Pro 97 PC software
- Thread starter mpalovik
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kcoleman
Member
Hi mpalovik,
Try this link, Pro-97 - The RadioReference Wiki I think most if not all of these offer a trial period.
I personally use Win97.... Good Luck
Keith
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- Dec 31, 2009
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- 29
I too am a new user with WIN97. It works really well with pro97 scanner. Although it is not free it does have a 30 day trial then it is $25 to register it. well worth it IMO.
NWtoSFO
Member
Win97 is the only program I'd use.
Thanks for responce how to break up download from RR
Thank you for the reply, now have another question
Have installed the win97 and yes it is great have also upgraded the RR so i can download directly to win97
I am trying to download Texas, Collin County Plano Saftey, no problems other that it is over the 150 limit, how can i break this up or do i have to do it manually?
Thank you for the reply, now have another question
Have installed the win97 and yes it is great have also upgraded the RR so i can download directly to win97
I am trying to download Texas, Collin County Plano Saftey, no problems other that it is over the 150 limit, how can i break this up or do i have to do it manually?
You get what you pay for. Go with WIN97.
dosboot
Member
Win-97 all the way baby and it's well worth the price of $25. Don seems to still be improving this program.
Xplorer4x4
Member
Just thought id add on here. I just got my scanner about a week ago. With the use of win97 its very easy to program it. Here fire and PD use a common edacs system. With Win 97 I was easily able to break up the fire and pd tgs into separate banks in case i only want fire or pd. Then I used Win97 to program in Bank 3 as EMS which uses there own frequencies. I dont like to pay for apps in alot of cases as theres great freeware that usually gets the job done as good as and sometimes better then the paid equivalent. Win97 is well worth it.
Don't use banks to select TG sub groups
I understand that people like to use the "bank selection" means to determine what they want to hear. The bank selection is virtually always available and you don't even have to look at the scanner to use it. When all you are selecting is conventional frequencies, that is great. (which I see works for your EMS frequencies).
However, it is another story when selecting different "sub groups" of TGs within the SAME TRS. The GRE analog scanners have sub-groups to manage TGs for a reason. I know they are a PAIN to use, but that is the correct method to turn on and off sub-groups within a single TRS like selecting between EMS, FIRE, & PD (and some combination of them).
The typical scenario I see is that people put exactly the same frequencies for a TRS in to 2 or 3 banks. Then in the first bank they put the PD TGs, in the 2nd bank they put the fire TGs, and in the 3rd bank they put the EMS TGs. Then they use the bank keys to select what they want. WRONG!!!!! Organize your TGs so that PD, Fire & EMS (in this example) are in separate sub-groups (there are only 5 total). Turn on and off sub-groups, not banks, to make the selections while scanning.
What happens if you do not do this is that you will miss a significant amount of radio traffic. Let's go through the scenario ....
The scanner is in bank 1, with the PD TGs. A TG comes in but it is an EMS call. That TG is not listed in bank 1, so it is ignored. Eventually the scanner moves on to bank 2. While here, let's say no TG info is received, so it moves to bank 3. Now while in bank 3 a TG comes in for PD. That's not listed in bank 3, so it is ignored. And that TG for the EMS call was already sent and is not being sent again, so it too is missed. The scanner moves to the next bank.
I explored this situation for quite some time. Virtually all traffic in my county is on a 2 site TRS. The thing is I also want to monitor a fairly large number of conventional frequencies. In order to not miss traffic in my county, I found the only real solution was a scanner DEDICATED to only my county's TRS and a separate scanner for everything else. When an incident does break out, I'll lock on to that TG and break out a 3rd scanner to continue listening to other stuff.
Since you are fairly new to all this, I feel the need to jump in here and explain what I know......
I understand that people like to use the "bank selection" means to determine what they want to hear. The bank selection is virtually always available and you don't even have to look at the scanner to use it. When all you are selecting is conventional frequencies, that is great. (which I see works for your EMS frequencies).
However, it is another story when selecting different "sub groups" of TGs within the SAME TRS. The GRE analog scanners have sub-groups to manage TGs for a reason. I know they are a PAIN to use, but that is the correct method to turn on and off sub-groups within a single TRS like selecting between EMS, FIRE, & PD (and some combination of them).
The typical scenario I see is that people put exactly the same frequencies for a TRS in to 2 or 3 banks. Then in the first bank they put the PD TGs, in the 2nd bank they put the fire TGs, and in the 3rd bank they put the EMS TGs. Then they use the bank keys to select what they want. WRONG!!!!! Organize your TGs so that PD, Fire & EMS (in this example) are in separate sub-groups (there are only 5 total). Turn on and off sub-groups, not banks, to make the selections while scanning.
What happens if you do not do this is that you will miss a significant amount of radio traffic. Let's go through the scenario ....
The scanner is in bank 1, with the PD TGs. A TG comes in but it is an EMS call. That TG is not listed in bank 1, so it is ignored. Eventually the scanner moves on to bank 2. While here, let's say no TG info is received, so it moves to bank 3. Now while in bank 3 a TG comes in for PD. That's not listed in bank 3, so it is ignored. And that TG for the EMS call was already sent and is not being sent again, so it too is missed. The scanner moves to the next bank.
I explored this situation for quite some time. Virtually all traffic in my county is on a 2 site TRS. The thing is I also want to monitor a fairly large number of conventional frequencies. In order to not miss traffic in my county, I found the only real solution was a scanner DEDICATED to only my county's TRS and a separate scanner for everything else. When an incident does break out, I'll lock on to that TG and break out a 3rd scanner to continue listening to other stuff.
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gmclam - The idea of turning TG lists on and off is a very cool idea for super large systems, but it does take a few key strokes. Our small Moto Type 2 system in Wichita is easier to setup on separate banks, and all I have to do is turn banks on and off.
The point I'd like to make is, I've been programming scanners for about 30 years and when the computer programmable scanners came out, and Don Starr's great programming software, it gave new meaning to having a scanner. I currently have 6 scanners going in my house, 3 are trunking, 2 are digital. I hate to admit it, but I guess my lazy bone didn't give me the idea to turn TG lists on and off and save banks for other uses.
It just goes to show you, we can learn something new every day, and this is the place to learn it.
mpalovik - Keep reading and searching these posts, you'll be programming like a "pro" (no pun intended, sort of) in no time. - my.02 Gadget
The point I'd like to make is, I've been programming scanners for about 30 years and when the computer programmable scanners came out, and Don Starr's great programming software, it gave new meaning to having a scanner. I currently have 6 scanners going in my house, 3 are trunking, 2 are digital. I hate to admit it, but I guess my lazy bone didn't give me the idea to turn TG lists on and off and save banks for other uses.
It just goes to show you, we can learn something new every day, and this is the place to learn it.
mpalovik - Keep reading and searching these posts, you'll be programming like a "pro" (no pun intended, sort of) in no time. - my.02 Gadget
Use subgroups to manage TGs, not banks
One test I used early on was to scan only the TRS of interest. When someone talked I WANTED to hear, I noted the VC (voice frequency) and hit the SCAN button. That TG would not come back until the VC changed. That's because the TG ID info is sent ONE TIME. So it is at that moment the scanner must decide if it is something you want to hear. Having that TG listed in a different bank rather than the one you are in, means you miss it.
One sidenote to this however; I have found that TG IDs for some fire dispatches in my area ARE repeated, depending on TRS data traffic. But that does not hold true for routine traffic. It could be different in your area. I also used UniTrunker to aid in this testing.
I've been programming scanners by hand until I got the PRO-92. Even then I programmed it by hand for many weeks before exploring WIN92. The PRO-92 did not have sub-groups for TGs, you had to lock them out individually.
This has NOTHING to do with the size of the system. There is one I monitor here which only has 10 frequencies, and another with 5. It has to do with how frequently TG IDs are sent for an active communication, and how much you are willing to miss. I do not want to miss a thing.
One test I used early on was to scan only the TRS of interest. When someone talked I WANTED to hear, I noted the VC (voice frequency) and hit the SCAN button. That TG would not come back until the VC changed. That's because the TG ID info is sent ONE TIME. So it is at that moment the scanner must decide if it is something you want to hear. Having that TG listed in a different bank rather than the one you are in, means you miss it.
One sidenote to this however; I have found that TG IDs for some fire dispatches in my area ARE repeated, depending on TRS data traffic. But that does not hold true for routine traffic. It could be different in your area. I also used UniTrunker to aid in this testing.
I have been "programming" scanners since about 1975. A listener since about 1967. In 1975 I modified an 8 channel crystal controlled scanner to give me 16 channels. I modified it, and 3 others a few years later to add a CPU. Scanner and guts
I've been programming scanners by hand until I got the PRO-92. Even then I programmed it by hand for many weeks before exploring WIN92. The PRO-92 did not have sub-groups for TGs, you had to lock them out individually.
The way bank selection works on these scanners is way too easy. If the sub-groups worked as easily, people would use them. The OOP of scanners like the PRO-106/PSR-500 are the future now anyway. But I do not like the fact I have to look at the display on those scanners to make simple selections of groups, however they are organized.
There is no wrong way or right way to program a scanner but how the user wants to manage the way they to use the scanner.
For the casual user that uses my towns skywatch tower, I programed each PD and FD channels into different banks so the user will know that to listen to the PD channel 3, they only need to make sure the correct bank is selected.
I have other users that want to split the PD and FD between two banks so that it is easy to turn one on or off.
Since my local system has 5 different towns, I have others that like each town on a different bank so that they have 1 button control to turn different towns on or off.
On my own scanners and the ones I sell at the store, each bank has a different system with all talk group lists used in each bank.
Program the scanner in such a way that works best for your needs.
For the casual user that uses my towns skywatch tower, I programed each PD and FD channels into different banks so the user will know that to listen to the PD channel 3, they only need to make sure the correct bank is selected.
I have other users that want to split the PD and FD between two banks so that it is easy to turn one on or off.
Since my local system has 5 different towns, I have others that like each town on a different bank so that they have 1 button control to turn different towns on or off.
On my own scanners and the ones I sell at the store, each bank has a different system with all talk group lists used in each bank.
Program the scanner in such a way that works best for your needs.
Proper GRE programming
Ease of use vs proper operation are not the same thing.
I am talking about bank oriented scanners here. If you're talking about OOP scanners, that is different. And bank oriented scanners by GRE miss calls when the TGs of the same system/site are split into separate banks and two or more of those banks selected at the same time.
There are plenty of ways to incorrectly program a scanner. All you have to do is read the forums here for plenty of examples.
Ease of use vs proper operation are not the same thing.
For the casual user that wants ease of use and does not mind missing stuff, I guess that works. I must note here however that with alpha tags, the user can easily read what they are receiving.
Ease of use and proper operation are not the same thing in this case.
If your 5 different towns are on 5 different TRSs, then certainly you want them in different banks anyway. If your 5 different towns are on the same system, but they are only monitored ONE TOWN AT A TIME, then certainly this also works w/o penalty. But as soon as you "split" one TRS across two or more banks, you will miss stuff.
Let me ask you this question - Why do you think GRE created sub-groups? They are a pain to use (unlike PRIority which is easy to use and a nuisance for most people).
I am talking about bank oriented scanners here. If you're talking about OOP scanners, that is different. And bank oriented scanners by GRE miss calls when the TGs of the same system/site are split into separate banks and two or more of those banks selected at the same time.
And if you do not care about performance, you're good to go.
I hope we can agree to disagree on some points about setting up a scanner.
You are correct to a point, programing a scanner for proper tracking on a TRS is a requirement, orginizing the talkgroups is up to the user.
Yes, alpha tags are great but I am talking about some users that even have problems selecting the proper channel on a MTS2000 radio from the city.
I agree with you on this though some have put more that one TRS in a bank with blank channels between the control channels. I have tried it and it works.
For us scanner junkies, this is a problem. For those that just want to hear whats going on in general, not so much of a problem
Were they first?
I liked the way I could switch between talkgroup lists on me BC235 and BC245 but it is a pain to have to do multi key stroks to move between systems.
With the GRE scanners it is easy to switch between systems but a pain to switch between talkgroups lists.
Just a side note. I have found at times that my pro-97 or pro-164 will lock on a talkgroup faster that the city issued MTS2000 in the scan mode.
You are correct to a point, programing a scanner for proper tracking on a TRS is a requirement, orginizing the talkgroups is up to the user.
Yes, alpha tags are great but I am talking about some users that even have problems selecting the proper channel on a MTS2000 radio from the city.
I agree with you on this though some have put more that one TRS in a bank with blank channels between the control channels. I have tried it and it works.
For us scanner junkies, this is a problem. For those that just want to hear whats going on in general, not so much of a problem
Were they first?
I liked the way I could switch between talkgroup lists on me BC235 and BC245 but it is a pain to have to do multi key stroks to move between systems.
With the GRE scanners it is easy to switch between systems but a pain to switch between talkgroups lists.
Just a side note. I have found at times that my pro-97 or pro-164 will lock on a talkgroup faster that the city issued MTS2000 in the scan mode.
But organizing TGs so that they are in different banks, which are simultaneously selected and part of the same TRS/site will cause them to miss calls. Certainly the user is free to do whatever he/she wants, but there are some configurations which are incorrect, technically speaking.
So do you think you should "lower the quality of what you program" so that these people can operate radios? I believe people need to be taught the correct ways and we should not lower our standards to their ignorance or inabilities.
Oh I ran a bank here with 2 sites of the same system in it for years. I know it "works" too. But I didn't like the way to two systems were scanned.
And it is the duty of us scanner junkies and people who know better to "educate" those in the general population why it should be done the correct way.
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