Win97 and Programming Pro 97

[tarheel59]

I just bought a Pro 97 and I am tired of programing by hand. I would like to know how to get started with Win97. I am going to become a premium subscriber to RR. What should I do after that? This is my first time programing a radio by computer. I have always programmed by hand. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[rchalupajr]

It's easy. Once you download win97 and get a cable, just install the driver for the cable and select the correct com port. Once you are a premeium subscriber, open win97, select File, scroll down to import, from RR, select the system you want, Import into win97 and upload it to your scanner.

 

[loumaag]

It's easy. Once you download win97 and get a cable, just install the driver for the cable and select the correct com port. Once you are a premeium subscriber, open win97, select File, scroll down to import, from RR, select the system you want, Import into win97 and upload it to your scanner.

Might I suggest that you work with Win97 to begin with and see it's advantages. Then if you like it, buy it. You only need a "driver" if you are using a USB cable (more properly a USB->serial convertor since the radio uses RS232) although I will admit finding a serial cable is becoming harder.

 

[rchalupajr]

Serial cables are getting hard to find, because they are becoming obsolete. The R.S. USB cable is more money, but it will work on any current PC or Laptop. Some newer pc's and Most Laptop's don't even have 9 pin serial port's.

 

[loumaag]

Serial cables are getting hard to find, because they are becoming obsolete. The R.S. USB cable is more money, but it will work on any current PC or Laptop. Some newer pc's and Most Laptop's don't even have 9 pin serial port's.

Yes they are becoming obsolete; however, communication to a radio from a PC is still via serial protocol. And yes, it will work on most any computer provided you load the drivers (this is the same rule for any USB connection; no drivers no work.) And shame on the computer manufacturers for not continue to include a serial port (or parallel port for that matter) but anything to save a buck. BTW, nobody needed drivers for a RS232 port to work.

 

[RadioWARE]

So I DL'ed the Win97 and got the cable, paid my dues and tried downloading from RR database. Trunking works great, Alpha tags display and all. DL'ed CONVENTIONAL freqs and NO TAGS! How do I get the tags to display? I have tried everything, they do not show up in Win97 and there is no option in CONVENTIONAL like there is in TRUNKING on how to display tags. It says Police or Fire or Highway, The towns are shown on the list on RR BEFORE I DL it. I'm confused.

I go FILE>WEB IMPORT>Radioreference.com>conventional frequencies>START>Country>State>County>Select Agency> Then it shows me Cat>Sub Cat>Freq. Under Sub Cat it lists the town but under Freq it just says Fire or police, How do I get the Town to show up?

 

[loumaag]

I go FILE>WEB IMPORT>Radioreference.com>conventional frequencies>START>Country>State>County>Select Agency> Then it shows me Cat>Sub Cat>Freq. Under Sub Cat it lists the town but under Freq it just says Fire or police, How do I get the Town to show up?

It depends on how the page is laid out. Look at the actual page, do the description fields contain the town in each frequency, if not, then you have to add it. Just bring in one town at a time and edit the fields in your template then add more.

 

[RadioWARE]

Thanks Lou, I was hoping you'd respond Strange that the info would be there in the file but not in a way that it would get displayed in the alpha tag. Guess I'll have to play with it some more

 

[loumaag]

Provide a link to the page and describe what you are trying to bring in, and I can provide more directed guidance.

 

[GeekNJ]

I just got the Pro-97 yesterday with the USB cable, downloaded Win97 and subscribed to RR to get the data via Win97.

Like Radioware I'm new with this and have a couple comments/questions.

1) Would be great if the Web Import window wasn't a modal dialog and you could flip between the main window and Web Import window to do what you describe above - pulling in 1 town and modifying the descriptions.

2) When I look at http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&ctid=1772 and at the bottom is listed Waldwick (and other Bergen County data), all the freqs show as FM. Yet when I bring them in via Web Import (US / NJ / Bergen County) it sets the Waldwick ones and some others to CT while others are imported with FM. Does it matter? Why the discrepancy?

 

[loumaag]

I just got the Pro-97 yesterday with the USB cable, downloaded Win97 and subscribed to RR to get the data via Win97.

I am sure that you will enjoy it as you get more comfortable with it.

Like Radioware I'm new with this and have a couple comments/questions.

1) Would be great if the Web Import window wasn't a modal dialog and you could flip between the main window and Web Import window to do what you describe above - pulling in 1 town and modifying the descriptions.

Okay, first Win97 is a product of Starrsoft and we (here at RR) have nothing to do with it directly. We simply supply the Web Service and the specifications for using the Web Service. How individual software vendors implement that is up to them. You too can write the software using those specifications.

2) When I look at http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&ctid=1772 and at the bottom is listed Waldwick (and other Bergen County data), all the freqs show as FM. Yet when I bring them in via Web Import (US / NJ / Bergen County) it sets the Waldwick ones and some others to CT while others are imported with FM. Does it matter? Why the discrepancy?

There really isn't a descrpancy, it is a matter of reference point. The signals that are carried are indeed in the FM mode (in relation to mode we use FM, APCO-25, AM, FMN, & Telm, hover your mouse over the column heading.) Although the mode of transmission is FM, it is being used with a CTCSS (CT on the Pro-97) for tone squelch properties. Win97 is seeing that in the XML download (see the "Tone" column) and setting your radio properly to CT on those frequencies. Tones (PL or DPL / CTCSS or DCS) are only used with FM or NFM (FMN) signals.

I hope that this clears up some of the confusion and welcome to the site.

 

[GeekNJ]

Lou,

Thanks so much for the welcome, quick response and detailed answer.

I thought maybe there was an issue with how Win97 was interpreting the results. You cleared it up with a great explanation.

As for the suggestion, I wasn't gearing it to you. Just posting it out there - maybe someone else might see or offer the suggestion to Starrsoft too.

Got the Pro-97 for a terrific deal yesterday. It was $150 - 30% off coupon for Friends/Family so it was just $105. The USB cable was mis-scanned for something like $2 and then they took 30% off of that. I got the cable and Pro-97 for $113. Can't complain about that!!

Thanks again!