[TrunkCom] K9DV PRO-96 Review

[dmccorm]

Hi All,

Happy Halloween Trunking!

Just when you didn't think the year could get stranger. Arnold gets a =
"total recall" in California. The Cub's are going to actually play in =
the World Series (Sort of like Back To The Future II), and GRE has done =
it again with the PRO-96. Hmmm... PRO, 96... 9600bps?

I feel the PRO-96 is a worthy challenger to the current Uniden =
TrunkTracker, BC250D and BC785D digital receivers in most areas.

The price tag of the nexgen digitrackers is getting out of the hobbyist =
area and more into the professional level with price tags closer to the =
kilobuck range, but I have been fortunate to get one to replace my =
PRO-92. Alas, I will miss the GRE LTR features that hopefully the =
engineers can add to the DSP ungradable firmware. If not, I think Uniden =
will continue to have the upper hand in the LTR tracking department.
Rob Dale mentioned that it's been indicated elsewhere that the GRE =
license for LTR tracking had expired, and that maybe there wasn't enough =
demand to meet the cost. Hadn't thought of that, perhaps he is right. =
GRE needs to take another look at that.

The PRO-96 has an impressive resume too, 3600/9600bps, APCO-25, Phase I, =
C4FM capable trunking receiver with a TXCO oscillator for the new =
6.25KHz narrow band trunk allocation. Great reception in the 800MHz =
trunking bands. Very quick CTCSS/DCS decode. Ability to use Alkaline or =
Nicad rechargeable batteries with supplied color coded battery cases. =
Great readable back lit (adjustable or continuous) keypad and display =
(orange). 10 talkgroup id banks for a total of 1500 id's. The V-scanner =
(virtual scanner) is a great feature and not hard to use menu at all. =
Loud and clear audio. Good squelch control.

If you are accustom to any of the other GRE trunkscanners then you will =
already be familiar with most of the operation and display methods used =
on the PRO-96. The text entry and open and closed methods are still =
there. For Motorola trunking all you need to do is program the control =
channel and the mode set to MO and then press scan. EDACS functions are =
the same with AFS or decimal talkgroup display.

The chassis finish, display, keypad, and ergonomics on this receiver are =
top notch. My only complaint on the faceplate (as Rich Wells also =
pointed out) is the hard to see orange lettering above the keys.=20


My battery life for Alkaline was about 7~8 hours continuous use. 1000 =
mAh Nicad's have lasted about 10 hours. I went with the RadioShack =
273-1770, 9V 800mA adapter, but as before I am using the "B" size =
adaptaplug, in place of the "C" size, mentioned in the manual. As I =
recall this was an issue with the PRO-93/95.

As I understand it from the manual, the DSP firmware in the PRO-96 could =
eventually be upgraded in the field via a download from the RadioShack =
support page (if, and when, it becomes available). The manual doesn't go =
into the details of how to get the DSP upgrade into the scanner, such as =
what cable to use, or what software will be needed, or even if it will =
include an additional cost. I would hope at least, that the engineering =
development time expended on this feature would not be in vane.

Some authorized dealers such as Grove and Scanners Unlimited have been =
able to scare up some early shipments from RadioShack. Early sales have =
been from RadioShack direct, with the RadioShack.com web page showing =
conflicting reports of available direct via 1-800-the-shack, via web =
page, and displaying "in stores" while simultaneously displaying "not =
available in stores" on the same HTML. Now I see that the "not available =
in stores" message has sense been removed to reduce further confusion. =
Reports of in store availability are starting to surface in primarily =
digital trunked radio locations.


I think the greatest feature of the PRO-96 has to be that it's =
"cardless", meaning that during a digital call you do not have to adjust =
the DSP decoded voice threshold, or select the baud rate for the system, =
as you most likely will do on the new Uniden models. As it looks in what =
little information available so far, Uniden will be shipping the next =
generation BC296D and BC796D, with the BCi25 card already installed. I =
feel this is a real selling feature for GRE.=20


Listening to a full moon induced high-speed car chase the other evening. =
I noticed no warbling or drop out in the digital signal on the PRO-96. =
The audio was crystal clear with the siren clear in te background. Some =
chirping was noted at the tail end of some transmissions on the BC250D =
from the same system. This system was about 35 miles south of the QTH. I =
was using the new RadioShack #20-283, 800MHz antenna on both receivers. =
This antenna also works well in other Uhf/Vhf bands. I have no problem =
hearing the low band police, rail, or aero bands as equal or better than =
the supplied duck. 800MHz receive is better than with my Optoelectronics =
RD-800, 800MHz 3dB, BNC antenna. The PRO-96 seems to receive the 800MHz =
public service band better than the BC250D and is able to pick up fringe =
or DX trunking systems well.=20

Another feature is listed in the hint section of the manual in the =
trunking section. If you stop on the current Motorola control channel in =
the manual mode you will see the display of the system id and a general =
representation of the signal quality. This feature is very similar to =
the Trunker.exe display and the system id is correctly displayed as Hex. =
This brings me to wonder, why not add the ability to switch between =
Uniden decimal, Motorola decimal 8, or Hex into the DSP, such as the =
EDACS decimal and AFS display giving you the personal preference. It =
will also display the baud rate as 36=3D3600bps and 96=3D9600bps. When =
tracking a 9600 bps networked system reports indicate it will alternate =
tower number Txxxx, RF ID number, Site ID, and the Wide Area =
Communications Number ID. During digital receive, a DG=3Ddigital is =
displayed in the upper right hand corner of the display next to the open =
or closed symbol.

The V-scanner feature is also a great sell. If you want to plan a trip =
and want to set your scanner up for the trunked systems in the areas in =
the route you take, or the destination, you have 11 full memory maps =
that you can interchange with the active memory. This effectively makes =
a 500-channel scanner, a 5500-channel scanner (with 5000 backup channels =
and 500 active channels). A V-scanner memory management display is =
available by pressing the program, function, program key sequence. This =
menu lets you transfer your files between storage and the active memory, =
as well as save or delete them. You can also clone between PRO-96's in =
this menu. Up to 1500 talkgroup id's can be stored. The 11'th V-scanner =
bank is considered a scratch pad to put your working scanner memory in. =
The PRO-96 V-scanner files came pre-loaded with trunked system =
frequencies and talkgroups for many areas of the US. Unfortunately, some =
reports have stated (not surprisingly) that some of the system =
information was already out of date.=20

It is not a great idea to fill these memories manually by hand. I feel =
carpal tunnel could become a factor when trying to enter all the =
information from the keypad. Two software packages are currently =
available to help. TrunkStar9235 supports the PRO-96 and has a great web =
grabber feature that will take frequencies and talkgroups as well as =
their associated alpha tags and import them into the radio file.

This program is well written and is based on the existing software =
written by Signal Intelligence for the GRE series from the PRO-92 to the =
PRO-95. However this software is written for Scanners Unlimited and only =
sold by them. The programming cable is also available from Glenn at =
Scannersunlimited.com.

Another great program was written by Don Starr of Starrsoft called =
Win96. Don has a lot of pride in his work and has written freeware WinXX =
software for the GRE series of radios from PRO-92 to PRO-95. Even now =
Don offers a 15 day trial and a low registration fee. Don has given the =
PRO-96 extended frequency coverage, ability to change the low battery =
threshold, sorting abilities by frequency and talkgroups, and many other =
great features. Don is continuously updating his software as he finds =
something new.=20

In the software enabled extended frequency coverage is the 764-796MHz =
range. If used for trunking systems, the PRO-96 may be the first radio =
to unofficially work in this band, but only if the DSP firmware is =
upgraded to the 6.25KHz narrow band mode of choise.=20

Both of the programs use the cables previously used with the PRO-92 =
through the PRO-95.

Don Starr has a complete list of cables at his Starrsoft.com website.

I know the PRO-96 is just hitting the stores, but here is what I think =
is needed for a DSP firmware upgrade or upgraded features for the next =
GRE model.

LTR/LTR Multinet tracking: Many business/private systems in the Midwest =
with some public safety systems noted. Possible DSP update?

CQPSK tracking: Some reports are conflicting as to what Motorola APCO-25 =
Phase II includes, but it appears that some Phase I networked systems =
are experimenting with CQPSK. Sort of a Phase I =BD.=20

Austin, Cincinnati, Phoenix, and the state of Minnesota Motorola Phase I =
systems, appear to be using CQPSK. Could this be a DSP firmware upgrade =
in the near future?

EDACS Scat and Provoice: DSP possible?

OpenSKY tracking: Not many systems with OpenSky yet, but there are in =
the state of Pennsylvania. Another DSP possibility.

Motorola/EDACS/LTR modes: in search and tune functions as well as the =
CTCSS/DCS modes. DSP?

Icalls: in Decimal and or Hex. Again DSP?

Inactive id hold with direct keypad entry by entering the id, then =
pressing hold.

Ability to scroll through the id list on hold with ability to listen to =
talkgroups.

Hex display for Motorola talkgroups (the sysid feature will do this)

Computer control beyond just memory management

Baseband audio/slicer output (see comment below)

Rail band with AAR channels in the pre-programmed service search.

Military air band beyond the extended frequency ranges made available =
via Win96 software enable.

Some scanner birdies are saying a possible RadioShack discount for the =
holidays (~$399.99).

Conflicting reports of a "secret feature" between scanner hobby boards =
have spontaneously created some urban legends, total denial, and damage =
control, just in time for Halloween. Reports of a hidden internal FRS =
radio (after all RadioShack created the FRS radio), A cell phone, an =
external screen connector, digital chip audio recording of scanner =
audio, remote control for your stereo and TV, etc, etc, of which, I will =
not speculate on, but I do notice that the PRO-96 headphone jack (not =
the PC/IF) appears to have 3 or 4 ring contacts...


The GRE PRO-96 is a great trunking receiver. Time will tell if it will =
stand up against the Uniden BC296D and BC796D.

...Anyone see that PRO-99 Race Scanner? I sure hope RadioShack did their =
homework on that one. Who knows what Nextel will do with the NASCAR in =
car audio... Now that's scary!


73's and Good Trunking,
K9DV


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