Pro 668 - Time for dumb questions

[jetscanner]

Years ago I bought the Pro-668 and used software, imported a database I wanted, etc. The problem is, I dont remember anything I did.

The good news is, i've re-learned a lot of the navigation and am now 90% setup not connecting to a PC and using any software this time.

Dumb question: Does this scanner "download" the data over the air? When I go to browse library, and select the TxWARN system, it imports EVERYTHING. Now.... is this from the memory card database I downloaded years and years ago, or is this from over the air?

Reason I ask is, there is ONE channel (or two) channels that are not coming up, that are part of TX Warn that dont seem to be coming up when I browse objects.

Texas Wide Area Radio Network (TxWARN) Trunking System, Various, Texas

Texas Wide Area Radio Network (TxWARN) Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

Is there anyway to manual add, FROM the scanner, something from that list? (specifically under Brazoria)? Or do I have to connect it to an updated downloaded database?

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Dumb question: Does this scanner "download" the data over the air? When I go to browse library, and select the TxWARN system, it imports EVERYTHING. Now.... is this from the memory card database I downloaded years and years ago, or is this from over the air?

Is there anyway to manual add, FROM the scanner, something from that list? (specifically under Brazoria)? Or do I have to connect it to an updated downloaded database?

Consumer grade radios (scanners) don't support over-the-air (OTA) programming. You can certainly add the info by hand but it's much easier to use the programming software on the SD card to add anything not on the card already

 

[Wackyracer]

Send the radio in for the legacy upgrade (make the scanner a whistler ws1080) then you can easily use ezscan to upgrade the library and update your configuration.

A stock Pro-668 (lacking the legacy upgrade) uses iscan which is no longer supprted and can be difficult but not impossible to update the library, plus it is missing dozens of updates ezscan got and the ws1080 received.

 

[tvengr]

The Radio Shack server for updating the database and firmware of the PRO-668 no longer exists. It would be well worth the cost to send the scanner to Whistler for the Legacy Upgrade. The upgrade converts the scanner to a Whistler WS1080. You will be able to use the Whistler WS1080/WS1088 EZ-Scan software for updating the database and firmware. There have been many reports of improved performance after the upgrade. The upgrade also adds DMR and qualifies the scanner to be serviced by Whistler. Upgrade Your Pro-18, Pro-668 or PSR-800 Scanner

 

[jetscanner]

Consumer grade radios (scanners) don't support over-the-air (OTA) programming. You can certainly add the info by hand but it's much easier to use the programming software on the SD card to add anything not on the card already

Ok I just wanted to be sure I was pulling from the scanner itself.

All I need is just to add ONE group that doesn't seem to be in the objects list....but it is under TXWarn. Is that actually possible to do FROM the scanner? From the easy to read manual it seems like all I can do is "edit" objects. I want to add one

I'll be glad to take the steps in the future to get this all updated/use the software, but right now I just need to add one!

Man I miss the old days of plugging in frequencies.

 

[tvengr]

If you attach your programming file, I will be happy to add the talkgroup for you. I have the iSCAN software. Just let me know the county and talkgroup in TxWARN.

 

[jetscanner]

If you attach your programming file, I will be happy to add the talkgroup for you. I have the iSCAN software. Just let me know the county and talkgroup in TxWARN.

I appreciate the offer. I actually was able to find the software and added it in. Ofcourse, even though it's my own town, the signal wasn't good. So, now I'm tinkering with different simulcast sites and figuring that mess out.

 

[tvengr]

If you attach the file, I will take a look and see if there is anything I can find which may be a problem. Please let me know what specifically is not working right.

 

[jetscanner]

If you attach the file, I will take a look and see if there is anything I can find which may be a problem. Please let me know what specifically is not working right.

So to avoid confusion I reset my radio General Settings and cleared the old site data/talk groups. I'm now only plugging in local sites/talk groups.

The issue now is.....using one site (the closest) I hear chatter with a wildcard. But when I add in other sites (that arent very far and are in the area/same jurisdiction of what I'm trying to listen to) I get NO chatter. None.

I confirmed that the settings in the trunk tab and frequencies are exactly the same as my original setup before I wiped everything.

 

[tvengr]

You can have multiple sites, but the PRO-668 will scan only the site with the best signal. A workaround is to create separate systems with each one using a different site in a different scan list. You will need to include all of the talkgroups in all of the systems. You will then be able to control which sites are scanned by selecting scan lists.

 

[jetscanner]

You can have multiple sites, but the PRO-668 will scan only the site with the best signal. A workaround is to create separate systems with each one using a different site in a different scan list. You will need to include all of the talkgroups in all of the systems. You will then be able to control which sites are scanned by selecting scan lists.

Great, I will do just that.

1. If the 668 just listens to the best signal, why wouldn't it just tune in to the original site that has the best signal. In other words, when I just used site A only, with no other sites entered, it worked fine. But when I added two more sites, now using site A, B and C, it gets silent. Why doesn't it still default to A (which definitely has a stronger signal)

2. Im a bit fuzzy on how TxWarn works as far as what I will receive if I listen to just one site.

If I only listen to site A, and a user in Talkgroup X is on site B, will I hear user X on site A? Will I hear responses to user X on site A if another user is transmitting to site A to talk to ueer X? I read a bit about this and am still fuzzy.

Hope that makes sense

 

[tvengr]

Generally, you will hear units only on the site where they affiliate. If you have sites A, B, and C in a system, and site A has the best signal, the scanner will scan only site A and ignore sites B and C. I don't know why you would lose reception on site A when you added sites B and C unless site B or C has a better signal. In that case, you would lose units affiliating with site A.

 

[Wackyracer]

I don't know why you would lose reception on site A when you added sites B and C unless site B or C has a better signal. In that case, you would lose units affiliating with site A.

Simulcast distortion comes to mind.

 

[wtp]

simulcast would have all the same frequencies...

1 (1)	058 (3A)	Brazoria County Simulcast	Brazoria	769.46875	769.93125	770.96875c	771.24375c	772.03125c	772.85625c	853.2875
				853.550	853.9625
3 (3)	011 (B)	Houston Public Safety West Alvin	Brazoria	769.31875	769.61875	769.90625c	770.21875c	770.40625c	771.00625c
3 (3)	012 (C)	Houston Public Safety Iowa Colony	Brazoria	771.18125c	771.65625c	771.81875c	771.96875c	772.15625c
3 (3)	014 (E)	Houston Public Safety Alvin	Brazoria	771.15625	771.35625	771.50625c	771.73125c	772.40625c	772.65625c

is the problem with the one that is simulcast ?

 

[jetscanner]

So I setup several sites, each with their own playlists. The chatter is almost non-existent.

I even hooked up my yagi and still lots of quiet.

The signal often fluctuates on all sites. 1 bar to 4 back and forth real quick. Only on the closest is the signal full and steady with the T symbol.

I'm SURROUNDED by systems and I believe years ago I concluded the scanner was basically very confused. Or maybe I still am.

I certainly want to upgrade it to the latest firmware etc before I call it quits. Im aware I can send it in to whistler but even spending the $60 bucks or whatever is not in the budget right now. I know there's a "hacked release" out there but I would need to read up on the process for this device and need to order in a new cable.

 

[jetscanner]

P.S. is there anyway to drill down and see the specific site being used during a transmission? Or do I HAVE to isolate each site in each playlist? It is tedious.

When I import ALL of TXWarn it includes all the sites (like 74) under one system. And I can get some chatter under it, but ofcourse, the site just says TXWarn when the chatter is going. I'm curious where it's coming from. Again, I'm in a sea of major sites, and isolating each manually will certainly be tedious. (Wish we could copy and paste objects in iScan)

 

[jetscanner]

simulcast would have all the same frequencies...

1 (1)	058 (3A)	Brazoria County Simulcast	Brazoria	769.46875	769.93125	770.96875c	771.24375c	772.03125c	772.85625c	853.2875
				853.550	853.9625
3 (3)	011 (B)	Houston Public Safety West Alvin	Brazoria	769.31875	769.61875	769.90625c	770.21875c	770.40625c	771.00625c
3 (3)	012 (C)	Houston Public Safety Iowa Colony	Brazoria	771.18125c	771.65625c	771.81875c	771.96875c	772.15625c
3 (3)	014 (E)	Houston Public Safety Alvin	Brazoria	771.15625	771.35625	771.50625c	771.73125c	772.40625c	772.65625c

is the problem with the one that is simulcast ?

Is that true? Why would they call it simulcast then?

 

[tvengr]

P.S. is there anyway to drill down and see the specific site being used during a transmission? Or do I HAVE to isolate each site in each playlist? It is tedious.

If you attach your programming file, I will make the necessary corrections to the TxWARN system so you can select by site.

 

[Blackswan73]

There used to be a file you could use that converted the 668 to a 1080. It would allow one to use EZ scan with the 668. Only problem was you didn’t want to update the cpu firmware with EZ scan, just the database. Reason for that was Whistler found out about the hack and introduced a firmware update that would black list the hacked radios. I bought a few 668 during this period because Radio Shack was selling them for a $100 new. I used the hacked firmware on a 668 and it indeed changed it to a 1080. I believe I still have that file on an external somewhere. A person on this site wrote it and posted it when Radio Shack went belly up. I think I still have that firmware on an external somewhere.
B.S.

 

[jetscanner]

If you attach your programming file, I will make the necessary corrections to the TxWARN system so you can select by site.

I should have deleted that question as I realized soon after that it does show the site during chatter. So used to just seeing txwarn