Pro-97 Question

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yardbird

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Okay! This is going to sound stupid.

Is the Pro-97 and Pro-164 the same scanner?

Our county just completed rebanding.

A lot of users in my county have bought either the Pro-97 of Pro-164 scanners.

I have already starting recieving phone calls in reference to the re programming the scanners.

I know the Pro-164 is rebandable.

Just curoius if the firmware upgrade will work with the Pro-97?

I am trying to figure out what is the cheapest way to go instead of having to tell people they will need to buy a new scanner.

I know that within the next year our system will become fully digital and people will be forced to buy a digital scanner.

I guess I am looking for a quick fix so people can listen for the time being.

David
 

ka3jjz

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No they aren't the same. It would be helpful to know what county you're in - it's possible the 97 might still work IF all of the frequencies in the system have a '5' in the 4th decimal place. If any of them are '0' then one of the rebanding-supported scanners like the 164 will be needed

The 97 CANNOT be firmware-upgraded.

best regards..Mike
 

yardbird

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Mike,

Our system has a combination of 0's and 5's

Thanks I will look at maybe getting a Pro-164 since it is on sale.

Thanks

David
 

safetyobc

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The PSR-310 is also on sale for $149.95 at Scannermaster with free shipping. Very nice radio with the Object Oriented Memory system. Just FYI.
 

KC5EIB

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Since this is the RADIO SHACK forum and not the GRE forum, though they do make the radios for Radio Shack, here is some information on the Radio Shack scanners on sale at this time.

RadioShack® PRO-107 Handheld iScan Trunking Scanner Reg.: $199.99 Now $129.99 (sale price)
Sale valid until: 12/17/11

RadioShack® PRO-164 1000-Channel Handheld Scanner Reg.: $199.99 Now $149.99 (sale price)
Sale valid until: 12/17/11
 

gmclam

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I am trying to figure out what is the cheapest way to go instead of having to tell people they will need to buy a new scanner.

I guess I am looking for a quick fix so people can listen for the time being.
There are two options with the PRO-97. If you program the new control channel frequencies, the scanner will find the voice channels that fit the format of 85x.xxx0 MHz. Any transmission assigned to other frequencies will be missed.

The second choice is to program in all of the (voice) frequencies and set them to FM mode. You will be scanning frequencies and not trunk tracking. The scanner won't show you who you are hearing. You'll hear everything on the system as you can't lock out TGs either. But you can monitor, and that's better than nothing.

I've used choice 2 with some small systems and it worked just fine, especially late at night when only the PD was using the system.

Long term I suggest the PSR-310 over the PRO-164/PSR-300. The '164 and '300 are the same radio. The '310 is the newer model. Now if you're looking to save money, I imagine used 300s might be more available as time goes by.
 

yardbird

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Thanks

I appreciate all the replies.

I broke down and ordered me a Pro-164 last night.

David
 
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