RadioShack Pro 2051 Trunk Track Scanner Owners Manual

							DRAFT 
20-426 
 
Owner’s Manual 
 
Please read before using this equipment. 
 
© 2004 RadioShack Corporation. All Rights Reserved. 
RadioShack, Adaptaplug, Hypersearch, and Hyperscan are trademarks  
used by RadioShack Corporation. 
Motorola, Smartnet, and Privacy Plus are registered  
trademarks of Motorola Inc. 
is a registered trademark of GE/Ericsson Inc. 
 
 
Contents 
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 
Front and Rear Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 
Icon Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 
Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 
What are Highway Patrol Alerts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 
What is Scanning? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 
What is Searching? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 
What is Trunk Tracking? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 
Feature Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 
Where to Obtain More Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 
Information on the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 
Included with Your Scanner Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 
Optional Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 
Installing the 20-426 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 
For Home Use (Desktop Installation) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 
For Mobile Use (In-Car Installation) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 
Typical Mounting Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 
Mounting the Scanner in Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 
Applying Power for Vehicle Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 
DC power Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 
Applying Power Using Standard AC Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 
Connecting an External Speaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 
Listening Safely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 
Connecting the Clone Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 
Scanning Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 
Turn the Scanner On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 
How Squelch Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 
Setting the Squelch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 
Highway Patrol Scanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 
Selecting the State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 
Scanning Highway Patrol Frequency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 
Highway Patrol Scan Hold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 
Highway Warning Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 
Alert Tone Volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 
Muting the Alert Tone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 
Alert Light Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 
Skip Frequencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 
Priority Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 
Trunked Highway Frequency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 
Private Bank Scanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21  
						

							Programming Frequencies into Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 
Deleting a Stored Frequency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 
Duplicate Frequency Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 
Memory Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 
Scanning Private Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . .22 
Hold/Resume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 
Channel Lockout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . .23 
Restoring a Locked-out Channel in Hold Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 
Restoring All Locked-out Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . .24 
Priority Scan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 
Changing the Priority Channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 
Service Scanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . .25 
Band Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 
Setting a Search Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . .26 
Search Hold Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 
Data Skip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 
Frequency Skip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . .27 
Storing Search Frequencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 
Delay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . .28 
iii 20-426  8/22/03  1:40  PM  Page  iii 
Trunk Tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . .29 
Setting the Squelch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . .29 
Programming Trunking Frequencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . .30 
STEP 1: Selecting Trunking System Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 0 
STEP 2: Programming Trunking Frequencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 
Programming Talk Group ID/Scan Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 
Scan Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 
Receiving Trunked Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . .33 
ID Scan Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 
ID Scan Hold Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . .34 
ID Search Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 
ID Monitor Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . .35 
ID Search Hold and Direct Entry ID in Hold Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 
Programming Scan Lists During Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 5 
Deleting a Stored ID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 
ID Lockout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 
Review ID Lockout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . .36 
Restoring Locked-out IDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . .36 
Setting the Delay Mode for Trunking Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 
Trunking Frequency Confirmation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . .37 
Setting Priority in Trunking Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 
Moving between Scan List Memories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 
Multi-Track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . .38 
EDACS® Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . .39 
EDACS® Tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 
Programming EDACS System Frequencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 
An EDACS® Trunked system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 
Special EDACS® Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . .41 
EDACS ID Range Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 
EDACS SCAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 
LTR® Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 
LTR® Tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 
Motorola Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . .43 
Motorola Tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . .43 
Fleet Map Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 
Selecting Preset Fleet Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . .44 
Programming a User Fleet Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . .44  
						

							Programming a Hybrid System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 
Setting the Base, Spacing Frequencies and Offset Channel for Motorola VHF/UHF 
Trunked Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . .45 
Toggling the Status Bit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . .46 
Control Channel Only Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . .46 
Disconnect Tone Detect Option (End Code) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 
Remote Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . .48 
PC Control Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . .48 
Clone Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 
Care and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . .52 
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 
Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 
One Year Limited Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . .63 
iv 
20-426  8/22/03  1:40  PM  Page  iv 
 
 
 
Terminology 
What are Highway Patrol Alerts? 
Most highway patrol vehicles on the road today are equipped with a secondary 
radio system 
known as a “mobile extender” or “vehicu lar repeater.” Whenever the dispatcher 
transmits to 
any vehicle in the district,  “mobile extender” in every  car within the district is 
activated. 
Using a constant PRIORITY check of spec ific frequencies in each state, the 20-426 
recognizes and alerts you to transmissions  from “mobile extender” radios as well as 
from 
car-to-car, aircraft-to-car and other s pecial-purpose frequencies. You receive an 
audible 
(beep tone) and visual (flashing Alert  light) alert whenever you are within an 
approximate 
three-mile radius of Highway Patrol/ State  Police units using a mobile extender unit. 
What is Scanning? 
Unlike standard AM or FM radio stations, most two-way communications do not 
transmit 
continuously. The 20-426 scans the Frequencies you have programmed into the 
Scanner’s 
channels until it finds an active frequency. 
Scanning stops on an active frequency and remains on that channel as lon\
g as the 
transmission continues. When the transmi ssion ends, the scanning cycle resumes 
until 
another transmission is received. 
What is Searching? 
The 20-426 can search each of its 13 bands to find active frequencies. This is  
						

							different from 
scanning because you are searching for frequencies that have not been 
programmed into 
your Scanner’s channels. The scanner aut omatically chooses between two speeds 
while 
searching. During search mode the sc anner will search 100 frequencies per second 
for band 
with 12.5 kHz steps and during Turbo  SEARCH mode the scanner can achieve up 
to 300 
frequencies per second for bands with 5 kHz steps. 
What is Trunk Tracking? 
Conventional scanning is a simple concept. You enter a radio frequency in your 
scanner’s 
memory which is used by someone you want  to monitor. For example, the police in 
your 
area may broadcast on 460.500 MHz, the fire department on 154.445 MHz, the 
highway 
department on 37.900 MHz, etc. So when y our scanner stops on a frequency, you 
usually 
know who it is, and more importantly,  you can stop on a channel and listen to an 
entire 
conversation. This type of scanning is easy and fun. 
As the demand for public communications has increased, many public radio\
 users 
dont 
have enough frequencies to meet their  needs, and this has created a serious 
problem. 
Trunking radio systems have been impl emented to solve this problem. 
20-426  8/22/03  1:40  PM  Page  4 
5 
In a trunked radio system the frequencie s are shared among the police and fire 
departments 
and a computer systematically assigns av ailable frequencies when they are needed 
for 
communications. 
Sharing of the available public service  frequencies, or trunking, allows cities, 
counties, or 
other agencies to accommodate hundreds of us ers with relatively few frequencies. 
Following 
a conversation on a trunked system using a scanner is difficult, if not impossible. 
Because 
when theres a short break during the conver sation youre monitoring, it’s possible 
that the 
talkgroup will be assigned to a completely di fferent frequency in the trunked system. 
This  
						

							type of scanning is difficult and frustrating. 
TrunkTracker Technology changes this! Not only does your new 20-426 scan 
channels like 
a conventional scanner, it ac tually follows the users of a trunked radio system. Once 
you 
know a talkgroups ID, you w on’t miss any of the action. 
If youre a new scanner enthusiast, you ma y want to read the first part of this 
manual and 
use your scanner in conventional m ode before you begin trunk tracking. 
Understanding 
scanning fundamentals and its terminology will  make trunk tracking much easier. 
20-426  8/22/03  1:40  PM  Page  5 
6 
Feature Highlights 
• Pre-programmed frequencies specific to each state (except Hawaii). 
• Pre-programmed Trunked and convent ional Highway Patrol frequencies 
• Highway Patrol Priority Alert 
-Receive audible and visual alert when within three miles of many Highway 
Patrol/State 
units 
• Pre-programmed frequencies fo r the following categories: 
-Local Police and County Sheriffs 
-Fire and Emergency Medical Service 
-News Media 
-Weather (continuous NOAA weather and Canadian Coast Guard broadcasts) 
-CB Radio 
-Aircraft 
-Railroads 
-Marine Band 
-Department of Transportation 
• Pager Screen  - lets you set the scanner so it does not detect pager frequencies 
during Close Call search. 
 
•  Trunk Tracking  – Follow VHF High Band UHF 800MHz trunked public safety and 
public 
service systems just as if conventional  two-way communications were used. 
• Multi-Track  – Track more than one trunking system  at a time. Scan conventional 
and 
trunked systems at the same time. 
•  1000 Channels  – Program one frequency into each channel. You must have at 
least one 
channel programmed to  use the Scan mode. 
• 13 Bands  – Includes 13 bands, with aircraft and 800 MHz. 
• 10 Banks  – 10 banks with 50 channels each are useful for storing similar  
						

							frequencies to 
maintain faster scanning cycles or for storing all the frequencies of a trunked 
system. 
•  25 MHz-956 MHz  – Indicates the range of frequencie s that can be searched within 
the 
bands of your scanner. 
Note : The frequency coverage is not continuous and excludes the cellelar 
telephone 
Band. 
•  5 Priority Channels  – You can assign one priority channel in each bank. 
Assigning a 
priority channel allows you to track activi ty on your most important channel(s) while 
monitoring other channels for transmissions.  You can also assign trunking priority 
talkgroups. 
• Data Skip  – Allows your scanner to skip unwanted data transmissions and 
reduces 
birdies. 
•  Direct Channel Access  – Go directly to any channel without entering 
programming mode. 
•  Turbo Search  – Increases the search speed to 300 steps per second. This 
applies only to 
transmission bands with 5 kHz steps. 
•  PC Programmable  – Allows you to easily program all frequencies and Trunking 
Talk 
Groups into your 20-426 through Radio  Shack 20-426 Scanning software running 
on your PC. 
– For more information on 20-426 SS Progra mming software visit our website at 
scanner.Radio Shack.com. 
20-426  8/22/03  1:40  PM  Page  6 
7 
Where to Obtain More Information 
Before you can scan the PRIVATE bank, you must program frequencies into the 
scanner’s 
channels. The Frequency Guide lists typi cal frequencies used around the U.S.A. 
and 
Canada that you may program into your new scanner. However, this is not a 
complete list of 
frequencies for your area. 
To obtain frequency information for your  area, contact one of the following: 
• Scanner Master 
1 (800) Scanner (722-6637) (Hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time 
Monday through Friday.) [email protected]. 
To obtain another copy of the frequency guide, cont act one of the following: 
• Radio Shack Parts Department  
						

							(800) 554-3988 (Hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time Monday 
through 
Friday.) 
• Local Dealer 
Information on the Internet 
If you have access to the internet, you  may want to visit one of the following 
websites for 
additional information: 
scanner.Radio Shack.com 
www.bearcat1.com 
 10:36 AM Page 7 
8 
Included with Your Scanner Package 
• 20-426 Scanner 
• AC Adapter (AD 140U) 
• DC Power Cord 
• Cigarette Lighter Adapter Plug (Model CD007) 
• Telescopic Antenna (Model AT129) 
• Window Mount Antenna (Model AT002) 
• Operating Guide 
• Trunk Tracker Frequency Guide 
• Other Printed Materials 
• Remote Programming Software Demo CD-ROM 
• Mobile Mounting Br acket (Model MB-008) 
If any of these items are missing or damaged,  immediately contact your place of 
purchase or 
Radio Shack Customer Service at: (800)  297-1023, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Central 
Time, Monday 
through Friday. 
Optional Accessories 
The following optional accessories for your  20-426 are available from your local 
Radio Shack 
Dealer or through the Radio Shack Parts Department by calling: (800) 554-3988, 
8:00 AM to 5:00 
PM CST, Monday through Friday. We  can also be reached on the web at 
www.Radio Shack.com. 
DC Power Cord  (Model PS-001) - For hard wiring po wer from your car to your 
scanner. 
Motorola Antenna Adapter  (Model PLG-134) - Use only if your antenna has a 
Motorolatype 
plug. 
Page 8 
9 
Installing the 20-426  
						

							For Home Use (Desktop Installation) 
1. Insert the DC plug end of the AC Adapter into the DC 12V jack on the rear panel. 
2. Plug the AC Adapter into a standard 120V AC wall outlet. 
3. Plug the Telescoping Antenna into the ANT connector. 
Extend the antenna to its full height. Fo r frequencies higher than 406 MHz, 
shortening 
the antenna may improve the reception. 
4. Use the desktop stand for a bet ter viewing and operating angle. 
Helpful Hints 
• If strong interference or electrical noise  is received, relocate the scanner or its 
antenna 
away from the source. 
• If you are operating the scanner in a fringe  area or need to improve reception, use 
an 
optional antenna designed for multi-band cove rage. (You can purchase this type of 
antenna at a local electronics store.) 
• If the optional antenna has no cable, use 50-70 ohm coaxial cable for lead-in. A 
mating 
plug may be necessary for the optional antennas. 
For Mobile Use (In-Car Installation) 
Installation for Temporary Use: 
A Cigarette Lighter Power Cord is provided for easy, temporary installation. 
Warning:  Do not use the cigarette lighter power cord in a positive ground vehicle. 
Plug one end of the Cigarette Lighter Power  Cord into the cigarette lighter jack and 
the other 
end into the DC 12V jack on the back of the scanner. 
Connecting the Antenna Plug 
Connect the mobile antenna plug into t he ANT connector on the rear panel. (For 
more 
information on antenna installation, please refe r to the instruction guide that came 
with your 
antenna.) 
The 20-426 can be mounted using t he supplied mounting bracket. 
This bracket is available from the Radio Shack parts department (see page 8) 
1. Select an ideal location in your vehicl e to mount the 20-426. Avoid a location that 
could 
interfere with your driving. In a passenger car, the ideal location is u\
nderneath the 
dashboard on the passenger side. 
2. Use the supplied mounting  bracket as a template for marking the location of the 
mounting screws. Note: If there are screw s already holding the dashboard, you can 
use 
the same screw holes to mount the bracket. 
Page 9 
10  
						

							3. Drill the necessary holes and secure the mounting bracket in place using the 
screws 
provided. 
4. Mount the radio to the  bracket only after the wiring has been connected to the 
rear 
panel. 
Connecting the Power Cord 
Note: If you are not experienced in connecting  accessories to the vehicle fuse box, 
please 
see your automotive dealer for  advice on proper installation. 
Installation for everyday use: 
1. Check the vehicle battery connecti ons to determine which battery terminal 
(positive or 
negative) is grounded to the engine block or c hassis. Most of today’s vehicles use a 
negative ground. If your vehicle has a  negative ground, follow Steps 2 and 3. 
Otherwise, 
skip to the note following Step 3. 
2. Connect the RED wire of  the DC power cord to the accessory contact in your 
vehicle’s 
+12V DC fuse box. 
3. Connect the BLACK wire of the DC power  cord to the negative side of the vehicle 
(usually the chassis). 
Note: In vehicles with a positive ground, t he RED wire connects to the chassis and 
the 
BLACK wire connects to the accessory contact in the fuse box. 
4. Insert the DC plug into the DC  12V jack on the back of the scanner. 
20-426  8/22/03  1:40  PM  Page  10 
11 
Typical Mounting Methods 
The 20-426 can be conveniently mounted on a table, bulkhead, overhead, or any 
other 
desired location with the supplied mounting  bracket (MB008) (refer to figure below 
for typical 
mounting methods). 
Caution : Make sure there are no hidden electric al wires or other items behind the 
desired 
location before proceeding. Check that  free access for mounting and cabling 
is available. 
Mounting the Scanner in Your Vehicle 
Before you mount the scanner, make sure  you have all the necessary materials. 
Then 
confirm that the scanner fits your vehi cle’s mounting area. This unit requires a 
mounting 
area of 2.44 inch high by 7.06 inch wi de by 6.10 inch deep (50.8 x 176.5 x 152.5  
						

							mm). 
Caution: Be sure to avoid obstructions behind the mounting surface. 
Follow these steps to mount t he scanner in your vehicle. 
1. Choose a mounting location, then use the supplied 
mounting bracket as a template to mark the positions for 
the mounting screw holes. 
2. In the marked positions, drill holes slightly smaller than 
the supplied screws. 
3. Attach the mounting bracke t to the mounting location 
using the supplied screws and lock washers. 
4. Attach the scanner to the mounting bracket using the 
supplied mounting knobs. 
5. Connect the antenna’s cable to the  ANT. connector 
on the rear of the scanner. 
Note : If the antenna cable’s conne ctor does not fit in the ANT. 
connector, you might also need a Motorola-to BNC 
antenna plug adapter (available at a local 
electronics store). 
• Table top mount • Bulkhead mount • Overhead mount 
SQL 
VOL 
ANT. 
EXT. 
SP. 
DC 12V 
REMOTE 
 
Page 11 
Applying Power for Vehicle Installation 
You can power your scanner using the suppl ied DC cigarette lighter power cord or 
an DC 
power cord. 
DC power Installation 
To power the scanner from a vehicl e’s 12V power source (such as a 
cigarette-lighter 
socket), you need a cigarette-lighter adapter. 
To connect an DC cigarette-lighter power c able, insert its barrel plug into the 
DC 12V jack on the rear of the scanner, then  plug the power cable into your 
vehicle’s 
cigarette lighter socket. 
Note  : If you use a cigarette-lighter pow er cable and your vehicle’s engine is 
running, you 
might hear electrical noise from the engine while scanning. This is normal. 
Caution : DC 12 V Jack can use a power source that supplies 12V DC at least 500