GRE 500 from Scanner Master's

[CMale0624]

Boy, the more question's I ask, the more confused I get with these scanner's. I wonder if anyone can answer a question about the Gre 500 from Scannermaster's. I've asked them so many question's that they must think I don't know ANYTHING about scanner's (which I don't) Anyway I was looking at the Gre 500 and in the drop down window it give's you 4 option's as far as the programming goes. You can either get the ARC500CD for $35.95 or you can get the ARC500 download for the same price. You can also either get the ARC500PROCD for $62.95 or get the ARC500PRO download for the same price. My question is, what is the difference with all of these? Also I know if you give them the name of the county that you live in they will program it for you for about $65 and does this have anything to do with the other 4 option's that I've listed above. Sometime's I get the feeling that I should just buy a cheaper analog scanner until I learn more about them but I don't want to spend $200 on one and then have everything in my county turn digital on me and making my analog scanner useless.

I also notice that some people list something on here about Win500. Is this another way of programming a scanner?

 

[ecps92]

Download = you pay and instead of them mailing you a CD, you download the software from their web site after being send a validation code.

CD = You wait and have them mail your a CD of the programming software.

The County is an Extra $$ where they will initally program your scanner for you.

Boy, the more question's I ask, the more confused I get with these scanner's. I wonder if anyone can answer a question about the Gre 500 from Scannermaster's. I've asked them so many question's that they must think I don't know ANYTHING about scanner's (which I don't) Anyway I was looking at the Gre 500 and in the drop down window it give's you 4 option's as far as the programming goes. You can either get the ARC500CD for $35.95 or you can get the ARC500 download for the same price. You can also either get the ARC500PROCD for $62.95 or get the ARC500PRO download for the same price. My question is, what is the difference with all of these? Also I know if you give them the name of the county that you live in they will program it for you for about $65 and does this have anything to do with the other 4 option's that I've listed above. Sometime's I get the feeling that I should just buy a cheaper analog scanner until I learn more about them but I don't want to spend $200 on one and then have everything in my county turn digital on me and making my analog scanner useless.

I also notice that some people list something on here about Win500. Is this another way of programming a scanner?

 

[TES]

. . .I also notice that some people list something on here about Win500. Is this another way of programming a scanner?

Win500 is programming software for the PSR500 family of scanners. It was written by the acknowledged GRE-scanner expert Don Starr (the same Don Starr that wrote the scanner's firmware). If you want to keep your software dollars in the USA, you have but two software choices for the PSR500—Win500 or PSREdit500. Both of these software packages have thirty day no-cost trials.

 

[scannerfreak]

And there is absolutely no need to pay for programming services. There are plenty of fine folks here who would be more than happy to guide you

 

[CMale0624]

TES,

I don't see on their web page that they offer Win 500 for programing the GRE 500. Does that mean that one would have to buy it without getting programed at all and then trying to find the Win500 software? Scannermaster only offered the ARC500. Also if that is the case then are all the cable used for downloading the GRE500 basically the same?

 

[scannersnstuff]

although learning to program a scanner by yourself can be a little daunting at first, it's worth the time and effort. you'll have to learn at some time to put something in "on the fly" anyway. trust me, when you have several different radio's, it can be a pita. frequency programming services are usually nothing more than frequency dumps from a computer anyway. you will want to tailor your frequency organization to suit your listening needs/want's.

 

[KB7IWO]

Would have to agree with Pdfdems286 above. Just bought a GRE-500 this week. No PC (have MAC) so did not use software. Was able to successfully program a Motorola Type II Smartnet recently rebanded (so needed a custom table) from the information on this site. Great information in Radioreference

 

[Halfpint]

TES included links to *both* PSREdit500 and WIN500 sites where you can download working `trial' copies of each so that you can see which one you like. From *my* experiences, I use *both* PSREdit500 *and* WIN500 because each one has features *I* find useful, I've found that the Butel/ARC software is just too unwieldy and cluttered without actually providing anything more than either of the other two. (You don't have to purchase both like I've done since you'll probably settle on one and just uninstall the other well before the trial period is up.) Also Mike (PSREdit500) and DON S (WIN500) are both easily reached on here (RR) if you have problems.

I would also go to the Universal Radio site and take a look at their pricing for the PSR-500. I have had very good service from them over the years.

 

[SCPD]

And there is absolutely no need to pay for programming services. There are plenty of fine folks here who would be more than happy to guide you

I agree with this one .. there is no need to pay for someone to program your scanner. There is lots of good information here on Radio Reference.

I personally recommend getting PSREdit - Configuration Editors for the new GRE line of scanners for your PSR500 scanner, it is very well written and you can try it out for 30 days before paying for it.

 

[NYG]

Boy, the more question's I ask, the more confused I get with these scanner's. I wonder if anyone can answer a question about the Gre 500 from Scannermaster's. I've asked them so many question's that they must think I don't know ANYTHING about scanner's (which I don't) Anyway I was looking at the Gre 500 and in the drop down window it give's you 4 option's as far as the programming goes. You can either get the ARC500CD for $35.95 or you can get the ARC500 download for the same price. You can also either get the ARC500PROCD for $62.95 or get the ARC500PRO download for the same price. My question is, what is the difference with all of these? Also I know if you give them the name of the county that you live in they will program it for you for about $65 and does this have anything to do with the other 4 option's that I've listed above. Sometime's I get the feeling that I should just buy a cheaper analog scanner until I learn more about them but I don't want to spend $200 on one and then have everything in my county turn digital on me and making my analog scanner useless.

I also notice that some people list something on here about Win500. Is this another way of programming a scanner?

The PSR-500 is a great scanner. I've owned one since they were first introduced.

I don't own a PSR-800 but I think that might be an option you should consider since it's designed for ease of use.

You can get one new for $389.00 on Amazon (Beach Camera fullfilled via Amazon). That's the cost of a PSR-500 and programming s/w.

 

[N8IAA]

TES,

I don't see on their web page that they offer Win 500 for programing the GRE 500. Does that mean that one would have to buy it without getting programed at all and then trying to find the Win500 software? Scannermaster only offered the ARC500. Also if that is the case then are all the cable used for downloading the GRE500 basically the same?

Scanner Master does not offer Win500 or PSREdit500. You click on the link for Win500 that was posted or, www.starrsoft.com
The cable provided with the scanner is what you use to download the program into the radio. It is also used to upgrade firmware and DSP in the scanner. Paying the big bucks for having someone else program your scannre is just plain silly. I would suggest the PSR-800. It is quite easy to operate. Putting in the RR database updates and the firmware/dsp updates are quite easy. The whole RR database will be loaded onto the SD card. You pick the scanlists you want the systems and conventional frequencies to scan in Great scanner to start listening to digital stuff.
HTH,
Larry

 

[biggeorgef]

I agree with this one .. there is no need to pay for someone to program your scanner. There is lots of good information here on Radio Reference.

I personally recommend getting PSREdit - Configuration Editors for the new GRE line of scanners for your PSR500 scanner, it is very well written and you can try it out for 30 days before paying for it.

This thread is interesting to me because I just purchased a PSR500.

So am I correct in assuming that with a RR subscription and the PSREdit software, I can simply upload all the frequencies (I want) via the CSV file downloaded from RR?

 

[CMale0624]

I'm to much of a newbie to try and download the frequencies off of Radio Refernece or some other site. I'm still at the stage where I put all my frequencies in by hand one at a time. In fact I think I'll hold off on buying the GRE 500 because I think my area is still analog and trunked so my RS 97 should be good for that.

You guy's have to remember some of us don't have the experiance with doing these kind's of thing's like downloading frequencies, you might as well be telling me to replace the mother board in my computer is a cake walk......NOT. I still appreciate all the advice though and have learned a lot from this forum.

 

[biggeorgef]

Although I didn't receive a response to my question that I posted, I went ahead and installed PSREdit and purchased a subscription to RR. I had my scanner loaded in 15 mins.

 

[SCPD]

Although I didn't receive a response to my question that I posted, I went ahead and installed PSREdit and purchased a subscription to RR. I had my scanner loaded in 15 mins.

The method you used is a very easy way to get your scanner programmed. And best of all .. you didn't have to pay anyone to do it for you. You now have the software you will need .. happy scanning.

 

[CMale0624]

biggeorgef,

Did you have to purchase the cable to go from your computer to your scanner or did it come with it?

 

[hiegtx]

Did you have to purchase the cable to go from your computer to your scanner or did it come with it?

The PSR-500 comes with the pc cable, as well as the ac adapter. Scroll down past the "options" like programming, antennas, etc, to see what's 'included in the box'. That would be the same ("includes cable & ac adapter") whether you bought from ScannerMaster or another dealer such as Grove or Universal. I believe that ScannerMaster currently has a 'free ground shipping' promo going through 05/25. Click on their 'specials' link for details.

The Pro-106, sold by Radio Shack, is identical, internally, to the PSR-500. However, Radio Shack charges extra for the ac adapter & pc cable. The only difference between the two units is the front panel layout (keyboard/display placement).

If & when you do decide to upgrade to a digital scanner, I would still agree with the other posters- don't pay to have it programmed. Get some software, get a subscription, & do it yourself. You won't regret it. You can ask in your state forum and perhaps someone reasonably close to you can provide a programming file to get you going initially. Then, look over that file in the software, compare how it looks with how the frequencies or trunked system look on the database pages. It'll begin to make more sense to you. Probably sooner than you realize.

If you have the radio dealer, any dealer, program it for you, what they do is only as accurate as the information available that day. Whenever there's a change in something in your area (in mine, that's usually several times a week, often daily), then if you don't know how to update it or add to what's in the scanner, you'll miss out.

 

[biggeorgef]

biggeorgef,
Did you have to purchase the cable to go from your computer to your scanner or did it come with it?

The cable came with the scanner, CMale.

 

[CMale0624]

That's one of the question's I though of when I sent an email to Scannermaster's. If they programed it and something changed then you would be stuck with having frquencies that don't work in the scanner. For them to do the county I live in they want about $65 and then to buy the back up CD it can cost an extra $30 to $60. All of that money can go right down the drain if something changed or if all the frequencies got accidently erased form the scanner, I'd be back to square one.

That's another reason why I think I'll hang on to my PRO 97 untill I learn a little more about downloading software with frequencies. I know I can hook my scanner up to a computer but never got the software (probably outdated by now anyway) nor did I ever get the cable. Anyone got any idea's where one might be able to buy a cable for computer downloading to a RS PRO 97?

Thank you for all the good advice.

 

[biggeorgef]

That's one of the question's I though of when I sent an email to Scannermaster's. If they programed it and something changed then you would be stuck with having frquencies that don't work in the scanner. For them to do the county I live in they want about $65 and then to buy the back up CD it can cost an extra $30 to $60. All of that money can go right down the drain if something changed or if all the frequencies got accidently erased form the scanner, I'd be back to square one.

Actually, if they were to program it for you, you can export (and save) those frequencies to your PC and then edit them accordingly. Using software, you can import to the scanner and export to your PC. So you are basically making your own backup.

That's another reason why I think I'll hang on to my PRO 97 untill I learn a little more about downloading software with frequencies. I know I can hook my scanner up to a computer but never got the software (probably outdated by now anyway) nor did I ever get the cable. Anyone got any idea's where one might be able to buy a cable for computer downloading to a RS PRO 97?

What I would tell you is "If I can do it you can do it". They software is beyond simple to use, and if you have a RR subscription you input your RR username/password into the software, choose your state, county, and the type of frequencies you're looking for, and then download the frequencies from the RR site directly to the software and then right to the scanner. The whole process is very, very easy. I promise you that you can do it.