Help with Radio Shack Pro-197

kellec4

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Anyone in Central AL that knows how to program a Pro-197 scanner? I've had this thing boxed up for years and am looking for someone to program it for me. I know nothing about doing these digital scanners.
 

wtp

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kellec4

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a friend gave me one to program, it took me hours to put in one frequency.
he could not have been happier.
i went step by step in the manual.
first the "easy to read" one.

then the radio shack one.

i put the freq in first to know i did it right.
then went back and put in the names (system and channel)
Sounds horrible...lol. I was under the impression the frequencies are downloaded from a file on computer and not manually entered.
 

wtp

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manual is just one way.
it is slow and a little hard, but then you never NEED a computer to work it.
i used to travel quite a bit and would scan the public safety bands and then set up a system/folder.
 

ka3jjz

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You *could* get a file from someone to program the radio, but you need an application. ARC500 or PSREdit500 are your choices. Links for these apps. The author of Win500 has either passed away or lost interest in maintaining the software so it's not recommended

You can find links for them here


Now before we go to far into the mud, precisely what system are you trying to program? Use our database to give an URL so people can look at it.

Here are Lee County's entries....


Be specific. I see some DMR which the 197 won't handle. Neither will it handle Phase II. Perhaps that's why it was in the box?

Mike
 

kellec4

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You *could* get a file from someone to program the radio, but you need an application. ARC500 or PSREdit500 are your choices. Links for these apps. The author of Win500 has either passed away or lost interest in maintaining the software so it's not recommended

You can find links for them here


Now before we go to far into the mud, precisely what system are you trying to program? Use our database to give an URL so people can look at it.

Here are Lee County's entries....


Be specific. I see some DMR which the 197 won't handle. Neither will it handle Phase II. Perhaps that's why it was in the box?

Mike
Wow...sounds complicated. It is (obviously) an older unit being a radio shack. I got it new back in the day. Box says Pro-197/20-197. What other info is needed? I would want Lee County (with Auburn and Opelika) as well as Chambers County.
 

ka3jjz

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You would need to check the db to see if the 197 can handle anything in those counties. Remember that the 197 can't handle DMR Mototrbo nor Phase II transmissions. Keep in mind that the Pro-197 and GRE PSR600 are basically the same radio in a different box, so anything written for one would work for the other.

Let's start with a few things. This will help with concepts in programming these radios and at the bottom are several videos that you can use. There is also a link to the ARC500 wiki which will help working with this software as well as a PDF for PSREdit500


But before you go through all that look at the counties in the database first to see if it's even worth the effort

Mike
 

ka3jjz

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I should also add the WS-1065 is also the same as the PRO-197 and PSR-600.

The chart in the wiki makes this clear

Mike
 

kellec4

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Your input is greatly appreciated! I will look thru the info and see what I can come up with. Is this scanner just a bit outdated? Is there a place I can send to get it programmed?
 

Ronaldski

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Seeing your showing as Lee County Alabama -> Montgomery Metro Communications Cooperative District Trunking System, Various, Alabama
Under MODE if it’s D or T it’s in the clear, De or Te sometimes clear, sometimes encrypted, DE or TE is always encrypted.
It shows Lee is T - Phase II, that means your 197 Phase I only radio wont get that.

Lee is also at Alabama Interoperable Radio System (AIRS) Trunking System, Varies, Alabama , but again it shows as a T.

You can get Alabama Interoperable Radio System (AIRS) Trunking System, Varies, Alabama anything under MODE that is FMN.
 
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fxdscon

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Is this scanner just a bit outdated?

Unfortunately, yes. The technology incorporated in your Pro-197 was originally developed as the GRE PSR-600 in 2007. A number of new developments in radio systems have been deployed since then which that scanner can't monitor. It still works great for the systems it was designed for back then. Full list of specs is at this link:

 
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