Dont Laugh PRO-2006 CE-232

[jaydoc666]

I was wondering if there is one kind soul out there who has knowledge of the PRO-2006 CE-232 interface? It is old, I put this together years ago and it still works..

I would like to get a registration code for the Win-Turbo control software for the CE-232. The win-turbo site is up but no one answers the email addresses.

Is there anyone who would like to sell their Win-Turbo registration code?

Thanks

 

[foxtail]

You can email Glen that wrote pro-turbo for the ce-232. I have it running still on a 2006. Moved it and reg. key from 98' too 2000 to xp to win7. Your very limited with the first computer control by Bill Cheek. Later. Email pro-turbo@synpatico.ca.

 

[jaydoc666]

No reply

well

the pro-turbo .zip file on the site does not have the .exe or setup file. I have had no response from the 6 or so email address i found for paul or len...so...do you have a phone # for either of these guys?


73s
Mark

 

[kc2kth]

Glad to see others are still using these great old scanners. I have my PRO-2005 right here that I bought new right before the 2006 came out. At the time cell blocking was all the craze and no one knew if the 2006 would have those freqs blocked permanently, so I opted for a 2005 while they lasted. We all know how that turned out - the 2006 was simply a bit faster and was still restorable. However after mods to my 2005 - a 10MHz xtal replaced the 7.37MHz oscillator along with a diode here, remove one there - and I never felt bad about the decision.

 

[jaydoc666]

Yep...I have to credit the 2006 for really allowing me to understand electronics. It was the perfect time and the perfect radio to make the transition to computerized control. What other radio had this level of sophistication and was sooooo hack friendly....I have mine mounted in a brushed metal rack mount with buttons everywhere....love it...

 

[N1SQB]

My 2006 is still chugging along today! Yes sir, love all those mods! I ended up with the dimmer switch type instead of the on / off switch. However, thanks to a mod, the switch is now on / off. I have a carrier on indicator where the headphone jack used to be ( avoids having to drill ) replaced the original EL light, rear jacks for external analog signal strength and center tune meters, WFM mod, plus I have the hard to find auto store unit that was available at the time. Disabled the original AC cord. It is converted to power pole connection. The unit runs on an external power wall wart. It is in mint shape and used for civil / mil-air monitoring. The one thing I never got to do, is computer programming. THAT I would have liked.

Manny

 

[jaydoc666]

Sounds like a nice set of mods. Here are some of the things I put in mine.

-I wanted big meters...so that drove my choice for a rack mount.
-Big S-meter and matching center tuning meter. ( I think I am going to work on this with some nice LED back lights)
-Carrier on/off LEDS (again...they look dated....I am going to one diffused acrylic LED color state change)
-SCA...with blue (the first blue led sold in my electronics shop...so wont take that out)
-Data Squelch...works well
-I did the huge memory mod...from 400 to 25,600 channels...cool really liked that one
-SSQ to SW
-CTCSS and DTMF...I am going to redo the DTMF to RS-232 and integrate with the CE-232
-Took out the Transformer and converted to external bench power supply
-Event counter...battery powered..it has lasted for 16 years...still works
-Ripped out the speaker and went external
-Improved audio
-Foot Pedal scan/monitor (dreamed that one up on my own)
-CE-232 computer interface

So, now...I am planning...to rework it all...ebay and rapid prototype has transformed what is possible. Lots of firmware ideas...

-Going to a new rack mount (flat black...murder it) and going to make it nice...multicolored opal acrylic laser cut indicators and switches giving real information through RGB and Arduino. This time the panel is getting CAD/CAM redesign with Laser milling. I may 3d print models just to get lab/fab experience...its coming...
-CE-232 integration with windows...going to use a retro Panasonic ToughBook (the CF-27 is the same one I had in the Air Force ...lit keyboard, touch screen...I will strip that down and flat black it out (murder it) and put the rubber non-skid stuff on...will re-work the LEDs here as well...
-High fidelity audio...B&O....something old and nice...
-CE-232 back Tx to RS-232 for trunk track
-4 stage Data Slicer for POCSAG/Flex etc...all in one...no extra scanner...
-Discrim mod with filter for above
-Data decoder (DTMF/CTCSS) LCD on the Front Panel...Arduino
-Getting rid of the hideous RAM Switches and integrating with the 232 and perhaps the Arduino
-Going to do some .API work...I like google earth...so, I am going to API the FCC data base....and my custom database for GPS coordinates...Next take those live, dump them to google earth 3D and put that up on a big overhead flat panel...NORAD style...
-Gut the wiring and string tie it and braid it...I want the inside to be beautiful as well...no hot glue crap this time.
-Arduino with a net-shied to customize email and SMS messages for me based on my setups...alerts to certain POCSAG events..and so forth.

Yes you can still do wonderous things with that 2006...I am only scratching the surface.

 

[N1SQB]

Sounds ridiculously outrageous, I love it! I for one would appreciate it if you either A. Kept us all in the loop here via some kind of thread with a progress report and pics every now and then, or B. keep me in the loop via PM on here. I would really love to see ( and do) some of those mods you mentioned.

As far as the big meters, I too wanted them which is why I use these which I converted from Ham use:
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=LDG+...=288&start=0&ndsp=37&ved=1t:429,r:8,s:0,i:108

They have white LED backlighting which is outstanding!

Manny

 

[smason]

I still have a Pro-2004 with the CE-232, and a Pro-2006 with the Opto.
I haven't even tried the CE-232 in many many years. Used the Opto with Probe a few years ago.

 

[jaydoc666]

Yep...I want to bring other looks into our hobby...might get my younger friends interested. I will be using fully programmable meters and graphics/colors as I choose...or the firmware...or what ever is being scanned...the scanner should come alive as it links to the internet and gathers its data...more to come....the keyboard with be more PRO-2004...makes sense to angle it for a human hand...Mark

 

[jaydoc666]

Here is the "old" worn out boring look

 

[fxdscon]

I would love to see your progress on the project, I have 7 of those and still use them every day. Purchased 2 brand new and have aquired the rest at thrift shops and Ebay.

Lots of folks complain about the cost of scanners today, but what would this be in today's dollars??

View attachment 39928

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[lep]

When they were 're-called', I bought the last 2 in stock at my local Radio Shack and still have one, modified with the Opto interface. Unfortunately the display is now so dim as to be unreadable and I have long lost the software so it just sits on the shelf awaiting some smart guy who will provide software to rejuvenate it!

 

[jaydoc666]

Here is the "old" worn out boring look

 

[jaydoc666]

The old way...scanners don't look much different today...

 

[N1SQB]

I don't really hate the old look but would agree a change is in order!

Manny

 

[kc2kth]

Lots of folks complain about the cost of scanners today, but what would this be in today's dollars??

.

Using a couple of inflation calculators I found with Google, that $399.99 in 1991 dollars would have been roughly $674 in 2012. I don't know what the heck I was doing dropping that kind of cash on a scanner around that time, but today I'm glad I did. I made the most out of my Radio Shack credit card I tell you.

 

[jaydoc666]

Yep...my numbers match I get about $700 given 3% and the time I purchased it off the shelf.

But, if you add on all the mod costs (serial interface, memory mods, power supply...)

Likely it would be at least double. So, to get what I have with my PRO-2006, it would cost a couple north of $1500 bucks.

But, the real value was all the stuff I learned about radios, electronics, software, design on and on...the value of the human capital in my radio is far higher. When I was in Afghanistan, I designed electronic warfare equipment for special forces because of what I learned with amateur radio and my scanning equipment...that led to med school...surgery...MBA...on and on...

The human capital for my 400 investment....i don't know...20 million? And what about the mind candy that came out of the work...the joy for the work...the joy of making things. You don't know yourself until you make things....you really learn how you think when you put pieces of stuff together to do new things...

So, how much do I value my college degrees??? high....but my PRO-2006 was and is priceless....

M2

 

[davedaver1]

When analog cellphones were starting to give way to digital, I just could not resist selling my 2006 when the going price on eBay was more than I paid for the darned thing new. It didn't seem to matter if they were "modded" or "unmodded"!

While it was a terrific radio, alphanumeric tagging lured me into the BC780XLT. No question, the 2006 was a fine looking radio and a super performer.

 

[awattam]

I bought one of those PRO-2004 for approx 200 british pounds in 1992 (about $374 in those days) and my wife still doesnt believe me when I tell her that $450 for my Uniden BCD396XT isnt the most I ever spent on a scanner.