Radio Shack PRO-2040 User Manual
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100-Channel Programmable Home Scanner
Cat. No. 20-414
OWNER’S MANUAL
PRO-2040
Please read before using this equipment.
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FEATURES
Your Radio Shack PRO-2040 100Channel Programmable Home Scanner lets you in on all the action! This
scanner gives you direct access to
over 30,000 exciting frequencies that
include police and fire departments,
ambulance and transportation services, and amateur radio. You can
select up to 100 channels to scan,
and you can change your selections
at any time.
The secret to your scanner’s ability to
scan so many frequencies is its custom-designed microprocessor — a tiny, built-in computer.
Your scanner also has these features:
H
perscan —
per second.
H
persearch —
frequencies at 300 st eps per second
in bands that have 5 kHz steps to
help you find interesting broadcasts.
Ten 10-Channel S t ora
let you store 10 cha nnels in each of
10 banks to group frequencies so
you can easily identify calls.
Priorit
fied channel every 2 seconds so you
do not miss important calls.
Channel —
scans 50 channels
searches through
e Banks —
checks a speci-
Data Detection —
detect data signals (nonmodulated
signals such as preamble signals for
pagers) during a limit or a direct
search so it can automatically continue searching.
Monitor Memories —
up to 10 frequ encies you locate during a frequency search which you
can then transfer into channels.
Search Function
new and unlisted frequencies using a
designated frequency range (limit
search) or starting from a specified
frequency (direct search).
Selectable Scan/Search Speeds
let you select normal or hyper
—
scan speeds, and normal, high, or
hyper search speeds.
Manual or Scan Channel Select
lets you manually specify a single
channel or set the scanner to automatically scan all the stored channels.
Search Skip
50 frequencies for the scanner to
skip during a limit or direct search, so
you can avoid unwanted frequencies.
you can set i t to
let you store
searches for
—
lets you select up to
—
—
© 1995 Tandy Corporation.
Radio Shack is a registered trademark used by Tandy Corporation.
2
All Rights Reserved.
CAUTION
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Two-Second Scan Delay — delays
scanning for 2 seconds b efore moving to another channel, so you can
hear more replies.
Weather Band Key
— scans the
preprogrammed weather frequencies to keep you informed of the most
current weather conditions.
Memory B ackup
— keeps the chan-
nel frequencies s tored in your s canner’s memory for up to 3 days during
a power loss.
Squelch C ontrol
— lets you adjust
the receiver’s sensitivity low e nough
to receive weak signals or high
enough to eliminate receiver noise
when not receiving a signal.
Lock-Out Function — prevents
channels you select from being
scanned.
Backlit LCD Display
— lets you
easily see the indicators on the scanner’s display, even at night.
Audio O ut p ut Ja ck — lets you connect an earphone or headphones for
private listening, or an external
speaker for listening in a remot e or
noisy area.
Optiona l An tenn a Ter minals
— let
you connect the supplied telescoping
antenna to the screw-in terminal, or
an external antenna to the BNC connector.
Optional Power Sources
— let you
power your scanner using the supplied AC adapter or an optional DC
adapter.
Warning: To prevent fire or shock
hazard, do n o t ex p os e this system to
rain or moist u re .
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK.
DO NOT OPEN.
CAUTION
ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE
COVER OR BACK. NO USER -SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.
!
: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF
This symbol is intended to alert
you to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage within the
scanner’s enclosure that might be
of suf ficient m agnitu de to co nstitute a r isk of el ectri c shock . Do not
open the scanner’s case.
This symbo l is in tended to info rm
you that important operating and
maintenance instructions are included in the litera ture accom panying this scanner.
!
For your records, please record your
scanner’s serial number in the space
provided. The serial number is located on the back of the scanner.
Serial Number:
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Your PRO-2040 can receive these bands:
Band Modulation Frequency Range Frequency
Step
10-Meter Ham Band FM 29.00-29.7 MHz 5.0 kHz
VHF-Lo FM 29.7-50.00 MHz 5.0 kHz
6-Mete r Ham Band FM 50.00-54.00 MHz 5.0 kHz
Aircr aft AM 108-13 6.975 MHz 12.5 kHz
Gover nm e nt / H am FM 137-14 8 MH z 5 .0 kH z
VHF-Hi FM 148-174 MHz 5.0 kHz
Ham/Government FM 406-450 MHz 12.5 kHz
UHF-Lo FM 450-470 MHz 12.5 kHz
UHF-T (TV) FM 470-512 MHz 12.5 kHz
UHF-H i FM 806-823.9375 MH z 12.5 kH z
UHF-Hi FM 851- 868.9375MHz 12.5 kHz
UHF-H i FM 896.1125- 95 6 MH z 12.5 kHz
FCC Notice
Your scanner might c ause radio or TV interference even whe n it is operating
properly. To determine if your scanner is causing the interference, turn off your
scanner. If the interference goes away, your scanner was causing it. Try to eliminate the interference by:
• Moving your scanner away from the receiver
• Connecting your scanner to an outlet that is on a different electrical circuit
from the receiver
• Contacting your local Radio Shack store for help
If you cannot eliminate the interferen ce, the FCC requires that you stop using
your scanner.
Mobile use of this scanner is unlawful or requires a permit in some areas.
Note:
Check the laws in your area.
This device complies with Part 15 of
FCC Ru les
. Operation is subject to the fol-
lowing two conditions:
• This device may not cause harmful interference.
• This device must accept any interference received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation.
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CONTENTS
Preparation .......................................................................................................7
Connecting Power.......... ......... .......... .......................... ................................7
Using Standard AC Power .................................................... ....... ....... ..7
Memory Backup.. ......... .......... ........................................................... ....7
Using Vehicle Battery Power .................................................................8
Connecting an Antenna .......................................................... ................... ..9
Telescoping Antenna............................................................................. 9
Optional Outdoor Antenna.....................................................................9
Resetting the Scanner’s Display................................................................ 10
Initializing the Scanner ............................................................................... 11
Connecting an Earphone/Headphones/External Speaker.........................1 1
Listening Safely...................................................................................12
Traffic Safety......... ..............................................................................12
Understandin
A Look at the Front Panel..........................................................................13
A Look at the Display .................................................................................15
Understanding the Scanner ’s Memory ......................................................17
Channel-Storage Banks . ..................................................................... 17
Monitor Memories............................................................................... 17
Operation........................................................................................................18
Turning On the Scanner/Setting the Volume and Squelch........................18
Finding Birdie Frequencies........................................................................19
Manually Storing Frequencies in Channels ...............................................20
Searching For and Temporarily Storing Active Frequencies......................21
Limit Search........................................................................................21
Direct Search.......................................................................................22
Search Skip Memory........................................................................... 23
Listening to Monitor Memories...................................................................24
Moving a Frequency from a Monitor Memory to a Channel.......................25
Scanning the Stored Channels..................................................................25
Turning Channel-Storage Banks On and Off.......................................26
Manually Selecting a Channel ...................................................................26
Listening to the Weather Band...................................................................27
Special Features.............................................................................................28
Designating a Priority Channel . .................................................................28
Using the 2-second Delay..........................................................................28
Your Scanner........................................................................13
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Locking Out Channels ...............................................................................29
Changing Scanning and Search Speeds................................................... 29
Detecting Data Signals.................................................. .......... ....... ....... ....30
A General Guide To Scanning....................................................................... 31
Guide to Frequencies................................................................................ 31
National Weather Frequencies................................................... ..... ....31
Ham Radio Frequencies .................................. ....... .......... .. ....... .........31
Guide to the Action Bands......................................................................... 31
International Broadcast Bands ............................................................31
Typical Band Usage............................................................................ 32
Primary Usage .................................................................................... 32
Specified Intervals...............................................................................33
Band Allocation................................................................................... 33
Frequency Conversion.............................................................................. 38
Troubleshooting.............................................................................................39
Care and Maintenance................................................................................... 40
Specifications................................................................................................. 41
Scanning Legally
Scanning is a fun and interesting hobby. You can hear police and fire departments, ambulance services,
radio servi ces, aircraft, and mili tary operations. It is le
transmission your scanner can receive. However, there are some electronic and
wire communications that are ille
• Telephone conversations (cellular, cordless, or other private means of telephone si
•Pa
• Scrambled or encrypted transmissions
Accordin
amended, you could be fined and possibly imprisoned for intentionally listenin
to, using, or disclosing the contents of such a transmission unless you have the
consent of a party to the communication (unless such activity is otherwise ille-
al). These laws change from time to time and there might be state or local laws
that also aff ec t le
nal transmissi on)
er transmissions
to the Federal Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), as
al scanner usage.
overnment agencies, private companies, amateur
al to listen to almost every
al to intent ionally intercept. These include:
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PREPARATION
CONNECTING POWER
Using Standard AC Power
You can power your scann er from a
standard AC outlet using the supplied AC adapter.
Warnin
er’s polarized plug with a n ext ension
cord receptacle unless the blades
can be fully inserted to prevent blade
exposure.
Cautions:
• The supplied AC adapter sup-
• Be sure you connect the AC
Do not use the AC adapt-
:
plies 12 volts and delivers 500
milliam ps. Its ce nter tip is s et to
positive, and its plug properly fits
the scanner’s
Using an AC adapter that does
not meet these specifications
could damage the scanner or
the adapter. The scanner’s display dims if the AC adapter you
use does not provide the
required 12 volts DC.
adapter to the scanner before
you connect it to a standard AC
outlet. Then disconnect the
adapter from the AC outlet
before you disconnect it from the
scanner.
DC 12V
jack.
• If you have difficulty inserting the
AC adapter ’s polarized plug, do
not force it. Turn it over and reinsert it.
1. Insert the supplied AC adapter ’s
barrel plug into the scanner’s
12V
jack.
2. Plug the adapter’s power module into a standard AC outlet.
DC
Memory Backup
If a power failure occ urs or i f the power cord is disconnected, the scanner’s memory backup circuit keeps
information in memory for up to 3
days.
Note:
begins to protect the contents in
memory within a few minutes after
you plug in the scanner.
The memory backup circuit
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Using Vehicle Battery Power
To power your scanner from your vehicle’s battery power, you need a DC
power cord (such as Radio Shack
Cat. No. 270-1533).
Cautions:
• Your vehicle must have a 12-volt
DC, negative-ground electrical
system.
• The recommended DC power
cord supplies 12 volts and de livers at least 500 milliamps. The
center tip on the barrel plug is
set to positive, and the plug
properly fits the scanner’s
12V
jack. Using a DC power cord
(or adapter) that d oes not meet
these specifications c ould damage the scanner or the cord (or
adapter). The scanner’s display
dims if the DC cord (or adapter)
you use does not provide the
required 12 volts DC.
DC
• Be sure you connect the DC
cord to the scanner before you
connect it to the vehicle’s cigarette-lighter plug. Then disconnect the cord f rom the vehicle’s
cigarette-lighter plug before you
disconnect it from the scanner.
Follow these steps to use vehicle
battery power.
1. Insert the barrel plug into the
scanner’s
DC 12V
jack.
2. Plug the other end of the
adapter into you r vehicle’s cigarette-lighter socket.
If the scanner does not oper-
Note:
ate properly when you use a DC cord
(or adapter), unplug the cord (or
adapter) from the lighter sock et and
clean the socket to remove ashes
and other debris.
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CONNECTING AN
ANTENNA
You can connect eit her the supplied
telescoping antenna or an optional
antenna.
Telescoping Antenna
To attach the telescoping antenna,
simply screw it into the hole on top of
your scanner.
The antenna’s length controls its
sensitivity. Adjust the length of the
telescoping antenna as follows for
the best reception.
29-54 MHz Extend all 3 seg-
ments
108-174 MHz Extend only 2 seg-
ments
Optional Outdoor Antenna
The supplied antenna is usually adequate for strong, local signals. However, for the best results in receiving
weaker, more distant signals on all
bands, you can attach an optional
outdoor antenna (not supplied), such
as a mobile, telescoping, multi-band,
or outdoor base antenna.
Warning: When installing or removing an outdoor antenna, follow all
cautions and warnings included with
the antenna.
Notes:
• This scanner uses a BNC
antenna connector. If the coaxial
cable’s connector does not fit
ANT
the
need an adapter. Your local
Radio Shack store sells a complete line of outdoor antennas,
adapters, BNC connectors, and
mounting hardware.
• Always use 50-ohm coaxial
cable to connect an outdoor
antenna. For lengths under 50
feet, use RG58 (Cat. No. 278-
1314) or RG8/M (Cat. N o. 278-
1313). For lengths over 50 feet,
use RG-8, low-loss coaxial cable
(Cat. No. 278-1312).
jack, you might also
406-956 MHz Collapse Fully (only
1 segment extended)
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For the best performance, consider
the following when deciding on an
outdoor base antenna and its location:
• The location of the external
antenna should be as high as
possible.
• The external antenna and
antenna cable should be as far
away as possible from sources
of electrical noise (appliances,
other radios, and so on).
• The external antenna sh ould be
vertical.
Mount the antenna following the instructions supplied with the antenna
and its mounting hardware, then follow these steps to connect an external antenna.
1. Route the antenna cable to the
scanner and connect it to the
ANT
jack on the back of the
scanner.
RESETTING THE
SCANNER’S DISPLAY
If the scanner’s display locks up after
you connect a power source, follow
these steps to reset it.
1. If the scanner is off, press
POWER
2. Using a pointed object, such as
a straightened paper c lip, press
RESET
ner. The display resets, and the
scanner turns off.
to turn it on.
on the back of the scan-
Caution:
over sharp edges or moving
objects.
2. Remove the supplied antenna
from the top of the scanner.
10
Do not route the cable
3. Press
POWER
scanner again.
to turn on the
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INITIALIZING THE
SCANNER
If the scanner or its display does not
work properly even after resetting it,
follow these steps to initialize the
scanner.
Caution:
clears all the channels you stored in
memory. Initialize the scanner only
when you are sure it is not working
properly.
1. If the scanner is off, press
POWER
2. Press and hold
press
scanner using a pointed object,
such as a straightened paper
clip. The display resets, and the
scanner turns off.
Initializing the scanner
to turn it on.
RESET
on the back of the
./CLEAR
, then
CONNECTING AN
EARPHONE/
HEADPHONES/
EXTERNAL SPEAKER
The 1/8-inch
of the scanner lets you connect an
earphone, headphones, or an external speaker.
• For private listening, connec t an
earphone (Cat. No. 33-175).
• For more comfortable private listening, connect mona ural headphones (Cat. No. 20-210).
EXT SP
jack on the back
3. Press
scanner.
POWER
to turn on the
• For listening from a rem ote area
or in a noisy area, connect an
extension speaker (Cat. No. 21-
549).
Note: Connecting any external device to the
disconnects the internal speaker.
EXT SP
jack automatically
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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 highvolume 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.
• 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 wear an earphone or headphones while operating a motor vehicle or riding a bicycle. This can
create a traffic hazard and is illegal in
some areas.
Even though some earphones are
designed to let you hear some outside sounds when listening at normal
volume levels, they still present a
traffic hazard.
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UNDERSTANDING YOUR SCANNER
A LOOK AT THE FRONT PANEL
This look at the scanner’s front panel will help you understand each control’s
function.
Control Fun ction
POWER
1-0
./CLEAR
ENTER
VOLUME
SQUELCH
SCAN
MANUAL
Turns the scanner on and off.
Each single-digit number on the keys enters the
numbers for a channel or a frequency, or each
range of numbers above the number keys indicates
the channels that make up a channel-storage bank.
See “Understanding Channel-Storage Banks.”
Enters the decimal point in a frequency, or clears an
incorrect entry and is u sed when you initialize the
scanner.
Enters programmed frequencies into channels.
Sets the scanner’s volume.
Adjusts the scanner’s receiver sensitivity to help
you eliminate background noise.
Starts scanning through the stored channels.
Stops scanning and lets you manually enter a chan-
nel number.
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Control Function
L/O/SEARCH SKIP
PRI/HYPER SEARCH
LIMIT
DLY
MON
SPEED
-
D
—
PGM
WX
Turns the selected channel’s lockout function on
and off, or skips a specified frequency during a limit
or direct search.
Sets and turns on and off the priority function for a
particular channel, or selects the hyper search
speed.
Used to set the lower or upper limit during frequency searches.
Programs a 2-second delay for the sele cted channel.
Stores frequencies into and accesses t he 10 m onitor me m ories .
Changes the scanning or search speed. See “Scanning and Search Speeds.”
Enters the up or down direction in the search mode.
Programs frequencies into channels.
Searches through the seven preprogrammed
weather channels.
DA TA
14
Turns the data skip feature on and off.
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