Pro-97 DCS Tone Problem

[peterjmag]

Does anyone know if RS and GRE are aware of the Pro-97's DCS tone problem? I know there have been many complaints about this issue. The problem is that when the radio decodes a DCS tone and is locked in the tone the transmission will cut out. I have taken mine back and exchanged it 3 times because of this. I don't have the Pro-97 any longer because of this and am wondering if the latest 97s have had this problem fixed? I am pretty sure that it is a bug in the firmware just like the bugs that were the Pro-92. I would buy another one if the bug was addressed because what is the point of having DCS tone decode when the radio won't decode it properly? Any ideas or solutions? Thanks...


P.J. Maguire

 

[resq2]

dcs code problem

i bought a pro 97 last week and there is no problem

 

[gatorhater]

I bought one two months ago and had no problems whatsoever.

 

[Eng74]

What firmware do you have in your 97's?

 

[dougjgray]

Mine has version 1.00 and the DCS seems to work ok although I only have 2 or 3 ambulance channels to listen to

 

[peterjmag]

Is there a newer firmware? I haven't heard of one. Eng74 you had the same problem right? I guess they fixed the problem and kept it hush, hush. God Forbid another GRE scanner have another bug!

 

[Joseph11]

I have this problem on my PRO-92. It only happens on VHF frequencies. UHF and 800 MHz are fine.

 

[Eng74]

Yes I have the DCS problem also. I think I will go check the local RS on Saturday and see if the have a display unit out and give it a try. The only DCS around me is San Bernardino on thier D-Fire channels and thats the one I keep up on for mutual aide calls. I hope to have more on this or I think I will try sending it in and let RS try working on it. Anyone contacted RS about this yet?

 

[swat]

how do you activate the dcs mode

 

[Eng74]

Well I took in my 97 today while it is still covered. Lets see if RS can do anything about it. You change the mode from FM to DC with the mode key. This will decode if they use a DPL.

 

[Eng74]

Well got my Pro-97 back today from RS. The technician Comments were: repaired locked up processor. Cleaned all controls and switches. Tested all all alignment parameters to spec. The big question is did it fix the DCS problem? No it did not fix the problem. So I am going to try calling the RS Service Center to try and get something done on this. i think it is worse now that it was "repaired" it seems to cut out more on the DCS transmisions. By the way it is still a Version 1.0 on power up. Anyone if there is a new Version?

 

[Al42]

Well got my Pro-97 back today from RS. The technician Comments were: repaired locked up processor. Cleaned all controls and switches. Tested all all alignment parameters to spec.

Translation:
"Played with it, but couldn't find anything really wrong with it. We don't have anyone here running DCS, so I didn't test it on DCS."

IOW, the usual cheapest-you-can-hire RS technician.

 

[scnnr]

Well got my Pro-97 back today from RS. The technician Comments were: repaired locked up processor. Cleaned all controls and switches. Tested all all alignment parameters to spec. The big question is did it fix the DCS problem? No it did not fix the problem. So I am going to try calling the RS Service Center to try and get something done on this. i think it is worse now that it was "repaired" it seems to cut out more on the DCS transmisions. By the way it is still a Version 1.0 on power up. Anyone if there is a new Version?

I have had my Pro 97 for about half a year now and have no problem at all with the DCS OR CTS CODES at all.

Have you tried to listen to the particular frequency in just fm mode and see if that frequency still cuts in and out without any tone at all. Also maybe try and set it at CT to see if maybe it uses one of those codes instead.

 

[Eng74]

I have had my Pro 97 for about half a year now and have no problem at all with the DCS OR CTS CODES at all.

Have you tried to listen to the particular frequency in just fm mode and see if that frequency still cuts in and out without any tone at all. Also maybe try and set it at CT to see if maybe it uses one of those codes instead.

I got my from RS direct when it first came out in March or April of this year. The problem is with the DCS, the CTS has no problem at all. I you are in the FM mode it works fine, if you put in the DCS tone it will cut out every few secounds like the prioity is on. I can run it next to my 96 or 92 and they do not do this so it is not the system but the radio. There are other people have reported the same problem.

 

[Joseph11]

To me, it only happens on some VHF systems.

 

[peterjmag]

I was one the others who had the same problem as eng74. I went through 3 Pro-97s before I said enough is enough and took the third back and said the hell with it. I just don't like the fact of paying all that money for a radio that only 95% works. Don't get me wrong I love GRE built radios way better then Uniden but, they have to be a little bit more careful before they release their product to the us the consumers because we will take a stand and not put up with this BS. GRE is great but come on guys, you have to get it right the first time. I'm tired of this A,B,C model crap with the upgraded CPU and now we hear our 97s won't work after the reband? We are so sorry that you spend 149 or 200 dollars but hey you can send it to us for an additional 49.99 to upgrade etc. I 'm sick of that crap. Uniden is not any better! I think I'll just get out scanning for awhile and just monitor the skywarn nets in the spring with a simple Pro-82!

P.J. Maguire

 

[Eng74]

To me, it only happens on some VHF systems.

Well this is on an 800mhz non trunked system. I tend to go with there is a problem with the DCS as a whole. It will decode fine it just dose not seem to be able to lock it in for a lack of a better term.

 

[Blazer350]

I had this problem too, im on my 2nd one. The guy at my radio shack had never heard of this, but then again they dont know much about anything scanner related.

 

[Eng74]

Well I stoped by the local RS today and checked out the 97's they have there. I powered one up and it is a Version 1.01, it also had a date code of 0605. Anyone know anything on a new version? Maybe this one takes care of the DCS problem? I am going to stop by and program in the DCS code and see what happens.

 

[dougjgray]

Well I stoped by the local RS today and checked out the 97's they have there. I powered one up and it is a Version 1.01, it also had a date code of 0605. Anyone know anything on a new version? Maybe this one takes care of the DCS problem? I am going to stop by and program in the DCS code and see what happens.

Maybe the 1.01 version are the ones that say Triple Truncking on the bottom instead of Multi System Trunking