espsvvfd
Member
kg4omx said:
Apparently the sale was a one day only sale and only at certain RS's.
I feel like I won the lottery.
I'll check if the frequency search feature scans all bands - I BELIEVE it does.
Evan
Official PRO-83 Discussion Thread
- Thread starter Voyager
- Start date
- Status
Apparently the sale was a one day only sale and only at certain RS's.
I feel like I won the lottery.
I'll check if the frequency search feature scans all bands - I BELIEVE it does.
Evan
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2002
- Messages
- 634
- Reaction score
- 89
I've been evaluating scanner features in order to replace my BC-200 for event scanning. I like to attend airshows and this scanner with the Signal Stalker sounds nice for finding event frequencies. Too bad it doesn't include the mil-air band. Hopefully the sixty buck range sale will hit soon.
JohnBreen
Member
Hello All,
Perhaps this question is more appropriate for the Antenna board but within the context of this discussion, I will pose it here:
Given the "close call" (frequency activity detector) feature of this radio, what would be the best replacement antenna to use for "window of opportunity" activity searches. Obviously, in a shopping mall one would want to be invisible whereas driving by in a car one would have more lattitude as to size. Anybody have any opinions?
Regards, John.
Perhaps this question is more appropriate for the Antenna board but within the context of this discussion, I will pose it here:
Given the "close call" (frequency activity detector) feature of this radio, what would be the best replacement antenna to use for "window of opportunity" activity searches. Obviously, in a shopping mall one would want to be invisible whereas driving by in a car one would have more lattitude as to size. Anybody have any opinions?
Regards, John.
kingpin
Trailer Park Supervisor
I picked up one of these yesterday just for the signal stalker feature. You can select which bands you want it to "listen out" for. VHF low, VHF High, UHF, AIR, or 800. You can have all of them on or any combination of the ranges. I went to Mobile Reginal Airport for awhile with it and even line of sight with the tower, it didn't find anything. It did find security and several adjacent paging towers.
As I was driving around Mobile on errands, it did give a couple of VHF Hi hits which was fine with me with it being inside the truck on my console with the supplied rubber duck ant.
If you are looking for something to work as a frequency finder like the Optoelectronic scouts, this isn't the one for you. You can lok out a signal (one I already knew) and it will hit again but it will be 5 KHz off the actual freq so you may have to lock a transmission out 3 times to get it gone.
So, it's really a basic 200 channel scanner with signal stalker. No trunking, no Millitary air band, no ctcss, nothing super fancy. But for $119 it's not a bad radio if you don't need a trunking unit.
Runs off of 2 AA batteries or ni-cads with a built in charging circuit.
I am taking it back when my Uniden 246T arrives!
As I was driving around Mobile on errands, it did give a couple of VHF Hi hits which was fine with me with it being inside the truck on my console with the supplied rubber duck ant.
If you are looking for something to work as a frequency finder like the Optoelectronic scouts, this isn't the one for you. You can lok out a signal (one I already knew) and it will hit again but it will be 5 KHz off the actual freq so you may have to lock a transmission out 3 times to get it gone.
So, it's really a basic 200 channel scanner with signal stalker. No trunking, no Millitary air band, no ctcss, nothing super fancy. But for $119 it's not a bad radio if you don't need a trunking unit.
Runs off of 2 AA batteries or ni-cads with a built in charging circuit.
I am taking it back when my Uniden 246T arrives!
rbarker
Robert
Supposedly $55 sale day after Thanksgiving for a few hours
The rumor on http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PRO-83/
is that the Pro-83 will be ON SALE for $55 Friday Nov 26th (the day after Thanksgiving), for just a few hours. If you previously purchased a Pro 83 and paid the $119 and it was within 30 days, you should be able to go in and get the price adjusted with the sale price, but it has to be done during those hours of the sale. You can't do it when it's not on sale and you can't do it on the phone. Most stores do not have this radio in stock, if you want one, you will probably have to go in and order one. It is free shipping to your address, if ordered and paid for there at the store.
My opinion is that it is definitely worth $55 but I don't know if I would pay the $119. As a scanner, it's not that great.. the reception is ok but it's not that sensitive. You definitely would want to change the antenna and I suggest the one at Radio Shack that has the orange 800 Mhz on the side of it.
The Signal Stalker is more like a very fast search. It will find a frequency very quickly but It seems like it is doing it from searching. I was able to hear a base transmitter a few blocks away, but a handheld would probably have to be line of sight or fairly close. I had no trouble at all getting it to show the freqs on my FRS radio, but it will not display anything with my cordless phone.
Signal Stalker works by toggling on or off the different bands you want to include in the stalking limit.. you have it include them all or just a few or just one. Stalker bands are Lo (25-54), Air (108-136.9875), Hi(137-174), UHF(406-512) and 800(806-956) when it hits on a freq, it will display FOUND and you will hear what's being said, and the scanner beeps and or lights up (you choose the alert setting). You have about 2 seconds to press any key to see the frequency. Otherwise it goes back into the Stalk mode. There is no way to get it to do a further delay or hold on what was found. My friend has an 800 Mhz digital trunked radio and confirmed that it showed those frequencies. If you get annoying signal(s) that it keeps locking onto, you can lock it out. You can also have this mode running (in the background) while you are doing regular scanner or searching which is really great.
Chain Search is the next feature that is good. You program up to 10 search banks that you want to have preprogrammed into the radio. You can have it search 1 or a few or all 10 of the search ranges. You get the delay and can press HOLD if you want to hold on a frequency. You can also lock out annoying frequencies.
Direct entry search allows you to enter a frequency and press function up or down and have it go from there.. very fast way to search BUT, no delay and no hold is available, which means you have to watch it while it's searching to see what it lands on.
The instruction Manual is online at:
http://support.radioshack.com/manuals/ome20-501.pdf
The rumor on http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PRO-83/
is that the Pro-83 will be ON SALE for $55 Friday Nov 26th (the day after Thanksgiving), for just a few hours. If you previously purchased a Pro 83 and paid the $119 and it was within 30 days, you should be able to go in and get the price adjusted with the sale price, but it has to be done during those hours of the sale. You can't do it when it's not on sale and you can't do it on the phone. Most stores do not have this radio in stock, if you want one, you will probably have to go in and order one. It is free shipping to your address, if ordered and paid for there at the store.
My opinion is that it is definitely worth $55 but I don't know if I would pay the $119. As a scanner, it's not that great.. the reception is ok but it's not that sensitive. You definitely would want to change the antenna and I suggest the one at Radio Shack that has the orange 800 Mhz on the side of it.
The Signal Stalker is more like a very fast search. It will find a frequency very quickly but It seems like it is doing it from searching. I was able to hear a base transmitter a few blocks away, but a handheld would probably have to be line of sight or fairly close. I had no trouble at all getting it to show the freqs on my FRS radio, but it will not display anything with my cordless phone.
Signal Stalker works by toggling on or off the different bands you want to include in the stalking limit.. you have it include them all or just a few or just one. Stalker bands are Lo (25-54), Air (108-136.9875), Hi(137-174), UHF(406-512) and 800(806-956) when it hits on a freq, it will display FOUND and you will hear what's being said, and the scanner beeps and or lights up (you choose the alert setting). You have about 2 seconds to press any key to see the frequency. Otherwise it goes back into the Stalk mode. There is no way to get it to do a further delay or hold on what was found. My friend has an 800 Mhz digital trunked radio and confirmed that it showed those frequencies. If you get annoying signal(s) that it keeps locking onto, you can lock it out. You can also have this mode running (in the background) while you are doing regular scanner or searching which is really great.
Chain Search is the next feature that is good. You program up to 10 search banks that you want to have preprogrammed into the radio. You can have it search 1 or a few or all 10 of the search ranges. You get the delay and can press HOLD if you want to hold on a frequency. You can also lock out annoying frequencies.
Direct entry search allows you to enter a frequency and press function up or down and have it go from there.. very fast way to search BUT, no delay and no hold is available, which means you have to watch it while it's searching to see what it lands on.
The instruction Manual is online at:
http://support.radioshack.com/manuals/ome20-501.pdf
jerneedog
Member
Just thought I would post a pic of the Pro-83, for those who don't know what it looks like.
PRO-83 Compact Handheld Scanner with Signal Stalker and Skywarn Button
PRO-83 Compact Handheld Scanner with Signal Stalker and Skywarn Button
DaveH
Member
Re: Supposedly $55 sale day after Thanksgiving for a few hou
I am guessing your cordless phone is spread-spectrum. If so you will not get a lock on in with a regular frequency counter either.
Dave
rbarker said:
I am guessing your cordless phone is spread-spectrum. If so you will not get a lock on in with a regular frequency counter either.
Dave
espsvvfd
Member
Re: Supposedly $55 sale day after Thanksgiving for a few hou
>The Signal Stalker is more like a very fast search.
I'm not sure I'd agree. The stalker feature takes less than a second. That's about average for a frequency counter.
>It will find a frequency very quickly but It seems like it is doing it
>from searching.
Again, I don't think I agree there.
>I was able to hear a base transmitter a few blocks away, but a
>handheld would probably have to be line of sight or fairly close.
Well, on that we disagree. Anything you hear on a handheld would have to be line of sight. Line of sight on a handheld is 1 watt per mile under average terrain. So with someone on a 5 watt handheld, you should hear them for 5 miles. But you won't get their signal at that distance. I got a signal from a HT about a block away. Pretty damn good for a $100 frequency counter.
>I had no trouble at all getting it to show the freqs on my FRS radio, but
>it will not display anything with my cordless phone.
What frequency is your cordless? It picked up my old 42 mhz cordless from about 30 feet.
>Signal Stalker works by toggling on or off the different bands you
>want to include in the stalking limit.. you have it include them all or just
>a few or just one.
Sounds like the only available options???
>You have about 2 seconds to press any key to see the frequency.
>Otherwise it goes back into the Stalk mode.
Not on myne. Myne holds the display as long as the transmission stays active.
>There is no way to get it to do a further delay or hold on what was found.
True. It should stay as long as the transmission is on though.
Evan
>The Signal Stalker is more like a very fast search.
I'm not sure I'd agree. The stalker feature takes less than a second. That's about average for a frequency counter.
>It will find a frequency very quickly but It seems like it is doing it
>from searching.
Again, I don't think I agree there.
>I was able to hear a base transmitter a few blocks away, but a
>handheld would probably have to be line of sight or fairly close.
Well, on that we disagree.
Anything you hear on a handheld would have to be line of sight. Line of sight on a handheld is 1 watt per mile under average terrain. So with someone on a 5 watt handheld, you should hear them for 5 miles. But you won't get their signal at that distance. I got a signal from a HT about a block away. Pretty damn good for a $100 frequency counter.>I had no trouble at all getting it to show the freqs on my FRS radio, but
>it will not display anything with my cordless phone.
What frequency is your cordless? It picked up my old 42 mhz cordless from about 30 feet.
>Signal Stalker works by toggling on or off the different bands you
>want to include in the stalking limit.. you have it include them all or just
>a few or just one.
Sounds like the only available options???
>You have about 2 seconds to press any key to see the frequency.
>Otherwise it goes back into the Stalk mode.
Not on myne. Myne holds the display as long as the transmission stays active.
>There is no way to get it to do a further delay or hold on what was found.
True. It should stay as long as the transmission is on though.
Evan
rs_pro96
Member
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2004
- Messages
- 9
- Reaction score
- 0
Re: Supposedly $55 sale day after Thanksgiving for a few hou
Actual price on Nov 26th will be $59.99 from 6am to 12pm and not $55.00 like it's rumored. That was the price on Nov 1st.
I would post the ad but i was asked not to so it wont pist off the RS people.
You will see the circular early as sunday prior to Thanksgiving day.
Good day all..
rbarker said:
Actual price on Nov 26th will be $59.99 from 6am to 12pm and not $55.00 like it's rumored. That was the price on Nov 1st.
I would post the ad but i was asked not to so it wont pist off the RS people.
You will see the circular early as sunday prior to Thanksgiving day.
Good day all..
espsvvfd
Member
kingpin said:
Do you realize what that does to the price of things overall? If you buy something as a 'loaner' knowing you intend to return it when something else comes along, that creates a higher price for items. Because when you return the Pro-83, it doesn't just go back on a shelf. I don't know RS's policy, but its probably sent back to headquarters, checked out, refurbished, etc., then possibly sold as used, causing a loss of money to the company, and in theory, a higher price for items across the board.
Please don't use Radio Shack as a Free Equipment Rental store.
No, it's returned to the shelf. I have plenty of experience in that, unfortunately...
rs_pro96
Member
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2004
- Messages
- 9
- Reaction score
- 0
Never buy the scanners that are in the glass counter by register. Always demand the ones in the back (if stock shows more then one unit), which will always be the brand new ones.
I recall one time trying to return a Pro-96 (About 3-weeks from purchasing it) and the Store manager told me i could't do so cause the Pro-96 only had a 15-day return and that was a new policy from RS.. and that i was pretty much stuck with it..
What did i do?? Right infront of him, I Called the corporate offices to ask if there was such 15-day policy, and can you believe the same store manager went from a so called "New 15-day return policy" to a 30-day one?
He said he made a mistake and got confused with the actual days. YEAH RIGHT !!!!!!!!!
Why did i return it? i bought my unit the very same week they were available at retail stores for the first time and as alot of you know, the first batch were very buggy and didn't function correctly. Since the store did not have any more in stock, i wanted my $$$ back and purchase again when the next batch were around.
I recall one time trying to return a Pro-96 (About 3-weeks from purchasing it) and the Store manager told me i could't do so cause the Pro-96 only had a 15-day return and that was a new policy from RS.. and that i was pretty much stuck with it..
What did i do?? Right infront of him, I Called the corporate offices to ask if there was such 15-day policy, and can you believe the same store manager went from a so called "New 15-day return policy" to a 30-day one?
He said he made a mistake and got confused with the actual days. YEAH RIGHT !!!!!!!!!
Why did i return it? i bought my unit the very same week they were available at retail stores for the first time and as alot of you know, the first batch were very buggy and didn't function correctly. Since the store did not have any more in stock, i wanted my $$$ back and purchase again when the next batch were around.
eyes00only
Member
kingpin said:
I don't think that's a "proper statement". If I buy anything, at any store, and it does not meet my expectations, I should be able to return it. What REALLY STINKS, is that a store would resale that item as new, for the new price!
Jerry :evil: :twisted:
espsvvfd
Member
eyes00only said:
I agree 100%, however the statement was somewhat worded as "As soon as the 246T comes in, I'm returning my Pro-83!"
If you don't like a scanner, return it as soon as you know that you don't like it.
RS's policy on returned items that do not have a fault and have complete parts (box, accessories, printed materials) is to put a free extended warranty on the product and resell it.
kingpin
Trailer Park Supervisor
It's an hour drive to where I bought it so I'm not in a super big hurry to drive all that way to return it. I have 30 days to do so. I played with it the 1st 2 days and not really that fascinated with it anymore.
kingpin
Trailer Park Supervisor
UPMAN,
I sent you a massage to your inbox off list.
I sent you a massage to your inbox off list.
The PRO-83 will come in a 'blister-pack', one of those plastic things you can't open!
Anyway, you'll be able to figure out if it's a return or not.
Mickel
Anyway, you'll be able to figure out if it's a return or not.
Mickel
Air490
Member
So the question arises...
How well does the Pro-83 perform? I am interested in getting one for airshows, so i'm most interested in the airband side of things.
Any comment?
How well does the Pro-83 perform? I am interested in getting one for airshows, so i'm most interested in the airband side of things.
Any comment?
scanfan50
Member
I HAVE THE PRO 83 THE SIGNAL STALKER IS AN EXCELLENT FEATURE THE RECEPTION ON IT IS GREAT SINCE IT IS MADE BY UNIDEN THE SCANNER WILL LAST. IT IS A NICE COMPACT UNIT.
- Status
