Cat. No. 20-509
OWNER’S MANUAL
PRO-29 60-Channel Direct Entry Programmable Scanner
Please read before using this equipment.
FEATURES
Your new Radio Shack PRO-29 60-Channel Direct Entry Programmable Scanner lets you in on all the action! This scanner gives you direct access to 30,000 exciting frequencies that include police department, fire department, ambulance, amateur radio, and transportation services. You can select up to 60 channels for your scanner to scan and you can change your selection 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 special features:
Frequency Search — scans through every available frequency.
Six Channel-Storage Banks — let you store 10 channels in each of six banks to group frequencies. This helps you identify calls.
Monitor Memories — let you temporarily save up to six channels you locate during a frequency search.
Two-Second Automatic Scan Delay — delays scanning for 2 seconds before moving to another channel, so you can hear more replies.
Memory Backup — keeps the channel frequencies stored in memory for up to 1 hour during a power loss.
Lock-Out Function — keeps channels you select from being scanned.
Priority Channel — checks your most important channel every 2 seconds so you don’t miss important calls on a channel you specify.
Weather Band Key — scans seven preprogrammed weather frequencies so you can hear about current weather conditions.
Display Backlight — makes the scanner easy to read in low light situations.
Search Skip — lets you select up to 30 frequencies for the scanner to skip during a limit or direct search to avoid unwanted frequencies.
ã 1995 Tandy Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.
Radio Shack is a registered trademark used by Tandy Corporation.
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Your scanner can receive all of these bands:
•29–29.7 MHz (10-Meter Amateur Radio)
•29.7–50 MHz (VHF Lo)
•50–54 MHz (6-Meter Amateur Radio)
•108–136.975 MHz (Aircraft)
•137–144 MHz (Government)
•144–148 MHz (2-Meter Amateur Radio)
•148–174 MHz (VHF Hi)
•406–420 MHz (Government)
•420–450 (70-cm Amateur Radio)
•450–470 MHz (UHF Standard)
•470–512 MHz (UHF “T” Band)
•806–823.9375 MHz (Public Service)
•851–868.9375 MHz (UHF Hi)
•896.1125–956 MHz (UHF Hi)
In addition, your scanner is preprogrammed with the following weather service channels:
•162.400 MHz (NFM)
•162.425 MHz (NFM)
•162.450 MHz (NFM)
•162.475 MHz (NFM)
•162.500 MHz (NFM)
•162.525 MHz (NFM)
•162.550 MHz (NFM)
This owner’s manual also includes the section “A Guide to the Action Bands,” which lets you target services in your area by giving you frequency ranges to search. You can then store any of these frequencies into memory for easy scanning.
For your records, we recommend you record your scanner’s serial number in the space provided. The serial number is on the scanner’s back panel.
Serial Number __________________
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FCC NOTICE
Your scanner might cause TV or radio interference even when it is operating properly. To determine whether your scanner is causing the interference, turn off your scanner. If the interference goes away, your scanner is causing the interference. Try the following methods to eliminate the interference.
•Move your scanner away from the receiver
•Connect your scanner to an outlet that is on a different electrical circuit from the receiver
•Contact your local Radio Shack store for help
If you cannot eliminate the interference, the FCC requires that you stop using your scanner.
Note: Mobile use of this scanner is unlawful or requires a permit in some areas. Check the laws in your area.
SCANNING LEGALLY
Your scanner covers frequencies used by many different groups including police and fire departments, ambulance services, government agencies, private companies, amateur radio services, military operations, pager services, and wireline (telephone and telegraph) service providers. It is legal to listen to almost every transmission your scanner can receive. However, there are some transmissions you should never intentionally listen to. These include:
•Telephone conversations (either cellular, cordless, or other private means of telephone signal transmission)
•Pager transmissions
•Any scrambled or encrypted transmissions
According to the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), you are subject to fines and possible imprisonment for intentionally listening to, using, or divulging the contents of such a transmission unless you have the consent of a party to the conversation (unless such activity is otherwise illegal). Radio Shack encourages responsible, legal scanner use.
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CONTENTS
Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Power Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Using Internal Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Important Information About the External Power Jacks . . . . . . 7
Using Standard AC Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Using Vehicle Battery Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Charging Nickel-Cadmium Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Connecting the Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Connecting an Earphone/Headphones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Connecting an Extension Speaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Using the Belt Clip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Understanding Your Scanner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
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A Look at the Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 A Look at the Display. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Banks and Memories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Channel-Storage Banks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Monitor Memories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Turning on the Scanner and Setting Squelch . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Storing Frequencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Searching For and Temporarily Storing Active Frequencies . . 19 Listening to Monitor Memories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Moving a Frequency from a Monitor Memory to a Channel . . 22 Manually Selecting a Channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Special Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Using the Keylock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Locking Out Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Turning Channel-Storage Banks On and Off. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Search Skip Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Priority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Using the Display Backlight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Listening to the Weather Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
A General Guide to Scanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Guide to Frequencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Guide to the Action Bands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Band Allocation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Avoiding Image Frequencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Frequency Conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Resetting the Scanner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Care and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
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PREPARATION
POWER SOURCES
You can power your scanner from any of three sources:
•Internal batteries
•Standard AC power (using an optional AC adapter)
•Vehicle battery power (using an optional DC adapter)
USING INTERNAL BATTERIES
You can power your scanner with four AA batteries. For the longest operation and best performance, we recommend alkaline batteries (Radio Shack Cat. No. 23-552). Or, you can use rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries (Cat. No. 23-125).
Warning: The scanner has a built-in circuit that lets you recharge nick- el-cadmium batteries inside the battery compartment. However, you must never use this circuit when you have installed non-rechargeable batteries in the scanner. Be sure to read “Important Information about the External Power Jacks” and “Charging Nickel-Cadmium Batteries.”
Follow these steps to install or replace batteries.
1.Press down the tab on the battery compartment cover, and lift open the compartment.
2.Remove any old batteries from the compartment and cover.
Caution: Always dispose of old non-rechargeable batteries promptly and properly. Do not bury or burn them.
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3.Install two batteries in the compartment and two in the cover as indicated by the polarity symbols (+ and –) marked inside.
Caution: Use only fresh, AA alkaline, nickel-cadmium, or general purpose batteries of the required size. Never mix fresh and old batteries or different types of batteries.
4. Replace the cover.
If BATT.Lo flashes on the display and the scanner beeps every 15 seconds, immediately replace or recharge all four batteries.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE EXTERNAL POWER JACKS
The scanner has two external power jacks — POWER and CHARGE. It is important that you understand the purpose of each jack before you connect any adapter to the scanner.
POWER
CHARGE 
The POWER jack powers the scanner and disconnects the internal batteries. You can use this jack to connect an external power source (AC or DC adapter) regardless of the type of batteries you install.
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The CHARGE jack supplies power to operate the scanner and also charges the internal batteries. Use the CHARGE jack only when you install rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries.
Warning: Never use the CHARGE jack with non-rechargeable batteries. If you try to recharge non-rechargeable batteries, they become very hot and could explode.
USING STANDARD AC POWER
To power the scanner from AC power, you need an AC adapter such as Radio Shack Cat. No. 20-188. Plug the adapter’s barrel plug into the scanner’s DC 9V POWER jack. Then plug the adapter’s power module into a standard AC outlet.
POWER
Warning: Do not use an AC adapter’s polarized plug with an extension cord, receptacle, or other outlet unless the blades can be fully inserted to prevent blade exposure.
Cautions:
•You must use an AC adapter that supplies 9 volts and delivers at least 300 milliamps. Its center tip must be set to negative, and its plug must correctly fit the scanner’s DC 9V POWER jack. The recommended adapter meets these specifications. Using an adapter that does not meet these specifications could seriously damage the scanner or the adapter.
•When you finish using the AC adapter, disconnect it from the AC outlet first. Then disconnect it from the scanner.
Note: If you installed rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries in the scanner, remove the cap from the CHARGE jack and connect the AC adapter to it. This powers the scanner and recharges the batteries at the same time. See “Charging Nickel-Cadmium Batteries.”
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USING VEHICLE BATTERY POWER
You can power the scanner from your vehicle’s battery power, if the vehicle has a 12-volt, negative ground electrical system. To do so, you need a Radio Shack DC Universal Adapter, Cat. No. 270-1560.
Cautions:
•You must use a DC adapter that supplies (regulated) 9-volt power and delivers at least 300 milliamps. Its center tip must be set to negative, and its plug must correctly fit the scanner’s DC 9V POWER jack. The recommended adapter meets these specifications. Using an adapter that does not meet these specifications could seriously damage your scanner or the adapter.
•To protect your vehicle’s electrical system, always plug the adapter into the scanner before you plug it into your vehicle’s cigarettelighter socket. Always unplug the adapter from the vehicle’s cigarette-lighter socket before you unplug it from the scanner.
1.Connect the DC adapter’s orange barrel-plug to the adapter’s cable, with the tip set to –.
2.Set the adapter’s voltage switch to 9V.
3.Insert the barrel plug into the scanner’s DC 9V POWER jack.
4.Plug the other end of the adapter into your vehicle’s cigarettelighter socket.
Notes:
•If you installed rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries in the scanner, remove the cap from the CHARGE jack and connect the AC adapter to it. This powers the scanner and recharges the batteries at the same time. See “Charging Nickel-Cadmium Batteries.”
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•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 other debris.
CHARGING NICKEL-CADMIUM BATTERIES
The scanner has a built-in charging circuit that lets you recharge nickelcadmium batteries while they are in the scanner. To charge the batteries, remove the plug from the scanner’s CHARGE jack and simply connect an AC adapter or a DC Universal Adapter to the jack (see “Using Standard AC Power” or “Using Vehicle Battery Power”).
Warning: Do not connect either adapter to the scanner’s CHARGE jack if you installed non-rechargeable batteries (standard, extra-life, or alkaline). Non-rechargeable batteries become hot and can even explode if you try to recharge them.
It takes about 14 to 16 hours to recharge batteries that are fully discharged. You can operate the scanner while recharging the nickelcadmium batteries, but the charging time is lengthened.
Note: Nickel-cadmium batteries last longer and deliver more power if you occasionally let them fully discharge. To do this, simply use the scanner until it begins beeping every 15 seconds and BATT.LO appears on the display. Then fully charge the batteries.
Important! At the end of a rechargeable battery’s useful life, it must be recycled or disposed of properly. Contact your local, county, or state hazardous waste management authorities for information on recycling or disposal programs in your area. Some options that might be available are: municipal curb-side collection, drop-off boxes at retailers, recycling collection centers, and mail-back programs.
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CONNECTING THE ANTENNA
Follow these steps to attach the supplied flexible antenna to the connector on the top of your scanner.
1.Align the slots around the antenna’s connector with the tabs on the jack.
2.Press the antenna down over the jack and rotate the antenna’s base clockwise until it locks into place.
Connecting an Optional Antenna
The antenna connector on your scanner makes it easy to use the scanner with a variety of antennas. Instead of the supplied antenna, you can attach a different one, such as an external mobile antenna or outdoor base antenna. Your local Radio Shack store sells a variety of antennas.
Always use 50-ohm coaxial cable, such as RG-58 or RG-8, to connect an outdoor antenna. For lengths over 50 feet, use RG-8 low-loss dielectric coaxial cable. If your antenna’s cable does not have a BNC connector, you will also need a BNC adapter (available at your local Radio Shack store).
Warning: Use extreme caution when installing or removing an outdoor antenna. If the antenna starts to fall, let it go! It could contact overhead power lines. If the antenna touches a power line, contact with the antenna, mast, cable or guy wires can cause electrocution and death! Call the power company to remove the antenna. Do not attempt to do so yourself.
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CONNECTING AN EARPHONE/
HEADPHONES
For private listening, you can plug an earphone or mono headphones (such as Radio Shack Cat. No. 33-175 or 20-210) into the 
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-vol- ume 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.
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