Pro-164 - 1st Accessories to Purchase?

[MagicMan08]

First things first I know a little bit about the hobby, but I am getting into it on my own for the first time. Long time lurker, first time poster.

I live in the Fargo, ND and Moorhead, MN central area with a trunked system and several college and fire freq's I'd like to monitor. (Clay County, ND and Cass County, MN)

I just bought a Pro-164 handheld unit. In planning for my next purchases and a majority of the time using this unity locally at home; What are some of the first things I should purchase above and beyond the initial unit?

*RadioReference premium comes above all*

1. Radio Shack pc cable for $35
2. AC adapter
3. Radio Shack 800 mhz antenna
4. Household antenna (are the "original snoop" antennas any good from ebay?)
5. Extra battery holders both black and yellow

Any other suggestions for a noob getting into the hobby?

 

[MagicMan08]

I will take the lack of replies that my research and reading other threads has surely paid off.

However, this was a major flub on my behalf I took the trunked public service system as the Police freqs being included as analog, come to find out they're p25 both in Moorhead and Fargo. I could have waited and bought the digital, oh well.

Thanks for reading.

 

[vagrant]

Even if you pick up another receiver, your list order is fine, but I don't think you'll need additional black and yellow battery holders, just an additional four rechargeable batteries you can swap out over the weekend to ensure you're good to go with eight rechargeable with four regular batteries to spare. That's what I do with the one I use in the car, although I will admit I have an extra yellow and black from a Pro97, but it only saves me from having to actually swap the batteries into the holder.

I have found the following three antennas from Radio Shack to work reasonably well.
Model: 20-176 - Home use (Inexpensive and works)
Model: 20-032 - Mobile (Works better than a low profile I have, as it should. Held on fine going 70MPH)
Model: 20-043 - Home (All around catcher, but 20-176 is better at the 152-470Mhz they note)

P.S. There's a sale going on now. Might as well return the 164 and get a digital.

 

[gmclam]

Accessories

The first "accessory" missing from your initial list is SOFTWARE. Ironic that you included the cable, but that alone won't get the job done.

It sounds like you need the digital scanner -- PRO-106 or PSR-500. The list remains the same, it would just use a different software version which is compatible with the scanner.

I wonder if you plan to operate your scanner in base, hand-held or mobile modes. If base you can rely on an AC adapter for power. If mobile, then you most likely need a power cable for your auto. Hand-held clearly means batteries, whether that's how you power it 24/7 or just in that mode.

If you are going to use batteries, I STRONGLY suggest that you get 2 sets of NiMH batteries and an external charger. I use the Sanyo eneloops and can't say enough good things about them. I have used virtually every brand/model of NiMH AA battery out there, and nothing compares to the 2000mah eneloops.

What that means is you use the black battery holder, never charge in the radio. When one set of batteries needs to be recharged, swap them with the other set and place the dead batteries into the charger. I am using the Maha 9000 charger, but if I was going to do it again I would get the LaCrosse. Those cheap chargers they sell with the batteries ... well, they're designed to sell more batteries. You get what you pay for.

Good luck.

 

[hhrj]

Check at the RS store for a 20-047 cable, a company store can do a search of other stores.
If they find one they can have it shipped to the store and it costs less than $8. This cable works perfectly for reading and writing to the 163-164 Pros.
A lot of stores have this cable in their stock rooms but they will try to sell you the high dollar cable.

Good Luck,
Ron

 

[krokus]

I use two yellow battery carriers, even though I do most of my charging with my Maha charger. I keep one black carrier loaded with a set of alkalines.

As for my rechargeable batteries, I use 2700 mAh Maha NiMH cells. Use what you like, keeping in mind that the lower the rating on the cell, equals less scanning time.

You will want programming software, to go along with your cable. It will make your life *much* easier.

For antennas, that really depends on what you are wanting to listen to. The GRE/RS 800 MHz antenna does well for that range, and acceptable for high-band VHF & 400MHz.

 

[N8IAA]

First things first I know a little bit about the hobby, but I am getting into it on my own for the first time. Long time lurker, first time poster.

I live in the Fargo, ND and Moorhead, MN central area with a trunked system and several college and fire freq's I'd like to monitor. (Clay County, ND and Cass County, MN)

I just bought a Pro-164 handheld unit. In planning for my next purchases and a majority of the time using this unity locally at home; What are some of the first things I should purchase above and beyond the initial unit?

*RadioReference premium comes above all*

1. Radio Shack pc cable for $35
2. AC adapter
3. Radio Shack 800 mhz antenna
4. Household antenna (are the "original snoop" antennas any good from ebay?)
5. Extra battery holders both black and yellow

Any other suggestions for a noob getting into the hobby?

I believe it is Clay county, MN, and Cass county, ND? The 164 is a good fit for what you want to monitor. No idea what the original snoop antenna is. Overkill on the extra black and yellow holders. The yellow is only good for rechargable batteries. Definitely need software, my suggestion is Win97 by www.starrsoft.com . Probably better off with the radio shack magmount scanner antenna for better ears on VHF/UHF frequencies. My suggestion is not to leave any batteries in the scanner when using the AC adapter
HTH,
Larry

 

[N8IAA]

One other thing, why not get the 163 base, and forget about extra battery packs completely. It comes with the AC adapter, and DC adapter. Better audio than the handheld.
Larry

 

[N8IAA]

However, this was a major flub on my behalf I took the trunked public service system as the Police freqs being included as analog, come to find out they're p25 both in Moorhead and Fargo. I could have waited and bought the digital, oh well.

Thanks for reading.

Not as they are listed in the radio reference database for ND, and MN for the Fargo/Moorhead system. Cass county, MN has only one TGID on ARMER. None for Clay county.
Larry

 

[MagicMan08]

Not as they are listed in the radio reference database for ND, and MN for the Fargo/Moorhead system. Cass county, MN has only one TGID on ARMER. None for Clay county.
Larry

Thank you everyone for all of the kind replies.


For Cass County, ND it lists the Sheriffs office and the NDSU pd etc. as running on p25.
Cass County, North Dakota (ND) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

In Clay County, MN it lists the Sheriffs office and Moorhead pd as p25 as well.
Clay County, Minnesota (MN) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference


Unless I am missing something here!? I can monitor some of the frequencies but not the Sheriff, PD, or most of the Dispatch.

 

[N8IAA]

Thank you everyone for all of the kind replies.


For Cass County, ND it lists the Sheriffs office and the NDSU pd etc. as running on p25.
Cass County, North Dakota (ND) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

In Clay County, MN it lists the Sheriffs office and Moorhead pd as p25 as well.
Clay County, Minnesota (MN) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference


Unless I am missing something here!? I can monitor some of the frequencies but not the Sheriff, PD, or most of the Dispatch.

Cass and Clay counties are using conventional P-25 digital frequencies which can be monitored with any of the newer P-25 scanners. There is no indication of encryption on those frequencies. To be absolutely sure, ask in the Minnesota and ND state forums for a much better answer
HTH,
Larry