PRO-2038 Programmable Scanner
(200-0413) Understanding Your Scanner Faxback Doc. # 18277
A LOOK AT THE FRONT PANEL
A quick glance at this section should help you understand each key's
function, see illustration in Faxback Doc #18003.
HOLD -- stops scanning or searching
PRIVATE -- scans the frequencies you stored in the PRIVATE scan bank's
channels.
POLICE -- scans the pre-set frequencies and channels in the POLICE service
scan bank.
/\ and \/ -- moves up or down through frequencies and channels or changes
the search direction.
FIRE/EMG -- scans the pre-set frequencies and channels in the FIRE/EMG
service scan bank.
WX -- scans the pre-set frequencies in the WX service scan bank.
AIR -- scans the pre-set frequencies in the AIR service scan bank.
MARINE -- scans the pre-set frequencies in the MARINE service scan bank.
SEARCH -- searches for active frequencies within a selected range, starting
from the lowest frequency.
L/OUT -- locks out selected frequencies or channels.
BAND -- selects any of the 12 frequency bands to search.
PROG -- programs frequencies into channels.
SQ -- adjusts the scanner's squelch.
OFF/VOL -- turns the scanner on or off and adjusts the volume.
A LOOK AT THE DISPLAY
The display has indicators that show the scanner's current operating mode. A
good look at the display will help you understand your scanner.
PRIVATE -- appears when you scan the frequencies you stored in the PRIVATE
scan bank's channels.
POLICE -- appears when you scan the pre-set frequencies and channels in the
FIRE/EMG service scan bank.
WX -- appears when you scan the pre-set frequencies in the WX service scan
bank.
AIR -- appears when you scan the pre-set frequencies in the AIR service
scan bank.
MRN-- appears when you scan the pre-set frequencies in the MARINE service
scan bank.
HOLD -- appears when you press HOLD to stop scanning or searching.
SCAN -- appears when you scan pre-set frequencies and channels. SCAN also
scrolls across the display.
SRCH /\\/ -- appears during a search to show the search direction.
Error -- appears when you make an incorrect entry.
Prg-Loc -- appears when you try to program the scanner while MEMOLOCK
OFF/ON is set to ON (see "Using Memolock," Faxback Doc.# 18274,
Special Features).
L/O -- appears when you lock out a channel or frequency or manually select a
locked-out channel or frequency. See "Lock Out," Faxback Doc.# ,
Special Features.
MEMO LOSS -- appears when you first turn the scanner on until you program
the scanner, and when you turn the scanner on after a power
loss when the scanner's memory backup circuit is too weak to
save the scanner's programming. See "Memory Backup," Faxback
Doc.# 18275, Preparation.
CH -- flashes when you program the scanner.
Channel Number -- appears under PRIVATE to show which of the scanner's scan
bank channels it is tuned to.
Frequency Band Range Numbers -- appears instead of a frequency to show
which of the scanner's 12 frequency bands
you selected.
SCAN BANKS
Service Scan Banks
The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) allocates frequency ranges for
the exclusive use of public service agencies such as police departments,
fire departments, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Federal Aviation
Administration, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Many of the frequencies used by these agencies are grouped into service
scan banks, so you can quickly and easily scan the frequencies used by a
particular agency.
Your scanner has the following service scan banks.
POLICE (contains 739 pre-set frequencies).
FIRE/EMG (contains 197 pre-set frequencies).
MARINE (contains 90 pre-set frequencies).
AIR (contains 1,160 pre-set frequencies).
WEATHER (contains 7 pre-set frequencies).
You can scan through any service scan bank simply by pressing the scan
bank's button. For example, if you want to scan frequencies where you are
likely to hear police calls, press POLICE.
NOTES: You cannot use the SEARCH key to search for new frequencies in the
service scan banks.
You cannot change or delete any of the frequencies in the service
scan banks, but you can assign a frequency in any service scan bank
to any channel.
Private Scan Bank
Your scanner has one PRIVATE scan bank. The PRIVATE scan bank contains 20
channels. You can store frequencies from any frequency band or service
scan bank into these channels, then scan the channels by pressing PRIVATE.
NOTES: You cannot use the SEARCH key to search for new frequencies in the
PRIVATE scan bank.
You cannot scan the PRIVATE scan bank until you have stored
frequencies in its channels (see "Storing Frequencies into
Channels," Faxback Doc.# 18273, Operation).
FREQUENCY BANDS
Your scanner has 12 frequency bands. Each frequency band covers a specific
range of frequencies. You can search these frequency bands for specific
broadcasts. For example, you can search through all frequencies between
29.000 and 30.000 MHz for specific broadcasts.
This table shows the frequency band range displayed by the scanner and the
typical usage, frequency coverage, and step rate for each frequency band
range.
Displayed
Frequency Typical Usage Frequency Coverage Step Rate
Band Range
___________________________________________________________________________
29- 30 10-Meter Amateur Radio 29.0000 to 30.0000 MHz 5.0 kHz
30- 50 VHF Lo 30.0000 to 50.0000 MHz 5.0 kHz
50- 54 6-Meter Amateur Radio 50.0000 to 54.0000 MHz 5.0 kHz
108-137 Aircraft 108.0000 to 136.9750 MHz(AM)25.0 kHz
137-144 Government 137.0000 to 144.0000 MHz 5.0 kHz
144-148 2-Meter Amateur Radio 144.0000 to 148.0000 MHz 5.0 kHz
148-174 VHF Hi 148.0000 to 174.0000 MHz 5.0 kHz
406-420 Government 406.0000 to 420.0000 MHz 12.5 kHz
420-450 70-Centimeter Amateur Radio 420.0000 to 450.0000 MHz 12.5 kHz
450-470 UHF Lo 450.0000 to 470.0000 MHz 12.5 kHz
470-512 UHF "T" Band 470.0000 to 512.0000 MHz 12.5 kHz
806-956 UHF Public Service, 806.0000 to 823.9875 MHz 12.5 kHz
33-Centimeter Amateur 849.0125 to 868.9875 MHz 12.5 kHz
Radio, UHF Hi 894.0125 to 956.0000 MHz 12.5 kHz
NOTES: Your scanner searches at the pre-set frequency step rate (5, 12.5,
or 25 kHz) for each frequency.
You cannot change the frequency step rate.
While searching through a frequency band, you might hear a frequency that
you want to store with other frequencies of the same type, so you can scan
them all together. You can store any frequency in a channel in the POLICE
or FIRE/EMG service scan banks or the PRIVATE scan bank. See "Searching
the Frequency Bands" and "Storing Frequencies into Channels," Faxback Doc.#
18273, Operation.
NOTES: Some of the frequencies in the frequency bands are also grouped in
the scanner's service scan banks.
When you store a frequency in a channel, that frequency also
remains in the frequency band.
You cannot change or delete any of the frequencies in the frequency
bands.
CHANNELS
The scanner has 50 empty, programmable channels where you can store
frequencies you find while scanning the banks or searching through the
frequency bands. You can also change or delete frequencies you already
stored in these channels.
The POLICE service scan bank contains 20 channels. Frequencies you assign
to POLICE channels become part of the POLICE service scan bank.
For example, the police department might use four temporary frequencies
while providing security for a parade. If these frequencies are included
in any frequency band (for even another service scan bank), you could store
these frequencies in channels 1 through 4 of the POLICE service scan bank.
The FIRE/EMG service scan bank contains 10 channels. Frequencies you
assign to FIRE/EMG channels become part of the FIRE/EMG service scan bank.
For example, the fire department might use three frequencies to communicate
with paramedic units only during disaster drills. If these frequencies are
included in any frequency band (or even another service scan bank), you
could store these frequencies in channels 1 through 3 of the FIRE/EMG
service scan bank.
The PRIVATE scan bank contains 20 channels.
The MARINE, AIR, and WEATHER service scan banks have no channels.
Good references for active frequencies are Radio Shack's "Police Call Radio
Guide Including Fire and Emergency Services," "Aeronautical Frequency
Directory," and "Maritime Frequency Directory." We update these
directories every year, so be sure to get a current copy. For more specific
frequencies within your state, be sure to ask your local Radio Shack for
the "Beyond Police Calls" series of books.
AVOIDING IMAGE FREQUENCIES
You might discover one of your regular stations on another frequency that
is not listed. It might be what is known as an image frequency.
For example, you might find a service that regularly uses a frequency of
432.485 also on 454.185 or 433.385.
To see if it is an image, do a little math.
The scanner's intermediate frequencies are: 10.85 MHz .450 MHz
Note the new frequency where you find the
service: 454.185 MHz 433.385 MHz
Double the IF of this unit and subtract it
from the new frequency -21.70 MHz -.900 MHz
If the answer is the regular frequency, then
the new frequency is an image frequency. 432.485 MHz 432.485 MHz
Occasionally you might get interference on a weak or distant channel from a
strong broadcast 10.85 MHz below the tuned frequency. This is rare, and
the image signal is usually cleared whenever there is a broadcast on
the actual frequency.
(CS 10/11/95)