PRO-404 HANDHELD SCANNER

[fivemotorthree]

I picked up a Radio Shack Pro-404 scanner a little while ago, I can't seem to get ANYTHING I program it with. I'm really wanting to pick up Hawthorne Police's dispatch and/or radio traffic. Is distance the problem?
( I'm 20 miles away ) not too far. Is it the scanner or just distance itself??

 

[bama9999]

Have you tried the local NWS frequencies, just to make certain there's not a problem with the scanner, and that it will receive? Also, depending on where your located, such as under a hill, surrounded by several large buildings, etc... can make a difference in trying to receive UHF frequencies from that distance on a handheld. Is putting up an outside scanner antenna an option?

 

[fivemotorthree]

Yes I have! The scanner itself is like-new, I picked it up used it maybe once or twice.. and it's just been laying around since. I can scan nearby frequencies, and I pick up all the surrounding agencies such as LBPD LBFD I even get Orange County Sheriff. So Hawthorne is UHF? I've always wondered that. I guess I could go pick up one and try it out.. if it doesn't work my last resort would to be... bring the scanner WITH me on a ride along in Hawthorne, surely that would determine whether it works or not haha.

 

[SquierStrat]

most likely distance. My town also uses analog conventional, and i have owned that same scanner in the past. Using stock antennas, i dont think i've ever heard my towns PD from that distance. Get yourself a Diamond RH77CA antenna and you might have a little bit better luck

 

[fivemotorthree]

Okay I will give that a try, thank you.

 

[minasha]

Pro-404

Hi,
The Pro-404 is simply a piece of junk. It is a double conversion scanner which lets it get tons of intermod
and all kinds of interference. I think if you get a hot outdoor antenna it will overload reception on that scanner.
Also the fact that GRE would make a scanner with no 800mhz reception in the 21st century is unbelievable.
You will be better off getting a trunking scanner because they are all triple conversion.

 

[fivemotorthree]

Okay that is good to know, i'll just sell it and either buy another MTS2000 or a trunking scanner to broadcast a feed.