RadioShack Pro 28 Programmable Scanner Reciever Owners Manual

Cat. No. 20-508
OWNER’S MANUAL
PRO-28
30 Channel
Direct Entry Programmable Scanner
Please read before using this equipment.
20-508.fm  Page 1  Wednesday, August 4, 1999  1:50 PM 

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ã 1997 Tandy Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.
Radio Shack is a registered trademark used by Tandy Corporation.
FEATURES
Your new Radio Shack PRO-28 30 Channel Direct Entry Programmable
Scanner lets you in on all the action! This scanner gives you direct ac-
cess to more than 20,000 frequencies that include the police depart-
ment, fire department, ambulance, amateur radio, and transportation
services. You can select up to 30 channels for your scanner to scan and
you can change your selection at any...

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Keylock — prevents you from accidentally changing the scanner’s pro-
gramming.
Memory Backup — keeps the channel frequencies stored in memory
for up to 1 hour during a power loss. 
Low Battery Alarm — lets you know when the batteries get low. 
Three Power Sources — let you power the scanner from internal bat-
teries, a standard AC outlet (using an optional AC adapter), or a vehi-
cle’s battery (using an optional DC adapter). 
Ni-Cd Battery Charging Circuit — lets you recharge nickel-cadmium
batteries...

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This owner’s manual also includes the section “A Guide to the Action
Bands,” which lets you target services in your area by giving you fre-
quency ranges to search. You can then store any of these frequencies
into memory for easy scanning.
For your records, we recommend you record your scanner’s serial num-
ber in the space provided. The serial number is on the scanner’s back
panel.
Serial Number _____________ 
FCC NOTICE
Your scanner might cause radio or TV interference even when it is op-
erating...

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SCANNING LEGALLY
Your scanner covers frequencies used by many different groups includ-
ing police and fire departments, ambulance services, government agen-
cies, private companies, amateur radio services, military operations,
pager services, and wireline (telephone and telegraph) service provid-
ers. It is legal to listen to almost every transmission your scanner can
receive. However, there are some transmissions you should never in-
tentionally listen to. These include:
• Telephone conversations...

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CONTENTS
Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Power Sources  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Using Internal Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Important Information about the External Power Jacks  . . . . . . . . 9
Using Standard AC Power  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Using Vehicle Battery Power . . . . . . . . . ....

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Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Resetting the Scanner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Care and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
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PREPARATION
POWER SOURCES
You can power your scanner from any of three sources: 
• Internal batteries (not supplied) 
• Standard AC power (using an optional AC adapter) 
• Vehicle battery power (using an optional DC adapter) 
USING INTERNAL BATTERIES
You can power your scanner with four AA batteries. For the longest op-
eration and best performance, we recommend alkaline batteries (such
as Cat. No. 23-552). Or, you can use rechargeable nickel-cadmium bat-
teries (Cat. No. 23-125). 
Warning:
 The...

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4. Install two batteries in the compartment and two in the cover as
indicated by the polarity symbols (+ and –) marked inside.
Cautions: 
• Never mix rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries, or
rechargeable batteries of different capacities.
• Use only fresh batteries of the required size and type. Always
remove old or weak batteries. Batteries can leak chemicals that
destroy electronic circuits.
5. Replace the cover. 
If 
B flashes on the display and the scanner beeps every 15 seconds, im-...

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The POWER jack powers the scanner and disconnects the internal bat-
teries. You can use this jack to connect an external power source (AC
adapter or DC power cord) regardless of the type of batteries you install. 
The 
CHARGE jack supplies power to operate the scanner and also
charges
 the internal batteries. Use the CHARGE jack only when you in-
stall rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries.
Warning:
 Never use the 
CHARGE jack with non-rechargeable batteries.
If you try to recharge non-rechargeable...