Is this thing working?

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Thad

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I bought a Pro-97. I know nothing about scanners. I figured it would require some frequency programing to be useful, but I also thought I would be able to hear something before I got around to programing. I should at least hear noise, shouldn't I? When I turn it on, there is no sound. With the volume at max there is a very faint hiss. Squelch has no effect at all. When scanning pre programed frequencies it never stops. When using Signal Stalker II, it never isolates a signal, but it occasionally slows down for a fine scan of a frequency range. When scanning the weather band, it never stops. It seems obvious this thing is broken, but since I am so ignorant, I just thought I would ask if there was something I was missing.
 

xpawel15x

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Hmm..you should hear at least one weather channel when you press the weather band button. The only thing I can think of right now is to make sure your antenna is connected properly? If it is and you still get nothing, then you're either on another planet with no radios around or most likely it's broken.
 

N8IAA

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Thad said:
I bought a Pro-97. I know nothing about scanners. I figured it would require some frequency programing to be useful, but I also thought I would be able to hear something before I got around to programing. I should at least hear noise, shouldn't I? When I turn it on, there is no sound. With the volume at max there is a very faint hiss. Squelch has no effect at all. When scanning pre programed frequencies it never stops. When using Signal Stalker II, it never isolates a signal, but it occasionally slows down for a fine scan of a frequency range. When scanning the weather band, it never stops. It seems obvious this thing is broken, but since I am so ignorant, I just thought I would ask if there was something I was missing.

Bad squelch pot. Did you buy it at a radio shack? Take it back and get another one.
Larry
 

btritch

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TAKE IT BACK!!!! IT'S A DEFECT!!!! IT WILL NOT WORK, BAD SPEAKER!!! I went through the same thing when I got mine..I bought one and brought it home, After I brought it home I had the same problem, VERY LITTLE to NO sound...I took it back and the guy goes hmmm.yup it's bad as if I'm a dummy! Anywho, It IS bad, The speaker or squelch or something is bad, It won't pick up anything, well it will but you won't hear it! Bought mine brand new out of the box at radio shack, Took it back an hour later, Got another, it's good...That one you have is the same way, It's gotta be a bad one again, take it back tell them you want another one! Don't pay 150 + bucks for a POS, Make sure you get a good one next time, i checked mine IN the store, Took some batteries to check it.. But yes, I know what you're going through..Been there done that...I can assure you it's bad..Please Take it back and exchange/refund it....don't keep the bad one!!
 

lugoffman

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yea i would take it back ive took back 6 of them so far and the next one i take back ill get my money back from it . like i said in other post in these forums radio shack is getting slack with there product if i was you i would take it back and buy one from another company gre psr ,has real good scanners
 
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DonS

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lugoffman said:
the one i got says radio shack on it and its no were neer a gre
Your (based on your sig) PRO-97 and PRO-164 were both made by General Research of Electronics (GRE). The PRO-97 is "branded" for RadioShack.
 

lugoffman

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DonS said:
Your (based on your sig) PRO-97 and PRO-164 were both made by General Research of Electronics (GRE). The PRO-97 is "branded" for RadioShack.
Well then learn somthing new every day. hahahaaa!!!!!! didnt know that. wonder why they made them so cheap like well far as the tnc and bnc connector and the speakers Ive had nothing but problems out of them since ive bought it but like i said earlyer i took back 6 of the pro97 and then got me a pro164 and now its the same thing. the reason why i haven't took this one back is because i dont want them to thank im being a butt whole about everything but i just dont know what to do with it cause with the pro 97 and the 164 im having nothing but antenna problems and still having it should i call the manufacture and see what they can do or just keep taking them back untill it is right . im afraid they are going to tell me that i cant take them back no more but thats why i bought the extra warranty for it
 

DonS

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Your "antenna problems" likely don't involve the GRE scanner's BNC connector. Instead, it's the BNC connector on the factory antenna. Most of us don't use the factory antenna anyway (instead opting for an antenna more suited to our monitoring preferences), so it's a non-issue.
 

lugoffman

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DonS said:
Your "antenna problems" likely don't involve the GRE scanner's BNC connector. Instead, it's the BNC connector on the factory antenna. Most of us don't use the factory antenna anyway (instead opting for an antenna more suited to our monitoring preferences), so it's a non-issue.
Well i dont know im using a larsen 150/450/800mhz nmo mag mount antenna and its still wobbly . even on every radio ive tried . im getting ready to buy me a maxrad and try that if that dont work im going to get my money back and buy me the psr-500 lol!!!
 

N8IAA

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lugoffman said:
Well i dont know im using a larsen 150/450/800mhz nmo mag mount antenna and its still wobbly . even on every radio ive tried . im getting ready to buy me a maxrad and try that if that dont work im going to get my money back and buy me the psr-500 lol!!!

Guess what, I use multiple antennas on my 97, and they are not tight. As DonS said, it is the factory BNC on the radio and the antenna.
Larry
 

N1BHH

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I wouldn't worry about a wobbly antenna. If the BNC jack is wobbly, then you need to tighten it up. Otherwise a wobbly antenna is nothing to worry about.

Your volume control should be turned up, then turn the squelch to hear the hiss, then adjust to eliminate the hiss, then you're all set. It works the exact same way on any other radio with a squelch knob. You need to be fairly close to some transmitters to hear something on signal stalker. You should also be able to hear at least your nearest weather station. You should hear a bunch of paging stuff scattered about the bands.

If all else fails, read the manual. I know, there are people here that say, "oh that manual is poor, it don't tell me anything." I have news for those people, the same as I tell everyone else, "Read the manual." Take the time to read it and keep some notes. The handy card that you get has some of the usual short cuts to use. Just start programming some stuff into it. Go here: http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/
Pick your state, pick your county, your city and start putting the stuff in. If it's Motorola, MO is the mode, if it has Control channels (red or blue) put those first. The PRO-97 is an intuitive scanner, there are people who don't think that either. it takes time for that to sink in.

Have fun!
 

loumaag

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Since this topic has been hijacked, I am closing the thread.

lugoffman:
If you have comments that have nothing to do with the OP, please start your own thread.
 
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