*Pure speculation only*
If we hear anything it usually shows up first on the StrongSignals.net news page as an
announcement by the GRE digital scanner development team.
The PRO-98 would be the next logical number in model and would follow suit to most of the GRE handhelds, but a change to catalog number in the model number has appeared in the two new Uniden OEM handheld and mobile scanners soon to be released.
The fact that this latest patch has been released to the DSP, leads me to believe that new
P25 algorithms are being tested for the next generation digital scanner and even more
emphasis is being placed on the audio quality. This does look to be GRE's strong point, IMO.
The size of the PRO-96 and case style has been re-designed from the "brick" (retro look) and the PRO-97 has gotten shorter, but the radio should shrink to be more competitive with the Uniden BCD396T, with care to preserve the audio output section.
I don't look for the new radio to have full computer control, only PC/IF. This must be a
Radio Shack specification, as it has been implemented into the Uniden OEM versions, just as the non-upgradeable firmware plan must have been.
I'm also hopeful for the V-folder features to be improved.
The standard programming software will have to be Don Starr's WinXX, I can't see anyone else with a better software package, even if the in-store programming uses ScanCat Lite.
Let's see if Radio Shack supports Triple-Trunking and Signal Stalker II with scanning mode.
Maybe Radio Shack is bug proofing the firmware to prevent another logic and display board upgrade, or maybe just waiting to see how the re-banding truly turns out with a few systems before release.
Lets just hope the talk group image problem (mentioned in this forum) is addressed, LCD display quality repaired, and a new source for squelch potentiometers is found.
If all this happens and Radio Shack continues to stay in business this year, it should be a great scanner.
