Pro-18 and Pro-2055

[smitho]

Howdy,

I went out and bought the PRO-18 a few days ago, and I am most likely going to take advantage of the 30 day return policy.

Background - I use my 2055 often at least a few times a week - we live out in the country and find it invaluable for storms and most recently the fires. a very good unit that has never given me and issue and does everything I want it to.

I liked the looks and the new toys on the Pro-18 and swallowed hard and bought it. I was hoping it would be good to use at home attached to my 20+ foot outdoor antenna that my 2055 lives on and then have the capability of taking it with me when I need to.

I programmed it like I have the 2055 and with the same antenna as the 2055 it does not receive anywhere near as well as my 2055.

I'm not a scanner expert but I'm not totally un-learned, I understand the basics but I'm more of a user than a hobbiest.

I'm assuming because the unit is smaller than my base station that by having to smash all that into a small case that is where I lose what ever it takes to have the same type or reception correct?

Thanks much! -S

 

[ka3jjz]

It's very hard to evaluate with not much technical detail here (for example, what antenna you are using, what freqs you used to evaluate, a more precise idea of where you are besides 'NE Texas') - however before you return it, I would look closely at the PRO-18 programming. This is an object oriented scanner, I believe, and there are likely to be hooks and things you didn't know about - such as turning on an attenuator by mistake (been there, done that...)

Also you're asking an awful lot comparing a small handheld with a mobile model. Depending on where you are, there may be some overloading issues here - you cannot expect a small handheld to work with a 20 foot antenna (no matter what type). The overloading could be desensing you, which would basically reduce your usable sensitivity.

best regards..Mike

 

[smitho]

Followup

Just a follow up.

Remember I'm a good user not a full time hobbyist

I returned the Pro-18 and picked up a Pro-197

BIG difference, 197 is more difficult to set up, but I'm used to that with my 2055, This unit appears to receive much more clearly than my 2055 and "out of the box" the 197 picks up many more channels than the Pro-18

These finding may be in my inability to understand the pro-18 so I don't want to really discount that product, but I am much happier transitioning from the 2055 to the pro-197

Thanks again!