Status
Not open for further replies.

slayerm107a1

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Mar 14, 2012
Messages
7
Location
CA
I’m having a problem fine tuning my scanner for my uses. I live in Alameda County, CA. I’ve figured out how to programs the frequencies for the city of Hayward. Since it’s just simple frequencies’ and a CTCSS Tone Code. But for other cities the all share on Alameda County’s' Motorola Type II Smartnet.

Alameda County Trunking System, Oakland, California - Scanner Frequencies

Quite a lot of cities, lucky enough its analog so I think my scanner will work. Here’s what I’ve done so far
I’ve selected bank 3, starting on 300 I’ve entered all control frequencies’ first from least to greatest. Then entered all other frequencies’ listed, again staring from least to greatest. I made sure all frequencies are set to (MO) for Motorola and that the PRI is lowercase "pri" so that priority is off. DLY is caps all on all frequencies’ and LO is lowercased as well. Then I closed the bank. I hit function, then trunk. It took me to the sub banks I’ve entered the tag ids from the department’s I wanted to listen to, like Union city PD, Paramedic Plus and Fremont PD and organized them as I wanted. Now I didn’t mess with the fleet maps or size codes. Now this is what ive done, in sub bank 1 I have paramedic plus, sub bank 2 Union City, sub bank 3 Fremont. All banks are open. When there I hit scan and it shows it scanning bank 3 with a (-) underneath. Here’s my problem I don’t get any chatter from any of the ids I entered except 1 Paramedic Plus. Nothing from Union City or Fremont PD. Now if I turn off the paramedic plus bank and turn on maybe Fremont PD still nothing.... Now if I open bank 3 and just scan all the sub banks then I get chatter from Fremont or Union City but not if I just search that certain sub bank... Also it freaks out a lot, it’s hard to describe but I have a video to show you.


Pro-164 trunking - YouTube

What I'm looking for it to have it work right, because I have a feeling this isn’t right. I want to be able to listen to certain PDs or EMS, that ive program into my sub banks and stop the freak out in the video
 

hiegtx

Mentor
Premium Subscriber
Joined
May 8, 2004
Messages
11,160
Location
Dallas, TX
I’m having a problem fine tuning my scanner for my uses. I live in Alameda County, CA. I’ve figured out how to programs the frequencies for the city of Hayward. Since it’s just simple frequencies’ and a CTCSS Tone Code. But for other cities the all share on Alameda County’s' Motorola Type II Smartnet.

Alameda County Trunking System, Oakland, California - Scanner Frequencies

Quite a lot of cities, lucky enough its analog so I think my scanner will work. Here’s what I’ve done so far
I’ve selected bank 3, starting on 300 I’ve entered all control frequencies’ first from least to greatest. Then entered all other frequencies’ listed, again staring from least to greatest. I made sure all frequencies are set to (MO) for Motorola and that the PRI is lowercase "pri" so that priority is off. DLY is caps all on all frequencies’ and LO is lowercased as well. Then I closed the bank. I hit function, then trunk. It took me to the sub banks I’ve entered the tag ids from the department’s I wanted to listen to, like Union city PD, Paramedic Plus and Fremont PD and organized them as I wanted. Now I didn’t mess with the fleet maps or size codes. Now this is what ive done, in sub bank 1 I have paramedic plus, sub bank 2 Union City, sub bank 3 Fremont. All banks are open. When there I hit scan and it shows it scanning bank 3 with a (-) underneath. Here’s my problem I don’t get any chatter from any of the ids I entered except 1 Paramedic Plus. Nothing from Union City or Fremont PD. Now if I turn off the paramedic plus bank and turn on maybe Fremont PD still nothing.... Now if I open bank 3 and just scan all the sub banks then I get chatter from Fremont or Union City but not if I just search that certain sub bank... Also it freaks out a lot, it’s hard to describe but I have a video to show you.


Pro-164 trunking - YouTube

What I'm looking for it to have it work right, because I have a feeling this isn’t right. I want to be able to listen to certain PDs or EMS, that ive program into my sub banks and stop the freak out in the video
Welcome to Radio Reference

From reading your description of how you entered this system, it sounds like you are programming manually, using the scanner's keypad, instead of using software. Is that correct?

If so, the system you want to hear cannot be entered correctly. Alameda County has been rebanded. That's indicated both by the yellow Rebanded Note on the database page, as well as the system frequencies in the 851->853MHz range. A number of the system of the listed frequencies, such as 851.10000, 852.45000, 853.15000 (there are more) are such that the scanner requires a custom band plan table to be entered to correctly track this system.

For the Pro-164, that can only be done using a pc and appropriate software. You also, of course, need the cable to connect the scanner to the pc. For software, you can use Win97, PSREdit300, or ARC300. See this page in the Wiki. The pc cable is available at Radio Shack, and elsewhere.
 

slayerm107a1

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Mar 14, 2012
Messages
7
Location
CA
Thanks for the welcome,

And yes your right I entered everything by hand. So I have to use software to entered this system instead of using the keypad. Does my scanner need to be updated?
 

hiegtx

Mentor
Premium Subscriber
Joined
May 8, 2004
Messages
11,160
Location
Dallas, TX
Thanks for the welcome,

And yes your right I entered everything by hand. So I have to use software to entered this system instead of using the keypad. Does my scanner need to be updated?
The most recent firmware version release was 1.10, on 03/02/201., per Radio Shack's webpage (click on the "Support" tab"). I'm not 100% positive (don't own that scanner), but I believe that you have to be at version 1.06 or higher. I'm reasonably confident that 1.08 or higher does not have to be updated before you can enter the tables, though you can always update to the most current (1.10). To check which version you have currently, see this on the "Easier to read" manuals page.
 

slayerm107a1

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Mar 14, 2012
Messages
7
Location
CA
I know my scanner has 1.07,does the software require certian firmware? and does the freaking out, can it damage my scanner in anyway til i set it up right? Also is the freaking out just because ive entered it by hand?
 

stealth916

Newbie
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Mar 25, 2012
Messages
4
Can't listen without a tether = JOKE

OK so this is a joke of a product. I just received mine, it has the latest 1.10 firmware. Are you telling me that I cannot use this scanner to monitor rebanded trunked systems without having a computer, software and cable available to me right then when I want to monitor a new system? Are you telling me that they have not fixed this in firmware and they will not be fixing this?

This is not a complete product if it cannot scan trunked systems standalone, anytime, any place. t is a crippled product. IF I WANTED A COMPUTER WITH ME AT ALL TIMES, I WOULD BUY A COMPUTER WITH A SCANNER.

So it's going back to RS. Am I going to have to go with AOR again to get something that actually works?
 

KC5EIB

Member
Feed Provider
Joined
Mar 24, 2002
Messages
1,484
Location
Flower Mound, TX
OK so this is a joke of a product. I just received mine, it has the latest 1.10 firmware. Are you telling me that I cannot use this scanner to monitor rebanded trunked systems without having a computer, software and cable available to me right then when I want to monitor a new system? Are you telling me that they have not fixed this in firmware and they will not be fixing this?

This is not a complete product if it cannot scan trunked systems standalone, anytime, any place. t is a crippled product. IF I WANTED A COMPUTER WITH ME AT ALL TIMES, I WOULD BUY A COMPUTER WITH A SCANNER.

So it's going back to RS. Am I going to have to go with AOR again to get something that actually works?

See my response in the other thread you also posted in.
 

detroit780

Silent Key
Database Admin
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
589
Location
Michigan
AOR Vs. 164

I'm not aware of any AOR able to trunk track without using 3rd party software attached to the radio and PC







QUOTE=stealth916;1728505]OK so this is a joke of a product. I just received mine, it has the latest 1.10 firmware. Are you telling me that I cannot use this scanner to monitor rebanded trunked systems without having a computer, software and cable available to me right then when I want to monitor a new system? Are you telling me that they have not fixed this in firmware and they will not be fixing this?

This is not a complete product if it cannot scan trunked systems standalone, anytime, any place. t is a crippled product. IF I WANTED A COMPUTER WITH ME AT ALL TIMES, I WOULD BUY A COMPUTER WITH A SCANNER.

So it's going back to RS. Am I going to have to go with AOR again to get something that actually works?[/QUOTE]
 

sphipps

Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2003
Messages
207
Location
Joplin, MO
The PRO-164 is certainly not a "joke" and the data cable / software package is certainly worth 35 bucks if you own a Radio Shack / GRE scanner. It makes programming these scanners a piece of cake and the software will reband systems automatically based upon the Radio Reference database. The software does the rebanding work based upon the database info... not the scanner. I wouldn't own one without it.

Personally I'd still take the PRO-164 back and pay a little more for the PRO-106, but if the systems around your area are not digital "for now"... and you can count on that change happening eventually... then the PRO-164 will handle them if adequately equipped.

If you bought the scanner new, Radio Shack should of gave you 50% off any scanner accessories you bought with it at that time. That brings the cable down to $17. If they didn't inform you about this... I'd be visiting them soon with receipt in hand to make them honor it.

OK so this is a joke of a product. I just received mine, it has the latest 1.10 firmware. Are you telling me that I cannot use this scanner to monitor rebanded trunked systems without having a computer, software and cable available to me right then when I want to monitor a new system? Are you telling me that they have not fixed this in firmware and they will not be fixing this?
 
Last edited:

scannerstretch

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 25, 2010
Messages
11
Location
Sacramento, CA
OK so this is a joke of a product. I just received mine, it has the latest 1.10 firmware. Are you telling me that I cannot use this scanner to monitor rebanded trunked systems without having a computer, software and cable available to me right then when I want to monitor a new system? Are you telling me that they have not fixed this in firmware and they will not be fixing this?

This is not a complete product if it cannot scan trunked systems standalone, anytime, any place. t is a crippled product. IF I WANTED A COMPUTER WITH ME AT ALL TIMES, I WOULD BUY A COMPUTER WITH A SCANNER.

So it's going back to RS. Am I going to have to go with AOR again to get something that actually works?

If you are having trouble programming your pro-164, go to scannerstretch.com and call the Tel#. Perhaps I can help you.
 

scannerstretch

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 25, 2010
Messages
11
Location
Sacramento, CA
Thanks for the welcome,

And yes your right I entered everything by hand. So I have to use software to entered this system instead of using the keypad. Does my scanner need to be updated?

It is uirtually impossible to program the 164 and other modern trunking scanners by hand. It is a lot easier to program these scannners with a pc. Go to Scannerstretch.com and call the number. This is a much simpler solution.
 

gmclam

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Sep 15, 2006
Messages
6,333
Location
Fair Oaks, CA
Pro-164 (psr-300)

It is uirtually impossible to program the 164 and other modern trunking scanners by hand.
It's not virtually impossible, it can NOT be done properly. That's because this scanner does not provide a means to enter a custom band plan from the keypad. Since Alameda is rebanded, that is now a required step.

Without entering the correct band plan (the scanner is using the default) what happens exactly depends on which frequency is presently assigned as a voice channel. Some will be tracked and some will be missed. That is assuming of course that everything else has been programmed perfectly.

Side note: I assume you also made sure the sub-banks were turned on.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top