Realistic Pro-2004 Purchase

[Paco-Jerte]

These scanners are not nearly as much fun these days as so many communications have gone digital and they lack support for trunking, but there is still a fair amount of activity on the airwaves. The Pro-2004, 2005 and 2006 are solidly built and great performers, I only wish I'd had one back in their heyday but I was just a kid then and they were far beyond what I could afford at the time.

Thanks for your post.



I personally have the 2004 and 2006 tapped and both are my daily users along with DSDplus.


Yes I do have digital scanners as well, but barely use em.


Recently replaced the LCD panels on both my 2004 and 2006 and look great. Also dded a faster crystal on the 2004 which now scans just as fast as my 2006 and added missing diode for 400 channels.



My 2006 has the LED S-Meter too which makes it TONS of fun.

 

[Paco-Jerte]

Here are my 2006 and 2005 daily users. Sorry could not edit my previous post anymore.



For some reason looks alot brighter on the 2004 just noticed that today hehe

 

[slicerwizard]

Went to input a couple of frequencies and found the 7,8 and 9 on the keyboard no longer work, all the other keys on the membrane seem OK, any ideas anyone?

You've lost one row in the keyboard matrix. Remove and reseat any keyboard cable connectors.

 

[TailGator911]

I wanted one for years, then heard about the problems with the boards and decided to go for the 2006. I passed on the 2035,42 models cuz I was so happy with my 2006. About 2 years ago, I scored a brand new in a box 2042. I can still remember opening the box and getting that new scanner smell and feel. It's still sitting there chugging away on the civil and mil air bands.

Manny

All of my favorite Radio Shack scanners - 2035, 2042, and 2006. I regret getting rid of my 2042, that was one nice scanner. I just recently dug out my old 2035 and hooked it up to the discone on the roof. What a scanner. I posted about a recent bug in it recently, and someone told me today that something might have happened to it sitting through three winters in my barn. But, it is still getting hits on VHF callouts two counties over and performing like a champ here on the desk. I need to go out there and unearth a few more radios that I brought up from Florida. I might just surprise myself.

Yeah that new scanner smell...unfortunately, the scanners I have stored away out there smell like horses lol

 

[Paco-Jerte]

All of my favorite Radio Shack scanners - 2035, 2042, and 2006. I regret getting rid of my 2042, that was one nice scanner. I just recently dug out my old 2035 and hooked it up to the discone on the roof. What a scanner

Agreed on the 2042. Have one with Optoscan 535 in excellent overall condition also tapped for DSDplus

 

[markclark]

Can you post a link where you bought your replacement luminescent panels? I have 4 Pro-2004's that are needing panel replacement.

P.S. There was a seller in Oregon on e-bay that used to sell the panels, but he's out of business. I have found some sources for panels, but the panels are not the correct size for this application.

Thanks,

Mark Clark

 

[Paco-Jerte]

Can you post a link where you bought your replacement luminescent panels? I have 4 Pro-2004's that are needing panel replacement.

P.S. There was a seller in Oregon on e-bay that used to sell the panels, but he's out of business. I have found some sources for panels, but the panels are not the correct size for this application.

Thanks,

Mark Clark

google search 232779355171 and u will find the ebay seller where I purchase from, I've ordered 4 so far

He is a solid seller from overseas. I ordered July 28th and the panels arrived August 2nd and shipping fee was $4.00 for 2 panels.

Keep in mind you need to cut the panels to size, I use a Paper trimmer from Office Depot and works great and cuts them perfectly straight compared to using conventional scissors.

Seen sellers here at Radio Reference and ebay that sells them already cut for $20.00 + shipping. You can always go that route or save $$$ and get 2 for the price of one that is already cut to size. You decide and have fun making those 2004 Brighter

 

[krokus]

google search 232779355171 and u will find the ebay seller where I purchase from, I've ordered 4 so far

He is a solid seller from overseas. I ordered July 28th and the panels arrived August 2nd and shipping fee was $4.00 for 2 panels.

Keep in mind you need to cut the panels to size, I use a Paper trimmer from Office Depot and works great and cuts them perfectly straight compared to using conventional scissors.

Any electronic changes need to be made, or will these EL work with existing circuitry?

Sent using Tapatalk

 

[Paco-Jerte]

Any electronic changes need to be made, or will these EL work with existing circuitry?

Sent using Tapatalk

plug and play. solder the 2 wires and you are done.

Pro-2004 are actually easier/faster to do when compared to the 2005/2006

 

[Paco-Jerte]

ordered some more panels from the seller I mentioned above and here is a 2006 that had a dim greenish display to a new blue one.


The bottom one looks more brighter then the pic shows.



$9.00 upgrade done in 15m

 

[Fast1eddie]

Still excellent receivers. I have Bill Cheek's book, "The Ultimate Scanner" which explains in great detail many mods on these series (and other) scanners. Also, a excellent RF primer where he breaks down and explains attenuation in coax lines and such.

Shame he was hounded by the Feds over some BS and eventually died. A brilliant man.

 

[markclark]

Paco-Jerte:

Thanks for the info!

Mark Clark

 

[whooey]

I have a loaded 2006 in my closet boxed up, yall are making me want to break it out lol.

 

[KC4RAF]

The 2006 was the hackers' dream machine. I still have mine with some of the mods that Bill Cheek explained in his books. (And as Fast1eddie posted above, he was screwed around by the feds over bs. R.I.P. Bill; and show 'em how to tap in to their radios up there!!!)
For any one who owns the 2004, 05, or the 06, bring 'em out of the closets and enjoy the scanner(s). Mine sets on the desk beside the Yaesu 101 and the Yaesu 2900R.
Sure it's not digital, but it is great for all the analog signals out there.

 

[KR7CQ]

The 2006 was the hackers' dream machine. I still have mine with some of the mods that Bill Cheek explained in his books. (And as Fast1eddie posted above, he was screwed around by the feds over bs. R.I.P. Bill; and show 'em how to tap in to their radios up there!!!)
For any one who owns the 2004, 05, or the 06, bring 'em out of the closets and enjoy the scanner(s). Mine sets on the desk beside the Yaesu 101 and the Yaesu 2900R.
Sure it's not digital, but it is great for all the analog signals out there.

So true. Mine is still a shining star in my collection and earns its place in my main radio cabinet, hooked to the multicoupler / discone. The closest thing I have is my BC780XLT, but though the 780 is a bit better for Milair, and though it has tone squelch and more modern features, the 2006 is on most bands an equal or superior receiver, especially on UHF. On the UHF system used by the AZ DPS, it's reception is amazing, and the squelch tail is almost nonexistent. The volume and squelch knobs are precise and change levels evenly and steadily as you move them. I have more hours logged on that scanner model than every other scanner put together. No Pro-2006 scanner should sit unused, that's just wrong!

My back light is good, but I really need to order the lighting strips because when the time comes I want that beautiful original cyan color, not some off color as I have seen on some retrofits. Who on RR is selling the pre-cut strips?

 

[TailGator911]

Oh yeah mine has permanent residence on the desk, as it shines bright with analog sensitivity. I've had three of them so far, and I vowed not to ever trade or sell it again!

 

[drdeputy]

Is anyone still using and/or is there still a source for software for the OS 456 and 535? I used to use Probe back in the day. I still see things listed, but I would like fresh experience if anyone has suggestions on things currently available. Thanks.....

BTW, I also put together and installed Bill Cheek's CE-232 board in one of my 2006's.

 

[wa8pyr]

Is anyone still using and/or is there still a source for software for the OS 456 and 535? I used to use Probe back in the day. I still see things listed, but I would like fresh experience if anyone has suggestions on things currently available. Thanks.....

I've occasionally looked for an alternative, but have not found anything that beats Probe; I still run it on my Pro-2035/OS535, using DOSBox on a Windows 7 machine (I've also found it to work well on a Mac running DOSBox).

I did use Scancat Gold for awhile and it was pretty nice, but it's 16-bit software not capable of running on anything newer than Windows XP on a 32-bit machine.

BTW, I also put together and installed Bill Cheek's CE-232 board in one of my 2006's.

Did that myself on my Pro-2004. Lots of fun. Unfortunately, while I have got it to sort-of work using DOSBox, it's somewhat unreliable. I'd love to find something more up-to-date.

I also built the Programit interface for my Pro-2035, but haven't tried it since moving to Windows 7; guess I'll have to give it a try sometime.

Tom

 

[6079smithw]

Here's one of mine I picked up for $14 from a goodwill store last year.

14 bucks? You stole it! Kinda wish I still had mine...

 

[JustLou]

14 bucks? You stole it! Kinda wish I still had mine...

I'm on the contsant prowl for vintage radios. My latest steal was a Pro-2005 on eBay. Someone posted it with just a picture of the box saying it belonged to her husband and has been sitting in the box for 20 years. Price was $25 shipped. Took a shot, and it was mint. Even the backlight.