New to this in Spartanburg

What would you recommend a beginner to use to pick up Spartanburg County Sheriff's Dept? I have read about the Palmetto 800 updating & want to make sure I get the right equipment. Thanks in advance.

The PRO-652 or 651 replaced the PRO-197 or 106 which is the most popular scanner in this area. Using "starrsoft" WIN500 software gives you the best bang for the buck. 21 Banks and loads of bells and whistles. Ratio of Radio Shack to Uniden/Bearcat scanners used in this area is at least 400:1. Good Luck

I agree with Larry that a GRE/Whistler-made scanner from Radio Shack or other dealer is a good idea if you expect much support from other local hobbyists. There aren't too many Uniden users in this area.

A digital-capable scanner isn't required if all you want to listen to is Spartanburg County Sheriff. The $300 starting price for a new digital scanner might be off-putting for someone brand new to the hobby. SCSO is still analog at this point. I saw some deputies in a local restaurant the other day and they were carrying Motorola MTS2000s which are analog-only radios. I wouldn't expect an upgrade to digital is imminent in the next few months, but likely in the next year or two.

You will need a scanner that supports the monitoring of 800MHz rebanded trunked radio systems. The Model-specific Wiki pages on this site are a great reference for learning about radios' features before you buy.

Also keep in mind that RadioShack as a company might not be around much longer. They have the best prices on new scanners these days (a new 651 can be had for about $270 when on sale and using a coupon) but one can't count on repair capabilities, parts availability and firmware upgrades from RadioShack in the long term.

Let us know what you decide. I'm here in Spartanburg and happy to help.

Good luck.

Larry/Brian, Thanks for the information. Being a true rookie to this other than the free app on my iPhone I value your input. I purchased the Pro-651 & it will be here by Saturday. My next step will be to figure out the starrsoft WIN500.

Win500 is a very good choice for software, in my opinion. It's what I use also. Keep in mind that you get a 30-day full feature trial period with Win500 which allows you to evaluate the software.

Also know that you'll need to purchase a USB programming cable to interface the radio to your PC. This cable does not come with the scanner and must be purchased separately.

Let me know if you need any further "local" assistance.

Brian

Received my new scanner on Christmas Eve. I downloaded WIN500 & tried reading the WIN500 thread on here but most of this stuff is far beyond my knowledge. Is there a link to basic instructions on initial setup. For now I'm just interested in Spartanburg County Sheriff, spartanburg city police, Boiling Springs Fire, & SC highway patrol. Thank you

Email me direct: larryscan@charter.net for some shortcuts. Larry

Here's a link to a wiki article about Win500 with some good information and links:

Getting Started with Win500 - The RadioReference Wiki

And an "easier to read" manual for your scanner (though your model isn't listed the operation is the same):

Easier to Read Pro-106/197/PSR500/600 Digital Scanner Manual

I have a Win500 configuration file for Spartanburg that I'd be happy to send to you. Send me a private message with your email address.

Larry will get you going in the right direction, e-mail him.Also you can PM me for info.