20-501
PRO-83 200 Channel
compact scanner w/sweep
search and lighted keypad
Read this user’s guide completely
before using your scanner
Contents
The Basics
The FCC wants you to know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
powering your scanner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
using rechargeable batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
using AC power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
using vehicle battery power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
setting up your scanner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
connecting the antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
connecting an optional antenna . . . . . . . . . . . 13
connecting an earphone/headphone . . . . . . . 14
connecting an extension speaker . . . . . . . . . . 15
attaching the belt clip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
about your scanner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
a look at the keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
a look at the display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
understanding banks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
service banks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
channel storage banks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Beyond the Basics
operating your scanner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
turning on the scanner and setting squelch . . 25
storing known frequencies into channels . . . . 25
searching for and temporarily storing
active frequencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
service search. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
The Basics 2
storing frequencies into channels during
service search. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
scanning the stored channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
manually selecting a channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
signal stalker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Skywarn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
WX alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
chain search. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
paging system eliminator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
storing frequencies found during chain
search into channel memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
program band select mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
direct entry search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
storing frequencies found during direct
entry search into channel memory . . . . . . . . 44
search skip memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
delay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
turning channel-storage banks on and off . . . . 48
locking out channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
priority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
using keylock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
wired programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
using the display/key backlight. . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
frequently asked questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
warranty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
©2004. RadioShack Corporation. All rights reserved.
RadioShack and RadioShack.com are trademarks used by
RadioShack Corporation.
3 The Basics
The FCC wants you to know
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a
Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits
are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference
in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can
radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance
with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to
radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the
equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Consult your local RadioShack store or an experienced radio/TV
technician for help.
• If you cannot eliminate the interference, the FCC requires that you stop
using your scanner.
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by RadioShack may
cause interference and void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
You must use shielded interface cables with this equipment.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful
interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation.
The Basics 4
powering your scanner
You can power your scanner from any of three
sources:
• internal batteries (not supplied)
• standard AC power (using an optional
AC adapter)
• vehicle battery power (using an optional
DC adapter)
Before installing batteries, set the switch in the
battery compartment to match the type of batteries
you will use. Select RECHARGEABLE for all
non-alkaline battery types, including lithium, Ni-Cd
and Ni-MH.
Remove battery cover and set battery switch.
5 The Basics
Install 2 AA batteries, matching the polarity
symbols (+ -).
Replace the cover.
The Basics 6
Warning: Set ALKALINE/RECHARGEABLE to
RECHARGEABLE for use only with nickel cadmium
(Ni-Cd) or nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) rechargeable
batteries. Never attempt to recharge nonrechargeable batteries. Non-rechargeable batteries
can get hot or explode if you try to recharge them.
Cautions:
• Use only fresh batteries of the required size and
recommended type.
• Do not mix batteries of different capacities or
different chemistries.
• Always remove old or weak batteries. Batteries
can leak chemicals that destroy electronic
circuits.
When flashes and the scanner beeps every 15
seconds, replace both batteries.
Warning: Always dispose of old batteries promptly
and properly. Do not bury or burn them.
using rechargeable batteries
You can also use two rechargeable batteries to
power your scanner. Before you use Ni-Cd or Ni-MH
batteries, you must charge them.
The scanner has a built-in circuit that lets you
recharge Ni-Cd or Ni-MH batteries while they are in
the scanner. To charge the batteries, set ALKALINE/
7 The Basics
RECHARGEABLE inside the battery compartment to
RECHARGEABLE, install the batteries in the scanner,
and connect an external AC or DC adapter to the
scanner's DC 6V jack (see “using AC power” on
Page 10 or “using vehicle battery power” on
Page 11).
Warning: Do not connect either the AC or DC
adapter to the scanner if non-rechargeable batteries
(such as alkaline batteries) are installed in the scanner and ALKALINE/RECHARGEABLE is set to
RECHARGEABLE, or if you are unsure of the
switch's position. Non-rechargeable batteries will
get hot and can even explode if you try to recharge
them.
Before you use Ni-Cd or Ni-MH batteries for the first
time, charge them for 14 hours to bring them to a
full charge.
Discharged batteries take about 14 hours to fully
recharge.
Notes:
• Ni-Cd batteries last longer and deliver more
power if you occasionally let them fully
discharge. To do this, simply use the scanner
until it beeps every 15 seconds and flashes.
• To prevent damage to Ni-Cd batteries, never
charge them in an area where the temperature is
above 113°F (40°C) or below 40°F (4°C).
The Basics 8
• If you connect an external power source to the
scanner with ALKALINE/RECHARGEABLE set to
ALKALINE, CHArg appears but the scanner
does NOT charge the batteries. This is because
the scanner's microprocessor unit does not
recognize the switch position when you
incorrectly connect an external power source.
Make sure that you use the correct batteries and
set ALKALINE/RECHARGEABLE to the correct
position when you connect an external power
source.
Important: The EPA certified RBRC
Battery Recycling Seal on the
rechargeable battery indicates
RadioShack is voluntarily
participating in an industry program
to collect and recycle these batteries
a the end of their useful life, when taken out of
service in the United States or Canada. The RBRC
program provides a convenient alternative to
placing used rechargeable batteries into the trash or
the municipal waste stream, which may be illegal in
your area. Please call 1-800-THE-SHACK
(1-800-843-7422) for information on rechargeable
battery recycling and disposal bans/restrictions in
your area. RadioShack's involvement in this
program is part of the company's commitment to
preserving our environment and conserving our
natural resources.
9 The Basics
using AC power
You can power the scanner using a 6V, 300 mA AC
adapter and a size B Adaptaplug™ adapter (neither
supplied). Both are available at your local
RadioShack store.
Cautions:
• You must use a Class 2 power source that
supplies 6V DC and delivers at least 300 mA.
Its center tip must be set to positive and its plug
must fit the scanner's DC 6V jack. Using an
adapter that does not meet these specifications
could damage the scanner or the adapter.
• Always connect the AC adapter to the scanner
before you connect it to AC power. When you
finish, disconnect the adapter from AC power
before you disconnect it from the scanner.
Follow these steps to use the scanner on AC power.
Make sure the power is turned off.
Insert the Adaptaplug into the AC adapter's
cord so it reads TIP +. Then, insert the
Adaptaplug into the scanner's DC 6V jack.
Plug the AC adapter into a standard AC outlet.
The Basics 10
using vehicle battery power
You can power the scanner from a vehicle's 12V
power source (such as a cigarette-lighter socket)
using a 6V, 300 mA DC adapter and a size B
Adaptaplug (neither supplied). Both are available at
your local RadioShack store.
Cautions:
• You must use a power source that supplies 6V DC
and delivers at least 300 mA. Its center tip must
be set to positive and its plug must fit the scanner's DC 6V jack. Using an adapter that does not
meet these specifications could damage the
scanner or the adapter.
• Always connect the DC adapter to the scanner
before you connect it to the power source.
When you finish, disconnect the adapter from
the power source before you disconnect it from
the scanner.
Make sure the power is turned off.
If the adapter has a voltage switch, set the switch
to 6V.
Insert the Adaptaplug into the DC adapter's cord
so it reads TIP +. Then, insert the Adaptaplug into
the scanner's DC 6V jack.
Plug the other end of the adapter into your
vehicle's cigarette-lighter socket.
11 The Basics
If rechargeable batteries are installed and
ALKALINE/RECHARGEABLE is set to
RECHARGEABLE, the adapter powers the scanner
and recharges the installed batteries at the same
time.
Note: If the scanner does not operate properly
when you use a DC adapter, unplug the adapter
from the cigarette-lighter socket and clean the
socket to remove ashes and debris.
The Basics 12
setting up your scanner
connecting the antenna
To attach the supplied flexible antenna to the
connector on the top of your scanner, align the slots
around the antenna's connector with the tabs on the
scanner's BNC connector. Then slide the antenna's
connector down over the scanner's connector and
rotate the antenna connector's outer ring clockwise
until it locks into place.
connecting an optional antenna
The scanner's BNC connector makes it easy to
connect a variety of optional antennas, including an
external mobile antenna or outdoor base station
antenna. Your local RadioShack store sells a wide
selection of antennas.
13 The Basics
Note: Always use 50-ohm, RG-58, or RG-8, coaxial
cable to connect an outdoor antenna. If the antenna
is more than 50 feet from the scanner, use RG-8 lowloss dielectric coaxial cable. If your antenna's cable
does not have a BNC connector, your local
RadioShack store carries a variety of BNC adapters.
connecting an earphone/headphone
For private listening, you can plug a 1/8-inch
(3.5 mm) mini-plug earphone or mono headphones
(not supplied) into the headphone jack on top of
your scanner. This automatically disconnects the
internal speaker.
listening safely
To protect your hearing, follow these guidelines
when you use an earphone or headphones.
• Do not listen at extremely high volume levels.
Extended high-volume listening can lead to
permanent hearing loss.
• Set the volume to the lowest setting before you
begin listening. After you begin listening, adjust
the volume to a comfortable level.
The Basics 14
• Once you set the volume, do not increase it.
Over time, your ears adapt to the volume level,
so a volume level that does not cause discomfort might still damage your hearing.
traffic safety
Do not use an earphone or headphones with your
scanner when operating a motor vehicle in or near
traffic. Doing so can create a traffic hazard and could
be illegal in some areas.
If you use an earphone or headphones with your
scanner, be very careful. Do not listen to a
continuous broadcast. Even though some
earphones/headphones let you hear some outside
sounds when listening at normal volume levels, they
still can present a traffic hazard.
connecting an extension speaker
In a noisy area, an optional extension speaker, positioned in the right place, might provide more comfortable listening. Plug the speaker cable's
(3.5-mm) mini-plug into your scanner's headphone
jack. Your local RadioShack store carries a selection
of suitable speakers.
1
/8-inch
Warning: If you connect an external speaker to the
scanner's headphone jack, never connect the audio
output line to a power supply and ground. This
might damage the scanner.
15 The Basics
attaching the belt clip
To make your scanner easier to carry when you are
on the go, use the supplied belt clip. Use a Phillips
screwdriver and the supplied screws to attach the
clip to the scanner.
The Basics 16
about your scanner
We use a few simple terms in this manual to explain
the features of the scanner. Familiarize yourself with
these terms and the scanner's features, and you can
put the scanner to work for you right away. Simply
determine the type of communications you want to
receive, and then set the scanner to scan those
communications.
A frequency, expressed in kHz or MHz, is the tuning
location of a station. To find active frequencies, you
use the search function or refer to a frequency reference.
Besides searching within a selected frequency
range, you can also search your scanner's service
banks. Service banks are preset groups of frequencies categorized by the type of services that use
those frequencies. For example, many amateur
radio frequencies are located in the HAM service
bank.
When you search and find a desired frequency, you
can store it into a programmable memory location
called a channel. Channels are grouped into
channel-storage banks. The scanner has 10 channelstorage banks and each bank has 20 channels. You
can scan the channel-storage banks to see if there is
activity on the frequencies stored there.
17 The Basics
a look at the keypad
Your scanner's keys have various functions labeled
on the key tops and below the keys.
To select the function labeled on a key, simply press
the key. To select the function labeled below a key,
first press FUNC then release it. appears on the
display. Then quickly press the next key in the
function key sequence while appears.
appears or disappears as you press FUNC.
F
If your scanner's keys seem confusing at first, the
following information should help you understand
each key's function.
HOLD//:
F
F
HOLD Holds the scan or the frequency search.
Press and hold HOLD to increment channels
continuously.
FUNC + Switches between the three signal
stalker modes.
The Basics 18
SCAN/SRCH:
SCAN Scans the stored channels.
FUNC+ SRCH Starts chain search or resumes
searching.
/KEYLOCK:
Turns the display and key backlight on or off.
FUNC+ KEYLOCK Locks and unlocks the keypad.
FUNC Lets you use various functions by pressing
this key in combination with other keys.
Press and hold for more than 2 seconds to turn
the scanner on or off.
1/PRIORITY:
1 Enters a 1.
FUNC + PRIORITY Sets and turns the priority
function on or off.
2/:
2 Enters a 2.
FUNC + Selects the scan or search direction.
19 The Basics
3/SVC:
3 Enters a 3.
FUNC + SVC Lets you search the five service
search banks.
4/ALT:
4 Enters a 4.
FUNC + ALT Turns the WX alert function on or
off.
5/DLY:
5 Enters a 5.
FUNC + DLY Turns the delay function on or off.
6/B.SLCT:
6 Enters a 6.
FUNC + B.SLCT Goes to program band select
mode.
7 Enters a 7.
8/ :
8 Enters an 8.
FUNC + Selects the scan or search direction.
The Basics 20
9 Enters a 9.
.
/CLR/:
.
/CLR Enters a decimal point or clears an incor-
rect entry.
Jumps directly to the last channel in memory
(Ch#200) from any mode.
0/L/O:
0 Enters a 0.
FUNC + L/O Lets you lock out a selected channel
or skip a specified frequency.
E/PGM:
E Enters frequencies into channels.
FUNC+ PGM Programs frequencies into chan-
nels.
21 The Basics
a look at the display
The display has indicators that show the scanner's
current operating status. The display information
helps you understand how your scanner operates.
BANK - appears with numbers (1-10).
P - appears when you select a priority channel.
SCN - appears when you scan channels.
SRCH - appears during search mode.
PRI - appears when the priority feature is turned on.
HOLD - appears during scan hold mode and search
hold mode.
DLY - appears when you select a delay.
The Basics 22
L/O - appears when you manually select a channel
you locked out or a skip frequency.
- appears when you lock the keypad.
- alerts you when the battery power gets low.
PGM - appears while you store a frequency into a
channel.
or - appears during search mode.
F
- appears only when the function mode is on.
WX, POL FIRE, AIR, MRN, or HAM - appears along
with an indicator that shows the current service
bank during a service search.
ALT - appears during a WX alert or while the signal
stalker function is on.
- appears when the scanner is set to a signal
stalker mode.
23 The Basics
understanding banks
service banks
The scanner is preprogrammed with all the frequencies allocated to the weather, ham, marine, aircraft,
and police (fire/emergency) services.
channel storage banks
To make it easier to identify and select the channels
you want to listen to, the 200 channels are divided
into 10 channel-storage banks. Each bank has 20
channels. Use each channel-storage bank to group
frequencies, such as those for the police department, fire department, ambulance services, or aircraft.
For example, the police department might use four
frequencies in your town while the fire department
uses an additional four. You could program the four
police frequencies starting with Channel 1 (the first
channel in bank 1), and program the fire department
frequencies starting with Channel 21 (the first channel in bank 2).
The Basics 24
operating your scanner
turning on the scanner and setting squelch
Your scanner is preprogrammed at the factory with
150 of the most frequently used frequencies in
Channels 1 to 150. You can scan these frequencies
as soon as you turn on the scanner.
Note: Make sure the scanner's antenna is connected
before you turn it on.
Turn SQUELCH fully counterclockwise.
Press and hold for about two seconds to turn
the scanner on, and then turn VOLUME clockwise
until you hear a hissing sound.
If the scanner is scanning, press HOLD to stop
scanning, and then turn SQUELCH clockwise
until the hissing stops.
Press SCAN. See “scanning the stored channels”
on Page 30.
storing known frequencies into channels
You can locate and store specific frequencies into
channels for later use. To assist you in locating a
desired frequency from the scanner's wide range,
25 Beyond the Basics
consider using a frequency guide. Excellent references for active frequencies are the RadioShack
Police Call Guide including Fire and Emergency
Services, and Official Aeronautical Frequency Directory. We update these directories every year, so be
sure to get a current copy.
Follow these steps to store frequencies into channels.
Press HOLD. Then enter the channel number
where you want to store a frequency. Then press
FUNC and PGM. The channel number appears.
Use the number keys and
frequency (including the decimal point) you want
to store.
.
/CLR to enter the
Press E to store the frequency into the channel.
Notes:
•If you entered an invalid frequency in Step 2,
Error appears and the scanner beeps three
times. Enter a valid frequency.
•The scanner automatically rounds the entered
number to the nearest valid frequency. For
example, if you enter 151.473 (MHz), your
scanner accepts it as 151.475.
Beyond the Basics 26
•When you enter a frequency into a channel, the
scanner automatically turns on the delay
function and DLY appears. When delay is
turned on, the scanner automatically pauses
scanning 2 seconds after the end of a transmission before scanning proceeds to the next
channel. To turn the function off or on, press
FUNC + DLY.
•If you enter a frequency that has already been
entered elsewhere, the scanner sounds an
error tone and displays the channel that was
duplicated. If you entered the frequency by
mistake, press ./CLR then enter the correct frequency. To enter the frequency anyway, press E
to accept.
To program the next channel in sequence, press
FUNC + PGM and repeat Steps 2 and 3.
To program the scanner with your local Skywarn
frequency, use the supplied frequency guide to
find the frequency for your area, and then repeat
Steps 1-3 to program Channel 200 with that frequency. For more information, see “Skywarn” on
Page 36.
27 Beyond the Basics
searching for and temporarily storing active frequencies
If you do not have a reference to frequencies in your
area, use a search (except weather service search)
to find a transmission.
Note: When the scanner starts searching, it
automatically turns on the delay function. To turn
delay on or off, press FUNC + DLY.
service search
You can search for weather, ham, marine, aircraft, or
police (fire/emergency) transmissions without
knowing the specific frequencies used in your area.
Your scanner is preprogrammed with all the
frequencies allocated to these services. To use this
feature, press FUNC and SVC. SRCH appears and
the scanner searches, starting with the weather
service bank. To select a different service bank,
repeatedly press FUNC and SVC. Service mode
appears on the display.
When the scanner stops on a transmission, quickly
press HOLD to stop searching and listen to the
transmission. HOLD appears. In this mode, you can
press FUNC and or FUNC and to step
through the frequencies.
Beyond the Basics 28
To release the hold and continue searching, press
HOLD. Or, if you did not press HOLD, simply press
FUNC and or FUNC and to continue
searching.
Note: Because there are many different frequencies
allocated to fire and police departments, it can take
several minutes to search all the service
frequencies.
storing frequencies into channels during service search
You can store frequencies you found during service
search or service search hold mode into channels.
Press FUNC and PGM during service search or
service search hold mode. The frequency and the
lowest blank channel alternately appear.
Press E to store the frequency into the blank
channel. If you want to select another channel,
press FUNC + or before you press E. You
can also use the 0-9 key to select the bank.
If you entered a frequency that has already been
entered elsewhere, the scanner sounds an error
tone and displays the channel that was duplicated. If
you entered the frequency by mistake, press ./CLR,
and then enter the correct frequency. To enter the
frequency anyway, press E to accept.
29 Beyond the Basics
scanning the stored channels
To begin scanning channels, press SCAN. The
scanner scans through all non-locked channels in
the activated banks. (See “locking out channels” on
Page 48 and “turning channel-storage banks on and
off” on Page 48). When the scanner finds a transmission, it stops on it. When the transmission ends, the
scanner resumes scanning.
Notes:
• If you have not stored frequencies into any
channels, the scanner does not scan.
• If the scanner picks up unwanted partial, or very
weak transmissions, turn SQUELCH clockwise
to decrease the scanner's sensitivity to these
signals. To listen to a weak or distant station,
turn SQUELCH counterclockwise.
• To ensure proper scanning, adjust SQUELCH
until the audio mutes.
manually selecting a channel
You can continuously monitor a single channel
without scanning. This is useful if you hear an emergency broadcast on a channel and do not want to
miss any details - even though there might be periods of silence - or if you want to monitor a specific
channel.
Beyond the Basics 30
To manually select a channel, press HOLD, enter the
channel number and then press HOLD again.
Or, during scanning, if the radio stops at a channel
you want to listen to, press HOLD once. (Repeatedly
pressing HOLD at this time causes the scanner to
step through the channels.) Press SCAN to resume
automatic scanning.
signal stalker
Your scanner's Signal Stalker feature lets you set the
scanner so it detects, then displays the frequency of
a nearby strong radio transmission. You can set the
scanner so Signal Stalker works "in the background"
while you scan other frequencies, turn off normal
scanning while Signal Stalker works, or turn off Signal Stalker and use your scanner normally. You can
set the scanner so it alerts you when Signal Stalker
finds a frequency. You can also set the frequency
band where you want the scanner to look
for transmissions.
Notes:
• Signal Stalker works well for locating the source
of strong local transmissions such as mobile
and handheld two-way radios in areas with no
other strong transmission sources. However, if
you are in an area with many transmission
sources (such as pager radio transmitters, multiuse radio towers, traffic control devices, etc.),
31 Beyond the Basics
Signal Stalker might not find the transmission
you are searching for, or it might find a transmission other than the one you are searching for.
• Signal Stalker cannot detect satellite dishes or
any transmitter with a frequency above or below
the frequency ranges listed under “setting the
signal stalker options” on Page 32.
• Signal Stalker works better with some types of
transmissions than others. It might not correctly
display frequency information for transmitters
using a highly directive antenna (such as an
amateur radio beam antenna), if there are many
transmitters operating at the same time in the
same area, or if the transmitter is a broadcast
television station.
setting the signal stalker options
Press FUNC and then press and hold for 2
seconds. One of the following signal stalker
options appears...
S-S.bnd: Lets you select the signal stalker band.
S-S.ALt: Lets you select the signal stalker alert
settings.
Repeatedly press or to select the option
you want, then press E.
Beyond the Basics 32
If you selected S-S.bnd, one of the following
band names appears.
bnd Lo: VHF Low Band (25.0000 - 54.0000 MHz)
bnd Air: AIR Low Band (108.0000 - 136.9875
MHz)
bnd Hi: VHF High Band (137.0000 - 174.0000
MHz)
bnd UHF: UHF Band (406.0000 - 512.0000 MHz)
bnd 800: 800MHz Band (806.0000 - 956.0000
MHz)
If you selected S-S.Alt, skip to Step 4.
Repeatedly press or until the band you
want to search appears, and then press E to
select it. Otherwise, press ./CLR if you do not
want to select it.
The scanner displays the following options.
Lo On or Lo OFF
Air On or Air OFF
Hi On or Hi OFF
UHF On or UHF OFF
800 On or 800 OFF
33 Beyond the Basics
Repeatedly press or until the option you
want appears, and then press E to select it.
Otherwise, press ./CLR if you do not want to
select it. Then skip to Step 7.
Press E while S-S.Alt appears. One of the
following alert options appears...
ALt bEEP: The scanner beeps when a signal
stalker signal is detected.
ALt Light: The scanner flashes the display backlight when a signal stalker signal is detected.
ALt bP-Lt: The scanner flashes the display backlight and beeps when a signal stalker signal is
detected.
ALt OFF: The scanner does not provide any alert
when a signal stalker signal is detected.
Repeatedly press or until the option you
want appears, then press E to select it.
Otherwise, press ./CLR if you do not want to
select it.
When you select the option, press SCAN to start
signal stalker search. Otherwise, to continue
normal scanning, repeatedly press FUNC until
F
disappears then press SCAN.
Beyond the Basics 34
using signal stalker
F
To turn on Signal Stalker, press FUNC + once
except in WX search, band select, or program
mode. appears. Every two seconds, the
scanner searches for frequencies in the range you
specified in “setting the signal stalker options” on
Page 32.
Note: To continue scanning normally while Signal
Stalker works, simply press SCAN.
When the scanner finds a frequency, it sounds the
alert you specified in “setting the signal stalker
options” on Page 32, and “Found” flashes. Press any
key to confirm the displayed frequency. Press SCAN
to resume scanning. Or press or while the
frequency and appear to select the band where
you are searching.
To turn on Signal Stalker and turn off normal scanning, press FUNC + twice. flashes. To turn
off Signal Stalker and turn on normal scanning,
press FUNC + three times. disappears.
35 Beyond the Basics
Skywarn
The skywarn function lets you jump directly to the
last channel in memory (Channel 200) from any
mode by pressing FUNC + . The scanner goes
into scan hold mode and starts receiving
transmissions in the last channel. If no frequency is
programmed in the last channel, No Prg appears
and the scanner sounds an error tone.
about Skywarn
Skywarn is an organized group of trained weather
observers. A Skywarn group exists in virtually every
US county with a significant population. During
inclement weather, reports made by Skywarn
observers include information about:
• pea-sized and larger hail
• wind and wind gusts 40 MPH and greater
• heavy rainfall
• lightning (cloud-to-cloud and especially cloudto-ground)
• wall clouds seen in severe thunderstorms
(which spawn tornadoes)
• severe lowering of a wall cloud
• turbulence in a wall cloud
• funnel clouds
• tornadoes
Beyond the Basics 36
• high water areas
• downed power lines
• other emergency conditions that affect life or
property
Listening to Skywarn broadcasts makes it easy to
quickly find out about and prepare for inclement
weather conditions in your immediate area, even
before your local NOAA weather broadcast and
local TV or radio station can announce them.
Use the supplied frequency list to find the local
Skywarn frequency for your area, enter it into
Channel 200 on your scanner, then listen to Skywarn
first when severe weather threatens.
Listen to NOAA: for weather alerts and warnings,
watch box notices, and weather forecasts.
Listen to Skywarn: to hear trained observers in your
vicinity call in official reports to a "net control"
station who relays those reports to NOAA and other
emergency agencies.
If you tune to a Skywarn frequency when the
Skywarn net is not active, you may hear nothing or
you may hear amateur radio operators talking on a
local repeater system.
Most importantly, you are getting those reports
directly from trained observers - that means you get
37 Beyond the Basics
it several minutes before it can be relayed for
broadcast by NOAA and as much as 5 or 10 minutes
sooner than you will hear it on local TV or radio!
Those few minutes can be worth a lot when it
comes to deciding if your family needs to take cover.
WX alert
turning on the weather alert feature
Turn on the WX alert function by pressing FUNC and
ALT in the WX search or WX search hold mode. ALT
appears. When the scanner receives a WX alert
signal while the WX alert function is on, it goes into
WX alert hold mode and generates a WX alert tone,
and ALT flashes. To stop the WX alert tone, press
any key. ALT disappears.
chain search
This feature lets you search through preset frequency ranges. You can also change each range to a
range you set. There are three modes within this
feature: chain search mode, chain search hold
mode, and program band select mode.
Beyond the Basics 38
The preset frequency ranges are:
Bank No. Frequency (MHz) Step (kHz)
1 25.0000-27.9950 5
2 28.0000-29.6950 5
3 29.7000-49.9950 5
4 50.0000-54.0000 5
5 137.0000-143.9950 5
6 144.0000-147.9950 5
7 406.0000-419.99375 6.25
8 420.0000-449.99375 6.25
9 450.0000-469.99375 6.25
10 806.0000-956.0000 12.5
chain search mode
Press FUNC and SRCH to start chain search mode.
SRCH, the enabled search bank number, and or
(indicating the search direction) appear. The
search bank number being searched flashes.
Press 0-9 to enable or disable the search bank
number being searched in this mode. Enabled bank
numbers appear. (Disabled bank numbers
disappear).
39 Beyond the Basics
At least one search bank must be enabled. (The
scanner sounds an error tone if you try to disable all
the search banks). The search bank and the frequency where chain search starts depends on how
the scanner was set before you selected chain
search mode.
chain search hold mode
To start chain search hold mode, press HOLD in
chain search mode. The scanner stops searching
and HOLD appears. In this mode, pressing FUNC
and changes the search direction downward and
pressing FUNC + changes the search direction
upward. or appears according to the current
search direction.
paging system eliminator
(information being developed)
Beyond the Basics 40
storing frequencies found during chain search into channel memory
You can store frequencies you find in chain search
mode or chain search hold mode.
Press FUNC and PGM in chain search mode or
chain search hold mode. The lowest blank channel and bank appear.
Press E to store the frequency into the blank
channel. To select another channel, press FUNC
+ or before you press E. You can also
press 0-9 to select the bank.
If you try to save a frequency that is already stored,
the scanner sounds an error tone and displays the
channel that was duplicated. If you entered the frequency by mistake, press ./CLR. To enter the frequency anyway, press E to accept.
The scanner sets itself to program mode after you
store a frequency.
program band select mode
You can use this mode to define the search range
used during a chain search in each search bank. To
set the scanner to program band select mode, press
FUNC and B.SLCT. SEARCH appears. Then select a
search bank.
41 Beyond the Basics
When you select the search bank, the lower limit
and upper limit frequency assigned in the search
bank alternate on the display.
To select another search bank, press FUNC +
B.SLCT or FUNC to increase the search bank
number or FUNC + to decrease it. Hold down
FUNC + or FUNC + for about 1 second to
quickly move through the search bank numbers.
After choosing the search bank, follow these steps
to set the lower limit and upper limit frequency.
Enter the lower limit frequency by using the 0-9
and ./CLR keys.
Press E to select the lower limit frequency.
Enter the upper limit frequency by using the 0-9
and ./CLR keys.
Press E to select the upper limit frequency.
direct entry search
You can use direct entry search to search up or
down from the currently displayed frequency.
If the scanner is scanning or searching, press
HOLD.
Beyond the Basics 42
Enter the frequency you want to start from by
using the number keys. (Press ./CLR to enter a
decimal point).
Press FUNC and or . The scanner
searches, starting from the frequency you
entered in Step 2.
If you enter a frequency that is out of range, the
scanner sounds an error tone and Error appears.
Press FUNC + to change the search direction
downward or FUNC + to change the search
direction upward. Frequencies appear during the
search.
Notes:
• You can set the delay function on or off during
the search or while the search stops.
• You can skip a frequency when the search stops.
After the search skip frequency is set, the scanner starts direct search again.
direct entry search hold mode
To stop searching during direct entry search, press
HOLD. HOLD appears. In this mode, pressing FUNC
+ changes the search direction downward and
pressing FUNC + changes the search direction
43 Beyond the Basics
upward. or appears depending on the search
direction.
Press FUNC + to decrease the frequency by one
step or FUNC + to increase it by one step. Hold
down or for about 1 second to quickly
decrease or increase the frequency.
To resume direct search, press FUNC + SEARCH or
HOLD. ( or appears on the display, showing
the search direction).
storing frequencies found during direct entry search into channel memory
Follow these steps to store frequencies received
during direct entry search mode or direct entry
search hold mode.
Press FUNC and PGM in direct entry search
mode or direct entry search hold mode. The frequency and lowest blank channel alternate on the
display.
Press E to store the frequency into the blank
channel. To select another channel, repeatedly
press FUNC + or to select the blank chan-
nel you want, and then press E. You can also use
the 0-9 keys to select the bank.
Beyond the Basics 44
If you enter a frequency that has already been
entered elsewhere, the scanner sounds an error
tone and displays the channel that was duplicated. If
you entered the frequency by mistake, press ./CLR.
To enter the frequency anyway, press E to accept.
The scanner moves to program mode after you
stored the frequency.
search skip memory
You can skip up to 50 specified frequencies during a
search. This lets you avoid unwanted frequencies or
those already stored in a channel.
Notes:
• You cannot skip frequencies during WX service
search.
• Search skip frequencies are shared by service
search, direct entry search, chain search, and
signal stalker modes. If skip frequencies are sent
in certain modes, the frequencies are also
skipped in other search modes and signal
stalker mode.
To skip a frequency, press FUNC and L/O when the
scanner stops on the frequency during a search or a
search hold. The scanner stores the frequency in
memory and automatically resumes the search if it
is not in hold.
45 Beyond the Basics
Follow these steps to clear a single frequency from
skip memory so the scanner stops on it during a
search.
Press HOLD to stop the search.
Press FUNC and or FUNC and to select
the frequency. L/O appears.
Press FUNC and L/O. L/O disappears.
To clear all the skip frequencies at once while
searching or search hold, press FUNC and then
press and hold L/O until the scanner beeps.
Notes:
• If you selected all frequencies to be skipped
within the search range, the scanner beeps 3
times and does not search.
• If you select more than 50 frequencies to skip,
each new frequency replaces a frequency previously stored, beginning with the first stored frequency.
• Press FUNC and or FUNC and to select a
skipped frequency while HOLD appears.
L/O appears when you select a skipped
frequency.
Beyond the Basics 46
delay
Sometimes a user might pause before replying to a
transmission. To avoid missing a reply on a specific
channel, you can program a 2-second delay into any
channel or frequency. The scanner continues to
monitor the channel frequency for an additional 2
seconds after the transmission stops before
resuming scanning or searching. The scanner
automatically sets a delay when you store
frequencies into channels or when you search
frequencies. When the delay feature is on, DLY
appears. If it is off, follow one of these steps to
program a delay depending on how the scanner is
operating.
• If the scanner is scanning and stops on an active
channel where you want to store a delay, quickly
press FUNC and DLY before it continues
scanning again. DLY appears.
• If the desired channel is not selected, manually
select the channel, and then press FUNC and
DLY. DLY appears.
• If the scanner is searching, press FUNC and DLY
while the scanner is searching. DLY appears and
the scanner automatically adds a 2-second delay
to every frequency it stops on in that band.
To turn off the 2-second delay, press FUNC and DLY
while the scanner is monitoring a channel, scanning,
or searching. DLY disappears.
47 Beyond the Basics
turning channel-storage banks on and off
You can turn each channel-storage bank on and off.
When you turn off a bank, the scanner does not scan
any of the 20 channels in that bank.
While scanning, press the number key that corresponds to the bank you want to turn on or off. Numbers appear at the top of the display, showing the
currently selected banks.
The scanner scans all the channels within the displayed banks that are not locked out (see "Locking
Out Channels"). The bank number flashes when the
scanner scans a channel that belongs to the bank.
Notes:
• You can manually select any channel within a
bank, even if that bank is turned off.
• You cannot turn off all banks. One bank must
always be active.
locking out channels
You can increase the scanning speed by locking out
channels that have a continuous transmission, such
as a weather channel. To lock out a channel, manually select the channel, then press FUNC and L/O.
L/O appears.
Beyond the Basics 48
Note: You can still manually select locked-out
channels.
To remove the lockout from a channel, manually
select the channel, and then press FUNC and L/O.
L/O disappears.
To unlock all channels in the banks that are turned
on, press HOLD to stop scanning, and then press
FUNC and press and hold L/O until the scanner
beeps twice.
priority
The priority feature lets you scan through the
channels and still not miss important or interesting
calls on specific channels. You can program one
stored channel in each bank as a priority channel
(10 for the banks).
If the priority feature is turned on, as the scanner
scans the bank, it checks that bank's priority channel
for activity every 2 seconds.
The scanner automatically designates each bank's
first channel as its priority channel.
Follow these steps to select a different channel in a
bank as the priority channel.
Manually select the channel you want to select as
the priority channel.
49 Beyond the Basics
Press FUNC and PGM, and then press FUNC and
PRIORITY. P appears to the left of the selected
channel number.
Repeat Steps 1 and 2 for the channel in each
bank you want to program as a priority channel.
To turn on the priority feature, press FUNC and
PRIORITY during scanning. PRI appears. Then the
scanner checks the designated priority channel
every 2 seconds in each bank.
To turn off the priority feature, press FUNC and
PRIORITY. PRI disappears.
using keylock
Use the scanner's keylock to protect it from
accidental program changes. When the scanner's
keys are locked, the only controls that operate are
SCAN, FUNC, HOLD, , KEYLOCK, and .
To turn on keylock, press FUNC and KEYLOCK.
appears. To turn off keylock, press FUNC and
KEYLOCK. disappears.
Note: Using keylock does not prevent the scanner
from scanning channels.
Beyond the Basics 50
wired programming
You can transfer programming data to your scanner
using your PC and an optional interface cable (Cat.
No. 20-289, available at your local RadioShack store)
and software (available at your local RadioShack or
www.radioshack.com).
Note: If the scanner receives no data from the PC
for more than 20 seconds, T-Err appears and wired
programming stops.
Make sure your scanner is turned off.
Connect the interface cable to your computer and
then connect the other end of the cable to PC/IF
on the side of the scanner.
Install the software to your computer and run the
program.
51 Beyond the Basics
To set up the program, click on Tools, select
Configuration, and select PRO-83 (if necessary).
Turn on the scanner. The scanner automatically
goes into the wired programming mode. PGM
and WirEd appear. Then send the data from the
PC.
Data frame numbers being received appear.
When the scanner has successfully received all
data, End appears. If the scanner received an
error while receiving data, End, d-Err, and its
frame number appear. If the scanner received a
communication error while receiving data, C-Err
indicates the packet number where the error
occurred. If the scanner received a checksum
error while receiving data, S-Err indicates the
packet number where the error occurred. If the
scanner received a length field error while
receiving data, L-Err indicates the packet number
where the error occurred.
using the display/key backlight
To turn on the display/key light for easy viewing at
night, press . The display lights for 15 seconds.
To turn off the light sooner, press again.
Beyond the Basics 52
frequently asked questions
Q: My scanner isn’t working at all. How do I turn it on?
A: The scanner might not be receiving power.
Make sure the batteries are installed correctly and
are good (if you installed alkaline batteries) or fully
charged (if you installed rechargeable batteries). See
“powering your scanner” on Page 5 for more
information.
If the batteries are good, make sure the AC adapter’s
or DC adapter’s barrel plug is fully inserted into the
scanner’s 6V 300 mA jack. See “using AC power” on
Page 10 for more information.
If the scanner is receiving power, make sure it is
turned on. See “turning on the scanner and setting
squelch” on Page 25 for more information.
Q: My scanner is on but won’t scan. How do I get it
to scan?
A: Make sure the squelch is adjusted correctly. See
“turning on the scanner and setting squelch” on
Page 25 for more information.
If the squelch is set correctly, you might not have
stored frequencies into any channels or only one
channel. You must store at least two frequencies for
the scanner to scan. See “storing known frequencies
into channels” on Page 25 for more information.
53 Beyond the Basics
If you stored at least two frequencies, make sure the
AC adapter’s or DC adapter’s barrel plug is fully
inserted into the scanner’s 6V 300 mA jack. See
“using AC power” on Page 10 for more information.
Q: The scanner’s display is dim and hard to see. The
scanner also beeps once every 15 to 30 seconds.
What’s wrong?
A: The scanner might not be receiving enough
power or the batteries might not be correctly
installed. Make sure the batteries are installed correctly and are good (if you installed alkaline batteries) or fully charged (if you installed rechargeable
batteries). See “powering your scanner” on Page 5
for more information.
Q: Nothing happens when I press the scanner’s
keys. How do I get the keys to work?
A: The scanner’s keylock might be turned on. To
turn off keylock, press FUNC and KEYLOCK until
disappears. See “using keylock” on Page 50 for
more information.
Beyond the Basics 54
Q: flashes on the display. What is it?
A: The batteries might be weak. Make sure the bat-
teries are good (if you installed alkaline batteries) or
fully charged (if you installed rechargeable batteries). See “powering your scanner” on Page 5 for
more information.
Q: My scanner is not receiving anything or recep-
tion is weak. What’s wrong?
A: The batteries might be weak. Make sure the batteries are good (if you installed alkaline batteries) or
fully charged (if you installed rechargeable batteries.
Also make sure the AC adapter’s or DC adapter’s
barrel plug is fully inserted into the scanner’s 6V 300
mA jack. See “using AC power” on Page 10 for more
information.
If the batteries are OK, the antenna might not be
connected or is connected incorrectly. See “connecting the antenna” on Page 13 for more information.
Q: My scanner is not receiving weather channels.
How do I set it so I can receive weather channels?
A: The scanner might be set to weather alert mode.
If this happens, it cannot receive weather channels
until it receives a weather alert. To hear a weather
channel at any time, make sure weather alert is
55 Beyond the Basics
turned off. See “WX alert” on Page 38 for more
information.
Q: ERROR appears on the display. What does it
mean?
A: If you were trying to enter a frequency, you might
have made a programming error. Re-enter the frequency correctly, including the decimal point. See
“storing known frequencies into channels” on
Page 25 for more information.
Beyond the Basics 56
glossary
ALKALINE/RECHARGEABLE Switch - Lets you
select the type of batteries you want to use in the
scanner (alkaline or rechargeable) .......................... 5
Service Banks - preset groups of frequencies
categorized by the type of services that use those
frequencies. ...................................................... 17, 24
Channel-Storage Banks - Groups of channels, used
for frequency storage............................................. 24
Signal Stalker - lets you set the scanner so it detects
and then displays the frequency of a nearby strong
radio transmission. ................................................ 31
Skywarn - lets you jump directly to the last channel
in memory (Channel 200) from any
transmission. You can program this channel
with the frequency of your local Skywarn
broadcaster. ........................................................... 36
Channel - a programmable memory location.
Channels are grouped into channel-storage banks.
Your scanner has 10 channel-storage banks and
each bank has 20 channels. .................................. 17
57 Beyond the Basics
index
ALKALINE/RECHARGEABLE Switch ...................... 5
Antenna
Connecting ........................................................ 13
Attaching a belt clip ............................................... 16
Backlight ................................................................. 52
Batteries
Charging ............................................................. 5
Belt Clip
Attaching ........................................................... 16
Chain Search .......................................................... 38
Mode ................................................................. 39
Hold Mode ......................................................... 40
Storing Frequencies .......................................... 41
Channel-Storage Banks ................................. 24, 48
Connecting an antenna ......................................... 13
Connecting an earphone ....................................... 14
Connecting an extension speaker ......................... 15
Delay ...................................................................... 46
Direct Entry Search ................................................ 43
Beyond the Basics 58
Earphone
Connecting ........................................................ 14
Extension Speaker
Connecting ........................................................ 15
Frequently Asked Questions ................................. 53
FUNC Key ............................................................... 19
Keylock ................................................................... 50
Locking Out Channels ........................................... 48
Manually Selecting Channels ................................ 30
Paging System Eliminator ..................................... 40
Priority .................................................................... 49
Powering the scanner
Using Batteries .................................................... 5
Using AC Power ............................................... 10
Using Vehicle Battery Power ........................... 11
Program Band Select Mode .................................. 42
Scanning ................................................................ 30
Search Skip Memory ............................................. 45
Service Banks ....................................................... 24
Service Search ...................................................... 28
59 Beyond the Basics
Storing frequencies ............................................... 25
During Service Search ..................................... 29
Direct Entry Search Mode ................................ 44
Chain Search Mode .......................................... 41
Signal Stalker ........................................................ 31
Setting Options ................................................. 32
Using .................................................................. 35
Skywarn ................................................................ 36
Turning on the scanner/setting squelch ............... 25
Weather Alert ......................................................... 38
Wired Programming .............................................. 51
Beyond the Basics 60
warranty
This product is warranted by RadioShack against
manufacturing defects in material and workmanship
under normal use for 90 (ninety) days from the date
of purchase from RadioShack company-owned
stores and authorized RadioShack franchisees and
dealers. For complete warranty details and exclusions, check with your local RadioShack store.
RadioShack Customer Relations
200 Taylor Street, 6th Floor, Fort Worth, TX 76102
04/04
61 Beyond the Basics
accessories
Beyond the Basics 62
63 Beyond the Basics
20-501
07A04
Beyond the Basics 64
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