I use WIN500 to program. I would think the TXDPS would talk more.
I'm also in Dallas.
Texas DPS is not near as busy on the radio as they used to be. Most of their routine communications, such as traffic stops, are handled via their MDT's (data terminals in the cars). While I do hear some activity, it's not non-stop like you might think.
Depending on where in the metro area you are, you could conceivably be out of range, because of the way their system works. Generally, Tx DPS is set up to use duplex communications with their dispatch offices. The base transmits on one frequency, and the mobiles respond on an entirely different one. In more rural areas, you may hear both sides, as they use a mobile repeater. If you look at the system in the
database, you'll see those labeled as Repeater 01 through 20. In the rural areas, you are more likely to hear DPS on the county S.O.'s frequency. In some areas, DPS has one or more talkgroups on the trunked system used in that region.
Late nights, you may hear DPS 101, based in Mesquite, assisting other agencies, especially Garland or Mesquite, in either a chase, or looking for a suspect. In those cases, the copter usually simulcasts on both the agencies' frequency or talkgroup, as well as the DPS Dallas channel.
I have the PSR-500, among other scanners, which is a portable sibling of your Pro-197; both were manufactured by the now defunct GRE. The GRE scanners are prone to overload by other strong signals. If you are near another transmitter, especially an FM radio station's tower, the scanner may be getting overloaded & desensed by that. I have all of the DPS frequencies set as NFM (narrow FM) instead of auto mode, and have the NACS entered.