RadioShack Guide to Scanners
Are you interested in scanning as a hobby, but have no interest in building a replica of
the Eiffel tower in your yard? Don't worry. RadioShack carries many kinds of scanners that make it easy and affordable to be a part of this fast growing hobby.
Scanner rebanding
Between 2005 and 2008, the FCC is reconfiguring (or rebanding) the 800 MHz band in order to prevent dangerous interference and "dead zones" for public safety radio. Scanners which have pre-programmed service bands will therefore no longer be scanning the proper frequencies for those services. This will cause significant issues for scanner enthusiasts in the short term; however, in the long run, the process will result in clear scanning of the public safety and other bands, as interference will be minimized. In addition to the public safety frequencies, the trunked systems (such as EDACS, Motorola and Nextel) are also being moved. As the changes are made, scanners will be classified as needing either replacement, flash upgrade or reprogramming.
• Replacement: This includes scanners that will not work with the new frequency allocations and cannot be upgraded.
• Flash upgrade: This refers to scanners that can work with the new frequency allocations after a flash upgrade.
• Reprogramming: This refers to newer scanners that can work with the new frequency allocations without needing a upgrade. They will simply need to be reprogrammed when the frequencies change.
The first change in frequencies is currently expected to occur in Spring 2006. We are working to determine which of our scanners can be upgraded and to have in place the flash upgrades for those scanners prior to this time.
Currently, we have determined that the PRO-96 and the PRO-2096 scanners are upgradeable, and that the PRO-97 scanner will require replacement.
An Overview of the Reasons and Processes Behind Rebanding
Over the years, more and more users and required uses have crammed more and more active frequencies into the 800 MHz frequency band. Presently, commercial radio and public safety radio operate in the same or adjacent frequency bands. This has led to more and more problems with interference between commercial radio and public safety radio. These problems included "dead zones" in which public safety radios could not operate. Obviously, this creates the potential for situations where public safety departments are unable to communicate when they most need to, in life-threatening situations.
In answer to this potential threat and to ensure proper operation and frequency access for public safety organizations (such as police, fire and emergency medical), the 800 MHz band is being reconfigured. The chart below shows the transmit frequencies in this band as of 2004 and as per the planned rebanding. Presently, public safety operates in the NPSPAC band (green) and the Interleaved Spectrum (gray). Interleaved indicates that the various services are intermixed within the band, with public safety frequencies adjacent to commercial frequencies.
Public safety radio is being moved to the beginning of the frequency band (green and blue), and commercial traffic (red) is being moved to the end of the band. Two bands, the Expanded Band and the Guard Band, now separate the two.
As per the Transition Administration website: "Many 800 MHz systems, including public safety, CII, B/ILT, and commercial SMR systems operating in the 800 MHz Band will be required to relocate. Licensees in the 809-815/854-860 MHz Band are not required to relocate."
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is this happening?
To ensure the proper and unhindered operation of public safety radio services.
Which RadioShack scanners can be upgraded?
This information is in development. At this time (August 1, 2005), the PRO-96 and the PRO-2096 scanners are upgradeable, and the PRO-97 scanner will require replacement.
Where can the customer get information on the rebanding process?
The organization in charge of implementing the rebanding is the 800 MHz Transition Authority. This consortium of companies and government entities has a website at
http://www.800ta.org.
When will the frequencies in my area be rebanded?
This question can be answered using the map and chart below.
Both images are from the 800 MHz TA site (
http://www.800ta.org).
Click here to see larger image
Glossary
B/ILT: Short for Business / Industrial Land Transportation, this refers to radio services uses by the transportation industries, such as trains and trucks.
CII: Short for Critical Infrastructure Industries, this refers to industries such as utilities.
EDACS: Short for Enhanced Digital Access Control System, this refers to Ericsson's radio trunking system.
ESMR: Short for Enhanced Specialized Mobile Radio, this refers to radio services that are offered to the public over channels previously used for two-way analog dispatch services. ESMR includes EDACS, Motorola and Nextel systems.
NPSPAC: Short for National Public Safety Planning Advisory Committee, this refers to public safety frequencies within a NPSPAC region.
Rebanding: This refers to the combined processes of changing the 800 MHz channel plan and relocating licensed users within those channels.
SMR: Short for Specialized Mobile Radio, this refers to a private business service that uses mobile radios and base stations, often in dispatch applications.
Pro 96
but all you have to do to find the answer to your question is use the search feature on the toolbar above and type in Pro 96 firmware
Linear Mode
