[Scan-DC] RE: Pro-197

[Jeff Krauss]

If you're within a few miles of an FM station transmitter, there are 
recommendations to buy a notch filter, to eliminate overload and 
intermod problems.
I know that when I drive through downtown Rockville, my Pro-106 can't 
receive Montgomery County transmissions in a few areas.  But a few 
blocks away it's fine.

At 11:45 PM 12/27/2008, oldsdoug at hotmail.com wrote:

>Thanks Jeff, most helpful!  I purchased the BuTel software today, 
>having used it before, and was gonna go get a programming cable but 
>something else came up so will get that tomorrow.
>
>After I bought the software I started to get mad at the darn radio 
>for all the garbles and thought, shoot, I shouldn't have bought the 
>software, I'd return the thing, so your hint about attenuation is 
>also very valuable - will take a look at that... hadn't thought of 
>it but that could be the problem as I would expect the signal 
>strength to be quite strong here.  Yeah, I had been under the 
>impression that the earlier models were quite sensitive and figured 
>that these would be at least as good, hence my disappointment with 
>the garbled reception.
>
>Sounds like most of you guys here who have these radios are ahead of 
>where I am on the curve, so again, I appreciate the advice and 
>comments!  Will keep you posted on my "progress"!
>
>Regards,
>
>Doug
>
>----------------------------------------
> > Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:59:48 -0500
> > From: jeff at krauss.ws
> > Subject: Pro-197
> > To: scan-dc at mailman.qth.net; oldsdoug at hotmail.com
> >
> >
> >>Message: 2
> >>Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 11:52:18 -0500
> >>From:
> >>Subject: [Scan-DC] Radio Shack PRO-197 - Questions and comments
> >>To:
> >>Message-ID:
> >>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
> >>
> >>
> >>First, many thanks to those who gave us the word about the $200-off
> >>sale price on the PRO-197 (and its portable mate, whatever that
> >>is). I ordered one before Xmas and had it shipped to a friend since
> >>I was away, and picked it up yesterday. So far, so good, but a
> >>couple of questions, if anybody else has one. First, I think that
> >>the programming for Montgomery County may be out of date, as I don't
> >>think it has the four talkgroups that they added and those that were
> >>reassigned on the fire side - 7-Kilo was one of them, I don't recall
> >>the other three right now.
> >
> > The 7K, 7L, 71K and 71L talkgroups are in the Vscanner 1
> > pre-programmed file, but their TG numbers are not in sequence with
> > the other FD talkgroups. In any event, you should consider adding a
> > wildcard TGRP object for the Montgomery County TSYS if you want to
> > listen to things like snowplows and other non-public safety
> > transmissions. If so, you'll need to add specific TGRP objects for
> > the two MOSCAD TGs and then lock them out.
> >
> > BTW, I use the WIN500 software.
> >
> >
> >>Also, I'm betting that the system for Arlington VA is not the "new"
> >>one... not sure whether I have Arlington activated but haven't heard
> >>anything so far.
> >
> > Right. I added the Arlington P25 TSYS and TGRP objects into the same
> > scanlist that the Arlington analog system is on. I hear transmissions
> > on both systems.
> > I also added TSYS objects and TGRP objects for WMAA, Washington Gas,
> > BWI, Fort Detrick and WMATA into a different scanlist. But then I
> > locked out the WMATA system because all I heard was bus drivers and
> > supervisors.
> >
> >>I suspect that this receiver isn't quite as good as the Uniden
> >>radios, was hearing some garbles last night... right now I have the
> >>back-of-set antenna on it in an outside room, with antenna up about
> >>10 inches, it seems to work better that way than with the antenna
> >>fully extended... no garbles from the BC-796 with the same setup on
> >>the other side of the wall.
> >
> > These radios have a reputation for being very sensitive. So
> > sometimes the garbling problem is due to front end overload. Some
> > have reported success by adding attenuation (ATT) on some systems.
> >
>
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