kellec4
Member
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.
Help with Radio Shack Pro-197
- Thread starter kellec4
- Start date
wtp
Member
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)
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)
kellec4
Member
wtp
Member
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.
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
Wiki Admin Emeritus
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
wiki.radioreference.com
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
You can find links for them here
Object Oriented Scanner Software - The RadioReference Wiki
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....
Lee County, Alabama (AL) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference
Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference for Lee County, Alabama (AL)
www.radioreference.com
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
Member
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.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
Object Oriented Scanner Software - The RadioReference Wiki
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....
Lee County, Alabama (AL) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference
Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference for Lee County, Alabama (AL)www.radioreference.com
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
ka3jjz
Wiki Admin Emeritus
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
wiki.radioreference.com
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
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
GRE/RS Object Oriented Scanners FAQ - The RadioReference Wiki
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
Wiki Admin Emeritus
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
The chart in the wiki makes this clear
Mike
kellec4
Member
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?
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.
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.
kellec4
Member
W
What about Chambers County, AL??
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2007
- Messages
- 7,556
- Reaction score
- 3,707
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:
Pro-197 - The RadioReference Wiki
Auburn uses the MMCCD system and their talkgroups are P25 Phase II (TDMA), so the Pro-197 will not work for them. Almost all Auburn talkgroups are encrypted anyways, and they use a simulcast system which older scanners struggle with. Opelika is on the AIRS system, but their talkgroups are not Phase II so you could conceivably monitor them. Again, keep in mind that Opelika PD is encrypted, so you will usually only be hearing Opelika FD/Public Works and Life Flight helicopters. The rest of Lee County uses analog FM which you can monitor just fine. However, there are plans for other county agencies to switch to AIRS eventually, and my guess is those talkgroups will be TDMA. The state troopers use a mix of analog and MMCCD.
As for Chambers county, as far as I am aware, they just use analog FM so you should not have any issues monitoring them. I am not sure if they have any long-term plans to upgrade to a digital system though.
As for Chambers county, as far as I am aware, they just use analog FM so you should not have any issues monitoring them. I am not sure if they have any long-term plans to upgrade to a digital system though.
kellec4
Member
Good info. I am familiar with Chambers, I don't believe they will upgrade, not the same money as Lee obviously. I might have a hard time getting anything in Lee County (Auburn and Opelika) anyway where I live, as far as reception. With all that said, and I could get reception from Lee county, would a new scanner even make difference for Auburn and Opelika? Was considering upgrading but if it still wouldn't work then don't want to invest.
It all depends on what you want to listen to. Auburn PD, Auburn FD, and Opelika PD are a no-go regardless due to encryption, as I mentioned. Lee County Sheriff, Fire, and ETS can all be monitored on analog with pretty much any scanner. Same for Chambers County.
At the moment, upgrading your scanner would allow you to monitor TDMA talkgroups on MMCCD which include a few Auburn special event talkgroups that are not encrypted, some patches to the analog Lee County repeaters, and traffic from neighboring counties (such as Elmore) that sometimes appear on the Auburn site. Just about everything else that is not encrypted should be able to be monitored with your current scanner, but an upgrade may become more necessary when the rest of Lee County migrates to AIRS. I have not yet heard if they will be encrypted, but I sure hope not.
The only other thing to be mindful of is that the Auburn MMCCD site is a simulcast, and the only scanners that will reliably work with such a system are the Uniden SDS series. Other scanners may or may not work well depending on the particular signal characteristics at your location. Of course, SDRs are always an option, but there is a learning curve there and you are tethered to a computer. If you live on the east side of the county, you may not be able to receive the Auburn sites well anyways -- one tower is downtown on Ross St. and the other is near Buc-ees.
