Radio Shack PRO-79 User Manual
Owner’s Manual
200-Channel VHF/Air/UHF
Handheld Scanner
Please read before using this equipment.
(illus - show front of product)
Cat. No. 20-314
PRO-79
FEATURES
Your new RadioShack PRO-79 200 Channel VHF/Air/UHF
Handheld Scanner lets you scan conventional transmissions,
and is preprogrammed with searc h banks for convenience. By
pressing a single bu tton, you can quic kly se arch those frequencies most commonly used by pub lic service and othe r agencies
without tedious and complicated programming.
This scanner gives you direct access to over 25,000 exciting frequencies, includi ng those used by police and fi re departments,
ambulance services , and amateur radio services, and yo u can
change your selection at any time.
Your scanner also has these special features:
Four Service Bank s
— let you search pr es et freque nc ies i n s eparate ham radio, police/fire/emergency, aircraft, and marine
banks, to make it easy to locate specific types of calls.
Display Backlight
— makes the scanner easy to read in low-
light situations.
Duplicate Channel Alert
— warns you when the freque ncy you
are storing already exists in memory.
Lockout Function
— lets you set your scanner to skip over
specified channels or frequencies when scanning or searching.
Memory Backup
— keeps the channel frequencies stored in
memory for about an hour in the event of a power loss.
Ten Channel-Storage Banks
— you can store 20 channels in
each bank (200 total ch annels), letting you group channel s so
you can more easily identify calls.
20 Monitor Mem ories
— let you temporarily save up to 20 frequencies you loc ate d ur ing a s ear ch , so y ou can move selected
frequencies to channel storage later.
Direct Search
— lets you search for new an d unliste d frequen-
cies starting from a specified frequency.
©
1999 Tandy Corporation.
RadioShack and Adaptaplug are registered trademarks
HyperSearch and HyperScan are trademarks used by Tandy Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.
used by Tandy Corporation.
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Weather Alert
when it receives a weather emergency signal, providing more
complete informat ion about weather c onditions in you r immediate area.
— the scanner automatically sounds an alert
Weather Band Key
frequencies to keep you inf ormed about current wea ther conditions.
Wired Programming
sonal computer and program frequencies into the scann er from
the computer using an optional cable and software.
Note:
The necessary cable and software, and additional
information about using y our persona l co mputer to pr ogram
your scanner, are available at your local RadioShack store.
Scan Delay
moving to another channel , so you can hear more replies tha t
are transmitted on the same channel.
Priority Channe l
channel. As the scanner scans, it checks the priority channel every 2 seconds so you do no t miss transmissions on that channel.
HyperSearch and HyperScan
search at up to 50 steps pe r second (in fre quency ba nds with 5
kHz steps) and scan at up to 25 channels per second, to help
you quickly find interesting broadcasts.
— delays scanning for about 2 seconds before
— scans seven preprogrammed weather
— you can connect your scanner to a per-
— lets you program a c hannel as the priori ty
— let you set th e scann er to
Manual Access
by entering that channel’s number.
Key Lock
accidentally changing the scanner’s programming.
Liquid-Crystal Display
programming information.
Supplied Flexible Antenna with BNC Connector
good reception o f strong local signals. Y ou can connec t an external antenna with a BNC connector to the scanner for improved reception of distant/weaker signals.
— you can directly access an y stored channel
— lets you lock the scanner ’s keys to help prevent
— makes it eas y to view and change
— provides
3
Key Confirmation Tones
— the scanner sounds a confirmation
tone when you perform an operation correctly, and an error tone
if you make an error.
Three Power Options
— you can power the scanner from internal (rechargeable or non-r echarge able batte ries) or exter nal AC
or DC power (using an optional AC or DC adapter).
Your PRO-79 scanner can receive these bands:
Frequency
Range (MHz)
29–54 10-Meter Ham Band, VHF Lo, 6-Meter Ham Band
108–136.9875 Aircraft
137–174 Military Land Mobile, 2-Meter Ham Band, VHF Hi
380–512 UHF Aircraft, Federal Government, 70-cm Ham
Band, UHF Standard Band, UHF “T” Band
Note:
See “Specifications” on Page 49 for more information
Types of Transmissions
about the scanner’s frequency steps.
FCC NOTICE
Your scanner might cause radio or TV 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 it. 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 RadioShack store for help.
This equipment complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules
. Operation is subject to the followi ng conditions; (1) this device must
not cause harmful in terference, and ( 2) this device must accept
any interference received, including interference that may cause
undesired operation.
4
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, priv ate companies, amateur radio ser vices,
military operations, page r services, and wireline (te lephone and
telegraph) servic e providers. It is legal to li sten to almost ev ery
transmission your scanner can receive. However, there are
some transmissions you should never intentionally listen to.
These include:
• telephone conversat ions (cellular, cordless, or other private
means of telephone signal transmission)
• pager transmissions
• any scrambled or encrypted transmissions
According to the
PA), you are subject to fines and possible i mprisonment for intentionally listening to, using, or divulging the contents of such a
transmission unless you have the consent of a party to the communication (unless such activity is otherwise illegal).
This scanner is designed to prevent reception of illegal transmissions, in compl iance with the law whi ch requires that scanners be manufactured in such a way as to not be easily
modifiable to pick up those transmissions. Do not open your
scanner's case to make any modifications that cou ld allow it to
pick up transmissions tha t it is not legal to listen to. Doing so
could subject you to legal penalties.
We encourage responsible, legal scanner use.
Electronic Communications Privacy Act
(EC-
5
CONTENTS
Preparation ............................................................................ 8
Installing Batteries ............................................................ 8
Using AC Power ................................................................ 9
Using Vehicle Battery Power ............................................. 9
Charging Rechargeable Batteries .................................. 10
Connecting an Antenna .................................................. 11
Connecting the Supplied Antenna .............................. 11
Connecting an Outdoor Antenna ................................ 12
Connecting an Earphone/Headphones .......................... 13
Listening Safely .......................................................... 13
Traffic Safety .............................................................. 14
Connecting an Extension Speaker ................................. 14
Understanding Your Scanner ............................................. 15
A Look at the Keypad ..................................................... 15
A Look at the Display ...................................................... 17
Understanding Banks ..................................................... 19
Channel Storage Banks .............................................. 19
Service Banks ............................................................. 20
Monitor Memories ........................................................... 24
Operation ............................................................................. 25
Turning On the Scanner/Setting Volume and Squelch .... 25
Resetting/Initializing the Scanner ................................... 25
Resetting the Scanner ................................................ 26
Initializing the Scanner ............................................... 26
Storing Known Frequencies into Channels ..................... 27
Finding and Storing Active Frequencies ......................... 28
Searching the Service Banks ...................................... 28
Using Direct Search .................................................... 29
Using Monitor Memory ................................................... 31
Listening to a Monitor Memory ................................... 31
Moving a Frequency from a Monitor Memory
to a Channel ............................................................... 31
Scanning the Stored Channels ....................................... 32
Turning Channel-Storage Banks Off and On .................. 33
Monitoring a Stored Channel .......................................... 33
Clearing a Stored Channel .............. ...... ....... ...... ....... ..... 34
Listening to the Marine Bank .......................................... 34
Listening to the Weather Band ....................................... 34
WX Alert ..................................................................... 35
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Special Features .................................................................. 36
Delay ............................................................................... 36
Locking Out Channels or Frequencies ............................ 36
Locking Out Channels ................................................. 36
Locking Out Frequencies ............................................ 37
Reviewing Locked-Out Frequencies ........................... 37
Removing Lockouts From All Frequencies .................. 37
Removing Lockouts From All Frequ enc i es
in All Service Banks ..................................................... 38
Using Priority .............. ...... ...... ....... .................................. 38
Using the Display Backlight ............................................. 39
Turning the Key Tone On and Off .................................... 39
Using the Key Lock .......................................................... 39
Avoiding Image Frequencies ........................................... 40
A General Guide to Scanning ............................................. 41
Guide to Frequencies ...................................................... 41
National Weather Frequencies .................................... 41
Birdie Frequencies ....................................... ....... ...... .. 41
Guide to the Action Bands .............................................. 42
Typical Band Usage (MHz) ......................................... 42
Primary Usage .............. ...... ....... ...... ............................ 42
Band Allocation ............................................................... 43
Frequency Conv ersion .................................................... 46
Troubleshooting .................... ............................................. .. 47
Care and Maintenance ......................................................... 48
Specifications ...................................................................... 49
7
PREPARATION
Note:
If the scanner’s display locks up or does not work properly
after you connect a power source, you might need to reset or initialize the scanner.
Important:
(see “Resetting the Scanner” on Page 26). If that does not work,
you can initialize th e scanner (see “Initializing th e Scanner” on
Page 26); however, this clears all information stored in your
scanner’s memory.
If you have problems, first try to reset the scanner
INSTALLING BATTERIES
You can power your scanner with four AA batteries (not supplied). For the best performance and longest life, we recommend RadioShack alkaline batteries. Or, you can use
rechargeable nickel- cadmium batteries and charge the m either
inside or outside the scanner. Bo th types of batter ies are available at your local RadioShack store.
Cautions:
• Use only fresh batteries of the required size and recommended type.
• Do not mix old and new batteries, different types of batteries
(standard, alkaline, or rechargeable), or rechargeable batteries of different capacities.
Follow these steps to install batteries.
1. Slide the battery co mpartment cover in the
direction of the arrow to remove it.
2. If you are using non-rechargeable batteries,
place them into the supplied black holder,
as indicated by the polarity sy mbols (+ and
–) marked on the holder. Or, if you are using
rechargeable batterie s, place them into the
supplied yellow holde r, as indicated by the
polarity symbols (+ and –) marked on the holder.
3. Place the battery holder (with batteries) into the battery
compartment.
4. Replace the cover.
8
When B appears on the display and the scanner beeps continuously, or if the scanner stops operating properly, replace the batteries.
Warning:
burn or bury them.
Caution:
a month or more, remove the batteries. Batteries can leak chemicals that can destroy electronic parts.
Dispose of old batteries promptly and properly. Do not
If you do not plan to use the scann er with batteries for
USING AC POWER
You can power the scanner using a 9V, 300-mA AC adapter
(RadioShack Cat. No. 273-1767A) and a size C Adaptaplug
adapter (neither suppl ied). Both are available at your loc al RadioShack store.
Cautions:
You must use a Class 2 power source that supplies
regulated 9V DC and deliver s at least 300 mA. Its
!
center tip must be set to pos itive and its plug must
fit the scanner's
meet these specifica tions coul d damage th e scanne r or the
adapter.
• Always connect the AC a dapter 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.
PWR
jack. Using an adapte r that does not
®
To power the scanner using an AC ada pter, attach the Adapt aplug adapter to the AC adapter so the tip reads positive (+), then
insert the Adaptaplug adapter into the scanner’s
Then connect the other end of the adapter to a standard AC outlet.
PWR
jack.
USING VEHICLE BATTERY POWER
You can power the s canner from a vehicle’s 1 2V power so urce
(such as a cigarette-lighter socket) using a 9V, 300-mA DC
adapter and a size C Adaptaplug adapter (neither supplied).
Both are available at your local RadioShack store.
9
Cautions:
You must use a power source that supp lies 9V DC
and delivers at l east 3 0 0 mA. Its c ente r tip mus t b e
!
set to positive and its plug must fit the scanner's
PWR
jack. Using an adapter that does not meet these speci-
fications could damage the scanner or the adapter.
• Always connect the DC adapter to the scanner before you
connect it to th e p ower so urce. When you finis h, di sc on nect
the adapter from th e power source befor e you disconnec t it
from the scanner.
To power the scanner using a DC adapter, atta ch the Adaptaplug adapter to the DC adapter so t he tip re ads p ositive (+) an d
set the adapter’s voltage swi tch to 9V. Next, insert the Adaptaplug adapter into the scanner’s
adapter into your vehicle’s cigarette lighter socket.
Note:
If you use a cigarette li ghter power cable and your ve hicle’s engine is r unning, y ou might hear elec trical no ise from th e
engine while scanning. This is normal.
PWR
jack, then plug the DC
CHARGING RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES
Your scanner has a built-in c harging circuit that le ts you charge
Ni-Cd rechargeable batteries while they are in the scanner. To
charge rechargeable batteries, simply connect an AC adapter to
the scanner’s
Notes:
It takes between 14 and 16 hours to rech arge r ec harge abl e batteries that are fully discharged. You can operate the scanner
while recharging the batteries, but charging takes longer.
10
• You must have installed Ni -Cd r echarge able ba tteries in the
supplied yellow rechargeable battery holder in order to
charge them while they are in the scanner. If you use Ni-MH
or high-capacity Ni-C d batteries in your scanner, you must
use an external charger to charge them.
• You cannot use a DC adapter to recharge rechargeable batteries in the scanner due to the limitations of the sca nner’s
charging circuit.
PWR
jack.
Note:
Ni-Cd batteries last long er and delive r more power if you
occasionally let them fully d ischarge. To do th is, simply use the
scanner until
B
appears on the display. Then fully charge the
batteries.
Important:
This radio can use Ni-Cd rechargeable batteries. At the end of a Ni-Cd battery's
useful life, it must be recycled or disposed of
1
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8
0
0
2
properly. Contact your local, county, or state haz-
2
4
7
-
-
3
8
4
ardous waste managem ent authorities for information on recycling or dispos al programs in yo ur
area or call 1-800-843-7422. Som e options that might be avail able are: municipal curbside co llection, drop- off boxes at retail ers such as your local RadioShack store, recycling collection
centers, and mail-back programs.
CONNECTING AN ANTENNA
You must install an antenn a before you can operate the scanner. You can use the supplied a ntenna, or you c an connect an
external one (not supplied).
Connecting the Supplied Antenna
The supplied flexible antenna helps your scanner receive strong
local signals. Follow these steps to install the antenna.
1. Align the slots around the antenna’s
connector with the tabs on the
antenna jack.
2. Press the antenna down over the jack
and turn the antenna’s base clockwise until it locks into place.
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Connecting an Outdoor Antenna
Instead of the supplied antenna, you can connect an outdoor
base-station or mo bile antenna (not supplied) to your scanner
using a BNC connector. You r loca l RadioShack store sells a variety of antennas. Choose the one that best meets your needs.
When deciding on a mobile or base-station antenna and its location, consider these points:
• The antenna should be as high as possible on the vehicle or
building.
• The antenna and its cable should be as far as possible from
sources of electrical noise, such as appliances or other
radios.
• The antenna should be vertical for the best performance.
Always use 50 Ohm co axial cable, such as RG-58 or RG-8, to
connect the base-station or mobile antenna. For lengths over 50
feet, use RG-8 low-loss dielectric coaxial cable. If the antenn a
cable’s connector does not fit in the scanner’s antenna jack, you
might also need a P L-259-to-BNC antenna plug a dapter. Your
local RadioShack store carries a wide variety of coaxial antenna
cable and connectors.
If you choose another antenna, remove the supplied antenna
and follow the mounting instructions supplied with the ne w antenna. Route the antenna’s cable to the scanner, then connec t
the cable to the scanner’s antenna jack.
Cautions:
• Do not run the cable over sh arp edges or moving pa rts that
might damage it.
• Do not run the cable next to power cable s or other antenna
cables.
12
Warning:
outdoor antenna. I f the antenna starts to f all, let it go! It cou ld
contact overhead p ower lines. I f the a ntenna tou ches a power
line, contact with the antenna, mast, cable, or g uy wires can
cause electrocution an d death. Call the power c ompany to remove the antenna. DO NOT attempt to do so yourself.
Use extreme caution whe n you i nstal l or rem ove an
CONNECTING AN EARPHONE/
HEADPHONES
For private listening, you can connect an earphone or headphones with a
the scanner. (Your local Rad ioS hack st or e c arri es a wi de se lec tion of earphones and h eadphones). Connecting an earphone
or headphones automatically disconnects the internal speaker.
1
8
/
-inch (3.5-mm) plug to the jack on the top of
Listening Safely
To protect your hearing, follo w these guidelines when you use
an earphone or headphones.
• Set the volume to the lowest setting before you begin listening. After you begin listen ing, adjust the volume to a comfortable level.
• Do not listen at extremely high volume levels. Extended
high-volume listening can lead to permanent hearing loss.
• Once you set the volume, do not increase it. Over time, your
ears adapt to the volu me level , so a volu me level that does
not cause discomfort might still damage your hearing.
13
Traffic Safety
• Do not use an earphone/headphones with your scanner
when operating a motor vehicle or riding a bicycle in or near
traffic. Doing so can create a traffic hazard and could be illegal in some areas.
• If you use an earphone/headphones with your scanner while
riding a bicycle, be very car eful. Do not listen to a continuous transmission. Even though some earphones/headphones let you hear some outside sounds when li stening at
normal volume levels, they still can present a traffic hazard.
CONNECTING AN EXTENSION SPEAKER
In a noisy area, an amplified extension speaker (available at
your local RadioShack store) pos it ion ed i n the righ t pla ce , mig ht
provide more comfortable listening.
1
8
Plug the speak er cable’s
ner’s jack.
/
-inch (3.5-mm) plug into your scan-
Note:
Connecting an external speaker disconnects the scan-
ner’s internal speaker .
14
UNDERSTANDING YOUR SCANNE R
Once you understan d a few s imp le terms we us e in thi s man ual
and familiarize yourself with your scanner’s features, you can
put the scanner to work for yo u. You simply determine the type
of communications you wan t to rec eive, then s et the scanner to
scan them.
frequency
A
kHz or MHz). To find active frequencies, you can use the
search
is the tuning location of a station (expressed in
function.
You can also search the
set groups of frequencies categorized by type of service.
When you find a frequ ency, you can store it into a programmable memory location called a
your other ch annels in a
scan
the channel-stor ag e ba nk s to s ee if there is activity on the
frequencies store d there. Eac h tim e t he scan ner finds an ac tive
frequency, it stays on that channel until the transmission ends.
service-search banks
channel
channel-storage bank
, which is grouped with
, which are pre-
. You can then
A LOOK AT THE KE YPAD
Your scanner’s keys might seem confusing at first, but this information should help you understand each key’s function.
Note:
Some of the scanner’s keys perform mor e than one func tion and are marked with more than one l abel. The steps in th is
Owner’s Manual show only the label on the key appropriate to
the action being performed.
15
BAND
Lets you search the scanner’s preprogrammed
service-search banks.
PRI/ALERT
Turns the priority feature on and off; turns the
WX alert mode on and off.
WX
Scans the seven preprog rammed weather channels.
SCAN
MAN
Scans any preprogrammed channels.
Stops scanning and lets you directly enter a
channel number.
Number
Keys
Each key has single-digit (0 to 9) and a range of
numbers. Use the range of numbers above the key
(21–40 for example) to select the channel in a
channel-storage bank. See “Understanding Banks”
on Page 19.
▼
/▲
Searches up or down for active frequencies or
selects the direction when scanning channels.
L/O RVW / L/O
Reviews locked-out frequencies; lets you lock out
selected channels or frequencies.
MON/CL
Lets you store a frequency in one of the 20 monitor memories; clears an incorrect entry.
/ LIGHT
Locks (and unlocks) the keypad to prevent accidental entries; turns the backlight on and off.
PGM
DELAY
/
•
Programs frequencies into channels.
Programs a 2-second delay for the selected
channel; enters a decimal point.
ENT
(enter) Enters frequencies into channels.
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