radio shack pro-96

[tinknockers]

I have an older scanner. a Radio Shack Pro-96. It powers up and scans but it stopped locking on to active channels. Can it be fixed?

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Where are you located? What specific "active channels" are you unable to lock onto? Arming us with agency names and other pertinent info helps greatly when asking for guidance. Would like to get eyes on the database to see if the Pro 96 is compatible for your area. Quite a lot has evolved in the scanning world from 20 years ago when the Pro 96 was state of the art

 

[kb3isq]

I have an older scanner. a Radio Shack Pro-96. It powers up and scans but it stopped locking on to active channels. Can it be fixed?

Try weather channels, could be broken antenna connection which is common problem.

 

[tinknockers]

I am located in N.E. Michigan Iosco county. When I bought this scanner, I programmed in "North Central Michigan Counties Sheriff, Police, Fire, MSP, DNR and EMS" feed. After I punched in the 862.1200 frequ. The radio took over and I got all the talkgroups in NE Michigan. I haven't had to reprogram it since I bought it new. I had to block 50 channels at least that were just junk channels. But suddenly the scanner didn't lock on to anything. It also has not been shut off for 18? years. I love this scanner I and have purchased a Uniden bcd536hp. I hate it. The volume fluctuations drive me insane. I want my Pro-96 back!

 

[tvengr]

It powers up and scans but it stopped locking on to active channels. Can it be fixed?

Is it conventional frequencies or a trunked system? We need to know what you are trying to monitor.

 

[wtp]

and...

i find it hard to stay serious allllllll the time !

 

[tvengr]

After I punched in the 862.1200 frequ. The radio took over and I got all the talkgroups in NE Michigan.I am located in N.E. Michigan Iosco county. When I bought this scanner, I programmed in "North Central Michigan Counties Sheriff, Police, Fire, MSP, DNR and EMS" feed. I haven't had to reprogram it since I bought it new. I had to block 50 channels at least that were just junk channels. But suddenly the scanner didn't lock on to anything. It also has not been shut off for 18? years.

First, does it receive conventional frequencies? Try NOAA weather. I don't see any 862 Mhz control channel frequencies listed for Iosco County. The MPSCS system has 2 sites in Iosco County. What is your city to determine the best site or sites? The PRO-96 allows only a single site per system. You would need to setup 2 systems in separate banks with one using the red frequencies in the Oscoda site and the other using the red frequencies in the National City site. Some of the PRO-96's have had problems with the frequency drifting in 800 MHz systems. The frequency is critical for decoding P25 systems. Adjusting VR4 inside the scanner will compensate for the frequency drift. If the system is in Closed mode, it will scan only talkgroups you have programmed. If not in Closed mode, you will receive every talkgroup on the system including all of the "junk" talkgroups you do not want.

1 (1)	012 (C)	Oscoda	Iosco	769.18125	851.0625	851.8625	852.8625	853.3625	853.8625	854.7875
				854.9625	855.9875	861.3375	861.7625
1 (1)	013 (D)	National City	Iosco	851.125	851.975	852.975	853.475	853.975	856.2875	856.3125
				858.3125	859.3125	860.3125

 

[Ronaldski]

That 862.120 is not part of the MPSCS digital and I looked up the FCC licenses for it in MI and is licensed to Nextel.
Actually 862.1125 and nearest to you is Roscommon.

Yes I am VERY familiar with that radio and of course your area. I'm not 'that' far from you, helped program quite few for Iosco.
Side note, If you were scanning the marine channels there are a couple legit frequencies that will lockup the scanner.

Yes at times that VR4 can drift, but most I've seen dont have that issue. The first thing is to get this radio properly programmed.
Thats a piece of cake to program, I have done quite a few 96's in Mid-MI.

When people try to do it themselves, they tend to just put in frequencies.
In trunked systems frequencies are shared. One time a frequency is used by fire, next time its PD, next EMS, Public Works, etc. So let’s say you hear a call for another county, you lock out that frequency, next time it’s used, it will be a local call, then you missed that call since its locked out.
It’s not like it was before when a frequency is dedicated for an agency anymore.

They use talkgroups, so when they change to another channel they are not changing frequencies, but changing a code number associated with the agency they are talking to called a talkgroup.

In this link, under the DEC are the talkgroup#'s for each agency. Iosco frequencies near the top and the talkgroups are ~40% down.
This is how I program it, correctly 🙂 https://www.radioreference.com/db/sid/100

 

[Ronaldski]

Far as the 536HP, it will work for your area. The problem with those zipcode scanners is that the info on their SD memory cards are usually in the 2014-2017 era, even newly bought scanners. The database info needs to be updated, plenty of how-to's on youtube.

I've done a LOT of adding and updating for your area in the database on this site since they changed the radio's for 911 since that timeframe.
This is where the info came from to program the zipcode type scanners. Needs an update.

Far as the volume fluctuations... Iosco 911 dispatch is notorious for being low volume and I bump their volume up in the volume adjust setting.
If you make a favorites list, you can adjust their volume up +1. Then EMS dispatches in the area seem to be very loud, so I set the volume adjust -1 for them. From there pretty much all the volumes across the scanners are equal.
I understand sometimes 911 dispatchers are nearby another so they might talk softly so they wont be a problem with the other dispatchers.

Its not a scanner model issue. I will say the 96 doesnt have a volume adjust option, FYI.

 

[tvengr]

Yes I am VERY familiar with that radio and of course your area. I'm not 'that' far from you, helped program quite few for Iosco.

If the OP has programming software. maybe we can take a look at the file. I have ARC96. What software do you use?

 

[wtp]

if i recall, that 96 needed the voice channels in it as well as the control channel.
edit: after reading the manual it says it only needs control channels, make sure you have them all and they are unlocked.

 

[Ronaldski]

if i recall, that 96 needed the voice channels in it as well as the control channel.

I just program in the control channels and the 2096/96's pickup fine here.

 

[tinknockers]

Ok, I plugged it in and it is losing the contrast on the screen. It reads:M620..-D+MO 2nd. line: 853.16250 3rd. line:MI SPD LOWER, if that helps. I know that I have to find a tech that can give this unit a deep clean before any adjustments can be made. User conditions: this scanner I is kept in a sealed environment with a yahoo that's smokes like a chimney and heats primarily with a wood stove that is 15ft. away. This is a very harsh environment for any electronic unit. I need to find someone that can chemically clean it and see if it can be saved. I also have many hundreds of $$$ worth of hi-end audio equipment in the same shape, There is no one in my area that I can find willing or trained to take on this task. (I know, quit smoking, but at this point the horse has already left the barn.) And

tvengr I monitor trunked digital channels. Motorola 25​

 

[tvengr]

I assume you mean a P25 system. A Motorola system is another animal. I don't see 853.1625 in either of the Iosco County sites. Did you program the scanner manually or using software? If the scanner has been off for 18 years, it may be a Motorola system programmed. The MPSCS trunked system is P25.

 

[Ronaldski]

I sent you a private message tinknockers See the envelope at top right of the screen.

That frequency seems like it was in there from who you bought it from and not valid anymore. Try pressing the L/Out button on that.
Whatever else it has in it, is no longer valid and needs to brought up to a current 2024 setup!

From the manual-

Changing the Display Contrast
1. Press MANUAL.
2. Press FUNC then 9. Use Up/Down keys to set contrast. appears in the scanner’s display.
3. Press (arrow up) or (arrow down) to adjust the contrast.
4. Press ENTER to set the display contrast.

To clean, I would try qtips w/isopropyl alcohol as it evaporates quickly. The dark keys from smoke your pretty much stuck with that.
Of course without seeing it, if its really bad I would open it up and then be able to work on it more extensively with the front case separated from the board. Maybe using a soft scrub and or Mr. clean type magic scrubs, just something non aggressive.

 

[tvengr]

Yes I am VERY familiar with that radio

For the PRO-96, is it necessary to use 9600 rebanded multi tables for a P25 system using rebanded frequencies? Thanks!

 

[Ronaldski]

I havent messed with the tables, just what ARC96 has, works on MPSCS-

 

[Ronaldski]

 

[tvengr]

I havent messed with the tables, just what ARC96 has, works on MPSCS-

Thank you very much!

 

[DVINTHEHOUSEMAN]

For the PRO-96, is it necessary to use 9600 rebanded multi tables for a P25 system using rebanded frequencies? Thanks!

No, the standard 800 MHz P25 band plan is spaced tight enough that you will never need to change it from default. Rebanded tables are only required for Motorola 3600 systems.