www.radioshack.comSM PRO-96 Digital Trunking Scanner Catalog # 20-526 OWNER’S MANUAL — Please read before using this equipment. Thank you for purchasing the RadioShack PRO-96 Digital Handheld Scanner. This product is the first of an innovative and exciting new generation of RadioShack scanning receivers capable of receiving Phase 1 APCO-25 C4FM/IMBE digital voice modulation from the newest and most sophisticated conventional and trunked radio networks.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Features ................................................................................... 4 The FCC Wants You to Know ................................................. 10 Scanning Legally ............................................................... 11 Getting Familiar With Your Scanner ....................................... 12 About the Keypad .............................................................. 14 Understanding Your Scanner’s Memory Organization ......
Using the Display Backlight ................................................ 72 Using the Keylock .............................................................. 74 Changing the Display Contrast ......................................... 74 Working with V-Scanners ................................................... 81 Cloning the Programmed Data .......................................... 82 Trunking Special Features ..................................................... 83 Trunking Operation ..................
FEATURES Your Radio Shack Digital Handheld Scanner features Intelligent Adaptive Digital Tracking for optimal reception of digital signals from a variety of digital conventional and trunked radio system types. No special sound quality settings or adjustments are needed for the different digital systems that you monitor. APCO-25 digital voice modulation provides public safety radio users with clear digital voice signals and other features not available in traditional analog systems.
operation, and M/A-COM EDACS® trunking systems. The scanner lets you scan conventional transmissions, and is preprogrammed with service search banks for your convenience. By pressing a single button, you can quickly search those frequencies most commonly used by public safety and other agencies. Your RadioShack Digital Handheld Scanner features RadioShack’s exciting new 11-in-1 V-Scanner technology. V-Scanner stands for Virtual Scanner.
Phase 1 APCO-25 Digital Reception – automatic detection and reception of digital voice modulation from conventional, trunked and mixed-mode networks. Intelligent Adaptive Digital Tracking – ensures optimal reception of digital signals from a variety of digital conventional and trunked radio system types. Digital AGC – automatically compensates for audio level variances in digital transmissions.
displays the tone or code in use. Takes advantage of subaudible squelch tail elimination turn off codes when they are present. 10 ID List Banks – let you store 1500 IDs in 10 ID banks, each with 5 ID sub-banks. 30 IDs are available in each ID sub-bank. ID text tags let you easily identify the user of a particular talkgroup ID code.
hear only the frequency you select. Preprogrammed Frequency Ranges – lets you search for transmissions within preset frequency ranges or within ranges you set, to reduce search time and select interesting frequencies more quickly. Hyperscan™ and Hypersearch™ – the scanner scans at up to 60 channels per second and searches up to 75 frequencies per second, to help you quickly find transmissions.
Lock Out Function — lets you set your scanner to skip over specified channels or frequencies when scanning or searching, and skip over IDs when tracking trunked systems. Key Lock — lets you lock the scanner's keys to prevent accidentally changing the scanner's programming. Battery Save Circuit — When monitoring a single frequency, allows the receiver to sleep in between receiver activity. Flexible Antenna with BNC Connector — provides excellent reception and is designed to help prevent antenna breakage.
• 806 – 823.9875 MHz • 849 – 868.9875 MHz • 894 – 960 MHz • 1240 – 1300 MHz Use “A General Guide To Frequencies” on Page 96 to help you target frequency ranges in your service area so you can search for a wide variety of transmissions. THE FCC WANTS YOU TO KNOW This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a scanning receiver, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation.
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver. Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected. This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: This device may not cause harmful interference. This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
According to the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), you are subject to fines and possible imprisonment for intentionally listening to, using, or divulging the contents of such a transmission unless you have the consent of a party to the communication (unless such activity is otherwise illegal). This scanner has been designed to prevent reception of illegal transmissions.
manual thoroughly so that you may fully understand the advanced features and capabilities of your PRO-96 scanning receiver. Once you understand a few simple terms used in this manual and familiarize yourself with your scanner's features, you can put the scanner to work for you. You simply determine which frequencies and trunking systems you want to receive, and then program the scanner to scan them. A frequency is the receiving signal location (expressed in MHz).
stored there. Each time the scanner finds an active frequency, it stops and monitors the radio traffic on that channel until the transmission ends, then resumes scanning. For detailed programming instructions, see “Programming Your Scanner” on Page 30. ABOUT THE KEYPAD Here is a brief overview of your scanner's keys and their functions. SCAN — scans through the programmed channels. FUNC — lets you use various functions by pressing this key in combination with other keys.
å/ 7 — turns on/off the display's backlight, or when used with FUNC locks/unlocks the keypad to prevent accidental entries. TUNE — allows you input a frequency and tunes up or down automatically or manually with the S or T keys. ATT — turns attenuation on to reduce the scanner's sensitivity and block extremely strong signals, or turns it off to increase sensitivity. S or T — selects the scan or search direction. SRCH — lets you search the seven search banks.
6/MNO — enters a 6, or inputs characters M, N, or O. 7/PQRS — enters a 7, or inputs characters P, Q, R, or S. 8/TUV — enters an 8, or inputs characters T, U, or V. 9/WXYZ — enters a 9, or inputs characters W, X, Y, or Z. 0 — enters a zero, or inputs characters . - # _ @ + * & / , $ % ! ^ ()? ’. ./DELAY — enters a decimal point (necessary when programming frequencies), space, or programs delay time for the selected channel/search bank, or hyphen (in trunking ID setting). CLR — clears an incorrect entry.
Scanner feature to build and store configurations for different areas or different scanner applications. Using the cloning feature it is possible to exchange scanner configurations with your friends without losing your existing data. V-Scanners also provide a way for you to easily back up your programmed data without connecting your scanner to a personal computer.
For example, a particular city might use four frequencies for police communications, and four frequencies for fire communications. You could program the police frequencies starting with 000 (the first channel in bank 0) and program the fire department frequencies starting with 100 (the first channel in bank 1). This gives you the ability to quickly select what you wish to monitor by activating or deactivating the appropriate channel storage bank.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR SCANNER’S CHANNEL RECEIVE MODES You can program each channel with any one of six receive modes (AM, FM/Digital, CTCSS, DCS, Motorola, and EDACS). Each receive mode affects how your scanner operates when scanning and receiving transmissions.Ô AM Mode (AM) The AM mode sets the scanner to receive transmissions using amplitude modulation (AM), primarily used for aircraft, military, 27 MHz citizen’s band, some amateur radio, and some government transmissions.
mode, it always stops on the transmission. CTCSS Mode (CT) CTCSS mode sets the scanner to receive transmissions using frequency modulation (FM) with Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System (CTCSS) subaudible tone codes. CTCSS allows multiple users to share a single radio frequency without hearing each other’s transmissions. In your PRO-96 scanner, the CTCSS feature can be used to block the reception of transmissions on shared channel to only those that use the CTCSS tone that you have specified.
a digital code is transmitted instead of an audio tone. Like CTCSS, DCS allows multiple users to share a single radio frequency without hearing each other’s transmissions. In your PRO-96 scanner, the DCS feature can be used to block the reception of transmissions on a shared channel to only those that use the DCS tone that you have specified. DCS mode also features a Code Search setting that allows you to instantly display and store unknown codes into the channel memory.
agencies to efficiently allocate a small number of frequencies (as few as three) to many groups of users (as many as several thousand). To do this, each group of users in the system is assigned to a specific talkgroup. For example, a city’s east side patrol officers might all be assigned to talkgroup 2160. One channel in the system is continuously transmitting data that identifies which talkgroups are active on which channel.
SS=Subfleet ID Type I systems are usually organized with different user groups assigned to different fleets.Ô To properly map the raw Type I data to the correct fleet-subfleet format, you must program the correct fleet map into the scanner. Fleet map information is widely available on the Internet for most Type I systems in use. Type II and APCO-25 system talkgroups are identified by a 5digit number. Valid Type II talkgroup IDs are divisible by 16, while APCO-25 talkgroups are not.
Number (LCN). For the scanner to correctly switch to an active frequency, you must program the frequencies in LCN order, starting with Memory 01. EDACS talkgroup IDs are entered as a 4digit decimal number from 0001 to 2047 or AFS (Agency Fleet Subfleet) number from 00-001 to 15-157. When there is activity on an EDACS system, that information is sent out on the control channel. The scanner decodes the ID for the active talkgroup.
discomfort might damage your hearing. • Avoid or limit listening at high volume levels. Prolonged exposure to high volume levels can cause permanent hearing loss. TRAFFIC SAFETY Wearing headphones while operating a motor vehicle or riding a bicycle can create a traffic hazard and is illegal in most areas. Ô NOTES Ô • Even though some headphones let you hear some outside sounds when listening at normal volume levels, they still can present a traffic hazard.
o o WARNING Never install nonrechargeable batteries in the rechargeable yellow battery holder. NonRechargeable batteries can get hot or explode if you try to recharge them. Ô NOTES Ô Dispose of old batteries promptly and properly. Do not burn or bury batteries. Use only fresh batteries of the required size and recommended type. Do not mix old and new batteries, different types of batteries (standard, alkaline, or rechargeable), or rechargeable batteries of different capacities.
Charging Rechargeable Batteries Your scanner has a built-in charging circuit that lets you charge nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) or nickel cadmium (Ni-CD) rechargeable batteries (not supplied) while they are in the scanner. To charge rechargeable batteries, connect an appropriate AC or DC adapter to the PWR DC 9V jack. For best results we recommend RadioShack rechargeable nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) 1800 mAh batteries.
1. Connect the Adaptaplug™ to the adapter’s cord with the tip set to positive. CAUTIONS • • You must use a Class 2 power source that supplies 9V DC and delivers at least 300 mA. Its center tip must be set to positive and its plug must fit the scanner’s PWR DC 9V jack. Using an adapter that does not meet these specifications could damage the scanner or the adapter. You must use a Class 2 power source that supplies 9V DC and delivers at least 300 mA.
top of your scanner, align the slots around the antenna’s connector with the studs on the antenna jack. Press the antenna down over the jack and turn the antenna’s base clockwise until it locks into place. Connecting an Optional External Antenna The antenna connector on your scanner makes it easy to use the scanner with a variety of antennas, such as an external mobile antenna or outdoor base station antenna. Your local RadioShack store sells a variety of antennas.
Ô NOTES Ô Connecting an External Speaker You must use an amplified speaker with this scanner. Nonamplified speakers do not provide sufficient volume for comfortable listening Storing Conventional Frequencies • When the scanner is in Manual or Program mode, indicated with M or P in the top left hand corner of the display, you can select your desired bank and channel number using direct channel entry, the S or T arrow keys, and with FUNC and the S or T arrow keys.
2. Use the number keys and ./DELAY to enter the frequency (including the decimal point) you want to store. 3. If you make a mistake, press CLR to backspace and correct the incorrect digit, or press and hold CLR for about 2 seconds to clear the entire field and start over. Ô NOTES Ô • • 4. Press ENTER to store the frequency into the channel.Ô 5. By default, the scanner will configure the channels you enter for a two second delay after a transmission is received.
CTCSS and DCS operation” on Page 42. 7. If desired, program a text tag for the channel (see “Assigning a Text Tag to a Channel” on Page 45). When you are ready to program additional channels, press PGM or S to move up to the next channel memory location, or T to move down. PROGRAMMING TRUNKED SYSTEMS Ó Ó HINT Certain multi-zone Motorola systems use the same talkgroup IDs at multiple radio sites to cover a large geographical area.
PROGRAMMING MOTOROLA ANALOG, DIGITAL, AND APCO-25 TRUNKING SYSTEMS 1. Press PGM and FUNC then S or T to select the desired channel storage bank to program.Ô 2. Press TRUNK to access the ID list and set the correct trunking bank type. If the bank has never been programmed with a trunking system, the scanner will display Not trunked! Press mode. 3. Press MODE until Motorola appears in the display. This sets the channel storage bank for Motorola operation. • • • • 4.
PROGRAMMING EDACS TRUNKING SYSTEMS Ô NOTE Ô It is necessary to program all EDACS system channels into your scanner in Logical Channel Number (LCN) order, beginning with LCN 1 in channel 01 of the channel storage bank. Do not program EDACS system channels in channel 00 of a channel storage bank. Refer to frequency publications or Internet sites to obtain correct LCN frequencies for the EDACS systems you wish to monitor.
systems operating in the VHF and UHF bands. To monitor these systems it is necessary to program the scanner with three additional parameters, the base frequency, step and offset.Ó Follow these steps to program Motorola trunking frequencies in the VHF or UHF bands: Ó • 1. Press PGM, and then TRUNK to enter the ID program mode. 2. Press FUNC and press (or hold) S or T to select the bank. 3. Press MODE until Motorola appears in the display. 4. Press FUNC then 2.
6.25, 7.5, 12.5, 15, 25.0, or 50.0kHz, and then press ENTER. PROGRAMMING MOTOROLA 800 MHZ SPLINTER SYSTEMS Ô NOTES Ô • • If the radio appears to be trunking to the wrong frequencies when monitoring an 800 MHz system, you should try to configure the system for splinter operation. Splinter systems exist only in the 800 MHz band, and only use the 3600 bps control channel type. Setting splinter configuration on VHF, UHF, 900 MHz and 800 MHz APCO25 systems will have no effect.
1. Press PGM, and then TRUNK. 2. Press FUNC, and then S or T to select the desired bank. • 3. Press FUNC, and then press 8. Block 0 size code. Use 15 for type II. S-00 is displayed. • 4. Enter the size code supplied with the Type I system information, referring to the prompts that appear in the display. If the information for your Type I system is not available, try the following common fleet maps:Ô Block Ô NOTES Ô The default setting of the bank is for Motorola Type II.
Block Size Code 6 S0 S4 S0 S0 S0 S12 S12 S12 7 S0 S4 S0 S4 S0 — — — Press ENTER for each entry. If you make a mistake, press CLR and enter the correct size code. Talkgroup IDs Each channel storage bank has an associated talkgroup ID list, for a total of 10 talkgroup ID lists. Each ID list has 5 sub-banks. Each subbank has 30 ID locations. You can program up to 150 talkgroup IDs in each bank, so you can program up to 1500 talkgroup IDs in 10 banks.
To automatically store a talkgroup ID, press TRUNK when the scanner stops on a voice channel transmission or when a talkgroup ID is indicated in the manual mode. The ID of the active talkgroup will be automatically stored in the next available ID memory location. The bottom line of the scanner display indicates where the ID was stored as ID save X-YY and then changes to ID#ZZZZZ, where X is the subbank number, YY is the ID number within the sub-bank, and ZZZZZ is the stored talkgroup ID code.
ENTER (see “Text Input Chart” on Page 48). 7. To store the next ID memory in sequence, press S and repeat Step 5. 8. Press SCAN to start scanning. When automatically storing trunked IDs in the ID list by pressing TRUNK during a trunked transmission, the scanner will automatically store the active ID in the next available open ID storage location in the ID list. We suggest leaving ID sub-bank 0 empty when first setting up an ID list. This provides a location for new autostore IDs to be placed and organized.
2. Use the number keys to enter the channel number that contains the frequency you want to program as the priority channel, and then press MAN again. 3. Press FUNC, and then PRI. Pri Channel blinks on the bottom line to indicate storage of the current frequency into priority channel memory. Programming the Priority Channel Directly 1. Press PGM. 2. Press PRI. 3. Enter the frequency you want to enter into the priority channel, then press ENTER. 4. If desired, set the priority channel mode.
Activating the Priority Feature • • • • 42 Ô NOTES Ô This scanner cannot set a channel as the priority channel if the channel's receive mode is MO or ED. In the event of a weather or other hazard warning, a 1050 Hz tone is transmitted prior to the message. The scanner detects the presence of this tone during the sampling process. The scanner sounds an audible alert and switches to the weather frequency if the alert tone is detected.
when you are programming the scanner, or any time afterwards. You can also set a special search code up that will instantly decode the CTCSS or DCS code on a received transmission. Channels programmed with the search code will receive all traffic on the channel, and will instantly decode and display any CTCSS or DCS code that is found with the transmission. You can then store the found code in the channel memory with one keystroke.
MODE, and then use the arrow keys to scroll to the desired CTCSS or DCS code. You can also use the keypad to enter the code manually. Note that the scanner will automatically fill the code field as you enter the code. 4. Once the desired code is selected, press ENTER to store the code in the channel memory. 5. It is possible to program memory channels for CTCSS or DCS operation at any time. Simply place the scanner in program mode, navigate to the channel you wish to change, and follow the steps above.
85.4 Hz 118.8 Hz 162.2 Hz 192.8 Hz 241.8 Hz 88.5 Hz 123.0 Hz 165.5 Hz 196.6 Hz 250.3 Hz 91.5 Hz 127.3 Hz 167.9 Hz 199.5 Hz 254.
3. Press TEXT. A cursor will appear at the third line. Ô NOTE Ô If you make a mistake, press S or T to move to the character you want to change, or CLR to backspace and delete unwanted characters, or press and hold CLR to abort the text entry. 4. Enter the text using the numeral keys (see “Text Input Chart” on Page 48).Ô For example, to identify a channel as “FIRE Ch 6” (for “Fire Channel 6”): “F” is the third letter associated with 3 on the keypad. Press 3, and then 3.
5. Press ENTER to store the text with the channel. Assigning a Text Tag to a Group ID 1. Press PGM. 2. Press TRUNK. 3. Press FUNC then S or T to select the desired bank. 4. Press TRUNK to select the desired sub-bank. 5. Press or hold down S or T to select the desired group ID. 6. Press TEXT then enter the text using the numeral keys (see “Text Input Chart” on Page 48). Use S, T, or CLR to edit your entry, or press and hold CLR to abort the text entry. 7. Press ENTER to store the text with the ID.
or press and hold CLR to abort the text entry. Ô NOTES Ô • To enter a number, press 1, then press the desired number you want to enter. To enter a lowercase character or a character from the second set for the key 0, press FUNC after pressing the first numeral key. • 3. Press ENTER to store the text with the bank.
VOLUME to a comfortable level. • 2. Turn SQUELCH fully counterclockwise until the indicator points to MIN, then turn SQUELCH clockwise until the rushing sound stops. 3. To turn off the scanner, turn VOLUME counterclockwise to OFF.Ô All channels Locked out! See Scanning To begin scanning channels or to start scanning again after monitoring a specific channel, press SCAN.
least one active channel storage bank. • • • • Ô NOTES Ô You can use the scanner’s delay feature while searching the search bank. See “Using the Delay Function” on Page 66. You can set CTCSS or DCS mode when searching any search range, except for SR0, SR1, and SR4. The scanner will display detected CTCSS or DCS codes depending on the mode setting. See “Using CTCSS and DCS” on Page 50. The scanner does not search locked-out frequencies while searching ranges.
transmitted CTCSS or DCS code and the code that is stored with the channel memory. If the transmitted and stored codes match, the scanner stops on the transmission and allows the audio to pass to the speaker. If the codes do not match, the scanner resumes scan operation. If the special “search” code is in use, the scanner will instantly display any detected CTCSS code if programmed for CTCSS mode, or DCS code if programmed for DCS code.
2. Use the number keys and press PGM to select the channel with the frequency you want to delete, or use the S or T keys to navigate to the desired channel. 3. Press FUNC, and then CLR. The frequency is cleared, 0.0000 appears in the display. SEARCHING AND TUNING Finding and Storing Active Frequencies You can search for transmissions using the scanner’s preprogrammed search banks. The search banks include six preprogrammed search ranges, SR0 to SR5.
SR6________Limit search (User configurable) Follow these steps to select preprogrammed search bands and search them for active frequencies: 1. Repeatedly press SRCH to select your desired search bank (SR0, SR1, SR2, SR3, SR4, SR5, or SR6). 2. In the marine and CB bands, you can directly select a channel or search through the band. When M appears at the left most position of the second line, you can directly select a channel (refer to “Search Band Charts” on Page 54).
after the rushing sound stops. After 2 seconds (if the delay feature is on), the received frequency appears and the scanner starts searching. 5. When the scanner finds an active frequency, it stops searching, and resumes when the transmission ends. If delay is programmed with the search range the scanner will pause for a reply before search resumes. Ô NOTE Ô Two frequencies are assigned in one channel in some Marine frequencies. For example, 157.000 and 161.600 are assigned in Channel 20.
Channel Frequency (MHz) Channel Frequency (MHz) 70 156.5250 71 156.5750 72 156.6250 73 156.6750 74 156.7250 77 156.8750 78 156.9250 79 156.9750 80 157.0250 81 157.0750 82 157.1250 83 157.1750 84 157.2250 161.8250 85 157.2750 161.8750 86 157.3250 161.9250 87 157.3750 161.9750 88 157.4250 Search bank: SR1 CB band Receive mode: AM Channel Frequency (MHz) Channel Frequency (MHz) 01 26.9650 02 26.9750 03 26.9850 04 27.0050 05 27.0150 06 27.0250 07 27.
Channel Frequency (MHz) Channel Frequency (MHz) 37 27.3750 38 27.3850 39 27.3950 40 27.4050 Search bank: SR2 FRS/GMRS/MURS Receive Mode: FM/Digital, CT or DC Channel Frequency (MHz) Channel 56 Frequency (MHz) 01 462.5625 02 462.5875 03 462.6125 04 462.6375 05 462.6625 06 462.6875 07 462.7125 08 467.5625 09 467.5875 10 467.6125 11 467.6375 12 467.6625 13 467.6875 14 467.7125 15 462.5500 16 462.5750 17 462.6000 18 462.6250 19 462.6500 20 462.6750 21 462.
Search bank: SR3 Police/Fire band Receive Mode: FM/Digital, CT or DC Group 0 Frequency (MHz) Step (kHz) 33.420 – 33.980 20 37.020 – 37.420 20 39.020 – 39.980 20 42.020 – 42.940 20 44.620 – 45.860 40 45.880 45.900 1 45.940 – 46.060 40 46.080 – 46.500 20 153.770 – 154.130 60 154.145 – 154.445 15 154.650 – 154.950 15 155.010 – 155.370 60 155.415 – 155.700 15 155.730 – 156.210 60 158.730 – 159.210 60 166.250 170.150 2 3 453.0375 – 453.9625 12.5 458.0375 – 458.9625 12.
Search bank: SR4 Aircraft Receive mode: AM Frequency (MHz) Step (kHz) 108.000 – 136.9875 12.5 Search bank: SR5 Ham band Receive mode: FM/Digital, CT, DC or AM (depending on group) Group Frequency (MHz) Step (kHz) 0 28.0000 – 2937000 5 1 50.0000 – 54.0000 5 2 144.0000 – 148.0000 5 3 222.0000 – 225.0000 5 4 420.0000 – 450.0000 12.5 5 1240.0000 – 1300.0000 6.
3. Press ENTER to set the lower limit frequency. The cursor moves to upper frequency field. If the entered frequency is incorrect, Invalid Freq briefly appears in the scanner’s display. 4. Enter your desired upper frequency and press ENTER. 5. Rotate SQUELCH clockwise and leave it set to a point just after the rushing sound stops. 6. Press SRCH to start searching. When the scanner finds an active frequency, it stops searching. USING ZEROMATIC You can set Zeromatic on or off by pressing FUNC then 0.
USING SEEK SEARCH While the scanner is searching, you can activate seek search by pressing FUNC then 7. Seek ON appears on the bottom line. The scanner stops on each active frequency for five seconds and resumes searching automatically. Seek functions only in search banks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. • You can copy and save a frequency into a specified bank, channel, or priority channel when the scanner finds an active frequency. See “Using Frequency Copy” on Page 61 to save the frequency.
MANUALLY TUNING A FREQUENCY You can manually set the scanner to move through all receivable frequencies, or select a specific frequency as a starting point. 1. Press TUNE. TUNE and the current frequency appear in the display. The scanner automatically begins tuning up or down. 2. Use the number keys to enter the frequency where you want the scanner to start. 3. Press ENTER. After two seconds the scanner will automatically tune from the entered frequency. 4. Press S or T to change the direction of the tune.
COPYING A FREQUENCY INTO A SPECIFIED CHANNEL Ô NOTE Ô If you try to copy a frequency that is already stored, the scanner sounds the notice tone 3 times after you press ENTER. Dupl.f Chxxx appears at the bottom line. If you want to copy the duplicate frequency anyway, press ENTER, or if not, press CLR to cancel. You can copy a frequency into a specified channel when the scanner stops on that frequency during search mode or manual tuning.
COPYING A FREQUENCY INTO A VACANT CHANNEL IN A SPECIFIED BANK You can copy a frequency into a vacant channel in a specified bank when the scanner stops on the frequency during search or tune mode.Ô 1. Press FUNC, and then ENTER when you find a frequency you want to copy. Bank9 Store? appears in the scanner’s display. 2. If you want to copy the frequency into bank 9, press ENTER. It is stored in the first available vacant channel in the bank.
Press FUNC, and then PRI when the frequency is on the display. The display flashes twice and the frequency is copied to the priority channel. SPECIAL FEATURES LISTENING TO THE WEATHER BAND The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) has allocated channels for use by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Regulatory agencies in other countries have also allocated channels for use by their weather reporting authorities.
a digitally encoded SAME (Specific Area Message Encoding) signal, then a 1050 Hz tone. The SAME signal includes a FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard) area code, and an event code that corresponds with the type of alert being sent. You can configure your scanner to operate in SAME Standby mode, where it monitors a selected weather radio station for SAME alerts for areas you specify. You can program your scanner with up to 10 FIPS codes for the areas you desire.
Ô NOTES Ô • • • Press WX, then the numeric keys 0-9 to quickly review stored FIPS codes. Press L/OUT to toggle lockout status. Your scanner can also detect the 1050 Hz weather alert tone when a weather channel is set as the priority channel and weather priority operation is enabled. (see “Programming a Weather Channel as Priority” on Page 41). In this mode all alerts are received. FIPS settings are ignored. The scanner sounds an alert or beep when it receives the SAME code.
To toggle the delay setting for a channel, press./DELAY.Ô LOCKING OUT CHANNELS OR FREQUENCIES You can lock out channels to force the scanner to skip and ignore any traffic while scanning. You can also lock out up to 50 frequencies while searching to skip undesired transmissions. Locking Out Channels To lock out a channel while scanning, press L/OUT when the scanner stops on the channel. To lock out a channel manually, select the channel then press L/OUT so L appears in the scanner’s display.
Reviewing Locked-Out Search Frequencies To review the frequencies within a search bank that you locked out: 1. Press SRCH to set search mode, and select the desired search bank to review its locked out frequencies. 2. Press FUNC and then L/OUT. The last locked-out frequency and Lockout list appear. Press S or T to scroll through the list. The locked-out number and the total locked-out number also appears as L/O XX of YY. (The tenth of twenty five locked out frequencies would appear as L/O 10 of 25).
2. Select the search bank in which you want to clear all locked-out frequencies. 3. Press FUNC and then press L/OUT. Lockout list appears in the scanner’s display. 4. Press FUNC and then 6. The scanner will display Confirm list clear? 1=YES Press other key for NO. Press 1 to clear all locked-out frequencies. List cleared appears for about 2 seconds. Press any key other than 1 to cancel clear.
DC – configures the channel for DCS mode. MO – configures the channel for the MO mode for analog or digital Motorola trunking system channels, or APCO-25 trunking system channels.Ô Ô NOTE Ô MO and ED modes are not available when performing service searches, limit searches and the TUNE function. ED – configures the channel for the ED mode for EDACS trunking system channels.
To assign attenuation to a search bank: Press ATT while searching. Attenuation will be applied to the active search bank, or search group within a search bank. Press ATT again to turn attenuation off.Ô To use the global attenuator: 1. Press FUNC and then ATT to set the attenuator to global mode. Global ATT will appear for 2 seconds at the bottom line, and then ATT- appears in the scanner’s display while scanning. 2. Press ATT to activate the attenuator. ATTon appears in the bottom line of the display.
1. If the scanner is on, turn VOLUME OFF/MAX counterclockwise until it clicks to turn the scanner off. 2. Turn VOLUME OFF/MAX clockwise to turn the scanner on. Welcome To Digital Trunking appears in the scanner’s display. 3. While Welcome To Digital Trunking appears, press 1 to turn on the key tone or 2 to turn it off. USING THE DISPLAY BACKLIGHT Your PRO-96 features a backlit keypad and display for easy viewing and use in dark environments.
perform an operation using the keypad. In Ignore mode, the backlight functions as described in Keypress mode, except that the scanner ignores the first keypress. This mode is useful when you wish to quickly illuminate the display and keypad without having to search for the 7 key. The first keypress is ignored, and the scanner sounds the low pitched error beep to remind you that the first key pressed to activate the backlight is ignored by the scanner.
for Ignore operation for the selected duration. 4. Press ENTER to store your selection. USING THE KEYLOCK Once you program your scanner, you can protect it from accidental program changes by turning on the key lock feature. When the keypad is locked, the only controls that operate are FUNC, å/ 7 SQUELCH, and VOLUME. You cannot activate the key lock while you are entering a frequency into a channel. 1. To turn on the key lock, press FUNC and then å/ 7 Key locked appears for about 1 second. Key locked.
4. Press ENTER to set the display contrast. WORKING WITH V-SCANNERS The PRO-96 V-Scanner (Virtual Scanner) feature allows you to edit, store, recall and use up to eleven full sets of scanner memory profiles. With V-Scanners it is possible to create separate scanner memory profiles for different areas you visit or different ways that you use the scanner. Your scanner contains two types of storage memory.
can be saved to one of the ten VScanner folders, or the scratchpad folder. When you save working memory to a V-Scanner folder, all settings contained in working memory are saved, including channels, talkgroups, lockout status, contrast settings, etc. Previously saved V-Scanner folders can be recalled and loaded into working memory. You can also erase the contents of VScanner folders, or move the contents of one folder to another using working memory.
working memory. It is not possible to change the V-Scanner folder name from the V-Scanner menus. Always use FUNC, TEXT while in program mode to assign a VScanner folder name to the current working memory. This name will be stored with the VScanner when it is saved, and will appear while you are performing V-Scanner operations. If you press TEXT while in a V-Scanner operations menu, you will be prompted to use FUNC,TEXT while in program mode to assign or change the name of the VScanner folder.
Save to V-Scanner: 1 ENTER if YES My V-Scanner assume you are saving to VScanner folder 1, and have previously stored a V-Scanner configuration with the name “My V-Scanner” in that location. If you choose VScanner Folder 1, the scanner will display: Save to V-Scanner: 1 ENT= CONFIRM My V-Scanner Press ENTER to accept the choice, another number key to change your selection, or CLR to abort and return to the V-Scanner menu.
choose V-Scanner Folder 1, the scanner will display: Press ENTER to accept the choice, another number key to change your selection, or CLR to abort and return to the V-Scanner menu. The scanner gives you one final opportunity to abort before proceeding: While loading, the scanner will display: Load from V-Scanner: 1 ENT= CONFIRM My V-Scanner Loading from V-Scanner: 1 Please Wait The contents of the scanner’s current working memory will be replaced with the data from the selected V-Scanner folder. 5.
Clearing V-Scanner: 1 Please Wait V-Scanner Operation Complete Press ENTER V-Scanner Operation Failure Press ENTER While the folder is being cleared, the scanner will display This display appears after each VScanner operation. Pressing ENTER will return to the main VScanner menu. Press CLR to exit the V-Scanner main menu. This display appears if a failure is encountered while performing a VScanner operation. Press ENTER to try again.
working memory configuration. If for any reason your scanner’s working memory is accidentally altered or lost, you can recall the backup configuration data from the V-Scanner folder. There will be an approximately 13 second pause after you select the desired V-Scanner and press the ENTER key to confirm your choice when saving or loading V-Scanner data. During this period the scanner is transferring V-Scanner data to or from working memory.
can result in a low level audio signal if a user on the system is not speaking close enough to their radio microphone. Your PRO-96 features Digital AGC, which can compensate for these low audio levels when they occur. By default, Digital AGC is turned on. If desired, you can toggle the Digital AGC function on or off by pressing FUNC, and then MAN at any time. The display will briefly show DSP AGC Off or DSP AGC On accordingly.
appears in the scanner’s display. 4. Press 1 to send the data to the other unit or press any other key to cancel the operation. 5. The scanner sends the data. Do not disconnect the PC/IF cable or interrupt power to either scanner while the transfer is taking place. 6. To exit the clone mode, remove the cable.
data to follow activity on the talkgroups you wish to monitor.
The control channels for some Motorola trunked radio systems may change on a day-to-day basis. To ensure that you will not miss traffic when the control channel changes, enter all the known control channel frequencies into the channel storage bank. If the control channel changes, your scanner will automatically lock on to the new control channel. If you do not know which system channels are used for the control channel operation, we recommend that you enter all the system frequencies into the same bank.
clockwise until the noise stops. You may find it necessary to set the control a bit further in the clockwise direction to prevent very weak signals or interference from stopping the scan operation. Talkgroup ID Hold You can set your scanner to follow a trunking signal that you want to track during scanning. While the scanner is stopped on a voice channel (VC appears next to the frequency in the display), hold down TRUNK until ID hold ON appears in the scanner’s display.
on/off state of the sub-bank will appear in the scanner’s display. Follow these steps to turn the ID sub-bank on or off during the scan mode: 1. The channel storage bank must be set to Closed Mode to change the state of a subbank while scanning. 2. Press FUNC and then TRUNK while the scanner is stopped on a voice channel transmission. The bank text display is replaced with a subbank status display, T IDbk 01234. The flashing cursor will indicate the current active sub-bank. 3.
Each scanner bank can be programmed with one trunked system. You can set each of the scanner’s channel storage banks to Open or Closed Mode. Conventional modes (AM, FM/ Digital, CT and DC) are not affected by the Open/Closed Mode setting of a bank. When you set a channel storage bank to Open Mode, + appears under the bank’s number while scanning. When you set a channel storage bank to Closed Mode, appears under the channel storage bank’s number while scanning.
Closed Mode scanning is useful in cases where you wish to restrict the traffic you monitor to a certain set of talkgroups only these talkgroups are specified in the ID list and not locked out. Toggling Open and Closed Modes To toggle Open or Closed Mode state for a bank, press FUNC, 5 while stopped on a channel in the bank in SCAN, MAN or PGM modes. The scanner will briefly display Bank OPEN or Bank CLOSED to indicate the new Open or Closed state for the bank. Manual ID Lockout Toggle 1. Press PGM. 2.
When scanning a trunked radio system in Closed Mode, it is possible to lock out an ID by pressing L/OUT while the ID is active with a voice call. Reviewing Locked-Out Talkgroup IDs You can easily review and clear locked talkgroup IDs in the ID list. This process is similar to finding and clearing locked out conventional channels, except it is performed while in a trunked ID list. 1. Press PGM and then TRUNK. 2. Press FUNC, and then L/OUT. The first locked out ID in the ID list is displayed. 3.
basis. Trunking ID delay specifies the amount of time the scanner dwells on the control channel looking for reply traffic on the previous talkgroup before resuming scan operation. Customizing the trunked ID delay may be useful if you are missing a lot of reply traffic on a particular system. We recommend starting with the default value of 2.0 seconds. Ó • 1. While in the desired ID list, press FUNC, and then ./DELAY. 2. Press S or T to select None, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, or 4.0 seconds. 3.
1. Press PGM. 2. Press TRUNK to enter a talk group ID memory mode. 3. Select a talkgroup ID bank using FUNC, S or T. 4. Press FUNC and then 6. Confirm list clear? 1=YES Press other key for NO. appears in the scanner’s display. 5. Press 1 to clear all talkgroup IDs within a bank. List cleared appears in the scanner’s display. To cancel the delete operation, press any key except 1. The scanner returns to the talkgroup ID memory mode.
that support both analog and digital modulation. Certain user groups on these systems may use analog modulation, while others use digital modulation. Your scanner will automatically detect the type of modulation being used and switch to the correct modulation mode without special programming or user intervention. Your scanner also features Intelligent Adaptive Digital Tracking for optimal reception of digital signals from a variety of digital conventional and trunked radio system types.
happens, try reorienting the scanner or antenna for better reception. You may also try pressing the ATT key and apply attenuation to reduce the overload effects of nearby strong transmitters. Under certain very weak digital signal conditions, the scanner may lose synchronization with the digital signal and briefly revert to analog FM, resulting in the reception of the raw, undecoded digital signal. This is a normal indication of a digital signal that is too weak to decode.
• The PC to scanner interface cable • A personal computer running Windows 95 or greater • A firmware update file from www.radioshack.com Follow these steps to update your scanner’s DSP firmware: 1. Go to http:// www.radioshack.com 2. Click on the Support button. 3. Click on Scanner Firmware Downloads. 4. Click on PRO-96 DSP Firmware 5. Full download and upgrade instructions are provided on the Firmware Upgrade page. 6.
A GENERAL GUIDE TO FREQUENCIES Reception of the frequencies covered by your scanner is mainly “line-of-sight.” That means you usually cannot hear stations that are beyond the horizon. US Weather Frequencies (in MHz) 162.400 162.425 162.450 162.475 162.500 162.525 162.550 Ham Radio Frequencies Wavelength Frequencies (MHz) 10-Meter 28.000 — 29.700 6-Meter 50.000 — 54.000 2-Meter 144.000 — 148.000 70-cm 420.000 — 450.000 33-cm 902.000 — 928.000 23-cm 1240.000 — 1300.
Birdies typically occur with approximately equal strength with and without the scanner’s antenna attached. If you receive an interfering signal and suspect that it is a birdie, try removing the scanner’s antenna. If the interference disappears, the interference may be the result of other electronic equipment in the vicinity of the scanner. If the interference remains, it is likely a birdie signal.
940.9437 950.07500 950.15000 1244.16250 1251.30000 1251.37500 1262.59375 1268.77500 1271.80000 1282.10000 1282.17500 1282.25000 1282.32500 1299.46250 Though your scanner’s receiver is an advanced, triple conversion design engineered to minimize birdie interference, some birdie signals cannot be avoided and may impair your ability to monitor certain frequencies. GUIDE TO THE ACTION BANDS TYPICAL BAND USAGE (IN MHZ) HF Band HF Range 25.000–26.960 Citizen’s Band 26.965–27.
800MHz Band System Inputs 806.000–824.000 System Outputs 851.000–869.000 Trunked Private / General 894.000–960.000 25-cm Amateur 1240.000–1300.000 PRIMARY USAGE As a general rule, most radio activity is concentrated on the following frequencies: VHF Band Activities Frequencies (MHz) Government, Police and Fire 153.785–155.980 Emergency Services 158.730–159.460 Railroad 160.000–161.900 Land-Mobile “Paired” Frequencies 220.000–222.
subject to change, and might vary from area to area. For a more complete listing, refer to Police Call Radio Guide including Fire and Emergency Services, available at your local RadioShack store.
Abbreviation Service PTR Private Trunked ROAD Road & Highway Maintenance RTV Radio/TV Remote Broadcast Pickup TAXI Taxi Services TELM Telephone Maintenance TOW Tow Trucks TRAN Transportation Services (Trucks, Tow Trucks, Buses, Railroad, Other) TSB Trunked Systems TVN FM-TV Audio Broadcast USXX Government Classified UTIL Power & Water Utilities WTHR Weather HIGH FREQUENCY (HF) — (3 MHz-30 MHz) CB Band (26.965-27.405 MHz) 10-Meter Amateur Band (28.0-29.7 MHz) 28.000-29.700 .........
38.000-39.000.................... GOVT, MIL 39.020-39.980...............................PUB 40.000-42.000......... GOVT, MIL, MARI 42.020-42.940...............................POL 42.960-43.180................................IND 43.220-43.680...........TELM, IND, PUB 43.700-44.600............................ TRAN 44.620-46.580..................... POL, PUB 46.600-46.990............................GOVT 47.020-47.400...............................PUB 47.420 .................American Red Cross 47.440-49.580....
154.655-156.240.............MED, ROAD, ............................................ POL, PUB 156.255-157.425................. OIL, MARI 157.450....................................... MED 157.470-157.515......................... TOW 157.530-157.725.................. IND, TAXI 157.740.........................................BUS 158.130-158.460..........BUS, IND, OIL, ..........................................TELM, UTIL 158.730-159.465..... POL, PUB, ROAD 159.480..........................................
70-Centimeter Amateur Band (420-450 MHz) 420.000-450.000 HAM Low Band (450-470 MHz) 450.050-450.925.......................... RTV 451.025-452.025...... IND, OIL, TELM, ..................................................... UTIL 452.0375-453.00................ IND, TAXI, ............................. TRAN TOW, NEWS 453.0125-454.000................ PUB, OIL 455.050-455.925.......................... RTV 457.525-457.600.......................... BUS 458.025-458.175......................... MED 460.0125-460.
Locally Assigned (in 6.25 kHz steps) Frequency Range Service 856.0125–860.9875 MHz CTSB Trunked Systems Band — Locally Assigned (in 6.25 kHz steps) Frequency Range Service 861.0125–865.9875 MHz TSB Public Safety Band — Locally Assigned (in 6.25 kHz steps) Frequency Range Service 866.0125–868.9875 MHz PSB 33-Centimeter Amateur Band (902-928 MHz in 6.25 kHz steps) Frequency Range Service 902.000–928.000 MHz HAM Private Trunked Band (in 6.25 kHz steps) Frequency Range Service 935.0125–939.
FREQUENCY CONVERSION The tuning location of a station can be expressed in frequency (kHz or MHz) or in wavelength (meters). The following information can help you make the necessary conversions. 1 MHz (million) = 1,000 kHz (thousand) To convert MHz to kHz, multiply the number of megahertz by 1,000: 30.62 (MHz) x 1,000 = 30,620 kHz To convert from kHz to MHz, divide the number of kilohertz by 1,000: 127.800 (kHz) / 1,000 = 127.
TROUBLESHOOTING CHART Problem Possible Caus Poor reception Weak signals from distant stations Scanner will not power on The keypad does not work Scanner will not scan when SCAN is pressed. Remedy Reposition radio for best reception. Attenuator is in use on weak signals. Check performance with and without attenuator activated, use setting with best reception. Strong signal overload from nearby transmitter(s) Check performance with and without attenuator activated, use setting with best reception.
Problem Possible Caus Remedy The scanner does not receive digital transmissions on digital frequencies or trunking systems The digital channel or talkgroup is not using APCO-25 digital modulation The scanner can only receive APCO-25 C4FM IMBE digital signals. The digital channel or talkgroup is encrypted The scanner will not receive encrypted traffic. The digital channel or talkgroup is being transmitted from a distant location Reposition the scanner or use an outdoor antenna to improve reception.
System Tests Select Test Exits if no Key Press 3. Press 1. The scanner displays: Factory Init Erase Memory ENTER if Yes CL to Exit Ô NOTEÔ Resetting the Scanner Pressing the reset button does not clear the scanner’s working memory or the V-Scanner folders. Initializing the Scanner • 4. Press ENTER. The scanner displays: Initializing Clr Main Mem V-Scan is OK Please Wait CARE Keep the scanner dry; if it gets wet, wipe it dry immediately.
or tampering with the [product]'s internal components can cause a malfunction and might invalidate its warranty and void your FCC authorization to operate it. SPECIFICATIONS Frequency Coverage: Frequency Range (MHz) Programming/Search Step Value 25–54 5 kHz 108–136.9875 12.5 kHz 137–174 5, 6.25 or 7.5 kHz 216.0025–221.9975 5 kHz 222.0000 –225.0000 5 kHz 406–512 6.25 kHz 806–823.9875 6.25 kHz 849–868.9875 6.25 kHz 894–960 6.25 kHz 1240–1300 6.25 kHz Memory Organization : V-Scanners....
1240–1300 MHz ................................................................ 0.7 µV AM: 25–54 MHz ........................................................................... 1 µV 108–136.9875 MHz .............................................................. 1 µV 137–174 MHz .................................................................... 1.5 µV 216–225 MHz .................................................................... 1.5 µV 406–512 MHz ..........................................................
Audio Output Power (10% THD) .....................................170 mW Built-in Speaker ........ 1 3/8 Inches (36 mm) 8-ohm Dynamic Type Power Requirements: Batteries .............................................. 4 AA Alkaline Batteries or ...................................................... 4 AA Rechargeable Batteries External Power ....................................................9 V/300 mA DC Current Drain (Squelched) ................................................ 90 mA Battery Charge Current .
COMMAND QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE Scan Mode Keystrokes Function SCAN Activates Scan Mode, resumes scan when stopped on a channel or talkgroup. MAN If scanning or monitoring a trunked call, stops scan operation, activates Manual Mode. If monitoring conventional call, stops scan operation, activates Manual Mode, holds on active channel. PGM If scanning or monitoring a trunked call, stops scan operation, activates Program Mode.
Keystrokes Function ENTER When monitoring a conventional channel that is programmed for CT or DC Search Mode, stores a detected CT or DC code with the channel memory. S or T Changes scan direction, up or down. FUNC + MAN Toggles digital AGC FUNC + TRUNK When monitoring a talkgroup call, toggles display of control channel text tag or Trunked ID sub-bank status. FUNC + PRI If monitoring a conventional channel, stores the frequency into the priority channel.
Keystrokes Function ENTER When monitoring a conventional channel that is programmed for CT or DC Search Mode, stores a detected CT or DC code with the channel memory. S or T S steps to the next channel, T steps to the previous channel. Hold down to scroll. FUNC + MAN Toggles digital AGC. FUNC + TRUNK Enters trunked ID list for current bank. FUNC + PRI Stores the frequency of the selected channel into the priority channel.
Keystrokes Function SRCH Sets search range for programmable search range (PSR). 2, 3, PGM Jumps to channel 23 in the current bank. 1, 2, 3, PGM Jumps to bank 1, channel 23. DECIMAL POINT Toggles delay on selected channel on or off. ENTER Enters a frequency into channel memory. S or T S steps to the next channel, T steps to the previous channel, hold down to scroll. FUNC + MAN Toggles digital AGC. FUNC + MODE If selected channel mode is set to CT or DC, edits CT or DC code.
Search Mode Keystrokes Function SCAN Activates Scan Mode. MAN Activates Manual Mode. PGM Activates Program Mode. WX Activates Weather Mode. PRI Toggles priority. TUNE Enters Tune Mode. ATT Toggles attenuation for active search range, or, if global attenuation is set, toggles global attenuation on or off. L/OUT Locks out undesired search frequencies or search channels. PAUSE Pauses and resumes search operations. MODE Cycles through AM/FM/CT/DC modes for selected search range.
Keystrokes Function FUNC + PGM When searching SR3, SR4, SR5 and SR6, stores active search frequency in desired bank and channel (e.g., “123 + ENTER” stores the active frequency in Bank 1, Channel 23). FUNC + ENTER When searching SR3, SR4, SR5 and SR6, stores active search frequency in next available channel in desired bank (e.g., “1 + ENTER” stores active frequency in next empty channel in Bank 1). FUNC + 7 Toggles Seek on or off. FUNC + 0 Toggles Zeromatic on or off.
Tune Mode Keystrokes Function SCAN Activates Scan Mode. MAN Activates Manual Mode. PGM Activates Program Mode. WX Activates Weather Mode. PRI Toggles priority. ATT Toggles attenuation for active search range, or, if global attenuation is set, toggles global attenuation on or off. PAUSE Pauses and resumes tune operations. MODE Cycles through AM/FM/CT/DC modes. SRCH Activates Search Mode DECIMAL POINT Toggle tune delay on or off.
Keystrokes Function TRUNK Steps to first ID in next ID sub bank. TUNE Enters Tune Mode. L/OUT Toggles lockout on the selected ID. MODE Cycles trunking mode through MO, ED and “not trunked”. SRCH Activates Search Mode. ENTER Stores ID into selected location. S or T S steps to the next ID, T steps to the previous ID, hold down to scroll. FUNC + MAN Toggles digital AGC. FUNC + DECIMAL POINT Selects ID delay duration for selected bank.
Startup keys (Enter during welcome screen display.) Keystrokes Function 1 Turns key tones on. 2 Turns key tones off. 3 Displays CPU, DSP application and DSP vocoder versions. 7 Adjust backlight properties. 0 then 1 Destructive - Initializes working memory to factory defaults. Does not affect VScanner memory. 0 then 2 Destructive - Loads test frequencies into working memory. Does not affect VScanner memory. 0 then 5 Destructive / EEPROM memory test #1 Initializes working memory.
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Limited One-Year Warranty This product is warranted by RadioShack against manufacturing defects in material and workmanship under normal use for one (1) year from the date of purchase from RadioShack companyowned stores and authorized RadioShack franchisees and dealers.
