PRO 164 vs the $400 digital models

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CMale0624

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I'm sitting here pulling my hair out after reading so much on Radio Reference and from the web page of Scannermasters.com. Seeing how I'm kinda a newbie to scanning since I've only really ever owned a Pro 42 and a PRO 97 and only listened to a couple of frequencies for I don't know anything about EDCAS or trunking which are the main things where I live in Miami, Dade County Florida for the police. I keep getting the feeling that I should buy a PRO 164 for I've never had any experiance with programming via the computer nor have any experiance with a digital scanner until I get my feet a little wetter with trunking and downloading frequencies. You guy's that have a little more experiance, would you happen to agree with that? The PRO 164 is on sale at RS for $159 and seems to be to good of an offer to pass up even though it isn't digital. Thanking you guy's in advance for any advice you could give me. Also would you think I would get better customer service at Scannermasters verus the NO customer service at Radio Shack?

Chris
 

scannersnstuff

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just a little advice. if you have your heart set on the pro-164, take a look at the gre psr-310 instead. i think it has more to offer. if you decide to get either one,get it at scannermaster. if you don't live in mass. you will not have to pay tax. the psr-310 is $149.00 too. a few youtube vid's exist of it. http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/PSR-310
 

KC5EIB

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I'm sitting here pulling my hair out after reading so much on Radio Reference and from the web page of Scannermasters.com. Seeing how I'm kinda a newbie to scanning since I've only really ever owned a Pro 42 and a PRO 97 and only listened to a couple of frequencies for I don't know anything about EDCAS or trunking which are the main things where I live in Miami, Dade County Florida for the police. I keep getting the feeling that I should buy a PRO 164 for I've never had any experiance with programming via the computer nor have any experiance with a digital scanner until I get my feet a little wetter with trunking and downloading frequencies. You guy's that have a little more experiance, would you happen to agree with that? The PRO 164 is on sale at RS for $159 and seems to be to good of an offer to pass up even though it isn't digital. Thanking you guy's in advance for any advice you could give me. Also would you think I would get better customer service at Scannermasters verus the NO customer service at Radio Shack?

Chris

Here is your "NO customer service at Radio Shack" answer from a Radio Shack employee. Looking at the RR database, I see that Miami/Dade County will be going Digital in the near future. If you do purchase a Pro-164, that radio will have a limited use in the future. For ease of programing now and making changes in the future, look at the Pro-18. No additional programing software or cable purchase required.
 

frazpo

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On a side note KC5EIB. There is a lot going on with your shack photo. It's like one of those pics that you try to find stuff in like Where Waldo and such :)

Actually I say we start a thread and play "find the ___"
 
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CMale0624

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KC5ElB, Sorry about the remark about Radio Shack but since that they aren't owned by Tandy anymore I personally think the store's in Miami have gone downhill. I have a Pro 97 that the frequency number's don't show up in the dial anymore and when I called both the local store and headquarter's I was told they don't repair them and even if I fixed it myself, I wouldn't be able to order part's for it. I was also told that if I didn't have an extended warranity on it then don't even bother to take it into their stores. That got me to thinking that if I bought anything from Radio Shack I would have to buy their longest extended warranity on the product as well. I love Radio Shack, but I love the Radio Shack from yesterday and not the one's they have nowaday's with the typical teenager behind the counter.

Thank you for your input on the PRO 18 though, it look's like a nice scanner but a little more money then I would like to spend. That's my problem, to either go with a $450 digital or with a $150 analog scanner. I really don't think I know enough about programming or even using a digital scanner at this time. How about the rest of you guy's out there? Any more comments? BTW I like the look of your shack KC5ElB.
 

fredva

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Others may see it differently, but my own personal view is that I wouldn't pay for a new analog scanner now. That's because so many agencies have gone digital or will soon go digital. If I were to get an analog scanner, I would get a used one from ebay. If you can't afford a digital scanner now, get a used analog and set aside the money you save toward getting a digital one someday in the future.
 

KC5EIB

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The Pro-18 and Pro-106 do go on sale from time to time. If the problem with your Pro 97 is the LCD display itself, the display is available from RSU parts. The part number is 12430716 for the LCD and would cost you $15.49 plus shipping and can be ordered at any Radio Shack.
 

TAK21

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Pro 197

Just and FYI the Pro 197 Digital is on sale right now for $299 at scannermaster.com. Just got one.
 

CMale0624

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KC5EIB
I saw on RR somewhere where it showed how you could replace the LCD display window for the PRO 97 along with the part number and called up my local Radio Shack to order the part and they said they don't order part's for scanner's. Is that what you are referring to when you said you could order the part or is there a certain web site for ordering parts (RSU parts). I'll try and call the home office and see what the say about it. Were you the one who posted that post about replacing the part, if it was you gave great details.
 

CMale0624

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Something I don't understand that maybe someone can explain, A few year's back everyone had to get these boxes for their TV's because the broadcast's were going digital and no longer going to be analog. The reason I heard was that they wanted to free up the analog because those frequencies were going to be for police, fire etc.and they wanted thing's like TV's and broadcasting to go digital. So if that's the case then why are all the police, fire, etc switching to digital and what are they going to use all the analog frequencies for?

Another question is can you pick up a ham radio on a scanner?

Chris
 

KC5EIB

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KC5EIB
I saw on RR somewhere where it showed how you could replace the LCD display window for the PRO 97 along with the part number and called up my local Radio Shack to order the part and they said they don't order part's for scanner's. Is that what you are referring to when you said you could order the part or is there a certain web site for ordering parts (RSU parts). I'll try and call the home office and see what the say about it. Were you the one who posted that post about replacing the part, if it was you gave great details.

Any company owned radio Shack and order RSU parts right on the Point of Sale system. All they have to do is put in the 8 digit RSU number, click on Item Mod, and select RSU parts. Unfortunately this is not known bi many of the sales associates.
 

KC5EIB

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Something I don't understand that maybe someone can explain, A few year's back everyone had to get these boxes for their TV's because the broadcast's were going digital and no longer going to be analog. The reason I heard was that they wanted to free up the analog because those frequencies were going to be for police, fire etc.and they wanted thing's like TV's and broadcasting to go digital. So if that's the case then why are all the police, fire, etc switching to digital and what are they going to use all the analog frequencies for?

Another question is can you pick up a ham radio on a scanner?

Chris

A part of the UHF TV band, in the 700 mHz range will be converted ro Public safety use. Public Safety conversion to Digital will also provide more available frequencies by reducing the bandwidth of the signals therefore alowing more transmissions on the existing bands.

Yes, Scanners can pick up 10 meter, 6 meter, 2 meter, 1.25 meter, 70 cm, and higher ham bands.
 

SquierStrat

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Something I don't understand that maybe someone can explain, A few year's back everyone had to get these boxes for their TV's because the broadcast's were going digital and no longer going to be analog. The reason I heard was that they wanted to free up the analog because those frequencies were going to be for police, fire etc.and they wanted thing's like TV's and broadcasting to go digital. So if that's the case then why are all the police, fire, etc switching to digital and what are they going to use all the analog frequencies for?

Another question is can you pick up a ham radio on a scanner?

Chris

The tv switch had nothing to do with digital/analog. What it did was just make tv stations broadcast.on different frequencies then what all the previous tvs had programmed in them to receive.
 
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