Pro-2004: Very strange input issue.

[N1SQB]

Picked up a used 2004 for dirt cheap. $30. Visually, the unit is mint. When you turn it on, however, that’s where the problems begin.. It needs a new back light so that’s common. I’m not worried about that. Here is where it gets interesting. I hit manual and go to a specific channel. I then hit program.. just for kicks I put in our local weather channel on 162.400. It then then shows 886.400 on the display. No matter what frequency I put in or what band, once I hit enter, it’s a totally different frequency sometimes even a different band. I know these units had a few issues, but I’ve never seen anything like this happen to one of them.. Can anyone explain why this is happening?
Here is what I tried; I disconnected all of the wiring, harnesses coming from the main display board and the keypad. I then reconnected them. I did a hard reset pushing the button in the rear of the unit. It resets perfectly, but the problem still persists.. I made sure there is no 9V battery attached just to make sure it doesn’t retain any issues. I then reconnected the 9V memory back up battery and it still gives me the same problem.. it’s not a power issue because as I said, the display comes up the sound comes on, so I know I have power and sound when I unsquelch the unit. I don’t get it..

 

[bkantor]

Watching - I have the same problem with a 2004 I bought on eBay years ago. Punch in frequency X, get frequency Y (and the frequency is some bizarre #). I have two other units that work fine, so I am keeping it for parts if needed.

 

[wtp]

are you sure the battery is good ?
i used to use a 6V bulb to test them.
oh, press and hold CLEAR then hit the restart BUTTON.

https://www.rigpix.com/rs-realistic/realistic_pro2004_20119_manual.pdf

 

[N1SQB]

are you sure the battery is good ?
i used to use a 6V bulb to test them.
oh, press and hold CLEAR then hit the restart BUTTON.

https://www.rigpix.com/rs-realistic/realistic_pro2004_20119_manual.pdf

Tried all of that.. still nothing. Full reset, clear..etc.. battery is brand new. Nothing.…it’s so weird.

 

[N1SQB]

Watching - I have the same problem with a 2004 I bought on eBay years ago. Punch in frequency X, get frequency Y (and the frequency is some bizarre #). I have two other units that work fine, so I am keeping it for parts if needed.

Yup, same here. I have another unit that has been modified to death. No issues at all. I’m gonna use it for parts as well like you did.

 

[DeeEx]

I had the same thing happen with one of the original Realistic Patrolman 2026s (not the later models).

I found it amusing when a friend of mine was trying to program something in 800MHz and the display read something in the 20m band!

 

[N1SQB]

After I nearly tore the entire scanner apart, I decided to keep it for parts.

 

[kc2asb]

Picked up a used 2004 for dirt cheap. $30. Visually, the unit is mint. When you turn it on, however, that’s where the problems begin.. It needs a new back light so that’s common. I’m not worried about that. Here is where it gets interesting. I hit manual and go to a specific channel. I then hit program.. just for kicks I put in our local weather channel on 162.400. It then then shows 886.400 on the display. No matter what frequency I put in or what band, once I hit enter, it’s a totally different frequency sometimes even a different band. I know these units had a few issues, but I’ve never seen anything like this happen to one of them.. Can anyone explain why this is happening?

Does it receive the frequency you punched in? Some of the old Electra Bearcats used to exhibit the same behavior. On an old Bearcat 210, I would key in my local police on 155.490 and get something like 386.100.

Could be anything - a capacitor, transistor, IC going bad etc. I've never experienced anything like that with my 2006. Keeping it as a parts radio, as you said, is probably the best idea.

 

[N1SQB]

Does it receive the frequency you punched in?

No, it does not, unfortunately. Spare parts is all it will be good for. That's ok though..