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Object Oriented Scanning tips

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What Model(s) Are Covered by this article?

The tips presented here are assumed to apply to the following models. If a tip is specific to a model or models, please mention this as well


GRE Model Older RS Model Newest RS Model Whistler Model
PSR-3101
PSR-4101
PSR-500 Pro-106 Pro-651 WS1040
PSR-600 Pro-197 Pro-652 WS1065
  1. Trunking w/ Analog Voice Only scanners, others shown in table can handle up-to Digital P25 Phase I

Not all functions are available on these but many do directly apply

GRE Radio Shack Whistler
PSR-7007 Pro-1077
Pro-181,5,8
PSR-8002,5,8 Pro-6682,5,8 WS10802,3,8
WS10882,3,6
TRX-12,3,4
PSR-9009 WS10952,3
WS10982,3,6
TRX-22,3,4
  1. Released around the time the PSR-800 was, but lacking additional/advanced features SEE #5.
  2. Project 25(P25) Phase I and II decoding.
  3. Capable of DMR decoding, with a free Upgrade to the latest Firmware via Whistler's EZ-Scan software.
  4. Capable of NXDN decoding, with a free Upgrade to the latest Firmware via Whistler's EZ-Scan software
  5. Ability to be Upgraded for DMR (and add P25 Phase II to Pro-18) decode with a Paid Upgrade with User paid shipment to Whistler, returned by them. Once, returned, continued forward support is possible via Whistler Repair and EZ-Scan Software, with all the newer additions and features of a WS1080.
  6. Variant with Keypad
  7. Trunking w Analog Voice Only
  8. ALL THE SAME after UPGRADE except silk screening
  9. Never released publicly, subsequently became WS1095

Tips and Shortcuts

  • You navigate objects in MAN mode: Just use the Arrow Keys. Up/Down scrolls within a scan list, and Left/Right scrolls to change scan lists. You can also just type the Object number and press ENT. Also in PGM mode, there is a FIND option and you type Alpha/Numeric (partial or full) and it will search the number and text fields in every object and let you choose to monitor (MAN), or press NEXT (Softkey) to keep FIND-ing, or EDIT to edit the found object.
  • Activate/Deactivate Scan Lists: Sets membership in Scan Lists. Use left and right keys to scroll through Scan Lists. Use SEL key to toggle Scan List membership. A “*” next to the Scan List number indicates that the object is mapped to that Scan List.
  • Audio Boost: Expert menu, AudioBoost, On or OFF, Applies a 6 dB boost to audio levels when the object is active
  • Battery Settings: Change the battery setting in the Global menu: Alkaline, NiCad, or NiMIH, to set the proper battery warning levels for the battery type you are using.
  • CCDump: There is also a built in data dump which can be enabled with "CCDump" in the Func-Global-F3 "super expert" menu which may meet many users needs when used with 3rd party software which already supports this data. When CCDump = "Yes" most control channel and weather SAME data is dumped to the PC/IF port for use with the USB cable. This may save soldering and warranty issues for most users.
  • Cloning: Make sure the radios used for cloning are not set to output control channel data or they will not clone. PGM, Fun+Glob (F3), then pressing the Func+down arrow and then the up arrow once, press the right arrow once to YES, then (F1) to Save.
  • Default Scanlist: When programming an object, select the scan list using the menu or the default scan list one will be used. To return an object to your selected scanlist, set the default the the scanlist to the number you want. To return an object to the default during EDIT or NEW press Dflt.
  • Delete Alpha Characters during entry: Func + CL will delete all the characters in a line. Use the "." (decimal) key to delete a character and make a blank space.
  • Dupe function: To repeat commonly used object attributes, use the Dupe function.
  • EDACS Narrow: For some systems, the control channel data may need to be inverted. Once the EDACS narrow system is created, arrow down to the "Expert Below" section until you see "Invert Data: No", arrow right or left to display "Yes", press Save (F1) to save changes.
  • Firmware: You can verify the version of DSP firmware currently active by pressing the 3 key during the "Welcome" screen. Future firmware upgrades can be installed by downloading and running an upgrade program.
  • Flex Step: "Super Expert Setting Menu". PGM, FUNC F3:GLOB Scroll down to "flexStep" and Rt-Arrow it to "On" F1:Save
  • Force Analog: If you have a CONV object that you know is analog, You can set the object to tone search to force it as analog.
  • Force Digital: If you have a CONV object (or trunked) that you know is digital, you can force it as digital by forcing it to search for P25 NAC.
  • Go directly to a newly saved conventional object: Press MAN right after pressing "Stor" in the search, you'll be taken right to the CONV object you just stored.
  • Hold: You can pause while scanning, or now the MAN mode is fully trunking so you can just "FIND" on some Conventional, Search, or Talkgroup, Sweeper, alpha or number data, and then press MAN.
  • I-Call: Program a talkgroup ID of Wildcard with a type of private
  • Object access: To go to an object, press MAN or PGM and the object number, then press E to goto the object.
  • Object Search: If you press manual, you can then scroll through the scanlist (the default save to, is scanlist 1) with the up/down arrows. You can also use the Find feature. press Program, Edit, Find enter a alpha text or frequency. And you can find it by object type by pressing Program, Edit, press left or right key to select the object type, such as CONV, the the up down arrow to select the conventional object.
  • Quick Menu Move: Func + Up or Down will move to the top or bottom of a menu.
  • Signal Strength Meter Settings: A setting of 470-750, provides a more relative indication of signal bars than the default range.
  • How to enter VHF/UHF Motorola and P25 Custom Trunking Tables
    • Motorola Custom Trunking Table channels start at 380 through 759. Usually 3 tables are the max used though many are single or two table.
      • Typical single table Motorola VHF/UHF should always be in this format.
      • Lo Chan 380
      • Hi Chan 759
      • Offset 380
      • Base xxx.xxxx
      • Step xx.x in KHz
      • Subsequent Motorola tables will have Lo Chan/Offset setting at one number above previous table Hi Chan. In turn, it's Hi Chan should be one number below next table Lo Chan. The last table setting will always use Hi Chan at 759
  • These scanners will auto set P25 Custom Trunking Tables by setting TSYS to P25 Auto
    • P25 Custom Trunking Table channels start at 0 through 65535. However, they are grouped in multiples of 4096 per group as follows:
      • 0-4095
      • 4096-8191
      • 8192-12287 etc through 65535
      • Typical single table P25 VHF/UHF
      • Lo Chan 0
      • Hi Chan 4095
      • Offset 0
      • Base xxx.xxxx
      • Step xx.x KHz
      • Subsequent P25 tables will have Lo Chan/Offset setting at one number above previous table Hi Chan. In turn, it's Hi Chan should be one number below next table Lo Chan. P25 uses the last entry for Hi Chan as the last required. Ie, it need not end at 65535.
  • To decode unknown P25 Custom Trunking Tables, use this excellent free software PRO96Com.


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