Programming Your Radio Shack Scanner
From The RadioReference Wiki
How do I program my (insert model number) scanner?
The method of programming is confusing. Are there any shortcuts to make this task easier?
The manual is very hard to read/confusing/worthless. Are there any better ones?
Welcome to the Programming Your Radio Shack Scanner article. At some point, we all end up scratching our heads, and wishing there were an easier way
to program our scanners, particularly when there is a new memory management method involved. Those that were involved with banked scanning for years
often find the new Object Oriented scanners particularly difficult.
The links below will be a big help in getting over the hurdle. The Easier to Read manuals for the various RS scanners are linked below. In addition we have a number of programming shortcuts for older RS radios, as well as user's guides for some of the more popular programming packages.
Most newer PCs have no serial ports, so you need to make the connection between the scanner and PC via an USB device.Please see our Connecting scanners via USB article for more information and tips on how to set this up properly.
FAQs and Shortcuts
- Nota Bene: For years, GRE made scanners for Radio Shack with the Realistic or Radio Shack or Patrolman names on them. Only occasionally would RS stray and get a model from Uniden (e.g., Pro-2050). In 2013, GRE stopped producing scanners under their own brand or for Radio Shack. In 2014, Whistler purchased and started production on scanners using GRE's intellectual property. For now, they are the same as the previous GRE models, just with Whistler labels.
- To add to the confusion, RS re-issued some of their scanners with new model numbers. You can use this table to cross reference the various model numbers and distributors
| GRE Model | Old RS Model | New RS Model | Whistler Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSR-100 | Pro-404 | Pro-649 | WS1010 |
| PSR-200 | Pro-405 | Pro-650 | WS1025 |
| PSR-500 | Pro-106 | Pro-651 | WS1040 |
| PSR-600 | Pro-197 | Pro-652 | WS1065 |
| PSR-800 | N/A | Pro-668 | WS1080 |
- Easier to Read manuals homepage
- The Easier to Read manuals for the PRO-92, 93, 94, 95, 97 (along with their mobile models), PRO-163 and 164, the PRO-2052, Object Oriented PRO-106, 197, 107, 18 and Whistler WS1040 and WS1065 scanners, can all be found here. Links for printed versions of some of these manuals sold by Scanner Master are also found here.
- Getting Started series
- Getting Started with your PRO-92 or PRO-2067
- Getting Started with your PRO-93, PRO-95 and PRO-2053
- Getting Started with your PRO-94, PRO-94 A/B
- Getting Started with your PRO-96 or PRO-2096
- Getting Started with your PRO-97 and PRO-2055
- Getting Started with your PRO-2052
- Getting Started with your GRE/RS Object Oriented Scanner
- These instructions also apply to certain Whistler Scanners. See the article for specific models.
- All Other RS Scanners
- Note: These 2 links also apply to Whistler scanners - see the article for the specific model
- See section 7 of the Rebanding article for information on how this affects the RS Radios.
- Simulcast digital distortion
- Applies to digital trunktrackers
Software
- Radio Shack Scanner Programming Software Licensing
- Radio Shack Programming Software Free Trial
- See the Radio Shack Scanner Programming Software Support article for instructions on installation and registering the software
- For the Object Oriented Scanners
- Other RS Scanners
- PSR-300/400 Software and USB Support
- Includes Pro-97, 2055, 163 and 164 support