Welcome to the forum. Did a programming cable come with your scanner? It is possible to program the scanner manually using the keypad, but it is very difficult and time consuming. Programming software makes the process so much easier. There are 3 programs you can purchase for that scanner: PSREdit500, Win500, and ARC500. I prefer Butel ARC500. Using the software, you can download from Radio Reference or do your own custom programming, which is what I do. If you need any assistance, there are plenty of people here who will be very happy to give you a helping hand.