You can think of it as the software instructions that tell the scanner hardware what to do and when to do it.Īnyway, the important part of this is that the PRO-96 allows part of that firmware to be upgraded pretty easily. The program is referred to as firmware, which is supposed to imply something between software and hardware. Modern scanners are controlled by internal microprocessors, tiny computers that run a single program specifically written for the scanner. The idea is that you can set up a different folder for, say, each geographic location you might travel to, and by loading the correct folder your scanner is immediately able to start scanning the appropriate frequencies. Names up to 12 characters long can be assigned to each folder. Each folder stores all of the operating settings, not only channels and talkgroups but lockout status, display contrast settings, and so on. The scanner has 11 separate configuration profiles stored in "folders," only one of which is active at a time. The PRO-96 introduces a new feature called "V-Scanner" (Virtual Scanner). This would allow the user to customize the amount of time the scanner would wait after the end of a transmission before resuming scanning. ![]() The PRO-96 also can be programmed with an adjustable trunking delay, anywhere from half a second to four seconds, in half-second intervals. Conventional and trunked systems can also be mixed in the same bank. The manual claims that the scanner can track as many as 10 trunking systems at one time. Johnson LTR (Logic Trunked Radio) systems. The scanner does not appear to be able to follow E. ![]() The PRO-96 will also track M/A-COM EDACS (Enhanced Digital Access Communications System) radio networks in VHF and UHF, but as with other trunking scanners, the EDACS frequencies must be entered in "Logical Channel Number" (LCN) order. The manual also describes a feature called "Intelligent Adaptive Digital Tracking" which automatically tunes the sound quality settings, so the operator will not have to make any adjustments as the signal changes. Since some systems rotate the control channel on a daily basis between a handful of frequencies, each possible control channel frequency should be programmed.Ī nice additional feature discussed in the manual is that when the scanner is tuned to a Motorola system control channel it will display the System Identification code and report a "decode success rate," which would give the user an indication of how well the digital signal is being received. What that means is that you will only need to program the control channels into the PRO-96, rather than every single voice frequency. The PRO-96 will be capable of determining each of the voice ("traffic") channels for Motorola and APCO-25 systems using just the active control channel. The PRO-96 will do all of this internally, without needing any external hardware or plug-in cards. The pre-release manual claims that the radio will automatically detect 3600 baud and APCO 9600 baud control channels and decode them accordingly. Most notably, the PRO-96 will be able to follow the "pure" APCO 25 systems that use a 9600 baud control channel. This will be Radio Shack catalog number 20-526. To follow both analog and digital transmissions, including APCO 25. ![]() in Japan, the PRO-96 is a handheld scanner designed Designed by GRE (General Research ofĮlectronics), Inc. Submitted an application to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)įor a new scanner model, the PRO-96. However, Uniden is about to get some competition. Out for many months now and appear to be selling well. ![]() Radio Shack Announces PRO-96 This article first appeared in the August 2003 issue of Monitoring Times.Īt the present time there are only two commercially available scannersĬapable of decoding APCO 25 digital transmissions, the BC250D handheldĪnd the BC785D base/mobile, both made by Uniden.
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