problems with my second pro 95- help?

[battmann]

I bought my Pro 95 at RS on Saturday. They programed it there for Pinellas and
Hillsbourgh County in Florida. They programed it with Scan-Lite. Well it worked great I
guess, it was my first scanner so I have nothing to compare it with.

First thing I noticed and I am not sure it is a flaw or not, is the LCD panel at night when
using the backlight there seems to be a bad bright spot towards the bottom center about
the size of a nickle.

The second thing I noticed is when scanning Pinellas County it stays on one channel S516.
the frequency programed into that channel is 860.23750, I read here that when the
scanner stays on the one channel forever in that bank then that is a flaw in the pro 95.
Preessing manual, then back to scan doesn't change things at all.

Brought the 1st pro 95 back to RS last night for an exchange, didn't like the
LCD panel defect. don't know if this is common for this scanner. anyways, The clerk was
very nice and switched it out, I quickly put in batteries in front of him and turned it on,
and quess what, the scanner was already programmed for the area, so I said this one is
used also. ( the first scanner I learned was also used due to the fact that half the
packaging was missing from the 1st scanner, wouldn't have known if I hadn't oopened up
the 2nd scanner.) the clerk then apologized and said he would get another one for me, he
came back with the pro 94 model and said it is this or the display model, He insisted that
the display model has been up there since the beginning and said it has never been fooled
with, so I said ok to that one. Put the batteries in that one, quess what already
programed. I decided to give it a try anyways, figured it can't have the same screen defect,
(btw, you can't see the defect unless it is really dark outside or inside.) So I re-programed
it from there software in the store since the guy didn't know how to. I figured it out in
seconds. super easy. anyways left the store, that night when it was dark, the same screen
burn in (LCD panel defect) just a different pattern of burn in. Still scanning just the one
channel S516 for pinellas county. I am not sure if this is exactly how the trunking is
supposed to work. it is impossible to follow anything, everybody and their brother jumps
on that channel and speeks and overlapping eachother. I could probably do better by
switching the channels to FM and letting it scan all 20 frequencies in that trunk. I am not
sure if this is right or wrong? please help.

Is this all normal? LCD and the same channel 24/7?

also one more question, I have been reading that the first channel in the bank needs to be
empty before a trunked system, I noticed that S500 is part of that trunk should it have
started in channel S501?

I would appreciate any and all answers, I am new to this scanner stuff.
thanks
joe

 

[ImTheWeasel]

I have not had this problem with my pro-95. As far as the trunking goes, i have not had it "stall" on a trunking frequency and sit there. although ive read that they will get stuck on a control frequency.

 

[loumaag]

Well, you have several things to address here.

First about the display. It has been a while since I had a 95 in my hand but I am gussing that what you are seeing may be the normal situation. As you descibed it as a circular pattern, could it be that is where the actual LED is located and hence is brighter at the source?

Next issue, the preprogramming offered by RS. Understand that first I am none too convinced at how well ScanCatLite works on the GRE scanners. I know it doesn't work properly on the Pro-96 and am currently in contact with CAT to help them remedy the problem. Another issue is local programming requires the local RS to make sure that the data being used is correct... well I will let you judge that on your own.

The system you are referring to should be this one, if I got your description right. The frequency listed would appear to be the 15th one we have listed here on the main site so if they were just taking that information and putting it in, it would have appeared on channel 514. As to your concern about using the n00 slot (like 500) for trunking, that is only a concern on EDACS systems, not Motorola. In any case, this just brings back up the point of the RS preprogramming being not great.

The Pro-95 has lots of people who love it. I am not one of its greatest fans as it doesn't fit my mode of monitoring, but it does work (with a few bugs well known). I guess what I am saying that for the most part it will work and serve the purpose for what it was designed. Mostly what you describe seems more of a programming issue, so.....

My take on this would be to get a radio that seem to work and you are happy with, give them another $25 for the programming cable (RS# 20-289), take it home, download Don Starr's Win95 programm (free) and do your own programming.

 

[stevepro95]

I bought my Pro 95 at RS on Saturday. They programed it there for Pinellas and
Hillsbourgh County in Florida. They programed it with Scan-Lite. Well it worked great I
guess, it was my first scanner so I have nothing to compare it with.

First thing I noticed and I am not sure it is a flaw or not, is the LCD panel at night when
using the backlight there seems to be a bad bright spot towards the bottom center about
the size of a nickle.

The second thing I noticed is when scanning Pinellas County it stays on one channel S516.
the frequency programed into that channel is 860.23750, I read here that when the
scanner stays on the one channel forever in that bank then that is a flaw in the pro 95.
Preessing manual, then back to scan doesn't change things at all.

Brought the 1st pro 95 back to RS last night for an exchange, didn't like the
LCD panel defect. don't know if this is common for this scanner. anyways, The clerk was
very nice and switched it out, I quickly put in batteries in front of him and turned it on,
and quess what, the scanner was already programmed for the area, so I said this one is
used also. ( the first scanner I learned was also used due to the fact that half the
packaging was missing from the 1st scanner, wouldn't have known if I hadn't oopened up
the 2nd scanner.) the clerk then apologized and said he would get another one for me, he
came back with the pro 94 model and said it is this or the display model, He insisted that
the display model has been up there since the beginning and said it has never been fooled
with, so I said ok to that one. Put the batteries in that one, quess what already
programed. I decided to give it a try anyways, figured it can't have the same screen defect,
(btw, you can't see the defect unless it is really dark outside or inside.) So I re-programed
it from there software in the store since the guy didn't know how to. I figured it out in
seconds. super easy. anyways left the store, that night when it was dark, the same screen
burn in (LCD panel defect) just a different pattern of burn in. Still scanning just the one
channel S516 for pinellas county. I am not sure if this is exactly how the trunking is
supposed to work. it is impossible to follow anything, everybody and their brother jumps
on that channel and speeks and overlapping eachother. I could probably do better by
switching the channels to FM and letting it scan all 20 frequencies in that trunk. I am not
sure if this is right or wrong? please help.

Is this all normal? LCD and the same channel 24/7?

also one more question, I have been reading that the first channel in the bank needs to be
empty before a trunked system, I noticed that S500 is part of that trunk should it have
started in channel S501?

I would appreciate any and all answers, I am new to this scanner stuff.
thanks
joe

NO the LCD should not look like that i have a pro-95 as well that my girlfriend got for my b-day and my first one had a dark spot on the LCD at night or when i puch the light too i took it back got a new one the LCD is now normal no spots or anything like that. I would try taking it to so other Radio Shack and see if they will exchange it for you.

 

[battmann]

Thanks so much for your replies, I am very impressed with your kindness, knowledge and speed at which you answer this post.

Loumaag,
I have the program already downloaded and am awaiting the cable by mail. RS did not have the proper cable on hand for the pro95. RS had in the program 20 channels in the pinellas trunk, however i see that there are 28 frequencies and if you add Toy Town (part of the pinellas trunk via your link) on the same trunk (have no idea) then that would be another 15 frequencies. If you lived here and wanted to hear all the police chat, how would you program it? would you put all of them in? 20 or 28 or 43?

As for Win95 I will be attempting this via an Apple computer Via Virtual PC windows 98 or XP and with the "Purple Cable" attached to a usb serial adapter. should be interesting. If that doesn't work I will do all my programing tweaking on the virtual PC on my Mac, then transfer it over a flash drive to a friends PC.

Stevepro95,

Was you spot a dark one or a bright one? Mine are real bright. Loumaag maybe right about the placement of the LED. But I have not opened it up, (yet) I wonder if others have this bright spot. If this is normal , then this is a cheapo.

ImTheWeasel,

Do you have a bright spot on the bottom of your screen if you go into a real dark room and turn the light on the pro95?


joe

 

[ImTheWeasel]

no, i double checked earlier in my closet, walked in shut door. cover screen with hands but with enough room i could still see screen. turned backlight on, and no spots. outside the fact that its brighter towards the top of the screen, but if you look at the conical shape of the light, it seems the l.e.d is located at top, and shines down so that would explain why its brighter towards the top.

 

[stevepro95]

Thanks so much for your replies, I am very impressed with your kindness, knowledge and speed at which you answer this post.

Loumaag,
I have the program already downloaded and am awaiting the cable by mail. RS did not have the proper cable on hand for the pro95. RS had in the program 20 channels in the pinellas trunk, however i see that there are 28 frequencies and if you add Toy Town (part of the pinellas trunk via your link) on the same trunk (have no idea) then that would be another 15 frequencies. If you lived here and wanted to hear all the police chat, how would you program it? would you put all of them in? 20 or 28 or 43?

As for Win95 I will be attempting this via an Apple computer Via Virtual PC windows 98 or XP and with the "Purple Cable" attached to a usb serial adapter. should be interesting. If that doesn't work I will do all my programing tweaking on the virtual PC on my Mac, then transfer it over a flash drive to a friends PC.

Stevepro95,

Was you spot a dark one or a bright one? Mine are real bright. Loumaag maybe right about the placement of the LED. But I have not opened it up, (yet) I wonder if others have this bright spot. If this is normal , then this is a cheapo.

ImTheWeasel,

Do you have a bright spot on the bottom of your screen if you go into a real dark room and turn the light on the pro95?


joe

I would not open it i would take back. My spot was kind of dark. If you open it they may not take it back. My pro95 has NO spots on the LCD at all.

 

[postalguy]

I just picked up a Pro-95 last Saturday and I love it.

Regarding having a spot on the LCD, I have one, but you can only see it with polarized sunglasses, so no big deal there.

I was very grateful to have RS pre-program mine. I bought the PC cable to save the file and modify it to my taste. What a great free program (Win95)!

I could not see spending $500 just to listen to the police, and our area probably wont be upgrading to digital anytime soon, so I'm quite happy with it, esp on sale for $116 when you use a RS credit card.

 

[eyes00only]

Please help. How can I QUICKLY get to a programmed ID? Lets say I'm scanning and want to get to bank one, sub bank 3, id #7.

I'm just looking for any shortcuts. It takes too long to hold down the up or down arrows to get somewhere.

It does seem to recieve & hold the control channel much better than the Pro94 I've had for years.

Thanks in advance

Jerry

 

[KE5BCP]

Unfortunately the only way to get to a talkgroup ID on the Pro 95 while scanning is to wait for it to come up. To stop on it, press and hold "TRUNK" for about 2 seconds. This is a big complaint by many folks that have the 95.

 

[eyes00only]

Well, you can also (while scanning) hit program then trunk which gets you to the ID's. Then you can use the arrows. You don't need to wait until a voice transmission occurs. Either way, it sucks compared to how fast I can do it on my Pro94.

Jerry

 

[loumaag]

Well, you can also (while scanning) hit program then trunk which gets you to the ID's. Then you can use the arrows. You don't need to wait until a voice transmission occurs. Either way, it sucks compared to how fast I can do it on my Pro94.

Jerry

After using the arrows and/or the Trunk button to naviagte to a specific TG, what do you do then? :?:

 

[scnnr]

Well, you can also (while scanning) hit program then trunk which gets you to the ID's. Then you can use the arrows. You don't need to wait until a voice transmission occurs. Either way, it sucks compared to how fast I can do it on my Pro94.

Jerry

After using the arrows and/or the Trunk button to naviagte to a specific TG, what do you do then? :?:

I know, I know :wink:

Hit Func and trunk to hold on that ID. in order to hear anything on it.

 

[loumaag]

I know, I know :wink:

Hit Func and trunk to hold on that ID. in order to hear anything on it.

You've done that yourself...on a Pro-95...did it work?

 

[eyes00only]

OK, so I guess it looks like your on the talkgroup, but it will not work.
Is this correct?

Jerry

 

[scnnr]

I know, I know :wink:

Hit Func and trunk to hold on that ID. in order to hear anything on it.

You've done that yourself...on a Pro-95...did it work?

Oops, Guess I spoke a little to early. I was thinking Pro 96. Just looked it up in the pro 95 manual and don't see that option in there.

As for trying it myself. I don't have the Pro 95 personally.

sorry

Randy

 

[stevepro95]

I just picked up a Pro-95 last Saturday and I love it.

Regarding having a spot on the LCD, I have one, but you can only see it with polarized sunglasses, so no big deal there.

I was very grateful to have RS pre-program mine. I bought the PC cable to save the file and modify it to my taste. What a great free program (Win95)!

I could not see spending $500 just to listen to the police, and our area probably wont be upgrading to digital anytime soon, so I'm quite happy with it, esp on sale for $116 when you use a RS credit card.

I love my pro-95 too i had mine since 9/04 and it's a great scanner.

 

[loumaag]

OK, so I guess it looks like your on the talkgroup, but it will not work.
Is this correct?

Yep, I was just wondering if a method had been found that I was unaware of and the answer is apparently not. But based on the recent "easter-egg" discoverd in the Pro-96 you never know if something new will turn up.

 

[rbellows]

I have 2 PRO 95's, one of them has a spot on the screen ( about 1/2") I only see when using the backlight. I'm going to exchange it for a 97. (Hopefully).

 

[battmann]

So here is a picture of the bright spot (blob)on the pro95 is this normal? How many of you out there have this? and how many don't?

joe