RadioShack Pro 95 Handheld Scanner Owners Manual
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Understanding Your Scanners Modes 21 However, you cannot program MOT (Motorola), or ED (EDACS) mode in VHF. Each receive mode affects how your scanner operates when scanning and receiving transmissions, and also affects what transmissions you receive when you set the scanner to the closed mode. See “Changing the Receive Mode” on Page 49. Ô AM MODE The AM mode sets the scanner to receive transmissions using amplitude modulation (AM), primarily used for aircraft, military, some amateur radio, and some government transmissions. (Refer to “Specifications” on Page 84 for a list of the frequencies covered.) When the scanner receives a transmission on a channel set to the AM mode, it always stops on the transmission. FM MODE The FM mode sets the scanner to receive transmissions using frequency modulation (FM), used for most public safety transmissions, as well as broadcast, business, and amateur radio transmissions. When the scanner receives a transmission on a channel set to the FM mode, it always stops on the transmission. MOTOROLA MODE You can set your scanner so it decodes the talk group IDs used with Motorola trunking systems. This setting is called the Motorola mode. Ô NOTE Ô Your scanner’s closed mode lets you hear only those talk groups you specify. For more information, see “Open and Closed Modes” on Page 25.
Understanding Your Scanners Modes 22Motorola systems are trunking systems used primarily by business and public safety groups to efficiently allocate a small number of frequencies (as few as five) 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 talk group. For example, the east side patrol officers might all be assigned to talk group 2160. One channel in the system is continuously transmitting data that identifies which talk groups are active on which channel. In addition, this talk group information is also transmitted as subaudible data on each active channel. When the scanner receives a transmission on a channel set to the Motorola mode, it first decodes the talk group ID data included with the transmission. In the open mode, the scanner stops on the transmission and displays the talk group ID on the bottom line of the display. In the closed mode, the scanner only stops on the transmission if the talk group ID matches a talk group ID that you have stored in the banks talk group ID list and have not locked out. Motorola trunking systems come in three categories: Type I, Type II, and Type I/II Hybrid. Each category displays and uses talk group IDs in slightly different ways. Motorola Type I IDs are in the form FFF-SS,where:
Understanding Your Scanners Modes 23 FFF=Fleet ID 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 system talk groups are identified by a 5-digit number. Valid talk group IDs are divisible by 16. If you try to enter an invalid talk group ID, the scanner rounds the ID down to the next valid ID. Type I/II hybrid systems use both fleet-subfleet and 5-digit formats for talk group IDs. Ô EDACS MODE You can set your scanner so it decodes the talk group IDs used with EDACS (GE/Ericsson) trunking systems. This setting is called the EDACS mode. EDACS systems are trunking systems used primarily by business or private communications service providers, as well as by some public safety organizations. EDACS systems transmit active talk group information only on a dedicated control channel. EDACS frequencies are organized in a specific order. Each frequency Ô NOTE Ô Motorola Mode For example, a valid fleet-subfleet ID identifying all detectives within a police department might be 000—12, where 000 identifies all police users and 12 identifies the Detective division. If the scanner decodes control channel data while receiving transmissions from a Motorola trunking system, CNTRLappears on the bottom line of the display.
Understanding Your Scanners Modes 24is assigned a Logical Channel 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 talk group IDs are entered as a 4-digit 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 talk group. In the open mode, the scanner then goes to thetransmissionanddisplaysthe talk group ID on the bottom line of the display. In the closed mode, the scanner only goes to transmissions with IDs that match talkgroupIDsyouhavestoredin the banks talk group ID list which are not locked out. Because EDACS scanning requires clear reception of the control channel at all times, EDACS systems tend to have a smaller usable area. An external antenna can greatly improve EDACS scanning in a fringe area. If you are having trouble scanning an EDACS system, try manually selecting the data channel. If you are getting good reception, the scanner will indicate talk group CTL—01. Try changing your location or using an outdoor antenna to improve reception.
Understanding Your Scanners Modes 25 OPEN AND CLOSED M ODES You can set your scanner to change the way it receives signals. These settings, called open mode and closed mode, affect how the scanner receives signals from communications systems that use some type of closed squelch (such as Motorola and EDACS systems). Ô You can set each of the scanners channel storage banks to open or closed mode. In open mode, the scanner scans signals transmitted in all systems. The scanner stops on any ID code and only uses the ID list to look up ID text tags. In closed mode, the scanner stops only on signals that have an ID code which is found in the ID list for the bank. Also, the scanner scans signals transmitted only under the following conditions: When the signals are in the FM mode. When the signals are in the MOT, or ED mode and the signals ID code matches the programmed ID code. You can also select the user or talk groups you want the scanner toreceiveinclosedmode. When you set a channel storage bank to open mode, +appears under the banks number while scanning. When you set a channel storage bank to closed mode, — appears under the channel Ô NOTE Ô In open mode, you hear all active talk groups except those you specifically exclude, making it easy to hear everything going on. In closed mode, you hear only those talk groups you specify. This makesiteasyto listen only to talk groups you are interested in and exclude others. When you select a channel manually, any transmission opens squelch, regardless of the current mode. When no ID code is programmed into the scanner, it receives the signa lin MOT or ED mode. In open mode, the scanner stops on any transmission. If the ID is stored, the text tag appears on the display. Otherwise, the talk group ID appears on the display. In closed mode, the scanner only stops on a transmission if the ID is stored.
Operation 26storage banks number while scanning. OPENorCLOSEDappears while the scanner is in manual mode or while the scanner is receiving a signal during scanning. See “Changing the Open/Closed Mode”onPage68formore information about setting the open andclosedmodes. OPERATION TURNING ON THE S CANNER AND SETTING S QUELCH 1. To turn on the scanner, turn VOLUMEclockwise.Welcome To Dual Trunking appears. After about 3 seconds, you might hear a hissing sound. Then adjust VOLUMEto a com- fortable listening level. 2. Turn SQUELCHfully counterclockwise until the indicator points to MIN,then turn SQUELCHclockwise until the hissing sound stops. 3. To turn off the scanner, turn VOLUMEcounterclockwise to OFF.Ô STORING KNOWN F REQUENCIES INTO C HANNELS Good references for active frequencies areRadioShacks Police Call, Aeronautical Frequency Directory,andMaritime Frequency Directory. We update these directories every year, so be Ô NOTE Ô The scanner does not scan if there are no frequencies stored in channels. If the scanner does not scan and you have already stored frequencies in channels, turn SQUELCHfurther clockwise. If the scanner picks up unwant- ed, partial, or very weak trans- missions, turn SQUELCH clockwise to decrease the scanners sen- sitivity to these signals. If you want to listen to a weak or distant station, turn SQUELCH counterclockwise. IfSQUELCHis adjusted so you always hear a hissing sound, the scanner will not scan properly. To ensure the scanner operates properly while in the trunking mode, we suggest you setSQUELCH using the steps listed above.
Operation 27 sure to get a current copy. Also see the suppliedTrunking Guide. Follow these steps to store frequencies into channels. Ô 1. PressMANUAL, enter the bank (0–9) and channel number (00–99) where you want to store a frequency, then press MANUALagain.M and the bank and channel number appear at the upper left corner of the display (for example: M000). Press FUNC. Then press or. The bank number moves in the direction of the arrow pressed. Press FUNC. Then hold down or. The bank number moves con- tinuously in the assigned direction. Press . The channel number moves upward one by one. Or, press .The channel number moves downward one by one. 2. Press PGM.Mchanges toP. 3. Use the number keys and ./DELAYto enter the fre- Ô NOTE Ô If you are storing frequencies for an EDACS system, you must store them in order, with the first frequency in channel 1 for the current bank. For example, if you want to store frequencies of 150.0100, 150.0200, 150.0300, and 150.0400 MHz, you must store them in Channels 1, 2, 3, and 4 respectively. When Mis on the display, you can also select your desired bank and channel number with theFUNC and arrow keys.
Operation 28quency (including the decimal point) you want to store. Ifyoumakeamistake,press CLtodeleteasingledigitor press and hold CLabout 2 seconds to delete all digits. 4. Press ENTERto store the frequency into the channel. Ô 5. If necessary, pressMODEto change the receiving mode. 6. If desired, program a text tag for the channel (see “Assigning a Text Tag to a Channel” on Page 29). 7. The next channel in sequence is ready for programming. Press PGMand then repeat steps 3 through 6. STORING TRUNKING F REQUENCIES INTO C HANNELS 1. PressPGMandFUNCthen orto select the desired bank to program. 2. Press TRUNKto enter into trunking mode. 3. Repeatedly press MODEto select MOT(Motorola) orED (EDACS). 4. Press PGMand select the channel number using or. 5. Enter the UHF trunking frequency and press ENTER. Ô NOTE Ô If you made a mistakeinStep3, Invalid Freqbriefly appears and the scanner beeps when you press ENTER.Start again from Step 3 . Your scanner automatically rounds the entered frequency to the nearest valid frequency. For example, if you enter a frequency of 151.553, your scanner accepts it as 151.550. After a transmission, to have the scanner pause for 2 seconds on this channel before proceeding to the next active transmission, press./DELAYto turn the delay function on. See “Using the Delay Function” on Page 45. The scanner stores this setting in the channel.
Operation 29 6. RepeatSteps4and5toenter the other trunking group frequencies for EDACS or additional control channel frequencies for Motorola systems. 7. If necessary, press MODEto change the receiving mode. STORING TEXT TAGS You can customize your scanner by storing text tags (up to 12 characters) for easy identification of channel transmissions, trunk IDs, or banks. Assigning a Text Tag to a Channel 1. PressMANUAL, enter the channel number where you want to enter the text, then press MANUALagain.Mand the bank and channel number appear at the upper left corner of the display (for example: M100). 2. Press PGM.Mchanges toP. 3. Press TEXT. The cursor appears at the third line. 4. Enter the text using the numeral keys (see “Finding and Storing Active Frequencies” on Page 32). Ô For example, to identify amateur (ham) radio transmissions in the 6 meter range, input “HAM 6m” as follows: Ô NOTE Ô Ifyoumakeamis- take, press orto move to the char- acter you want to change.
Operation 30 “H” is the second letter associated with 4 on the keypad. Press 4then2. “A” is the first letter associated with 2 on the keypad. Press 2then1. “M” is the first letter associated with 6 on the keypad. Press 6then1. “Space.” Press ./DELAY. “6” is the sixth number associated with 1 on the keypad. Press 1then6. “m” is the first letter associated with 6 on the keypad. Press 6andFUNC (for the lower case set), then press 1. 5. Press ENTERto input the text. Assigning a Text Tag to a Group ID 1. PressPGM. 2. Press TRUNK. 3. Press FUNCthenorto select the desired bank. 4. Press TRUNKto select the desired sub-bank. 5. Press or hold down or to select the desired group ID. 6. Press TEXTthen enter the tag using the keypad. (See “Finding and Storing Active Frequencies” on Page 32). 7. Press ENTERto store.