First Scanner (Pro 164)---Clueless!

[MTivis]

Hi All,
I just recieved a Pro 164 scanner for Christmas and have tried to read through the manual and online but am still confused about a few things.
My local radio shack programmed the scanner for my city/county when we bought it but I am wanting to use it elsewhere. I travel every week with my husband and would like to be able to listen to things as we drive as well as listening to the local "drama" where we stay. Is there a way to scan for conversations while driving down the road and also at the hotels at night? It seems to me from what I have read that I would have to download the frequencies for each place we are in order to listen to this?
Also I would like to be able to listen to truck drivers as we are driving down the road.
As you can tell, I am CLUELESS and will appreciate any help I can get. Thank you!

 

[rainmanky]

Pro-164

Hi All,
I just recieved a Pro 164 scanner for Christmas and have tried to read through the manual and online but am still confused about a few things.
My local radio shack programmed the scanner for my city/county when we bought it but I am wanting to use it elsewhere. I travel every week with my husband and would like to be able to listen to things as we drive as well as listening to the local "drama" where we stay. Is there a way to scan for conversations while driving down the road and also at the hotels at night? It seems to me from what I have read that I would have to download the frequencies for each place we are in order to listen to this?
Also I would like to be able to listen to truck drivers as we are driving down the road.
As you can tell, I am CLUELESS and will appreciate any help I can get. Thank you!

I own one now and love it. The best way to get started is for you to get a subscription to RadioReference, because you will need it to download freqs straight into your scanner with software and your computer.

1st: Get a USB programming cord from Radio Shack here:
USB Scanner Programming Cable - RadioShack.com

2nd: You can get your scanner software (Win97) here:
Software for RadioShack PRO-series (PRO-92, 93, 95, 96, 97, 99, 163, 164, 106, 197) and GRE PSR-series (PSR-500, 600, 300, 400) scanners

Install your USB adapter first. Then turn on your scanner and put it in manual mode. Install the Win97 software, then open it. Attach your cord to the PC/IF jack on the scanner and a USP port on your computer.

In the software you will need to import your freqs from RadioReference (after you log-in) into the software and in the bank of your choice. This is much better for programming your scanner for trips. You can choose state/county & what freqs you want to store and listen to.

I hope this helps a little.

 

[gmclam]

Welcome to RadioReference.com !!!

Hi All,
I just recieved a Pro 164 scanner for Christmas and have tried to read through the manual and online but am still confused about a few things.
My local radio shack programmed the scanner for my city/county when we bought it but I am wanting to use it elsewhere. I travel every week with my husband and would like to be able to listen to things as we drive as well as listening to the local "drama" where we stay.

I have the PSR-300 which is the GRE brand of the same exact scanner. It is a great analog scanner. As long as what you want to hear is not digital, you'll be good.

I too travel and listen to my scanners where ever I go. I can tell you it is a "full time job" figuring out what to program and keeping track of it all. The '164 only has 10 banks of 100 channels each, and that is not enough if you are in a lot of different areas. Your choices are:
- If the areas you visit do not use a lot of frequencies or trunked radio systems, you should be able to organize them and fit them all in to the scanner at once.
- Design different "profiles", keep them on a laptop, and download in to the scanner what you need "today".
- Get a scanner which can hold more. This probably means something like the PSR-500 (PRO-106) digital scanner for ~$500.

Is there a way to scan for conversations while driving down the road and also at the hotels at night? It seems to me from what I have read that I would have to download the frequencies for each place we are in order to listen to this?

Yes there is a way. Yes you have to "download" frequencies for where you are, or figure them out in advance. One other option for your situation might be the new Radio Shack PRO-107 scanner. It comes with the entire RR database on a Flash memory card. It works like an iPod -- call it an iScanner. See here.

Also I would like to be able to listen to truck drivers as we are driving down the road.

This one is a little trickier when it comes to scanners. I assume you mean you want to hear them on their CB radios. While scanners can tune to those frequencies, the reception is often not as good as an actual CB radio. One of the issues has to do with using the correct antenna. Perhaps you should install a CB antenna, connect it to the PRO-164 and then get a PRO-107 for everything else.

When I am mobile in my truck, I am listening to everything from low band VHF (CHP) to 800 MHz. I have a magnetic mount antenna that was "easy" to install but makes a HUGE difference in what I can pick up. While at a hotel, I'll just use the rubber antenna that came with the scanner. Although that is not usually the best. Consider this - your scanner can only hear what its antenna "sees".

Good luck!!!