From the GRE Team: Pro-97 rebanding status

[blantonl]

Received from the GRE Scanner Development Team:

RadioShack is continually staying abreast of the 800MHz rebanding program. We consult with industry experts regularly and are keeping a close eye on the progress of the entire rebanding effort.

Since complete details of the Motorola rebanded trunking channel plan are not yet available it is now obvious that no one can confirm for certain that any scanner can be updated or adapted after rebanding. Once the first fully rebanded systems are activated we will be in a much better position to assess the impact on our 800 MHz scanning receivers. Here is what we do know:

1) It is likely that Motorola systems with channels currently between 851-861 MHz will still function in the PRO-97 after rebanding is finished.

2) LTR and EDACS 800 MHz functionality should not be affected - just program new frequencies as they are changed in the system.

3) The PRO-97 as currently designed will probably NOT be able to handle the new bandplan for Motorola systems that are currently operating with some or all of their system channels between 866-869 MHz. These frequencies will be relocated 15 MHz down to 851-854 MHz, which requires a new 800 MHz trunking bandplan in Motorola trunked radio systems. That bandplan will not be known until Motorola installs their first few systems and we (all) get a change to see what they are doing. The 800 MHz trunking bandplan is hard coded into the radio's firmware, and cannot be changed by the end user.

If the new bandplan cannot be trunked with the PRO-97's existing hardware, RadioShack (like everyone else) would need to design new firmware (and possibly a revised hardware design). Twice in the past, RadioShack has offered a board swap program to update an existing scanner to new, improved, specifications. In those cases, there was no charge for the new board (old board must be returned) and RadioShack paid shipping both ways if the customer carried the scanner into a local store. There was a minimum service charge $39.99 and the board exchange was only done at our Fort Worth Service facility. Again, let us remind everyone this is what we've done in the past - the actual details of any update program have NOT yet been determined, but we expect it will be along these lines.

[Joseph11]

It looks like they're leaving the PRO-92/2067, PRO-93, PRO-95, and PRO-96/2096 owners to fend for themselves. No mention of them at all.

[Grog]

The PRO-92/2067, PRO-93, PRO-95 are discontinued products, will Honda Fix a 1991 Civic for Free?

BTW, the 1st version 92 should be fine

[DonS]

Originally Posted by Joseph11

It looks like they're leaving the PRO-92/2067, PRO-93, PRO-95, and PRO-96/2096 owners to fend for themselves. No mention of them at all.

The PRO-92, 2067, 93, 95, and [unmentioned] 2053 are obsolete (no longer manufactured). I'm not sure I'd expect the manufacturer to support upgrades to, or even informaton about, products that are no longer in production.

The PRO-96/2096 will handle rebanding via user reprogramming, IF our current assumptions about the rebanding's implementation are correct. Of course, since we don't know exactly what the implementation will involve, neither we nor RadioShack/GRE can predict how any of these radios will be affected.

[csuh13]

Here's a note I got as a reply to this question from RS product support a few months back:
==============


Thank you for the e-mail,

We are nearly certain that the PRO-96, Pro-97 and the Pro-2096 will be
compatible with both legacy and rebanded Motorola systems. As you know,
these scanners include a "custom table" range configuration that
allows up to six table configurations to be defined for both Motorola
and P25 trunked radio systems. A custom table range configuration
consists of a base frequency (i.e., "Base = Channel 1"), a step size for
the range (i.e., "Channel N = Base + N * Step") and an offset value
(i.e., "Offset the channel number by this value").

Once the new Motorola bandplan for the reconfigured 800 MHz band is
known, it should be a very simple matter indeed to come up with the
correct base, step and offset values to make the PRO-96, Pro-97 and
PRO-2096 track the 800 MHz band correctly on systems that have been
rebanded.


Thank you,
RadioShack Product Support Center

[peterjmag]

What about the Pro-2055? It's basically the same as the Pro-97 right? I was going to purchase a Pro-2055 to go with my Pro-97 but I heard the Pro-2055 will not survive the reband? Is this still true? Please Radio Shack, I can't stand Uniden scanners and I hope that you guys can give us a download to reflash these radios. I love GRE and don't want to even consider purchasing a Uniden scanner again. If the Pro-2055 will survive the reband I will go out and buy one tommorow and tell Uniden's 330T and 396 to stick it!
Thanks...


P.J. Maguire

[rdale]

RS does not support CPU firmware updates via download. As they say in their letter, if it does require a formal upgrade you'll have to send it back to RS and pay.

[Voyager]

Originally Posted by csuh13

Here's a note I got as a reply to this question from RS product support a few months back:
==============


Thank you for the e-mail,

We are nearly certain that the PRO-96, Pro-97 and the Pro-2096 will be
compatible with both legacy and rebanded Motorola systems. As you know,
these scanners include a "custom table" range configuration that
allows up to six table configurations to be defined for both Motorola
and P25 trunked radio systems.

Just to clarify, the PRO-97 DOES have 6 tables like the (20)96? And they CAN be programmed to 800 MHz tables?

Joe M.

[Tom_G]

PeterJMag,
I think both the 97 and the 2055 will be fine after rebanding.
Worse case is you send it back to Radio Shack for an upgrade later.
To me, not a big deal.
I own both a 97 and a 2055 as well as a 96 and a 2096.

Go for it, the 2055 is a nice radio. And did I mention it has awesome audio... WOW...
Your gonna like it.......

[W4KRR]

Speaking of rebanding, have any systems actually been rebanded yet, or is that still weeks or months off?

[csuh13]

Just to clarify....

The letter I posted from RS was recieved back in July, before the 2055 was out. That's probably why they did not mention it. Don't read too much into that...

[peterjmag]

Well in that case I will go out and get a Pro-2055 today. I can't wait to hear the audio like Tom and others have said sounds fantastic! Thanks for the information and happy scanning.


P.J. Maguire

[Al42]

Originally Posted by W4KRR

Speaking of rebanding, have any systems actually been rebanded yet

No, and we won't know whether the current Motorola scheme, whatever it is, will survive real world bashing. I'd give it at least another 12 months before I'd consider it even firm, let alone a done deal.

If, 6 months after the first systems are rebanded, Motorola realizes that, for some unseen reason, whatever they came up with doesn't work on a system with 25 sites that are heavily used, they'll have to make modifications and Uniden and GRE will have to issue updates to their firmware.

[WayneH]

Originally Posted by Al42

No, and we won't know whether the current Motorola scheme, whatever it is, will survive real world bashing. I'd give it at least another 12 months before I'd consider it even firm, let alone a done deal.

Real world bashing, why? All you're doing is changing the table which converts a channel id into a frequency. What ends up in the field is what we get, no testing. Motorola will already have taken care of that.

There won't be any issue as the change won't be that complex. You update the controller, the stations, and the radios...and you're done. It's the same as changing a base and spacing for a V/UHF system.

-Waynr

[DaveNF2G]

I don't understand the "it's all unofficial" comments about the new channel table. The table is posted on the Transition Administrator's website. How much more official does it need to be?

[UPMan]

The FCC channelization is final. However, the Motorola channelization (the way the channel information will be encoded on the control channel) is unknown.

[K5MAR]

And there you have it, folks. Both Uniden and GRE are saying they won't make a firm commitment on scanning the rebanded trunking systems until they actually see how Motorola implements the change. Like it or not, we'll have to wait. Time to practice some patience!

Mark S.

[_Jerry_]

Hi, I'm still a little new with this whole rebanding thing, I just got a 2055 (June of 07). Has everything been rebanded? Sorry if it's a stupid question, but as I said I am new.

[ka3jjz]

To answer W4KRR, at least here in Maryland, the answer is yes there are a couple of rebanded systems either in progress or on the air, contrary to the article in MT. Ocean City Md. rebanded about 2 years ago (EDACS system), and the University of Md. College Park is in progress (Motorola system). I understand Baltimore city is getting ready for rebanding now.

To Jerry: no, there are a few rebanded systems on the air (see above) but the vast majority have not yet done it.

73s Mike

[DaveIN]

But the problem is not EDACS systems, you just reprogram the LCN's as they change. It's Motorola systems that use the channel assignments set by the radio firmware that are unknown. If the radio can be set by custom frequency tables, all will be well. If not, you'll need a different radio to correctly track Motorola trunked systems.

We still do not have a Motorola system that has been rebanded to verify what is needed for the frequency table.