Related Manuals for Radio Shack PRO-79
Summary of Contents for Radio Shack PRO-79
- Page 1 Owner’s Manual Cat. No. 20-314 PRO-79 200-Channel VHF/Air/UHF Handheld Scanner Please read before using this equipment. (illus - show front of product)
- Page 2 FEATURES Your new RadioShack PRO-79 200 Channel VHF/Air/UHF Handheld Scanner lets you scan conventional transmissions, and is preprogrammed with search banks for convenience. By pressing a single button, you can quickly search those frequen- cies most commonly used by public service and other agencies without tedious and complicated programming.
- Page 3 Manual Access — you can directly access any stored channel by entering that channel’s number. Key Lock — lets you lock the scanner’s keys to help prevent accidentally changing the scanner’s programming. Liquid-Crystal Display — makes it easy to view and change programming information.
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Page 4: Fcc Notice
Three Power Options — you can power the scanner from inter- nal (rechargeable or non-rechargeable batteries) or external AC or DC power (using an optional AC or DC adapter). Your PRO-79 scanner can receive these bands: Frequency Range (MHz) 29–54 10-Meter Ham Band, VHF Lo, 6-Meter Ham Band 108–136.9875... -
Page 5: Scanning Legally
Note: Mobile use of this scanner is unlawful or requires a permit in some areas. Check the laws in your area. SCANNING LEGALLY Your scanner covers frequencies used by many different groups including police and fire departments, ambulance services, gov-... -
Page 6: Table Of Contents
Channel Storage Banks ... 19 Service Banks ... 20 Monitor Memories ... 24 Operation ... 25 Turning On the Scanner/Setting Volume and Squelch ... 25 Resetting/Initializing the Scanner ... 25 Resetting the Scanner ... 26 Initializing the Scanner ... 26 Storing Known Frequencies into Channels ... - Page 7 Special Features ... 36 Delay ... 36 Locking Out Channels or Frequencies ... 36 Locking Out Channels ... 36 Locking Out Frequencies ... 37 Reviewing Locked-Out Frequencies ... 37 Removing Lockouts From All Frequencies ... 37 Removing Lockouts From All Frequencies in All Service Banks ...
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Page 8: Preparation
PREPARATION Note: If the scanner’s display locks up or does not work properly after you connect a power source, you might need to reset or ini- tialize the scanner. Important: If you have problems, first try to reset the scanner (see “Resetting the Scanner”... -
Page 9: Using Ac Power
Warning: Dispose of old batteries promptly and properly. Do not burn or bury them. Caution: If you do not plan to use the scanner with batteries for a month or more, remove the batteries. Batteries can leak chem- icals that can destroy electronic parts. -
Page 10: Charging Rechargeable Batteries
• You must have installed Ni-Cd rechargeable batteries in the supplied yellow rechargeable battery holder in order to charge them while they are in the scanner. If you use Ni-MH or high-capacity Ni-Cd batteries in your scanner, you must use an external charger to charge them. -
Page 11: Connecting An Antenna
You can use the supplied antenna, or you can connect an external one (not supplied). Connecting the Supplied Antenna The supplied flexible antenna helps your scanner receive strong local signals. Follow these steps to install the antenna. 1. Align the slots around the antenna’s connector with the tabs on the antenna jack. -
Page 12: Connecting An Outdoor Antenna
For lengths over 50 feet, use RG-8 low-loss dielectric coaxial cable. If the antenna cable’s connector does not fit in the scanner’s antenna jack, you might also need a PL-259-to-BNC antenna plug adapter. Your local RadioShack store carries a wide variety of coaxial antenna cable and connectors. -
Page 13: Connecting An Earphone/Headphones
For private listening, you can connect an earphone or head- phones with a -inch (3.5-mm) plug to the the scanner. (Your local RadioShack store carries a wide selec- tion of earphones and headphones). Connecting an earphone or headphones automatically disconnects the internal speaker. -
Page 14: Traffic Safety
Doing so can create a traffic hazard and could be ille- gal in some areas. • If you use an earphone/headphones with your scanner while riding a bicycle, be very careful. Do not listen to a continu- ous transmission. Even though some earphones/head- phones let you hear some outside sounds when listening at normal volume levels, they still can present a traffic hazard. -
Page 15: Understanding Your Scanner
Once you understand a few simple terms we use in this manual and familiarize yourself with your scanner’s features, you can put the scanner to work for you. You simply determine the type of communications you want to receive, then set the scanner to scan them. - Page 16 Lets you search the scanner’s preprogrammed BAND service-search banks. Turns the priority feature on and off; turns the PRI/ALERT WX alert mode on and off. Scans the seven preprogrammed weather chan- nels. Scans any preprogrammed channels. SCAN Stops scanning and lets you directly enter a channel number.
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Page 17: A Look At The Display
A LOOK AT THE DISPLAY The display has indicators that show the scanner’s current oper- ating status. This quick look at the display will help you under- stand how your scanner operates. Appears when you lock the keypad. Indicates the search or scan direction. - Page 18 Appears when you remove all the lock-outs from dEFAULt the service bank frequencies. Appears when the scanner receives a data error D-Err during wired programming. Appears when you program a 2-second delay. Appears when the scanner has finished wired programming.
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Page 19: Understanding Banks
Appears when you turn the key tone on. on tonE Appears when the scanner is tuned to the priority channel. Appears when you program frequencies into the scanner’s channels. Appears when the priority feature is turned on. SCAN Appears when the scanner scans channels. -
Page 20: Service Banks
This is handy for quickly finding active frequencies instead of searching through an entire band (see “Searching the Service Banks” on Page 28). Note: The frequencies in the scanner’s service banks are pre- set. You cannot change them. Fire/Police Group Frequency Range (MHz) 33.420–33.980... - Page 21 Group Frequency Range (MHz) 108.000–136.9875 Amateur Radio Group Marine Channel Frequency Range (MHz) 453.0375–453.9625 458.0375–458.9625 460.0125–460.6375 465.0125–465.6375 Frequency Range (MHz) 29.000–29.700 50.000–54.000 144.000–148.000 420.000–450.000 Frequency (MHz) 156.3000 156.3500 156.4000 156.4500 156.5000 156.5500 156.6000 156.6500 Step (kHz) 12.5 12.5 12.5 12.5 Step (kHz) 12.5 Step...
- Page 22 Channel Frequency (MHz) 156.7000 156.7500 156.8000 156.8500 156.9000 156.9500 157.0000/161.6000 157.0500 157.1000 157.1500 157.2000/161.8000 157.2500/161.8500 157.3000/161.9000 157.3500/161.9500 157.4000/162.0000 156.2250 156.2750 156.3250 156.3750 156.4250 156.4750 156.5250 156.5750 156.6250 156.6750 156.7250 156.8750...
- Page 23 Channel 157.2250/161.8250 157.2750/161.8750 157.3250/161.9250 157.3750/161.9750 Frequency (MHz) 156.9250 156.9750 157.0250 157.0750 157.1250 157.1750 157.4250...
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Page 24: Monitor Memories
MONITOR MEMORIES The scanner has 20 monitor memories that you can use to tem- porarily store frequencies while you decide whether to save them into channels. This is handy for quickly storing an active frequency when you are searching through an entire band. You can store a frequency into a monitor memory during a service bank, or direct search. -
Page 25: Operation
4. To turn off the scanner when you finish, turn terclockwise to RESETTING/INITIALIZING THE SCANNER If the scanner’s display locks up or does not work properly after you connect a power source, you might need to reset or initialize the scanner. -
Page 26: Resetting The Scanner
Then gently press the reset button inside the open- ing. Information disappears from the display as you press the reset button. Note: If the scanner still does not work properly, you might need to initialize the scanner (see “Initializing the Scanner”). Initializing the Scanner Important: This procedure clears all information you stored in the scanner’s memory. -
Page 27: Storing Known Frequencies Into Channels
• Your scanner automatically rounds the entered frequency down to the closest valid frequency. For example, if you enter a frequency of 151.473, your scanner accepts it as 151.470. • If you entered a frequency that is already stored in... -
Page 28: Finding And Storing Active Frequencies
Notes: • You can use the scanner’s delay feature while searching the service banks, see “Delay” on Page 36. • To listen to the marine bank, see “Listening to the Marine Bank”... -
Page 29: Using Direct Search
Steps 2–4. Using Direct Search During a direct search, the scanner searches up or down, start- ing from a frequency you specify. Follow these steps to use di- rect search. Ch-FULL... - Page 30 Note: You can use the scanner’s delay feature while using di- rect search. 1. Press then enter the frequency (including the decimal point) you want to use as a starting point for the search. Note: To start from a frequency already stored in one of your scanner’s channels, press...
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Page 31: Using Monitor Memory
• If you entered a frequency that is already stored in another channel, numbered channel containing the duplicate frequency flash on the display for about 3 seconds. If you want to store the frequency anyway, press 4. To store the displayed frequency in a monitor memory, press MON/CL quency flash twice. -
Page 32: Scanning The Stored Channels
To set the scanner to continuously scan through all channels with stored frequencies, simply press pear, and the scanner begins to rapidly scan until it finds an ac- tive frequency. When the scanner finds an active frequency, it stops and dis-... -
Page 33: Turning Channel-Storage Banks Off And On
The bar under the bank’s number disappears. Note: The scanner does not scan any of the channels within the banks you have turned off. To turn on a channel-storage bank (1–10) press press the bank’s number key. -
Page 34: Clearing A Stored Channel
To stop scanning the channels, hold down seconds. You can select a marine channel directly. When the scanner stops scanning the marine bank, use the number keys to enter the two-digit channel number. LISTENING TO THE WEATHER BAND... -
Page 35: Wx Alert
National Weather Service broad- caster in your area broadcasts a weather alert tone. To set the scanner so it sounds an alarm when a weather alert tone is broadcast, press the WX channel. -
Page 36: Special Features
To avoid missing a reply, you can program a 2-second delay into any channel or set a delay for all frequencies. When your scanner stops on a channel or frequency with a programmed delay,... -
Page 37: Locking Out Frequencies
L/O/L/O RVW The scanner locks out the frequency then continues searching. You can lock out frequencies in both direct search and service bank searches. Note: You can lock out as many as 50 frequencies during a search. -
Page 38: Removing Lockouts From All Frequencies In All Service Banks
You can program one frequency into the priority channel. As the scanner scans, if the priority feature is turned on, the scanner checks the priority channel for activity every 2 seconds. -
Page 39: Using The Display Backlight
5 seconds. To turn off LIGHT the light sooner, press TURNING THE KEY TONE ON AND OFF The scanner is preset to sound a tone each time you press one of its keys (except LIGHT 1. If the scanner is on, turn clicks to turn the scanner off. -
Page 40: Avoiding Image Frequencies
This is rare, and the image signal is usually cleared whenever there is a transmission on the actual frequen- for about 3 seconds un- for about 3 seconds until the scanner beeps disappears. appears. To turn it 474.675... -
Page 41: A General Guide To Scanning
458.175 480.575 490.3375 To find the birdies in your individual scanner, begin by discon- necting the antenna and moving it away from the scanner. Make sure that no other nearby radio or TV sets are turned on near the scanner. Use the search function and search every frequen- cy range from its lowest frequency to the highest. -
Page 42: Guide To The Action Bands
GUIDE TO THE ACTION BANDS Typical Band Usage (MHz) VHF Band Low Range 6-Meter Amateur Aircraft U.S. Government 2-Meter Amateur High Range UHF Band Military Aircraft U.S. Government 70-Centimeter Amateur Low Range FM-TV Audio Broadcast, Wide Band Primary Usage As a general rule, most of the radio activity is concentrated on the following frequencies: VHF Band Activities... -
Page 43: Band Allocation
To help decide which frequency ranges to scan, use the follow- ing listing of the typical services that use the frequencies your scanner receives. These frequencies are subject to change, and might vary from area to area. For a more complete listing, refer to the Police Call Radio Guide including Fire and Emergency Services , available at your local RadioShack store. - Page 44 TELM ....... Telephone Maintenance TOW ......... . Tow Trucks TRAN .
- Page 45 VHF High Band (148–174 MHz) 148.050–150.345 ......CAP, MAR, MIL 150.775–150.790 ........MED 150.815–150.980 .
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Page 46: Frequency Conversion
Low Band (450–470 MHz) 450.050–450.925 ........RTV 451.025–452.025 . -
Page 47: Troubleshooting
TROUBLESHOOTING If your scanner is not working as it should, these suggestions might help you eliminate the problem. If the scanner still does not operate properly, take it to your local RadioShack store for assistance. PROBLEM POSSIBLE CAUSE Scanner is... -
Page 48: Care And Maintenance
CARE AND MAINTENANCE Your RadioShack PRO-79 200 Channel VHF/Air/UHF Hand- held Scanner is an example of superior design and craftsman- ship. The following suggestions will help you care for your scanner so you can enjoy it for years. Keep the scanner dry. If it gets wet, wipe it dry immedi- ately. -
Page 49: Specifications
SPECIFICATIONS Frequency Coverage (MHz): 10 Meter Amateur Radio ... 29–30 (in 5 kHz steps) VHF Lo ... 30–50 (in 5 kHz steps) 6 Meter Amateur Radio ... 50–54 (in 5 kHz steps) Aircraft ... 108–136.9875 (in 12.5 kHz steps) Government ... 137–144 (in 5 kHz steps) 2 Meter Amateur Radio ... - Page 50 Power Requirements ... 6 Volts DC, 4 AA Batteries AC Adapter (Optional) DC Adapter (Optional) Current Drain (Squelched) ... 45 mA Dimensions (HWD) ... 5 Inches (145 34 mm) Weight (without antenna and batteries) ... 7.9 oz (224 g) Supplied Accessories ... Antenna, Battery Holder, Rechargeable Battery Holder Specifications are typical;...
- Page 51 NOTES...
- Page 52 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 company-owned stores and authorized RadioShack franchisees and deal- ers. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN, RadioShack MAKES NO EXPRESS WAR- RANTIES IMPLIED WARRANTIES,...