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

I traded the pro-96 in for the PRO-106-(the radio I have now) because it "garbled" a lot on 800 MHz band. The pro-106 does "garble" a little bit, but not as much as the PRO-96 did. The reception is very good on it. I've dropped it a few times it still works good. I use it to listen to the police, fire, and ambulance in the county I live in. It is a little complicated to program at first. Over all it's a very good "Public Safety Scanner".

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

This is a clone of the GRE 500. Radio Shack has not provided firmware support for this radio yet. While GRE has updated the firmware for the 500 at least twice.

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

I like the Pro-106 but there is no support through Radio Shack. This radio is built by GRE. I suggest that you purchase the GRE-500 (identical to the Pro-106) since GRE has great support. For example, the GRE-500 has several CPU and DSP firmware upgrades posted on the GRE website. The Pro-106 has none. If you are interested in being able to upgrade the firmware then think twice about the Pro-106. Note that the firmware for the GRE-500 will not work in the Pro-106!

I have enjoyed the Pro-106 but I have had a problem monitoring P25 conventional objects. The scanner will stop on one of these objects and the LED lights but there is no audio. Reading the newsgroups this does seem to be a problem with the GRE-500 and Pro-106. There are times when all audio on a P25 conv obj is not heard. Overall I would estimate that I miss 50% of the P25 conv traffic.

I wish I had purchased the GRE-500 so that I could get support from GRE.

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

[...]it was well worth the money. It does everything so well. I was able to figure out the programming with a little help from the Radio Shack store down the road NOT where I purchased it. Also the ARC500 software is well worth the money. There was a rebanding in my area that the programming didn't cover and I was able to reprogram in 10min with no problems. So buy it, it's worth it. The easy stuff I can do but for the major stuff the software is worth the money. I do love it and will keep it a long time.

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

This is a great scanner! I picked it up at the Dayton Hamvention for a great price! It replaced my Pro-95. The Pro-106 does much, much more than the original trunking scanners. I like the PC interface and digital capabilities. This is a top-notch scanner! The only downfall is that you have to buy a charger, rechargeable batteries, etc. Other than that, you cannot go wrong with this scanner!

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

I really like this scanner but I have not tried to program they cloned it off of a store scanner. it holds its memory so I probably won't have to program it. I read the reviews and almost bought the uniden but I love this scanner its really nice and gets good reception. oh I paid [$] and got a radio shack charge and saved 10% percent and it went on sale and they took $50.00 more off of it. so I got a great deal.

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

I purchased my Pro 106 & 197 from a local RS, they said they programmed it, nope! I had to buy the cable and I am now very good at programming them both. I am willing to aid anyone! justonymsu[@]

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

I love this scanner. It is a bit if a pain to program by hand, so using the pc software does help. Once you get used to how much more efficent it preforms over the Uniden models it all makes sense and works much better. I want a second one!

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

This scanner has it all. Been scannering for 30 years. this truly is the best one yet!

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

people have said "oh the batteries drain fast, its so hard to use" it comes with detailed insturctions. yeah, using the led lights will make the batteries drain faster. after a few hours, i figured it all out. i didnt set the mulit color leds to come on, an rarely use the backlight. i have had no problems with the batteries. i use cheap regular AAs too. when listening to a digital trunked system, its crystal clear. naturally, when you listen to an analog system, you get some static. it depends on who you want to listen to, the system they use. the scanner is the best i have ever owned.

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

fast way to program, press tune ,enter frequency then press ent button, if digital control channel is present ,press f3 under display "store" or if conventional enter frequency and press ent and then f3 to store. repeat until you add all the freqs you need. for digital p25 control channels they will be displayed as D p25, use radioreference.com to find your frequencies.

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

My experience with the PRO-106 has been excellent. I bought the scanner at my local Radio Shack and they programmed the local frequencies for me. I got it home, read the manual (about 30 minutes) while playing with it and was ready to try programming it. I downloaded a couple of demos of programming applications from the web and gave one a try. In 15 minutes I had the new frequencies I wanted programmed in, the colors on the LED set for help me identify the type of transmission I was listening to, the radio memory backed up and exported to CSV files so I could reference them outside the application and share them. I am a technical kind of guy, so the Object Oriented Scanning was easy to comprehend and in my opinion is one of the best advances in scanners today. Don’t let the other reviews sour you on this system. Download the manual form the Radio Shack website and read the section on programming. Also, check out some of the online forums and see what others are saying. Once you get a feel for it you can decide if it is for you, but I can’t say enough good things about it. The range is great and I have just been using the stock antenna. I can’t wait to hook it up to the big home scanner antenna. The only cons I have found are with the lack of an included AC adapter and programming cable. If you add an AC adapter, Ni-MH rechargeable batteries and a programming cable expect to shell out additional dollars.
But, I am very happy with my purchase and highly recommend the PRO-106.

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

There is nothing intuitive about programming or operating a scanner, including this one. Further, the manual is also difficult to master and follow. Cell phones and GPS and other electronic devices can be operated by anyone with an IQ above room temperature - - - why can't scanners be designed in similar fashion?

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

This scanner uses terms not previously used before, and that makes it harder to understand and program. This instruction manual doesn't help completely. There is not enough volume.

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

WIN500 program with PC interface is a must, very easy to program. Manual programing is very time consuming. This scanner is the best I have ever owned and I have had over a dozen in the last 40 years.

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

Was easy to use right out of box. Works great for all around use.

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

I needed to purchase a Digital scanner since I wanted to listen to the Sheriff and Police in my county which are all digital. I'm so impressed with the PRO-106 that I'm considering purchasing an additional PRO-106 or its cousin the PRO-197 as a base station.Suggestions:RadioShack should provide a 'bundled' package for the PRO-106 with the A/C adapter, Computer Interface Cable, Programming Software, a rechargeable battery pack or a wall charger with 4 rechargeable batteries, and a high gain antenna.The Diamond and Watson mobile antenna's are a great option.Get yourself some high-end NiMH rechargeable batteries.[...].Pro's:It is a wonderful scanner, but you have to get a lot of extra items to make it great (see Con's below). The really BIG thing that blew me away with this scanner is that with the additional computer interface cable and 3rd party software, you can program it in minutes and even 'REMOTELY CONTROL' this scanner from your computer. In fact, using one 3rd party application you can control this scanner from any computer on the Internet, and this same 3rd party application has a Windows Mobile client which means Windows Mobile cellphones can access this scanner remotely...WOW! Since I work inside a building where the scanner does not receive any signals, I just leave the PRO-106 hooked up at home and access it from work when I want to listen (hence the need for an additional PRO-106 or PRO-197 scanner). TWO THUMBS UP!- STLK ObjectsThis is a very nice feature. It allows you to create an object (channel) just like other conventional or trunking object (channels), but a STLK object is a pre-programmed frequency range (SWPR), or a special frequency range of your choosing which is placed in any scan list (channel bank) and the frequency range of the STLK object is scanned when the object (channel) is scanned. Too COOL!- SALE PRICEI got the PRO-106 delivered from RadioShack on sale because in my opinion I feel that anything over what I paid was not cost effective for listening to public safety.Con's:- Difficult Controls- Up/Down Arrow KeysI just cannot get use to the 'Up arrow key' taking you sequentially down in channel ID numbers and the 'Down arrow key' taking you sequentially up in channel ID numbers when the scanner is in the manual mode. It just seems backwards to my thumbs and brain!- Difficult to program- No Programming Cable- No Software IncludedOK, I would not try to even program anything with '39,000 channels' manually in this day and age so you have to get the additional programming cable at RadioShack and some 3rd party software since RadioShack does not carry any software for this scanner. So, if you do not want to drive yourself crazy attem[...] AC Adapter Not IncludedWHY NOT? So, you are going to have to get this additional item at RadioShack too.

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

Unit offers lots of features but really should include rechargeable batteries and a better antenna as people getting this unit probably need the 800MHz and trunking else why get such an expensive unit. The included antenna gives poor reception in the bands you would get this unit for, and it goes through batteries so a set of rechargeables is a must. Programming cable should also be included, if I needed to make a lot of changes doing so from the unit would be a chore.

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

Has great reception in my area. Well built radio.

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

dont like when they sell u a none program radio,,,,,u would not belive what i went thru to find me a pro-106 in bout 5 hrs,,,,,after finding it,,,,,,buying a none program one and still not getting any use out of it as of today

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

This is the best scanner I have owned to date. In all fairness Object Oriented is very different from scanners in the past, but as I have learned how it works, I simply love it. Programming software is almost a must. I would recommend this to anyone as long as you purchase the cable, and software.

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

In spite of all the complaints about battery life, I find that it will run a whole day one one charge.

For a digital unit, that's pretty good.

It's size, though, makes it harder to be discreet around malls, airports, etc.

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

poor reception and impossible to program without radio shacks help

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

Software and programming cable is definitely helpful if you want to program quickly and efficiently. Took me about two hours to get accustomed to object oriented scanning. Not a great deal doesn't know what he/she is talking about, it's a scanner not an 800mhz radio that is why it come's with an antenna that cover's a wide range not a band specific antenna. The great thing is GRE put's out firmware updates for this and the cousin PSR500 and are very customer friendly. This radio does the best out of any scanner on simulcast systems(all have trouble but this does the best without setting up directional antenna's or doing anything other than using a rubber duck antenna).

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

personal use, nice clear signal,but have trouble sometimes with dropping signal on a call.

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

It's amazing how clear the audio is on this scanner.The sensitivity & reception surpass all other digital scanners I have ever seen.Until now I found digital sound quality to be fair at best.Be sure you get the usb programmable cable & purchase the needed software before you tinker or attempt to program this monster...I use BuTel + Radioshack usb Cable.This has made the programming so much easier..[...]

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

While a powerful unit, can only rate it as an ok deal. Drains batteries, doesn't include 800mhz antenna and difficult to use. Essentials like rechargeable batteries, the programming cable and an 800MHz antenna are not included so the extra cost for these items makes the price only ok at best.

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

piece of junk

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

I am a police officer using this scanner to scan other agencies and a few trunked agencies in the area. Also, monitor Kentucky State Police digital. This a great scanner once you learn how to program it. The programming has a learning curve that takes a while for most. Object Oriented scanning is hard to get used to, but once you do, there is no turning back. Makes it a snap to change where you want things, add to favorites etc. Battery life is short even with 2450mah batteries. Also, if you enter a trunked object but accidentally forget to assign it to a TSYS, it will really mess with your scanner. Mine would not let me hardly do anything until I researched on google and found the problem. Since then, it has been working great and after finally learning how to program, this is the best scanner I have ever owned. Now I just need to save up for the desktop version for the house!

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

I use the scanner to monitor breaking news for a newspaper. I used the Win 500 software from [@] to color code the LED for each group of emergency services that I track (PD is blue, fire red, Sheriff green, etc.) and love that feature.My only complaint is that [...] you really need to purchase extra software to get the most bang for your buck in organizing all the options. For a top-caliber scanner, this should be included on a disc in the box.

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

Unit will not work with new hybrid or electric vehicles due to electrical interference splattering over the voice. Bells and chimes for notification have no reduction when using earbuds and blasts out your ears. Cannot use the radio within five feet of a computer due to RFI from the clock and wireless keyboard frequencies (frequency heterodyne). Unstable front-end filters. Gets very little usage time on high-power batteries (2100MAH).

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

Love the lights identifying who is talking.
Difficult to program but Radio Shack helped me and once programmed has been the best radio I have owned.

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

Manually programing the radio is complicated. I highly recommend using 3rd. party software with the Radio Shack USB Cable. This Radio is state-of-the-art and has Awesome Audio quality. I did face a problem and exchanged it for a new radio, but even that was painless. Object Oriented Scanning takes some adjustment from conventional scanning. Software Really helps in this matter.

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

Its great to listening to and to use....

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

[...]

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

Its a very good radio! However make sure you have alot of batteries.

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

This is the best scanner ever made, thought the Pro-96 was good, but the Pro-106 is even better. It does it all!!!!

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

I found a professional leather case that works great! It is a Motorola Model NTN8382B Leather Case with a T-Strap, it is actually made for the XTS5000 radio, but my PRO-106 slips into it like it was made for it, and the keyboard clears the case as well. [...]

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

Was easy to program the stored trunked frequencies, but still haven't been able to program "conventional" non-trunked analog frequencies despite spending several hours trying. Very frustrating!!!. Zero assistance from local RS, help line was just a recording---no help.

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

For the record: I'm a novice with scanners. I got my Pro 106 for Christmas, no problem when I activated pre-pogrammed trunking for Metro Nashville. Works great! However, I can't get non-trunked, analog channels to work. I have read the manual several times, asked for assistance from my local RS, called the support hot line (which is simply a recording that reads the manual). Has anyone else had a problem programming non-trunked, analog channels? What am I missing? I follow the manual explicitly,but still can't get it to work. Any help would be appreciated. BTW: if this isn't the correct place to post this question, please point me in the right direction. Again, I'm very new at using a scanner.

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

Very clear audio,way better then pro-96 and 2096!

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

Reception is crystal clear. It is harder to program from the keyboard than previous scanners, I strongly recommend you get the RS two-way cable (yes, if you load the right driver from the included disk it does work, at least with XP) and third party programming software.

I have not gotten to try it on a trunked system yet, Mass SP TRS is too far, but I have no doubt it will work great.

BTW, if you are anywhere a major metropolitan area, program in ALL of the new "USA Interoperability" channels. They are where police/fire/ems/feds -everybody can coordinate major "events"

There is no leather case available (yet) so DO NOT drop it!

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

This is really a useful scanner. With built Pre-programmed frequency coverage, you can't go wrong. I don't leave home without it. Make sure you get the rechargeable batteries though.

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

Wow, great scanner. [...]

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

Reception was poor until I switched
the BNC antenna. Wow what a difference.
Best scanner in my 30 years of listening, and I've owned over 80 different radios.

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

Very neat how most major public safety trunked radio systems in the US are already programmed....this was truly "turnkey" on Christmas Day....and by reading the easy to understand instructions..I have personalized to my liking...would recommend to anyone

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

the main thing that I don't like is that almost every button I push it reads error and if anyone knows how to fix it I would be glad to hear about it, but since it's still a good scanner I would recommend it cause it has a stronger signal than the pro-96

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

Excellent radio! The radio can grow with you as you learn. I recommend purchasing a the radio shack programming cable as well as a third party scanner program to get the unit up and running within minutes. Very good radio with many customizable features.

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

NEVER SEEN A SCANNER AS GOOD AS THIS BEFORE!!!
PICKS P25 FREQUENCIES UP VERY CLEAR!!
OVERALL BEST SCANNER!

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

Great prodcut but no local support for programming and getting it running.

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

Works well in the londonderry, manchester, New Hampshire area. loads of fun

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

This is the best scanner I have ever owned. after buying the 800MHz antenna, I am able to receive State Police transmissions from over 60 miles away loud and clear. I would must definitly recommend this scanner, and for those having problems programming your scanner just let the staff at your local Radio Shack take care of it for you, they can have your frequencies punched in within 10 minutes or so. My only complaint with this unit is the Radio Shack 800mA AC adapter, I have gone through 3 adapters in 13 months.

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

This is the best scanner I have owned, and I've owned many. I love it so much, I ordered the base model (pro-197) as well. The PRO-106 is basically a GRE PSR-500 in a (what I consider better) RadioShack casing. The programming takes a little getting used to, but once you're familiar with it or if you use software, it's a breeze. Loaded with settings and adjustments to satisfy just about anyone. Buy it and enjoy!

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

Overall, excellent scanner with revolutionary programming system. Is missing the Fire-Tone Out ability, but has great reception and is incredibly flexible with it's programming.

Unlike almost any other scanner on the market, this unit does not have the standard bank/frequecy programming model. It referres to Object Oriented Programming, which, while hard to explain, after a a bit of a steep learning curve; is much easier to modify and control than the older generations of scanners. Basically, you program around each item (this can be a conventional analog frequency, or a specific talkgroup ID, or a group if IDs) instead of programming within the confines of the bank you are in.

For example, you can program one scan list to have all the EMS in your county (Say List 2), while having another scan list with the police (say List 1), and a third that will have the police, but perhaps only the local hospital (I'll call this EMS1) without having to program it in multiple locations. Just program your EMS1 channel, then tell it to be active on, say, Scan List 1 and 3. Then bam. It's now tied to your police list, while still being available to your EMS list.

Starting to see the advantages?

I do highly recommend getting a copy of Starrsoft's Win500 program. Does make programming the advanced features so much easier and faster. However, the basics can be learned with just a bit of fiddling with the scanner with the manual in hand. Easy way to learn the software is to program a little of the scanner by hand, then download that to the computer. You can then see how it is arranged.

Reception is better than on the older Pro-96, which in itself was no slouch. A few, I believe, overlooked features that I love:
1. The ability to have the backlight turn on while a channel is active.
2. 7color custom LED that can light up for specific channels/talkgroup IDs. Blue for PD, Red for Fire, Yellow for WX, etc, etc.
3. Screen is sharper with a higher dot pitch and contrast than the Pro96. Also, although it may be age, it does seem that the Pro-106 has a brighter and more uniform backlight on the LCD than my Pro-96.

Sound quality is good, the desktop naturally does down better with it's larger speaker, but I find the handheld sounds good for it's size.

Unless you have a lot of low frequency channels, pop for the 800mhz antenna for the digital signals. Typically the performance is better. Of course, the wideband antenna supplied is better if you have a 50/50 split of 800mhz frequencies and 100-500mhz frequencies.

At $100 cheaper than the Uniden BCD-996T while only missing the GPS and Fire Tone-Out, I consider the Pro106 a fantastic unit at a resonable price, relativly.

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

I have always liked Radioshacks scanners and have listeed to the good old pro-95 for years, What a difference!! Its a real treat when you upgrade after such a long time and the new 106 really cant be compared to any of the older models, Everything is new, The programming, The lcd that you can set 7 different colors so you know whos on the radio from across the street! Not just across the room...If your "thinking" about getting this scanner think no more, Just buy it.

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

First Digital scanner - read the manual online and could tell I had to download software to program. Works great, but a little disappointing to spend that much money and not even get the AC adapter, or case -

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

THIS IS THE BEST HANDHELD SCANNER I HAVE EVER OWNED. I HAVE OWNED MANY GREAT SCANNERS. MANY NEW FEATURES ARE PACKED INTO THIS STANDARD SIZED HANDHELD RADIO. EASY TO LEARN IF YOU PURCHASE PROGRAMMING SOFTEARE TO PROGRAM IT. STRONG SIGNAL, LOW NOISE, NO MOTORBOATING, cons include the fact that the wall wart power supply and the USB programming cable are not included, but have to be purchased seperately at radioshack. [...]. TWO thumbs up scanner for the [$] I paid for it during the sale. Picks up DIGITAL trunked systems without any problems. GOOD JOB GRE/RADIOSHACK.

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

This is the best handheld scanner to ever come out of RS. Wonderfully clear digital reception. Does it all!! Made by GRE. You will not be disappointed.

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

I HAVE BEEN USING SCANNERS FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS. I HAVE ABOUT 15 SCANNERS AT THIS TIME.
THIS IS THE BEST.ITS IN THE SAME CLASS AS THE 2006 WAS

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

Simply put, the Pro-106 is an awesome scanner.

It is a little complex to set up, but I got the hang of it after about 4 hours or so. It helps that most basic frequencies and talk groups for many areas are pre-programmed. Once you see the "insides" of this format, you can learn how things are put together.

Another great feature is the LED. Easy to see what department you're listening to even from across the room.

Audio quality is just fine. Digital audio sounds a bit tinny, but I suppose this is just the way digital is.

Overall, I would recommend this scanner for anybody needing to pick up digital frequencies. If you have owned other scanners and are used to the way older models are set up, there is a bit of a learning curve, but it isn't impossible.

If you don't need digital, then I suggest something a bit simpler.

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

i use it alot that i wish they come with an extra battery system like some cordless drills do.Great thing about it is its catching up with technology.and the thing i never liked about portable scanners is thet they all come with PLASTIC belt clips,they never last long on me and always have to change mines to a lite metal home made belt clip,for that price it shouls already come with extra back up battery or at least a stronger beltclip

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

I like to keep up on local events, by being imformed, is the best way to protect family and property . This is the best scanner that I have ever owned. It work very well so far, good strong receive, clear, and loud audio. So far have received good audio signals, from 50 miles away, on the rubber attached antenna. A little difficult to program, but I am a old man, not a fast learner.

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

Sounds 100% better than the PRO-96

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

This has more features than any other digital scanner, and has great reception on digital and analog. It really does everything you could want now, and will want in the future. It does digital better than the uniden radios. There is a learning curve but its worth it. Great scanner!

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

I have a PSR-500 and the Pro-106 seems to have a slightly better sound to it. I like the way if feels in my hand while monitoring and the lightening speed that it can be programmed. The base version is an excellent choice. The in the Pro-106 has tweaky audio but in the base sounds really much better. I like the different LED lights also.

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

I bought the Pro-106 thinking that it would be a better and improved version of the Pro-96..I was wrong. It was far more difficult to program as opposed to the -96 in which you could just snap on frequencies at a whim. The Win500 software that you must download to use the Pc interface was screwy with my Pc. I hope you have better luck than I did. Have a nice day, and go Statesmen.

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

Great P25 Reception, cool LED light for quick ID of most used channels. One of the only radios on the market with radio ID. A lot of memory for all those extra talk groups.

Only gripe is that it is next to impossible to program by hand, you really need the software and a computer to program it right and to get the full use of this great scanner.

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

This is a very good scanner. But it would be nice to have the fire tone out feature. If this is your first scanner, get someone to help you program it, it is very hard. Also pay 30 dollars to [...] and get the win 500 program from star soft and it will help you program it alot easier. Reception is very good, i can get signals from at least 50 miles away which i could not do with the pro 97. But please radio shack add the tone out feature on the next model.

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

I have had three scanners noe, this is my favorite by far. I love the lights that will light if a certain group is talking.

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

I owned the Pro-96 for 3yrs. It had a few flaws, This one is the best of the best ! I love it !

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

I use this scanner for monitoring the Kentucky State Police (digital P25), my local police department (i'm a police officer there also!) and several businesses nearby including the largest UPS hub in North America (trunked).

This scanner, once you get the programming down, is very easy to use and everything is where it should be on a scanner, in my opinion. It's easy to set up limit searches as actual channels so you can store several in one 'scan list' and go thru them one at a time and scan without having to change limits. It decodes digital channels for you and shows all the tones to program them into the banks without having to worry about bleedover or far away places on the same channel with a different tone.

The LED option is awesome!! You can set up numerous options on the channels which include 8 different color LEDS and wether or not it should flash. I have my main channel as a blue flash LED so I can tell from across the room if it is the channel I want to listen to. You can also set alarms for specific channels, so if you have one that has limited activity but you really want to hear it, specify one of several alarms and know right away if that channel is active.

I could go on all day. If you are in need of a scanner, buy this now!! I sold a PRO-94 to upgrade to digital. Even if you don't need digital, buy this and be prepared for the future.

I personally did not buy the programming cable or any software. Spend a little time with it and it is easy to program.

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

I bought the 106 to pick up all the digital frequencies on the Phoenix Regional Wireless Network. Includes Mesa, AJ, Gilbert, Phx PD. Bought the 800 MHZ antenna a few days later. It improved reception slightly but not much difference. Still getting crackling and cutoffs. Have to keep the scanner by a window. Center of the house has no reception. Would recommend a base rather than a hand held.

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

A very good scanner. Easy user interface (especially with aftermarket software). Good on batteries. Very sensitive, but prone to front end overload more than a Undien BCD396T. And it's a little big. But a very good scanner.

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

Radio is fine, the manual is junk.

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

I've been using scanners for a few years and I have to admit, the Pro-106 is a little intimidating. However, there are several software programs on line that great simplify programming. And the Pro-106 uploads FAST! Although there are a lot of features I still need to discover, the Pro-106 picks up digital, trunked and analog frequencies better than any scanner I've used before. Not sure I'd recommend this as a first scanner, but if you're ready for digital, this is the way to go.

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

Great reception, easy to program even without PC software. At first programming seemed a little overwhelming, my jumping from early programmable models to this one, but with the help of an old friend and 4 hours of reading the manual, I soon figured it out. I would recommend the 800 antenna if that band is your main concern, but the included all purpose rubber antenna doesn't do a bad job either. The "What's In The Box" section of this ad is incorrect and probably pertains to some other model, it does NOT come with a telescopic antenna, it will have no handle bracket, no adapter, no DC cable, no DIN sleeve (whatever that is), and no cabinet. What this DOES come with is the basic radio, an all purpose rubber duck antenna, a regular battery holder, a battery holder for rechargeables, a belt clip, and the much needed manuals. You will still have to buy an AC adapter for home use and a DC adapter for mobile use, and to recharge the batteries, unless you enjoy buying batteries by the case. I especially like the LED on top, you can custom program it many different ways and colors to indicate what is being received. The digital signal is crystal clear and is as good as the radios that professionals carry. I would definitely recommend this scanner to anyone, I was lucky enough to find it on sale.

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

I love everything about this scanner except the quality of the speaker audio which is very narrow. When compared to the audio of its predecessor, the Pro-96, the Pro-106 speaker audio makes everyone sound like they are holding their noses. When using in my car with road noise, when I turn the Pro-106 up, the narrow audio becomes distorted to the point that I can't understand any transmissions. I never had this problem with the Pro-96. It does however have a more sensitive receiver. I can hear neighboring Digital Trunking systems in other counties that my Pro-96 could not pick up. The object oriented method of programming is easier to program, that is once you understand the concept. This scanner does not have the problem with the sensitive volume control that the Pro-96 had. It does however lock up every time you plug or unplug the DC power cord as the Pro-96 does. The buttons on the keypad are much firmer than the Pro-96 so it is harder to mistakenly press a key. The keylock function does not stay engaged when turning the scanner on and off, I think it should. And for the price it should come with a Li-on battery system with twist off packs, so you can always have a spare charged battery ready. Taking the battery door off the back, pulling the AA’s out of the holder, and putting in charged ones is a real exercise twice a day. This is a high tech radio with a battery system from the 1970s. With all that said this is still the best digital scanner on the market. But the quality of the audio output from the speaker is a very big negative.

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

Unbelievable scanner, this pro 106 is so cool. If you could design your dream scanner this is it !
Eventhough I would call myself an amature scanner It only took a couple 4 or 5 hr nights playing with this scanner and I got the hang of it.I mostly use it to listen to the new p25 digital police and local vhf police.Awesome reception & no more garbled digital !! Nice satin finish case so no more fingerprints / scratches like the pro 96 glossy finish. I love the multi color led and backlight you can program to turn on with each reception.I programmed several local systems/frequencies with different color lights to identify them, no software needed and had no problem,plenty to listen to.tip-get some NIMH rechargable 2500 mAh batteries and this scanner runs for several days listening even with all the lights and whistles on before I need to recharge the batteries.TIP-if you are a rookie like me just remember when programming p25 you need to program a NEW system (tsys) object and after entering the control freq's press save TWICE and then it will bring you right to the menu to program a talk group object to associate to that system. use wildcard for the id...you can then scan away and the wildcard id will enable you to recieve and automatically identify all talk groups related to your programmed system.When you hear a talk group you like just hit the store button and you can find the object later and name (tag) it.IMPORTANT-when you program your 2nd and subsequent systems, when you get to the (tsys)entry make sure to use the arrow key and scroll to NEW before you press the select button so you don't over-write the one shown (the scanner defaults to the last programmed tsys)...just be sure to arrow to NEW then hit the sel button.
Hope this helps the newbees....In my opinion (had allot of scanners over the years) and I think the pro 106 is the best to market so far.Good by to my uniden 396T and rs pro-96....The PRO-106 has finally made enjoyable,clear,fun,trouble-free listening possible again and no more garble....last tip,get the 800 mhz antenna too it really makes a difference especially for p25 digital.........can you tell I LOVE this radio !!!

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

Great Price. Buy it before the sale ends.

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

This is one of the BEST, if not the BEST, digital scanner I have ever used. I have been scanning since 1970 and have always been impressed with Radio Shack scanners. While no radio is perfect, it will be difficult to beat this scanner.

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

The last scanner I bought prior to this one was the Pr0-70 so going to the Pro-106 was a bit daunting. At first I was confused on how to operate/program the thing, but after a couple of days I can program it without any problems...I would HIGHLY recommend programming software.

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

I've been in the scanner hobby for over 40 years, and the PRO-106, as well as the PRO-197 base/mobile are the best ever from Radio Shack! Even in large cities with complex APCO-25 (P25) simulcast or multiple site systems, this scanner performs exceptionally well!

The programing features and flexibility should meet the needs of anyone!

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

The pro 106 is by far hands down the best scanner I have ever used. With the win500 programing soft ware and the RS 20-047 data cable this thing was a breeze to program. I had it operational and fully programmed in about two hours after purchase.

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

This is the best digital scanner today .Easier to use than the 396T .Computer programming and control uses the widely accepted USB standard. Signal Stalker II works quite well . Another nice feature is Radio I.D. . Programmable LED per channel and with several color options.

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

I love this scanner! I had a Pro-96 before and it does not compare at all, the 106 has by far the best signal strength and best reception. I put both side by side with the stock antenna and the 106 came out on top.

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

I love it, it's a good buy.