
- Display: Full dot matrix bitmap LCD (132×65 dots) with backlit alphanumeric keypad for easy navigation.
- Memory: Utilizes a MicroSD card (2GB included, supports up to 32GB) for storing the RadioReference database, firmware, and user configurations. Supports millions of scannable objects, limited only by card capacity.
- Programming: Uses proprietary EZ Scan™ software (Windows-only) for programming and updates. Comes preloaded with USA/Canada frequency databases, programmable by ZIP code.
- Audio: Built-in 36mm 8-ohm dynamic speaker with 500 mW max power output.
- Connectivity: USB 2.0 interface for PC connection, firmware updates, and data transfer. Includes a headphone jack and built-in discriminator output for third-party decoding software.
- Dimensions: 5.31″ H x 2.12″ W x 1.06″ D (135 x 67 x 28 mm) without antenna; weighs 7.4 oz (210g) without batteries or antenna.
- Additional Features:
- 200 scanlists plus a dedicated Skywarn scanlist for flexible object grouping.
- Spectrum Sweeper for rapid detection of nearby transmissions.
- Programmable tri-color LED and audible alarms for activity alerts.
- Audio recording with date/time stamping to the MicroSD card (up to 50 hours on 2GB).
- Built-in clock/calendar and weather alert functions.
Frequency Coverage
The TRX-1 covers a broad range of frequencies, excluding cellular bands:
- 25-54 MHz
- 108-136.99 MHz (includes VHF aircraft band)
- 137-174 MHz
- 216-379.97 MHz
- 380-512 MHz
- 764-781 MHz
- 791-796 MHz
- 806-960 MHz (excluding cellular frequencies)
- 1240-1300 MHz
It also includes NOAA weather frequencies (162.400–162.550 MHz) for weather monitoring.
Modes Covered
The TRX-1 is a multi-system adaptive digital trunking scanner capable of decoding both analog and digital modes. Supported modes include:
- Analog Modes:
- AM (Amplitude Modulation, e.g., for aviation bands)
- FM (Frequency Modulation)
- CTCSS/DCS (sub-audible tones for analog systems)
- Digital Modes:
- APCO P25 Phase I and Phase II: Standard for many public safety systems, with NAC (Network Access Code) support.
- X2-TDMA: A variant of P25 Phase I.
- DMR (Digital Mobile Radio): Includes Conventional DMR (entered as a trunked system), MotoTRBO™ Tier II, Hytera XPT, MotoTRBO Capacity Plus, Connect Plus, and Linked Capacity Plus systems.
- NXDN: Added as a free firmware update in December 2016, exclusive to Whistler among consumer scanners at the time. Note that it decodes NXDN but cannot trunk-track NXDN systems due to licensing limitations.
- EDACS: Wide and narrow variants (GE/Ericsson/Harris systems).
- LTR (Logic Trunked Radio): Common in business trunking systems.
- Motorola Analog Trunking: Supports older Motorola trunked systems.
The scanner can monitor unencrypted channels and systems, detecting and decoding embedded RadioID/TalkgroupID data in digital voice packets. It does not decode encrypted transmissions.
Additional Notes
- Performance: Sensitivity varies by band (e.g., 0.2 μV in VHF Low, 0.5 μV in 1240-1300 MHz), with a scanning rate of 70 channels/second and a search rate of 80 steps/second in certain bands.
- Firmware Updates: Whistler provides free CPU and DSP firmware updates, keeping the scanner current with enhancements and expanded capabilities.
- Limitations: Some users report connectivity issues with Windows PCs via EZ Scan software, and the scanner’s faceplate finish may appear scratched due to manufacturing design (not a defect).
The TRX-1 remains a robust option for scanner enthusiasts, particularly for its out-of-the-box support for NXDN and DMR alongside P25, making it a versatile tool for monitoring modern digital communications as of its release and beyond.