Pro-96: Is the Pro-96 Updatable?

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wbswetnam

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Almost ten years ago (!!) I bought a Radio Shack Pro-96 scanner. It's been a great scanner, still runs a well as the day I pulled it out of the box. However, I have never updated the radio's software. I have read that an update in 2008 unlocked 700 Mhz for rebanded trunked systems. Is it possible to:
1) still find the programming cable, and
2) even if I find it, is the update still available from the RS website, or archived someplace at least?
Thanks!
 

INDY72

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The cable is still available, both the original GRE version (E-Bay, other sources) and the new one. The new one can be found at RS if your lucky enough to have one still and even luckier if it is closing so very low prices. The software to open 380 MHz 700 MHz (Conventional scanning only no trunking on them.) is ARC96 (Butel Software) or Win96 (Starrsoft)...Same softwares open the rebanded settings.

The final DSP software is version 1.4 and it is archived at a couple of places as well as those of us with it could zip you an copy. RS has cleared it from there site as well as a lot of other things.
 

wbswetnam

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700 MHz is conventional only? Well in that case it wouldn't help me because I'm wanting to monitor AWIN on the Russellville site, which is 769-something MHz. Oh well I am able to monitor the Hector site, in northern Pope county, with my Pro-96 so not all is lost. Thx
 

Voyager

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Only the DSP is updatable. The CPU firmware is not - period. (unless you count replacing the micro)
 

budevans

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Only the DSP is updatable. The CPU firmware is not - period. (unless you count replacing the micro)

Voyager,

Your above statement is incorrect. GRE in many cases issued separate updates for both DSP and CPU. I still have copies of those updates for my PSR-500 stored on my computer.

The key item is that the Pro-96 firmware updates for 700 Mhz was for conventional only, not for Trunking systems. This has been posted in the GRE forums many times.
 

Voyager

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News flash: The PRO-96 is not the same as a PSR-500.

Please post any sources for PRO-96 firmware updates, as it does not have an upgradable CPU. Only the DSP is updatable.

BTW, the 700 MHz 'upgrade' is ticking a box in software that enabled a hidden scanner feature. It was not done by upgrading the CPU firmware.
 
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