Jim Robbins' Receivers

Model Type Channels Range (MHz)
Pro-2042 Desktop Scanner 1000 (10*100) 25-520, 760-1300
OptoScan 535 Computer-Controlled Interface to the 2042 unlimited 25-520, 760-1300
Pro-92 Handheld Trunking Scanner 500 (10*50) 29-54, 108-174, 380-512, 806-960
Pro-2067 Base/Mobile Trunking Scanner 500 (10*50) 29-54, 108-174, 380-512, 806-960
BC780XLT Base/Mobile Trunking Scanner 500 (10*50) 25-512, 806-956, 1240-1300
Pro-96 Handheld Trunking Digital Scanner 5500 (11 VS*10B*50Ch) 25-54, 108-174, 216-512, 806-960, 1240-1300
Pro-2045 Desktop Scanner 200 (10*20) 29-54, 108-174, 216-512, 806-1000
BC898T Base/Mobile Scanner 500 (10*50) 25-54, 108-174, 216-512, 806-956
Pro-2096 Mobile Trunking Digital Scanner 500-1000 25-54, 108-174, 216-512, 806-960, 1240-1300
BC246T Portable Scanner ~1,500 (dynamic memory) 25-54, 108-174, 216-225, 400-512, 806-956, 1240-1300
Retired Units
BC200XLT Handheld Scanner 200 (10*20) 29-54, 118-174, 406-512, 806-956
Pro-64 Handheld Scanner 400 (10*40) 29-54, 108-174, 380-512, 806-960
Bearcat Four Crystal Handheld Scanner 6 VHF-Low, VHF-High, UHF
DX-100 Manually-Tunable Desktop Receiver n/a 0.5-30
WeatheRadio Manually-Tunable Desktop Receiver 3 162-163
R-2 Handheld Wideband Receiver 400 (8*50) 0.5-1310
Pro-83 Handheld Scanner 200 (10*20) 25-54, 108-174, 406-512, 806-956

Present Stable

The receivers above are listed in order of acquisition, not necessarily age. I note approximate vintage with each's comments. For programming, see Scanner Programming Files; a page outlining the programming for all is there, plus many data files for the software I prefer.


Realistic Pro-2042

A 1000 channel desktop programmable scanner made by GRE for Radio Shack, purchased used in 1998 (discontinued same year) from G & G Communication. Upgraded with Optoelectronics' OptoScan 535 (installed by G & G) and controlled mostly by DataFile's Probe 7, sometimes TRUNKER/ ETRUNK.


Realistic Pro-92

Hand-held programmable scanner made by GRE for Radio Shack, purchased new from Grove when released in November 1999. AM and NFM throughout. Capable of receiving/decoding Motorola, EDACS, & LTR trunked systems. CTCSS/DCS decode and squelch, alphanumeric labels, per-channel atteunator, weather SAME decode. Approximately 25 channels per second. Primary portable for general scanning. Don Starr's Win92 (Windows, free) is used for programming.


Realistic Pro-2067

A mobile version of the above scanner (Pro-92), by GRE for Radio Shack. Slightly upgraded firmware (changes minimally visible), clonable with the 92. Purchased upon release in August 2000 from Radio Shack, it was mounted in my vehicle but is now inside serving as my "alert" scanner always monitoring certain local dispatch channels and regional disaster/interoperations channels, and occasionally local operations channels. Don Starr's Win92 (Windows, free) is used for programming.


Uniden BC780XLT

The first third-generation trunk-tracker, a mobile unit by Uniden. Released for Christmas 2000, purchased new in January 2002 from G & G Communications. Featuring CTCSS/DCS squelch, computer programming & control, all popular trunking formats, alpha-tagging, per-channel attenuator, AM/FM/NFM, s-meter, tape out, etc. Sometimes monitoring a trunked system with 780TMON (DOS freeware) or ID Tracker (Windows freeware) logging the activity, but usually stand-alone on one or more of the many local trunked systems and a few complementary conventional channels.


Realistic Pro-96

Hand-held programmable scanner made by GRE for Radio Shack, purchased new from Radio Shack when released in September 2003. All the features of the Pro-92, except LTR, plus 11 'virtual scanner' memory copies (total 5,500 channels with 500 available at a time), 3600/9600 baud P-25 Phase I trunking, upgradable DSP firmware. This radio accompanies me to work and is almost always scanning for new or unidentified channels and talkgroups in the southern-Middlesex County area and on the Mercer, Princeton Univ., Middlesex, Somerset, East Brunswick, Monroe, and Franklin trunked systems. Don Starr's Win96 (Windows, cost) is used for programming.


Realistic Pro-2045

A base/mobile scanner made by GRE for Radio Shack, purchased used from G & G Communications with a discriminator tap performed. The optional CTCSS board has also been installed. This scanner is assigned to full-time use as the control channel receiver for TRUNKER/ETRUNK or UniTrunker, sometimes using a slicer from Dataslicers.com. The other half of this trunking setup is the BC898T.


Uniden BC898T

A base/mobile scanner made by Uniden, released in late 2004 or early 2005, and purchased new from Grove in April 2005. This scanner is slaved to a trunking setup, along with the Pro-2045, and therefore is not actually programmed since it is always being run by a computer. Trunked systems monitored (one-at-a-time) include: East Brunswick Township; Ewing Township; Franklin Township; Mercer County; Middlesex County; Monroe Township; New Jersey (Central); Princeton University; Somerset County; South Brunswick Township.


Realistic Pro-2096

A mobile version of the Pro-96, bought from Radio Shack in April 2005. It's installed in my car and programmed for local and select regional channels, and more distant areas in the Virtual Scanners.


Uniden BC246T

A portable scanner made by Uniden, released in ___ and purchased new from Newport Bay (East Brunswick) in August 2005. Dynamic memory, alpha tags, PL/DPL squelch, multi-system trunking, Close Call. This scanner is my go-to scanner for monitoring indentified channels and talkgroups, and for finding new conventional channels using Close Call auto-store. Programmed for all conventional public safety channels in Mercer, Middlesex, and Somerset counties but unfortunately the memory doesn't permit all the trunked systems in those counties to be stored.


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