[Scan-DC] Pro-106

[Steve Thompson]

I got an e-mail from Don Starr, creator of the Win96 software, saying that 
his Win500 software would work on the Pro106 "since it's the same as the 
GRE PSR-500."  I figure he should know.

I have used one for several hours over the past 24 and it seems to work as 
well on Fairfax public safety as the Pro96.  Both are great.  Its 
performance on VHF air seems to be about the same as that of the Pro96, 
which is to say that the sensitivity is not as good as that of my Icom 
R-10.  But I want to do some more listening to confirm that.  No checks on 
Mil Air UHF yet, but let's hope that it's better than the Pro96, which 
doesn't work there at all (even, in the case of mine, with the extended 
freq option activated).

Preliminary assessment is that the audio on all services is much better 
with the Pro106.  So is the on-screen display, which gives you more room to 
write.

I have downloaded Don's software, gotten the Radio Shack USB programming 
cable and its driver to work, and imported my Win96 frequencies and TGs 
into Win500.  And I've downloaded the Win500 content to the Pro106.

At the moment, I'm trying to figure out how to reorganize the freqs and TGs 
(which the Pro106 considers "objects") into what it calls "Scan Lists," 
which are similar to "Banks" on a Pro96.  I suppose that can be done by 
cutting and pasting, but there may be a better way that I haven't 
discovered yet.  That's been what I've been doing for only the past half-hour.

There is no Help file for the software, but being familiar with the earlier 
version helps.

This new radio has a steep learning curve, even for a Pro96 user, if you 
pay attention to its manual.  The radio is complex and the manual is poorly 
written and organized, just like the Pro96 manual.  Best to forget the 
manual and just figure it out yourself.  The software is definitely the way 
to go.

The good news is that if it's like the Pro96, once you get it set up the 
way you like, it'll run forever without a tweak.  You can do the occasional 
TG edit or add a freq sometime, but it's likely to be a very reliable 
radio.  All of the work is up front.

Steve, N4TX

At 03:06 PM 12/19/2008, israel1718 at aol.com wrote:
>Is it the same exact as the GRE 500?
>
>Has anyone used one of them? How well does it work
>Can you compare it to any other radio out there ?
>
>-
>------Original Message------
>From: Andy
>Sender: scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net
>To: scan-dc at mailman.qth.net
>Sent: Dec 19, 2008 14:55
>Subject: [Scan-DC] Pro-106
>
>Looks like Charles Town, WV store (next to the Wal*mart off of Route 340) 
>has 5 in stock.  I live 10 minutes from that store...going to get me one 
>now....
>
>-Andy_______________________________________________
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