PRO-433, Help, please!!!

[skyehawke]

Hello Everyone

I am brand new with scanners. I purchased my wife a Radio Shack PRO-433
for a gift, and neither of us can make heads or tails of the user manual.

I have been reading posts here and on a Yahoo Group in an effort to learn. I seem to be, however, getting more confused!!!
I am trying to learn specifically how to program this scanner for Broward County Sheriffs Office calls.

I understand what “Trunking” is, but haven’t a clue what to do in order to program BSO’s system into a scanner. Please understand that my knowledge of terms is extremely limited, and my knowledge of abbreviations even more limited.

Any help is much appreciated, as for the moment, my wife’s new present is just a large paperweight!

Thanks to anyone in advance who offers help.

Patrick

 

[Bucko]

Welcome to RR skyehawke. What state is Broward County in? I agree the manual is not that great but it does give you steps on how to program a trunked system. To get help people will need to know what system and what type. The 433 is a pretty decent analog scanner, I like mine real well.

 

[kd5dga]

I am a happy pro433 owner. I made it easy by purchasing ARC433 to upload to my scanner. This took the guess work out of programming.

 

[ka3jjz]

The best known one is in Florida, of course (my brother lives in the area...) Our database shows the following...

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=212

This is a mixed mode system, which means that there are digital talkgroups which the 433 cannot handle. Not to worry, however - since you're interested in the Sheriff, it looks like everything is analog. I would get a copy of ARC433 from Scanner Master, and become a premium subscriber (note anything in blue is a link). You can then download data directly from the database, and massage it the way you want it.

Once you get ARC433, check the Yahoo group for your area (it's very likely there is at least one for the Broward area) and ask for a compatible file. Likely as not someone has one, and this is another way to get info fast.

[Edit] Again, according to our wiki, there's a fairly active one here . And don't forget to ask on our Florida forum.

73s Mike

 

[skyehawke]

Re:

Thank you, all of you, for your responses.

Bucko, Broward Co. is in South Florida, home of Ft. Lauderdale (my bad for not stating).

Mike, you're a teacher at heart, if not by profession, aren't you? ;-)

Your reply is stated clearly, using terms etc that a newbie can grasp (I especially liked how you pointed out the "blue" "link". Though I am by no means new to computing and this is known to me, it is refreshing to know someone goes the extra mile to help someone in a field they enjoy. It is appreciated).

While there are instructions in the RS PRO-433 Manual, they are wrought with terms that I am as yet unfamiliar with, therefore the manual may as well be written in Martianese! (My biggest complaint about manual writers in general is that they write them as if you already know how to do what you need the manual for!!!)

I will likely purchase Arc433 software, as this seems to be the best way for my spouse and myself to go. Is the website "Scanner Master" a reputable source for ARC433 and the USB cable? Is there a preference by some of you for one vendor vs another?

Thank you again, and it is my hope I can draw upon your collective resources again in the future, as I have a hunch there will be more confusion on my part yet to come!

Patrick

 

[n2mdk]

Radio Shack sells the cable for it. http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2177609
Why not just download the software directly from the BuTel who makes it http://www.butel.nl/

 

[skyehawke]

Re:

Hello Jerri

I considered it, but wish to load the software onto 3 pc's, and it is always nice to have the disc for those times when software becomes corrupted, or the computer acts up for no apparent reason, or needs re-formatted, etc...

Take care

Patrick

 

[n2mdk]

The download doesn't take long to do, plus with the disc what do you do when there is a version update. You have to download it anyway.

 

[Dubbin]

Hello Jerri

I considered it, but wish to load the software onto 3 pc's, and it is always nice to have the disc for those times when software becomes corrupted, or the computer acts up for no apparent reason, or needs re-formatted, etc...

Take care

Patrick

Download it and burn it onto a disc or download it onto each computer

 

[skyehawke]

Re:

My experience with downloaded software has been that you are limited to one copy, sometimes two. A disk on the other hand typically allows for as many installations I wish. At the moment, I wish at least three installations.

As for updates, again my experiences with software manufacturers who provide free updates/upgrades has been that the server merely validates your version of software at the time you login, and proceeds to update it whether it was originally a legal downloaded version, or a legal version from a disk. This allows me to login with *each* pc and update/upgrade.

Regarding downloading it and burning it to a disk, I have in the past done this as well with mixed results. At this time, I choose to go with the disk from the manufacturer. While I am nearly clueless regarding scanners and the like, I am not computer clueless, having been computing since storage was chiseled into stone tablets! (Well, that's a bit of a stretch, but did begin computing when your "hard drive" was a good ole cassette tape recorder!)

I appreciate your suggestions folks.

Patrick

 

[Dubbin]

Patrick, you can download it as many times as you like. What you are downloading is the demo, all you need to do to make it the full version is to enter the password that is sent to you. In order to get an update to the software you HAVE to download the whole program again.

 

[n2mdk]

As far as BuTel is concerned the download is freely available to anyone, the trial and registered versions are the same just that the registration key you get with the purchase removes the trial limitations. Upgrades are done by downloading the entire new software package and installing it, entering the key if needed.

 

[skyehawke]

Re:

Thanks for the heads up, guys. I shall research further.

Patrick

 

[kd5dga]

I have to admit the help is excellent on radioreference.com