Complete Newbie - Page 3

Fuzy_GSXR1000 · #41 (**permalink**) 10-01-2012, 6:18 PM

My Radio Shack Pro-197 has a search feature to scan the radio spectrum from 25.000Mhz up to1300.000Khz and you can search different bands as well HAM,Public Safety,Military,....ect. So I suppose a scanner is the way to go for know.

jb2c · #42 (**permalink**) 10-01-2012, 9:21 PM

My sister actually left me avmail today and said she was probably going to sell her scanner as she doesn't listen to it any more. I was surprised. I thought she was a dedicated listener. No idea what scanner she has, but I would guess it isn't digital. I'll find out this weekend.

I have (or at least had) distant relatives in northern Alamance County. I've been meaning to ride out there sometime and do some geneology research. Boone Road area, if you're familiar with that.

Mike, thanks for the info. I'll look more closely at the PSR-500 vs PSR-800 vs the 106. I'll probably end up with whichever I can find what I think is the best deal on one of them, as they sound pretty similiar.

gr8rcall · #43 (**permalink**) 10-02-2012, 10:59 AM

Find out what kind it is...I might be interested in buying it. If you can call or email her to find out soon, that would be great! Wow! she lives pretty close to me. I'm near Western High School. IF I decide I want to buy her scanner, tell her to put it on eBay and then give me a link to it, or something like that.

I would go with either the PSR-500 or Pro-106. The 800 is okay...but I wouldn't go that route. I think the 500 and the 106 have more features and you'll like them better.

jb2c · #44 (**permalink**) 10-13-2012, 9:50 PM

Just an update. My sister's radio was a Pro 197. I wanted a handheld. but she's selling it to me for $50 so I don't think I can turn that down.

Definitely going to need some help with programming though.

gr8rcall · #45 (**permalink**) 10-14-2012, 7:19 AM

Great deal for a digital scanner!

jb2c · #46 (**permalink**) 11-05-2012, 11:53 PM

I finally got the Pro 197. Now I have to figure out what to do with it! I'll try to read through the manual this week. I did turn it on tonight and hit scan and it only picked up two or three channels, I was really disappointed with that. I only have the little antennae that attaches to the back of the unit. Is that my problem? I need to try to figure out how to pick up the local PD and FD.

gr8rcall · #47 (**permalink**) 11-06-2012, 6:38 AM

Great! Let me know if you have anymore questions, JB2C!
Should be pretty easy to figure out!

To hear your local PD/FD, you'll have to enter a trunked system!
This should be the one:
http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=1771

Read the manual on entering trunked systems. You'll enter this one as a Motorola 800/900.

jb2c · #48 (**permalink**) 11-06-2012, 8:56 AM

Hey there gr8rcall! It's been awhile.

OK, I read the manual and have entered a 'talkgroup' or 'TSYS Object' named 'New Bern Public'. But I'm not seeing in the manual how you would associate the group of channels that I need to enter for New Bern Public Safety.

Wow. The manual is really complicated. Not sure I have the hours it's going to take to program this thing. Can I pay you to program it for me?!

gr8rcall · #49 (**permalink**) 11-06-2012, 12:02 PM

Jb2c here's programming instructions:

(I want you to read this entire post before you do anything)

I just want you to worry about scanning, not anything complicated like individual TGs. My procedure will get you up and running monitoring all traffic on the system!

(Before doing this, hold 0 while turning your radio on, then press 1, then press ENT to confirm)
That deletes the data currently in the memory, so you have a fresh slate to work with!

When you're ready to start:

Press PGM (Unless you already see "NEW-EDIT-GLOB" on the screen)
Press F1
Press F1
Select your scanlist by moving the arrows left or right and press SEL to put it in that scanlist (It's in scanlist 1 by default, Id just leave it as that)
Scroll Down to TSYS, make sure it says "New" by moving the arrows left or right
Press SEL
Under "TYPE" make sure it says "Motorola 800/900"
Scroll to "TAG" and enter the TRS name (New Bern Public Safety)
When you're done press F1
Scroll to "Frequencies" and press SEL
Under CH01 enter: 857.2625
Press F1
Under CH02 enter: 858.2625
Press F1
Under CH03 enter: 860.2625
Press F1
Press F1
Scroll down to "Fleetmap"
Select "Custom" by scrolling left or right
Press SEL
Under "Block 0" scroll right until it says "S4"
Scroll down to "Block 1" then scroll right until it says "S4"
Repeat this procedure for Blocks 2-7
Press F1
Scroll up to "Multisite" then scroll right until it says "Roam"
Press F1
Press F1
Then make sure your scanlist 1 is active, and you will be scanning all activity on the system!

That should get you up and running!
Gr8rcall

Fuzy_GSXR1000 · #50 (**permalink**) 11-06-2012, 5:50 PM

Wow the way he described it....I would attempt to program it that way....once you get rock and rolling you should get some programming software then you can create a file and just build on it!! Either way you have a fantastic scanner have fun!!!

gr8rcall · #51 (**permalink**) 11-06-2012, 6:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fuzy_GSXR1000

Wow the way he described it....I would attempt to program it that way....once you get rock and rolling you should get some programming software then you can create a file and just build on it!! Either way you have a fantastic scanner have fun!!!

Thanks for the compliment, man!

yeah, I would recommend getting some software in the future!

cacherjoe · #52 (**permalink**) 11-07-2012, 8:20 PM

I haven't read through all the posts so please excuse me if I restate something. I think you should be considering HAM or CB and keep the scanner in the mix. The HAM/CB decision doesn't take away the need/want for a scanner at all. Yes you can monitor many of the same frequencies on a HAM rig as you would if you were to have a scanner, but there was some discussion on here, along with a newspaper article some time ago about IC seizing HAM rigs in BC that had Police frequencies programmed in them. I haven't heard of this happening since, so perhaps the chances of this happening are slim.

That said I go back to my initial statement, keep the scanner in the mix, decide on CB or HAM. I would also point you to the HP1, best scanner I've had for mobile operations.

gr8rcall · #53 (**permalink**) 11-14-2012, 8:09 AM

JB2C,

Disregard above instructions. use these:

(I want you to read this entire post before you do anything)

I just want you to worry about scanning, not anything complicated like individual TGs. My procedure will get you up and running monitoring all traffic on the system!

(Before doing this, hold 0 while turning your radio on, then press 1, then press ENT to confirm)
That deletes the data currently in the memory, so you have a fresh slate to work with!

When you're ready to start:

Press PGM (Unless you already see "NEW-EDIT-GLOB" on the screen)
Press F1
Press F1
Select your scanlist by moving the arrows left or right and press SEL to put it in that scanlist (It's in scanlist 1 by default, Id just leave it as that)
Scroll Down to TSYS, make sure it says "New" by moving the arrows left or right
Press SEL
Under "TYPE" make sure it says "P25 Auto"
Scroll to "TAG" and enter the TRS name (New Bern Public Safety)
When you're done press F1
Scroll to "Frequencies" and press SEL
Under CH01 enter: 857.2625
Press F1
Under CH02 enter: 858.2625
Press F1
Under CH03 enter: 860.2625
Press F1
Press F1
Scroll up to "Multisite" then scroll right until it says "Roam"
Press F1
Press F1
Then make sure your scanlist 1 is active, and you will be scanning all activity on the system!

That should get you up and running!
Gr8rcall

gr8rcall · #54 (**permalink**) 11-14-2012, 12:59 PM

See this thread for updated info regarding your area, JB2C:
New Bern

Make sure to read it thoroughly!