WIN97 vs. ScanCat

[N3GR]

Trying to decide which to buy for use with my new PRO-97! Can someone tell me the pros & cons of each. I'm using the trial version of Win97 now and am satisfied with it after some difficulty in getting started. I'm wondering if ScanCat has more features.

 

[Laurence]

How much more can you ask the your 97 to do? Don Starr is just now fine tuning the Win97 program and if you review the history of the other previous programs you'll note in the win95 you were able to extend the frequency range beyond what the scanner would allow you to input manually. I'd say stick with the 97 program, pay Don what he deserves and watch the program grow to it's fullist capability and beyond.
Also Don always enjoys feeback from his users too and usually improves or corrects faster than Scancat can.

 

[N3GR]

Laurance, Thanks for the reply. Yesterday I called RadioShack Customer Service for help getting started with programming my new PRO-97 and the tech I talked to had never heard of WIN97...was only familiar with Scancat! Shame on him! The main thing I'm interested in, is finding out if there is any difference in database import capability between the two applications. Can Scancat import the RR data that WIN97 can't? [The RR Database has a lot of data that I am unable to web import into my 30-day version of WIN97 such as those for the Maryland Statewide agencies]. Bill

 

[ka3jjz]

I really don't want to start any flames here, but it's apparent from reading all the complaints and comments that I've seen about Scancat Lite Plus- which I reviewed some time ago on the Strong Signals website - that the folks at CAT rush to get a radio supported without testing all the features completly. Further, I don't think that Scancat Lite Plus handles all the features that Don Starr seems to find (a prime example of this would be the extended frequencies for the PRO96/2096).

It's clear that no one took my review to heart, even though I worked fairly closely with the author on it. It's a shame, really; the market can stand a programming only low-cost software package that supports multiple radios.
But SCL falls short in many respects.

In short, stick with Win97. Don is pretty easy to find, and personally I don't think any software out there supports the PRO9x radios the way the Win9x software does. 73s Mike

 

[DonS]

Can Scancat import the RR data that WIN97 can't? [The RR Database has a lot of data that I am unable to web import into my 30-day version of WIN97 such as those for the Maryland Statewide agencies].

The RR "Web Services" feature only supplies data for trunked systems. In Maryland, all of the "statewide" data is for conventional (non-trunked) frequencies. Until RR supports the retrieval of these conventional frequencies via the XML interface, no software will be able to import them.

There are some multi-county systems in MD. The RR interface requires that you import those county-by-county.

 

[loumaag]

Laurance, Thanks for the reply. Yesterday I called RadioShack Customer Service for help getting started with programming my new PRO-97 and the tech I talked to had never heard of WIN97...was only familiar with Scancat! Shame on him! ...

Bill,
The RS corporate choice for programming thier scanners is ScanCatLite. The reason is that it is supposed to be able to program all of the more recent RS scanners. Some poeple have been satisified with the CAT product, others see that it falls far short of expectations. I know quite a number of trench-level RS employees and I have yet to discuss ScanCatLite with one who thought it was worth the effort to pull it up on the screen.

 

[N3GR]

Thanks guys...I've heard enough to convince me that WIN97 is definitely the way to go! By the way, I'm be interested in swapping .csv files with other crab-picking Marylanders having a PRO-97. 73's Bill

 

[ka3jjz]

Hi Bill; even though I don't have a PRO97 (being out of work for almost a year does have a dampening effect on buying new radios) I can probably slap together some csv files for you; specifically in what are you interested?

Be sure to wander over to the Maryland forum; got lots happening over there, particularly lately. I'd also keep the Capitol Hill Monitors site handy for reference and info material;

Capitol Hill Monitors

73s Mike

 

[N3GR]

Mike,
Thanks for the offer. I've actually found quite a bit of frequency data, I'm overwhelmed, in fact, about all the frequency data that is available on line. So I think I'm OK for now! 73's Bill