Just bought the PRO 97..

[chaser915]

I needed another scanner like a I need another toothache, but for 139.00 I could not resist.
(On sale for 149 and a $10 Entertainment book coupon) So far I have just programmed in non-trunking stuff. I am going to meet up with a buddy and clone his as he has his pro97 fully loaded. Then, after I clone all the important trunking freqs, I will enter manually the stuff that I want that he doesnt have.

So far so good. My point being, if someone else is on the fence as to whether to pick it up while on sale....well, I have no regrets.

 

[mciupa]

Have fun

 

[platinumrx8]

I'm new to this and just bought my first scanner (Pro-528) and was curious why someone would need so many different scanners? Think I've seen a few members in here with 2 of the same kind.. Are you guys trying to listen in on aliens in outer space or something?

 

[safetyobc]

I have owned several scanners over the past couple of years. Buying and trading, etc.

The Pro-97 is one of my favorites. I bought one, then sold it. Now I want another. I miss the Pro-97! I don't have the $$$ to catch one on sale right now. I hope that I can pick up a good used one soon.

 

[platinumrx8]

I have owned several scanners over the past couple of years. Buying and trading, etc.

The Pro-97 is one of my favorites. I bought one, then sold it. Now I want another. I miss the Pro-97! I don't have the $$$ to catch one on sale right now. I hope that I can pick up a good used one soon.

I found this on Ebay.. $110 + $12 s/h.. not bad, but once I found out rebanding would effect the scanner, I decided on something else..

http://cgi.ebay.com/R-S-PRO-97-1000...ryZ40979QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[safetyobc]

Rebanding will only affect Motorola 800 MHz systems that choose to reband.

LTR, EDACS, and Conventional Scanning will still work! This is a great scanner.

 

[gmclam]

Don't forget digital....

I've got several lof each PRO-9x scanners (as shown in my tagline). The '97 has features the others do not. For the money, it is a good deal. While rebanding is ONE issue, another is the switchover to digital. Either one of these issues will have some affect on the '97, but both will eventually greatly reduce its effectiveness. I figure it is far enough off, at least for me, that I can get some wear out of these scanners before adding them to my museum collection.

 

[chaser915]

I'm new to this and just bought my first scanner (Pro-528) and was curious why someone would need so many different scanners? Think I've seen a few members in here with 2 of the same kind.. Are you guys trying to listen in on aliens in outer space or something?

Good question. I am guilty as charged.
Sometimes it is too good of a deal to pass up. An example: I bought (2) of the pro-84's
brand new from Radio Shack and they ended up costing me $39 each. I used to spend that on beer in a night.

As far as re-banding, For me,and for this area, it is highly overrated, as is digital.
Most of the agencies I listen to are so far away from 800 freq's and digital that it will be years and years for this to impact me. If I get 3-5 years out of this PRO 97 it wont owe me a dime. This is just me, I realize every area is different.

 

[gmclam]

Multiple of each scanner model...

I have multiple units of each PRO-10, PRO-77, PRO-92, PRO-93, PRO-95 and PRO-97. PRO-96 is next on my list. I have multiple reasons for the scanners.

1. Because agencies have so many channels allocated these days (at least what I listen to), it often takes one scanner just to keep up with one agency during an incident. For example; you can not program a MO talkgroup as a priority channel (and the PRI channels are not often true anyway); so I'll dedicate one scanner just to one TG ID during an incident. While doing that I certainly do not want to stop scanning the other channels. When a second incident occurs (or perhaps another agency is involved in the same incident) then another scanner is required.

2. I was originally doing some reaearch ... which involved disassembling each scanner. While doing that, I wanted another which I could listen to.

3. Now I am comparing scanner performance between models. I want to make sure that what I see is related to each model, and not a fluke unit I have.

Take care.

 

[KB4REA]

Ditto

The Pro-97 is one of my favorites. I bought one, then sold it. Now I want another. I miss the Pro-97! I don't have the $$$ to catch one on sale right now. I hope that I can pick up a good used one soon.

I hear ya, I miss my Pro-97 a lot too and yet, I am very pleased with my BR330T!!

It proves to me that one can enjoy and be happy with the two worlds we call Gre and Uniden. Sure, you may favor one company over the other but both have provided us with some nice toys to play with.

Unfortunately for me, I usually need to sell one to get the other. Now that the 330T has been discontinued though, I'll be holding on to that one for a while. I really don't put my scanners thru their paces like most others probably do here, so they should have a longer lifespan.

One day I'll get a digital scanner but never in place of an analog, only in addition to. That's why it will happen one day...some day...somewhere...over the rainbow, oh sorry, started dozing off there for a second...

C-ya

 

[tralala]

Just picked up a PRO97 today too.....

One thing I cannot figure out by reading the manual is what "zm" is? I see it when I'm tuning manually.

So far I'm digging this scanner. Great reception.

 

[Turbo68]

Hello the reason we have a lot of Radios being there is a lot of us who like to listen to different bands and then we have to take one of our Radios every time we go out and then there is the channel issues with some Radios have more memories than others and at the end of the day its part of our hobby and you can never have enough Radios.

Regards Lino (Melbourne Australia)ALINCO-DJX2000E,AOR-3000A,AOR-8200MK3,ICOM-R5,ICOM-R20,ICOM-PCR1000 W/DSP,ICOM-R2500 W/DSP AND UT122 APCO 25 DIGITAL BOARD,ICOM-R9000,ICOM-R9500,UNIDEN-245,UNIDEN-780,UNIDEN-396,UNIDEN-996,UNIDEN-BCT15,RADIO SHACK-PRO96,RADIO SHACK-PRO96,REALISTIC-PRO2035,YAESU-VR500,YAESU-VR5000,YAESU-VX7R.

 

[gmclam]

Just picked up a PRO97 today too.....

One thing I cannot figure out by reading the manual is what "zm" is? I see it when I'm tuning manually.

The manual for the '97 is horrible. zm means ZeroMatic. When you are searching, you can have zm on or off. When on, it will "fine tune" the frequency to the correct frequency. For example; while searching, it might pick up a signal on 453.1125.. and it will show that frequency and you will hear it. But the actual transmission may be on 453.1150. With zm on it will find and displayt the correct frequency.

 

[scanrrman]

I'm new to this and just bought my first scanner (Pro-528) and was curious why someone would need so many different scanners? Think I've seen a few members in here with 2 of the same kind.. Are you guys trying to listen in on aliens in outer space or something?

I am very much pleased with getting a second scanner. Scanning with a 396 on a trunked system, it tends to spend more time on that system then scanning all other bands. When I picked up a 97 BOY I don't miss a thing now. The 97 will scan trunked systems much faster than my 396 but I gotta have the 396 for the digital capabilities. Also, with a second scanner you can program other things you wouldn't normally scan. C'mon you gotta have two because when one agency is talking you're not gonna have a clue what else is going on. You CAN'T listen to two transmissions at the same time with one scanner!!!!!!

 

[Don_Burke]

Are you guys trying to listen in on aliens in outer space or something?

What do you mean "trying"?

I have 3 Pro97s and often have two running at once.

 

[safetyobc]

Here is an "easier to read" manual for the Pro-97

 

[platinumrx8]

What do you mean "trying"?

I have 3 Pro97s and often have two running at once.

interesting..

I'm currently in class to become a auxillary officer with local law enforcement and intend to get a little head start on learning the lingo and see how they talk and such.. once certified, I will get to "check out" a radio for the time period I'm patrolling.

While not patrolling I still want capability of listening in on things. so, here I am ;0

 

[W4KRR]

Rebanding will only affect Motorola 800 MHz systems that choose to reband.

Choose? If their system meets the criteria for rebanding, they will have no choice.

 

[safetyobc]

I don't want to get too off subject.

You may be right. But I was under th understanding that the system admins had to choose to participate or not.

 

[tommy1855]

I just bought the PRO-97, but I am VERY confused on how to use it. I basically just want to listen to police, fire, ambulance, and weather in my city.