Help with program PRO 2096

[squad3713]

Just picked up a PRO 2096. Looking to see if anyone in the area (Bel Air or Columbia) that is willing to allow me to clone my scanner to another to get all the County freqs.

Looking to get the following:
Harford
Baltimore City/County
Howard
Anne Arundel
BWI
Montgomery
Carroll
Frederick
and anything else......

Mainly Fire/EMS channels.... and police too if they are able to be seperated into a different bank.

Any help is appreciated.
Thanks!
Tim

[ka3jjz]

Tim, from Harford, you're going to have a very hard time hearing Montgomery, Howard, parts of Baltimore city, parts of Anne Arundel, and I suspect Carroll and Frederick - unless you're using this in a mobile setting. Almost impossible in a desktop setting without a good high antenna (maybe even a beam) to hear some of these...

But let's start with some of the basics, shall we? Note that from here on end, anything in blue is a link

a. Many of those areas use a concept known as trunking - this allows multiple users to share a frequency within a system. The following wiki article has a section called 'overview' and in that, an excellent PDF based article from Uniden that describes this process well..

Trunked Radio Systems - The RadioReference Wiki

b. If you are programming by hand (and all that, I kinda doubt it...) this cheat sheet will help...

Programming Shortcut pro-2096 - The RadioReference Wiki

You can get frequencies for everything you would want by clicking on the Database link under the RadioReference logo, and using the pulldowns. This will become important to you in a moment...

c. With so much to program, software is the much more practical way to go. However, most PCs these days don't have serial ports - they have USB ports, though, and there are 2 USB-serial converters that are known to work...

• GRE 30-3290 USB Cable

• RS 20-047 USB Cable

You will need to install drivers so that the cable is recognized as a 'serial port' - this article (even though it's geared to XP users) will give you some hints along those lines...

Connecting scanners via USB - The RadioReference Wiki

The software of choice is Win96

d. Lastly - at least for now - if you purchase a premium subscription, you will be able to use Win96's import ability to download data directly from the database into the software. Under the Scanner Master logo, float your mouse over About then select the link from the pulldowns.

Once you get a handle on all this - it's a lot, I know - come back and ask more questions. Be specific about whether you are using your 2096 mobile or in the home - the answer will tend to guide not only how you program, but the antenna you will need to use. If it's in the home, can you get something outdoors, or are you stuck in an apartment or condo?

73 Mike

[squad3713]

Mike,
Thanks for the info... The scanner will be used in a mobile setting. (I work in Howard) and live in Harford. I drive through many of these areas and was hoping to get most of them (Mostly on the I95 corridor) it wouldn't break my heart not to get Frederick and Carroll.

I was hoping someone close would be able to clone my radio if they had a similar set up.... thats the easiest for me

Cheers,
Tim

[ka3jjz]

I think you're going to end up doing it yourself, Tim. I rather doubt a lot of people have a setup exactly like you want - and therein lies the point. If you let someone else do it (and please don't write back and say you had a RS employee do it - as far as this stuff is concerned, many are absolutely clueless), you are more or less hostage to the programmer's viewpoint as to what you really want to have in your radio.

Sit down and learn; read what I have given you. Use Win96 to lay things out for yourself before you actually program the radio. Experiment! This is the only way you will learn. 73 Mike