[Scan-DC] Scanners & Mil Air Band

[Jeffery R. Smith]

Al,
For what it's worth. I have asked the local Radio Shack folks a few times
why they did this. Keep in mind this was the opinion of salespeople on the
floor. But they all stated that RS got away from the UHF MILAIR band there
for a while because at the time when they where dealing in predominately
conventional scanners, the MILAIR capable rigs were the "HIGH END" scanners.
So that being the case they were the higher priced scanners and tended to
not be sold as well as the lower cost rigs. 

If memory serves they started pulling the MILAIR capable rigs off the shelf
at about the time the FCC started passing rules stating that scanners could
not be easily modified for cell. I remember my Pro-26 was the last one they
had and they already pulled it off the shelf because they were supposed to
send it back to do whatever needed to be done to adhere to the new cell
phone stuff. I managed to talk them out of it. So maybe the Cell Phone deal
had something to do with it as well. Just thinking out loud here.

I know they are losing a lot of business. Especially around bases. I work at
the V22 Osprey HGR down here at PAX and there are MILAIR capable rigs all
over the place. Most are outdated Pro-43s that I can't get anybody to sell
to me. :-0 Almost every time I walk into the local RS the guy knows I am
there for scanner accessories like COAX, connectors or whatever. I guess he
finally gave up on showing me the latest and greatest scanner. 

-----Original Message-----
From: scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of al
Sent: Saturday, December 18, 2004 3:21 PM
To: scan-dc at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Scan-DC] Scanners & Mil Air Band


>For the RS/GRE PRO96 (and presumably the upcoming PRO-2096, now expected
>to be released sometime next month) Win96 from Don Starr is the clear
choice.
>This package has the ability, unlike some others, to do things the other 
>software
>packages can't; for example, using Win96 can enable the PRO96 to receive 
>the UHF milair
>band (225-400 Mhz).

  This excerpt,above, talking about a web sites reorganization,got me 
wondering again.

Why is it Radio Shack,amoung others,refuses to include mil-air band on most 
of its scanners? Does it cost alot to have it?

  For example,I traded a perfectly good Pro-2053 for a Pro-2052 'cause the 
2052 has mil-air & the 2053 does not.When I decided to buy a 2053 I only 
glanced at its spec's.I remember seeing the 225 freq when looking at its 
specs & realised after the purchase it only included some new amateur band 
& ended just a few megs up.
  Another control that seem's to have fallen by the way side is the use of 
manual mode control.Their are a number of AM mode trans in the 140 meg 
range that cannot be heard 'cause the modes cannot be manually changed.It 
took a long time for the scanner makers to speed up scan/search rates & 
then they go & eliminate the very band,225-400,where fast searching was the 
most usefull.
Maybe it's due to "trunking" & the makers thinking past options are no 
longer needed?

  Just does not make alot of sense to me.

  Al
--
al dudley ....wash dc , usa
  ald61650 at comcast.net
*********************
  pro 26,2006,2052
pcr1000,r100
*********************

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