Help for my Pro-2096

[1488gerald]

Payed to have my Pro-2096 scanner programmed and was totally deserted by the programmer and left to my own devices.I kept trying to get information from him over the blaring of his scanner, and` I was unable to absorb anything
that he was saying to me. He became angry and refused to accept my email. So here I am and would hope that someone can tell me how to operate the unit and what I have to do to` get it to trunk the frequencies. Any help would be appreciated.. I have a Pro 2035 and no problems. Also I have a Pro-433, but do not want to purchase a programming cable and pay to have it programmed if it too will set on a shelf and be dead in the water.
Thank you !

[loumaag]

What radio are you really talking about? There is, AFAIK, no such radio as a Radio Shack Pro-2097.

[ka3jjz]

This article contains links to all the cheat sheets we have for programming RS scanners, including the PRO-2096 and 97 (either of which are possibilities here)

Programming Your Radio Shack Scanner - The RadioReference Wiki

HTH...Mike

[1488gerald]

I'm sorry, I did make a mistake on the model of my scanner. It is the Pro-2096. As I mentioned before, it has been programmed. I just don't know what I am to do now. I downloaded "Team Viewer 7" and allowed programmer to access my computer to do what I payed him to do and now I don't know any more than I did previous to the programming. Thank you !!

[loumaag]

Originally Posted by 1488gerald

I'm sorry, I did make a mistake on the model of my scanner. It is the Pro-2096. ...

Okay.

Now that we have a good ID on the radio, what is it you are trying to program into the radio or had programed? Do you have an aversion to doing the programing yourself? Until we know what it is you are trying to do, there is little that anyone can suggest as a solution.

[loumaag]

Let me add, I edited both the thread title and your OP to reflect the proper radio model.

In addition, since I am moderator, I know where you are but since you haven't said it yourself, let me just give you some cryptic suggestions.

I would guess that you probably are trying to get the statewide system to work. Based on where you are and what it is, you should be able to do that without software in your 2096. Although, to be frank, it would be easier with software. It really depends on what you are trying to listen to and if you have the radio mobile or at home.

[1488gerald]

I purchased this scanner to use in my home for the purpose of listening to police, fire and emergency calls.I said before that I paid a programmer to program this unit and possibly he did, however it was never explained to me how to set it up and use it. It was as if he had presented me with an automobile, but didn't have the time to teach me how to drive. At 85 years of age, I don't get snagged like this very often. This programming was done and payed for the 7th of February and I have been at it every night since then to make something useful of the unit.I don't see much aversion there.I have the scanner, the scanning cable and the Butel ARC 96 with both keys. I have several conventional channels programmed in bank #9 and that is the extent of a $300.00 investment. I have thought and thought and have yet to figure out why the programmer had me download Teamviewer 7 to take control of my computer and then not set the system up.

[loumaag]

I understand your frustration. I was in my 30s when I first had to deal with trunking systems and I used to get pretty frustrated also. It helps that we here have been at this (providing a pool of knowledge) for almost 3 decades.

So with that, I don't know what to suggest. I have no knowledge of ARC96, I have always used Win96 (IMHO the benchmark) for my Pro-96 & 2096 and StarrSoft programs for programming any of the older GRE built RS scanners.

As I alluded to in my previous post, I suspect you are trying to monitor the statewide trunking system. If so, I doubt that it was programed into the same bank as the conventional items you mentioned in your previous post. What do you hear if you open all the banks to monitor? If you individually open one bank at a time, what is the title of the bank? Do any of them reference the statewide system? Remember, on a 96/2096 you cannot shut off all the banks, you must have at least one selected, but you can select all 10.

BTW, it probably would be helpful, indeed you might be able to get some local help, if you revealed where you were and what you were trying to listen to. As I said, I know where you are, but policy precludes me from saying anything to identify your location unless you reveal it.

[1488gerald]

I will try to give you all the information I have. I live in Whitmore Lake, Michigan on the North end of the lake. My location borders Washtenaw and Livingston counties. The programmer was to program these counties and some of Western Wayne county.
I purchased my 2096 and the ARC96 was included with the unit. I inserted in computer and what appeared to me was sort of a spread sheet where you could type in many frequencies. I had no understanding of it, so I filed it away. I believe that I also have Win 96. I have a folder on my desktop labeled Pro-2096 I clicked on it and it gave me four choices, so I choose Win96. Then I am given seven choices.I choose Win96 Scanner Utility, Don Starr.
I ran the software, clicked on "O.K." and up jumped a page with multiple "O O" in a row. I then went to the left top and clicked on channels. That replaced some of the "00" with some 800.xxxx frequencies on site 17 on the left.
and "00" on the right gave some alpha tag names.On top to the left is a little box with a 0 in it. If you change that number many other things change so I set it back to 0.That little box seems to be holding many interesting things. What I have revealed in this last paragraph, I discovered on my own just by poking around. The programmer just took his money and as I said before, left me to my own devices, which are very few.. I don't know what you mean by state -wide trunking. It is not something I requested. I see no reference to state-wide trunking on any bank.If I open all banks but bank #9 I don't seem to hear anything.When I open #9 I hear my conventional frequencies I programmed there.I have no one locally to help me.They have all passed and the two left are not into much of anything,except passing time.If more questions,please send. Thanks for your time.

[loumaag]

Okay, the statewide system I am referring to is the Michigan Public Safety Communications System (MPSCS). Based on what I can see, and realizing I don't live there, it would appear that the Northville site (2-06) would be the site to monitor for your area. Livingston County, in addition to having conventional entries in the DB show that the majority of the Public Safety is on the MPSCS system under the Livingston Co TG area. Both Washtenaw Co. and Wayne Co. seem to be the same.

I am going to move this topic to the Michigan regional forum, where (hopefully) someone can give you a bit more "local" help.

[1488gerald]

Thank you Lou. I am in hopes that someone can help. Any help would have to realize that I am not of the "computer generation" but rather and over the road trucker that had little time to be concerned with computers.I am not senile and not mentally challenged, however this Pro-2096 has me wondering..
On conventional frequencies, I am able to hear Southfield, Manchester,Saline,Pittsfield,Dexter,Chelsea,Ypsila nti,Brighton, Howell ,Novi, Pinckney and Unadilla. I seem to get pretty good coverage in this area. I do have these programmed on bank #9 but can remove if necessary as they are also programmed on my Pro-2035. Well hopefully someone will come to my aid. Is so, I thank you in advance.
Gerald

[fnnm400]

I am concerned there may be a problem with the radio. I have seen a few of those loss the capability to recieve trunk stuff and only conv work.
Did you buy the radio used?

[OldDeadOne]

Since he lives in Michigan,maybe there is someone nearby who could help him with his Pro 2096? If I lived in his area I would have been glad to help him since I do have a Pro 2096 myself(I use a Pro 106 mainly though). To Garry: My state's trunked stuff works excellent with my Pro 2096,I'm not positive but I believe his scanner may not have been programmed correctly by the person who did his scanner.

[1488gerald]

Re: Garry and The Dead One. Thank you for jumping in Garry.I did buy the 2096 on eBay from a ham operator.We conversed by email and he offered me a 100 o/o guarantee on unit thru eBay.if it had any problems,
for which I did not find, other than my lack of understanding to program.
The Dead One: Thank you for entering the discussion.I really believe that the programmer did his
programming correctly. It is just that I was left with little if any instructions as to how to set up the unit.I did not become (over the years) a professional driver nor a journeyman machinist without some instruction.I had hands on training and I learned from it. Many times I had problems on the computer and I would request step by step instructions to solve my problems.I just feel that I am not capable of the task at hand, and that is my reason that I asked for help.

[loumaag]

Gerald,

I think somewhere above you said you have a copy of Win96. If so, and you have the appropriate cable, can you possibly get a dump from the radio and then post it here. With that I think folks could take a look at how it is programmed and perhaps send you corrections. I guess you could do it with ARC96 also, but as I said, I have never used that program.

[1488gerald]

O.K. Lou, you are going to cause me to expose more of my lack of knowledge. I don't understand the term to get a " dump" from the radio and post it. Remember my age now!!!! I have a programming cable GEO2D 8360
that came with the 2096. The ARC 96 came as an extra with the unit. Nothing to do with programing..Unfortunately my Win96 key just expired today.I will have to renew it for $30.00 .If I do so, will it help us. Please instruct.My guess is that I need it to continue the process.

[loumaag]

Originally Posted by 1488gerald

O.K. Lou, you are going to cause me to expose more of my lack of knowledge. I don't understand the term to get a " dump" from the radio and post it. Remember my age now!!!! I have a programming cable GEO2D 8360
that came with the 2096. The ARC 96 came as an extra with the unit. Nothing to do with programing..Unfortunately my Win96 key just expired today.I will have to renew it for $30.00 .If I do so, will it help us. Please instruct.My guess is that I need it to continue the process.

"Dump" - In this instance means you would hook it up the radio to the computer and using the software you would "read" how the radio was programed, save that template and then post it here so we could look at it.

Now, the rub is you can do that with ARC96 as well as Win96, but I don't use ARC96. But there are others that do, so maybe someone will pipe up and say so. This would save you the registration fee for the Win96 software. Once a "dump" is available, others can look at the way the radio is programed and offer either to tell you how to change it or change it for you, sending the edited "dump" back to you and then you would use the edited template to reload your radio. I am willing to bet that on your computer there is already a copy of the template used by whoever did the original programing, since it would have had to be loaded to your radio from your computer, even if they were controlling your computer remotely.

[1488gerald]

I payed my dues and now have the key for Win 96. Having ARC96 also was more than I wished to cope with. I guess I am having a difficult time trying to get anyone to understand that I know nothing, absolutely nothing about what I am doing with this radio.Another week of this and I may not know my name. I connected cable between radio and computer and I see nothing. I will need the "2096 set up for dummies" to get a dump underway. When I am requested to make a move on this computer, I not only need to be told where to go, but also how to get there and what to do when I arrive.Can't everyone be that dumb, but someone has to claim that position. That is sad and very discouraging, but it is what it is.Maybe someone will be willing to download Teamviewer7 or Crossloop and handle this remotely and save me from myself.

[kd8ati]

Well now that you have your Win96 up and running, and I will be able to asst you further, as that is what I use.

First thing is to have a look at what is already programed in to the scanner. In order to do that we need to have Win96 read the scanner files. To do this make sure the cable is connected to the computer & scanner, and the scanner is turned on. Open up Win96 and click on the "Scanner" drop down menu in Win96. Then click on "Download from scanner". This will take a minute to complete.

After it is done downloading from the scanner, click on "file" then "save as" and give it a name. Make sure you pay attention to where it is saving this file to, as you will need to know this for the next few steps.

After you have saved it come back here to the forums and send a reply. If you look below the box you type in to reply you will see a button you can click on that says Manage attachments. Click that button.

A pop-up box will appear and in that pop-up box you can click the browse button. Use this to go to where that file is saved and double click it. Then click the upload button. This will attach that file to your post so we can download it from here and take a look at it.

-------------------------------

Other info that is needed...

What EXACTLY do you want programed in to the scanner? I need city names / and if you want both the cities police & fire or just police or just fire, and we need that info for each city you want.

[loumaag]

One additional information point. The attachment process here (in the forums) will not allow you to upload the file as it is. Go to the folder on your computer and add ".txt" to the end of the file name, so that will appear like this: "somename.p96.txt". Text files are allowed to be uploaded, and whoever looks at it will just strip that off to load the file in their software.