Whistler WS1065 Digital Trunking Desktop Scanner – Programmable Police/Fire Radio with Backlit Display, 1800 Memory Channels, and V-Scanner Technology – Black
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Availability:
In Stock.
Arrives
Sep 10 – Sep 12
Style: Whistler WS1065 Desktop Digital Scanner Black
Features
- Multi-Color LED & Audible Alerts: Stay informed with programmable audible alarms and a customizable Alert LED that supports up to 8 user-defined colors from thousands of combinations.
- Automatic Adaptive Digital Tracking: Advanced real-time P25 decoding adapts 50+ times per second to shifting signals caused by multipath or fadingno manual adjustments needed.
- Digital AGC & P25 NAC Support: Instantly adjusts for low audio levels on digital systems and filters out unwanted transmissions using Network Access Code (NAC) filtering.
- Menu-Driven Programming with Help Text: Easy setup and operation thanks to intuitive menus with built-in help for every optiongreat for beginners and pros alike.
- High-Speed PC Interface & Cloning: Program and update via USB at blazing speeds6x faster PC transfers and 8x faster cloning between units (includes USB programming cable).
- Free-Form Memory Structure: Store over 37,800 objects with dynamic memory allocation and no wasted spacefar more efficient than traditional banked systems.
- Real-Time Signal Strength Display: Instantly see the strength of incoming signals for better tuning and monitoring.
- Multi-System Trunking Support: Compatible with Motorola, EDACS, LTR, and P25 Phase 1 trunked systems; supports both talkgroup and individual call monitoring.
- Spectrum Sweeper & Tune Functions: Quickly scan local frequencies for active signals or search starting from a specific frequency to discover new channels.
- Skywarn Storm Spotter Access: Direct access to storm watcher frequencies for early warning of severe weatherget alerts before theyre on the news.
Description
This Desktop/Mobile Digital Scanner stores up to 1,800 frequencies and lets you search for nearby frequency transmissions and automatically jumps to a found transmission. It also lets you hear storm reports and more before they are broadcast on TV or radio. Includes PC/IF Cable, DIN E Adapter, AC Adapter, DC Cable, Telescopic Antenna and Mobile Mounting Bracket.
Specs & Other Info
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 5.3 x 7.3 x 2.2 inches |
| Weight | 2.64 pounds |
| Model | WS1065 |
| Production Status | Currently available |
| Release Date | February 18, 2014 |
| Target Audience | Adults |
| Manufacturer | Whistler |
| Origin | China |
Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Whistler WS1065 is capable of decoding both digital and analog frequencies. It's designed to handle a wide range of communications, making it versatile for various scanning needs.
Programming the Whistler WS1065 can vary in difficulty depending on your familiarity with scanners and the specific frequencies you're trying to access. However, it comes with software that aids in programming, and there are numerous resources and communities online that offer guidance.
Yes, the Whistler WS1065 typically comes with a manufacturer's warranty. The length and specifics of the warranty can vary, so it's recommended to check the included documentation or contact Whistler directly for details.
Yes, the Whistler WS1065 can be used to scan a wide range of frequencies, including those used by police and emergency services. However, accessibility to these frequencies can depend on local laws and encryption practices, so it's important to be aware of and comply with any regulations in your area.
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Top Amazon Reviews
🚀 Abunda's Overview
This is our summary and key points to consider based on customer reviews.
The Whistler scanner garners mostly positive feedback for its value, comprehensive features, and the capability to pick up a wide range of frequencies, especially when coupled with an additional antenna. Nevertheless, a steep learning curve for programming it, which requires third-party software and a potential subscription to online databases, is consistently noted. It's praised for its performance and cost-effectiveness but criticized for the complexity and outdated support documentation.
Pros
- 👍 Comes with everything needed, including a cable for computer connection.
- 👍 Telescoping antenna picks up a wide variety of frequencies effectively.
- 👍 Excellent value for its price, offering high-quality listening experiences.
- 👍 Compatible with existing accessories from GRE/Radio Shack/Whistler due to shared design heritage.
- 👍 User-friendly for both new users and long-time scanning enthusiasts, with manageable programming for those willing to learn.
Cons
- 👎 Programming the scanner can be complicated and possibly requires additional software and subscriptions.
- 👎 Manual programming is described as incredibly hard, making it inaccessible for some users.
- 👎 Support documentation is outdated, with references to obsolete operating systems like Windows XP and Vista.
- 👎 Some features and protocols like TDMA (Phase 2 or DMR), NeXTEL, or encrypted communications are not supported.
- 👎 The scanner's front-end is not the most robust, especially on VHF, requiring programming adjustments for optimal performance.
Should I Buy It?
If you're a scanning enthusiast willing to navigate a complex programming process for a budget-friendly price, the Whistler scanner offers great value and performance. It’s ideal for users looking to dip their toes into more modern scanning capabilities without breaking the bank. However, if ease of use right out of the box is crucial for you, or you require support for the latest digital protocols and encrypted communications, you might want to consider other options.
Style: Whistler WS1065 Desktop Digital Scanner ...
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. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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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Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2019 by Jennifer
Style: Whistler WS1065 Desktop Digital Scanner ...
This is a great scanner at a price that won't break you. I've had several scanners for many years. This one was in the price range I was willing to spend. I read the reviews and decided to give it a try, even though there were several negative reviews. I am happy with my purchase. If you are not a technical person or are not familiar with radios, you might want to skip this one. Many of the negative reviews were from people who just could not figure out this scanner. Once you get it set up, it is so easy to make and change scan lists. If you're not going to use a computer to program the scanner, you might also want to skip it. What makes it so easy to use is the software that allows you to program the scanner. The scanner comes with a USB programming cable that plugs into a socket in the scanner's front panel. For software, you'll need to go to RadioReference dot com and download your choice of programming software. I tried the WIN500 application and didn't like it. After trying ARC500, it worked well and was easy to learn. Now when I want to make a change on my scanner, I start the computer application, make the changes, connect the programming cable and then click Upload. It couldn't be easier. The scanner comes with a telescoping antenna that isn't much good, unless you live in an area with strong signals. I bought a mobile magnetic mount antenna. I have an upper dormer window in my office and the window sill has metal flashing under the paint, so the antenna sits securely. One last suggestion before you order. You might want to look for a vendor that shows it is fulfilled by Amazon or is sold directly by Amazon. I initially chose a vendor that shipped directly. Three days after I had placed the order, the scanner still hadn't been shipped. I did a search again and found one fulfilled by Amazon for $5 more. It promptly arrived 2 days later.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2016 by C. Davis
Style: Whistler WS1065 Desktop Digital Scanner ...
I left the tech support unchecked only because we did not use their tech support. Back in the day we had an older scanner and we were able to just punch the channels in. This is not the case anymore. The directions advised against this. If I had one complaint or suggestion I would have the makers of the scanner include the software to program the scanner. After signing up with radio reference for the frequencies and then signing up with psredit it can get costly. Luckily some offer a 30 day trial. The scanner itself was just we needed. There are way more options that we don't use as of yet but I am sure if I asked tech support they would gladly walk me through all that. But I do not know this for sure. I get all my local channels ( Thanks to the programming software and radio reference) and can hear clear as a bell. An external speaker may be a great addition but not necessary if you are in the same room as the scanner. And if you were to get one they don't seem to be that expensive. So, in a nutshell we love the scanner but not real keen on the additional programming cost. That could be easily fixed with a kickback or a voucher to get access to programming when you purchase the unit.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2019 by Scrappyjen
Style: Whistler WS1065 Desktop Digital Scanner ...
I'm sure this is a good product. The company has a first rate reputation. I'm sure most of the issues I'm having are due to my low intelligence and unfamiliarity with what I thought I was getting into. However, I can say I did not imagine there being no connecting cord for this device and my computer as promised. I did reach out in regards to this and was surprised at no response. I suspect it fell though cracks created by whatever system Amazon uses. That sucked. I bought such a cord separately after that non-response, and maybe it will work. I hope so. I plan to try again today. The key thing to know is that these things are very complex. You can't just pick one up and make it work. It's not intuitive to the likes of me--although it very well may be to those trained in radio and such. Also--and this is important--an ever increasing number of fire and police departments etc. are encoding their transmissions. This thing is useless when that is the case. It's a 300 dollar box that gives me the weather (so far). I hope I can get that cord to work and the computer will help me program this thing to become more interesting. In all honesty, however, this was not a good use of my money.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2022 by Michael Sullivan
Style: Whistler WS1065 Desktop Digital Scanner ...
These stupid scanners are too hard to program. The manual doesn't describe anything properly. They send you to some site to look up frequencies and become a subscriber but it doesn't show you how to do anything. The site has no proper software download area. When you finally find it, it is some old DOS program and requires payment unless you want to use the demo version for a month. Other than the free weather report, I didn't really hear anything and all You-tube videos of this item are basically idiots mumbling. One guy didn't even show the unit and just grunted in a daze. The manual's PC requirements mention Windows XP and believe it or not Windows VIsta...Vista...for an item sold in 2023. They're selling them on the Whistler site and the latest Windows supported or mentioned is Windows 8. It didn't recognize any COM ports when I tried the cable. The manual also describes the settings of switches and menu items but doesn't say what it means, like "priority", or "AGC-controls the AGC function , which is what?" Some reviews have mentioned that this is the fun of finding out, but I don't want to spend over $200 on something that does nothing. What is the point of making something so difficult to use or even know it's working?
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Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2023 by JST
Style: Whistler WS1065 Desktop Digital Scanner ...
I was almost put off by reviews complaint about difficulties programming this, but I took a chance because our local PD is digital. In short, I am glad I made this purchase. I used no software, only front button panel to program my 6 or 7 agencies of interest in about half an hour; I do realize the most negative of ratings regarding programming the scanner is from folks with little or no experience programming this device, which may very well seem intimidating; my15 yr old Bearcat was setup my just scanning and then saving after a lock. Anyway, this was much easier to program after watching the (VERY few) YouTube videos on this device. What lacked in production was sure made up in “meat and potatoes”. The day after I watched a couple of vids, I programmed it on arrival. If you are frustrated, please search out programming this radio manually on You Tube after getting the frequencies from radioreference.com for your area. Now for my bummer: It’s not a huge hit, but I think both the internal speaker, as well as rear audio-out are “tinny” on the one digital channel I scan, which is the DPS Agency I work for, and use Motorola mobile and hand held units . Chalk it up to being spoiled maybe. No complaints on the analogs. I would recommend based on the price without a doubt.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2021 by [email protected]
Style: Whistler WS1065 Desktop Digital Scanner ...
This is a nice scanner that, for me, was easy to set up and program. I should say that I am an Extra Class Ham radio operator, so I already know a little about radio. This was my first scanner. It will handle FM (including Ham repeaters. It also will decode P-25 Phase 1. It will not decode some other digital modes like P-25 phase 2, NXDN, and DMR. I was getting the next counties because they were FM conventional and the State troopers because the State's (Viper) system is based on a P-25 phase 1 trunking system. I couldn't any of my County's transmissions because they use an NXDN system. I then purchased a Whistler TRX-2, which got everything I was missing. I don't know of any commercially available scanner that will encode D-Star or Fusion, but I have radios that can scan all of that. I was going to send the Whistler1065 back, but I have found that it is advantageous to run two scanners simultaneously. Since each scanner is on different frequency bands at any given moment, it helps me catch transmissions I might have missed. Also, when a scanner stops for a prolonged transmission, the other scanner can continue to scan. I really like booth scanners. I like the TRX-2 best, but at twice the price, it should be better! I recommend you check what system your local services use and buy the one that gets what you need. You can get that at radiorefference.com
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Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2021 by Ronald L. Parks
Style: Whistler WS1065 Desktop Digital Scanner ...
Our county went from analog to digital this year, so one day my scanner went silent, except for a few non-government entities. I did quite a lot of research, and this model was the one I felt would best meet my needs. I knew the programming process would be different, but the directions included with the scanner told me what I needed to do. I would never have attempted to program the unit myself. The manual gives a cautionary statement that is is challenging and difficult. Fortunately, there was a yellow instruction sheet enclosed in the box, and I followed the steps using PSRedit500 on my PC. It took a little while to figure out exactly how everything fit together, but the software really is able to do the job. I also asked a number of questions on Google that were answered. The first time I did the download I left a step out, but I found out what I did wrong, and then the unit started broadcasting. I am very happy with the purchase. The unit came from Triplenet Pricing, the only one available to buy at the time with free shipping. It arrived almost two weeks earlier than expected, which was a welcome surprise.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2021 by Douglas Robinson