RadioShack® PRO-106 39,000-Channel Digital Handheld Scanner

Comments about RadioShack PRO-106 39,000-Channel Digital Handheld Scanner:

I found it very difficult to program to much tech for an old man,a nice fellow named Bill at the Shelbyville rd store programed it for me,very nice fellow,his store had the radio I brought $50.00 cheaper than the one I had all ready gotten,my clerk told me the were the same price at all stores,not true

Comments about RadioShack PRO-106 39,000-Channel Digital Handheld Scanner:

excellent scanner once you figured out how to program it for your listening preference. Had this scanner for over four years and used it almost every day. Dropped it numerous times, got it wet and it is still functioning as new.

Comments about RadioShack PRO-106 39,000-Channel Digital Handheld Scanner:

One of the better radios that I've owned. If you had trouble understanding trunked systems, I see where you'd have trouble programming this radio. But, once you've got your head around a "normal" system, throw it out the window. We're now dealing with dynamic allocations and object oriented programming.

This is not a plug and play radio( as are most trunking radios). This is more in tune with hobbyist and those who understand the nuances of radio systems and who want to wring out the details. That being said however, it can be as complicated as you want. Third party software abounds and most give you a 30 day trial period. The software really helped me in understanding object oriented programming. While the manual is lacking, a picture is worth a thousand words, and that's where the software comes in. I can now program the radio manually but , 39,000 objects is a lot of finger taping. Get the software, at least for initial programming and understanding of a dynamic allocations and object oriented programming.

Features abound on this radio. It's like having four radios in one. Almost anything can be tailored to your liking. From auto backlighting to audio alerts, a lot of thought went into this. The temporary lock out feature is an example of "why didn't anyone think of that before"..After initial programming and a few days playing around, it is rather intuitive and relatively simple to operate.

A few cons however (and this is what makes it a good radio, not great). I've been using the radio for about a week now, and it does eat a lot of alkaline batteries. When the "new" wears off and I go back to my normal scanning routine, I might see longer battery life but, while I was getting several days if not weeks of operation with my older radio, this one goes through a set in a day. Given comparative scan speed and other features, I can somewhat understand this. I have purchased four sets of Ni-Mh rechargeables so, you might want to take that into account in your price-point.

And speaking of price point, this radio should have a hardened outer shell. I have a $200 aviation handheld with some of the same features; and that radio is built like a tank. I purchased a padded nylon case...another expenditure if you're looking at price-point.

Overall, a good radio. The new features are worth the upgrade from my older triple trunking radio and with a lot of municipalities going digital, not to mention the new freq. allocations, this radio fits the bill.

Comments about RadioShack PRO-106 39,000-Channel Digital Handheld Scanner:

I'm having a hard time programming. It came with preset programs. They have 20 but they don't have my area in it.

Comments about RadioShack PRO-106 39,000-Channel Digital Handheld Scanner:

the shack should up the price and let THE raido speak for its self.. whaT a JOKE... $40 EXTRA AND THE PROGRAM

FASTJOE COLORADO SPRINGS

Comments about RadioShack PRO-106 39,000-Channel Digital Handheld Scanner:

I am using this scanner to monitor local police, fire, EMS, railroad, and aircraft in my area. I put each of these categories in a separate scan list. I did not find it hard to program. However, at first I did not get voice for the trunked Texas Wide Area Radio Network (TxWARN) (Motorola) until entering the custom tables. It's pretty easy once you find this out. The scanner would 'hit' on the channel, but no voice until the tables were entered. Unfortunately the manual gives little or no information about this. I got the answer from the Radio Reference forum, and the tables are on the Radio Reference site. Using a software programming application e.g. Win500 and the Radio Reference web database will save some time in programming the Pro-106; it should even download the appropriate custom tables and set the proper multi-site parameter for you. Conventional frequencies are very simple to enter. This scanner replaces an old non-trunking scanner I had from the early 80's.

Comments about RadioShack PRO-106 39,000-Channel Digital Handheld Scanner:

easy to set up but soft ware with cable 7 days for that price get real scanner is easy to program but use caution you only get 2 chances to get the downloads.

Comments about RadioShack PRO-106 39,000-Channel Digital Handheld Scanner:

I'm very happy with this unit. It works great. I also use a pro2096, bcd996xt. I would buy this anytime.
I did see some comments on battery use. Check your battery type and charging time in Global settings.
This is a must read the manual radio.
I like the V back up also. Lots of goodies.

Comments about RadioShack PRO-106 39,000-Channel Digital Handheld Scanner:

can not program

Comments about RadioShack PRO-106 39,000-Channel Digital Handheld Scanner:

I have 2 of theses scanners, and they are the best I have ever owned.
I went to an airshow in Maine last week and was able to find the frequencies for the USAF Thunderbirds with the scanners stalking feature.

There is an easy to use, step by step manual offered by Scanner Master that could help with programming.

This is a great scanner however, I would not recommend the Pro 106 for beginners.