Yes, Jeff sent me that off-list yesterday--interesting and something to be 
aware of. I strongly suspect that for the prices Uniden is getting for some 
of their better scanners these days, they'll have a ROM flash available.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Russ Kiehne" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, July 07, 2006 12:42 PM
Subject: Re: Another scanner-related question


Speaking of trunked systems, are you aware of the following?

                              800 MHz FCC Rebanding Action

                              Question:

                              Is there any impact on on Uniden Scanners due
to
                              the rebanding?

                              Answer:


                              800 MHz Rebanding Impact on Uniden Scanners
                              Background Information
                              Beginning in the late 1990's, the FCC and
industry
                              began studying interference problems on public
                              safety communications systems in the 800 MHz
band.
                              The root cause of most of the reported issues
was
                              interference from high-powered business radio
                              systems on channels adjacent to relatively
                              low-powered public safety radio systems.
                              In early February 2005, the FCC issued a
Report
                              and Order directing that certain actions be
taken
                              to reduce or eliminate the conditions that
have
                              resulted in this interference. These actions
                              include:
                                Moving current non-public safety licensees
out
                                of the 806-809/851-854 MHz band.
                                Moving public safety licensees into the
                                806-809/851-854 MHz band.
                                Changing the current 800 MHz channel plan.
                              The relocation of licensees should help to
isolate
                              critical public safety bands away from
                              interference-creating services, but will
require
                              that users reprogram their scanner with the
new
                              frequencies.
                              The change to the 800 MHz channel plan will
have
                              the greatest effect on scanner operation. Most
                              scanners use this channel plan to determine
the
                              voice channel frequency for Motorola Analog or
                              mixed systems. Users with scanners that rely
on
                              this channel plan will need to reflash their
                              scanner in order for it to continue to
properly
                              track Motorola Analog or mixed systems.
Scanners
                              that cannot be reflashed will need to be
replaced.
                              These two changes (relocating licensees and
                              changing the channel plan) are together
referred
                              to as "Rebanding."
                              More information on Rebanding can be found at
                              http://www.800ta.org and from the links on
that
                              site.
                              Impact on Scanning Receivers
                              Rebanding is a mixed blessing for scanner
users.
                              The same interference sources that have
affected
                              public safety users have also affected the use
of
                              scanners, sometimes to a greater degree.
Rebanding
                              should greatly improve scanner operation for
the
                              same reason that public safety radio operation
                              will improve: less interference from unwanted
                              sources. However, as rebanding occurs on a
system,
                              scanners will need to be replaced, reflashed,
or
                              reprogrammed in order to continue to track the
                              trunked systems in the 800 MHz band.