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You can
write your own review of the Radio Shack PRO-97.
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KI6ASW
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Rating: 2/5
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Dec 10, 2008 18:42
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Great when it worked.
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Good product for the first 1 and a half years. Then out of the blue I'm listening at 70cm and the sensitivity dies. Sounds like a 3dB or more hit, and even the strong stations (e.g. local WX) are coming in fuzzy. Wish I had a schematic to find the pre-amp module. Took it apart and see a 16 pin SMT DIP right near the shielded area next to the ant jack. But way to small to work with... Too bad; I really liked this radio when it was functioning... 1.5 yrs, and a duty cycle of maybe an hour a week or less; I really can't recommend it...
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KE7TMH
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 30, 2008 20:48
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Made No More? What?
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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This is my favorite scanner. More bang for your bucks. Alpha tags. CTSS & DCS code search. Signal Stalker. Just the best all round scanner I have. My cheap pro 84 took a dive on me, (paid all of $49 for it), and was thinking of applying the credit, (still under coverage), towards another 97, but they are not even available on the RS website. Why on earth they would discontinue this. . . I don't need trunking or digital, I live in the country. All those other features were wonderful to have.
If I were to complain about one thing, it would be the "signal stalker II" feature, which the 84 beat this scanner on. But then again, that is why that scanner is in for warantee work. Wonder if that worked well for anyone.
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W2ZXN
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 3, 2008 10:40
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A good old RS product!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have nothing bad to say about this scanner. I purchased mine brand new when a Radio Shack (like most) was going out of business. I have been using this scanner for a couple of years now and I love the reception, have no complaints. It's been fantastic as a base unit in my ham-shack, but has also given me plenty of service mobile in the car (although unless you're a firefighter, EMT or ham - it's illegal in NY). The only thing that I might change about it, is it's weight. I would like it to be a little heavier because when it's in the shack, it's connected to coax which leads to my outdoor antenna and unless the scanner is propped-up, it will surely fall right over since it is sooo light-weight. 73...
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JOE_LEG
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 29, 2007 15:45
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Great for the price
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Allmost 2 years ago I went to RS to get a replacement scanner for the house. The clerk was really pushing the Pro-97 when I wasn't even interested in Trunked systems, let alone a hand held. I just wanted a desktop scanner for the home. The clerk made good arguments and made a sale. $160 for scanner, NiCad batteries and power suppy.
I now own 2 of these units and have bought 2 others as gifts.
I love the clonning and software programming (scanCat) abbilities, display controls and the audio. I have no real complaints to speak of.
Could use a real belt clip (mine hasn't failed but I don't trust it at all) The VOL/SQL knobs do need better seperation (All RS mobiles too), but minor trade offs for the price.
All in all, I give it a 4.5 as a 5 would be perfect. nothing is perfect for everyone. This is a great attempt at perfection in this price range.
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N0VKG
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Rating: 4/5
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Aug 27, 2007 18:58
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Good overall, but...
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This is a good radio. I like it alot. I especially like hooking it up to the computer and using Win97 with it. Saving the various differant CONFIGs for the radio on the computer is a powerful feature. I do have one complaint. I wish the NFM recieve circuit would have been more carefully thought-out. The NFM recieve on the 900Mhz band is not that good. Its not as aweful as the PRO-94, but does get alot of Hiss/Static/Crackle while listeningg to anything in the 900Mhz band. I have other radios that do NOT suffer from a badly designed NFM decoder. My BCT15 does a fantastic job with NFM on all of the 900Mhz systems in St Louis, Mo.
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KB8RYA
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Rating: 5/5
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May 2, 2007 13:29
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Excellent
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I bought the Pro-97 and have the scancat lite program.. I have many different scanners and think
this is the best you can buy for the price..As for
sensitivity mine is excellent.Audio is loud and clean..I have the older 93 and it is very good also.
I have never been a Radio Shack fan except for their
scanners
73 de Don kb8rya
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K1XT
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Rating: 4/5
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May 2, 2007 09:39
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Works well
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I've had the Pro 97 for about 6 months. I do find that the front end on mine is easier to crunch than the Pro 92 I own (that's why I gave it a 4 rating). I'm in a very high RF area, and hooking it up to an external antenna will really crunch it. But as I use it for a handheld with a rubber duck antenna, which it was designed for, I find it to be as senstive as the Pro 92 and works just fine. It runs as long or longer on the four AA batteries as the Pro 92 does on six AA's. I love the ability (with both the 92 and 97) to program them from a computer. That makes things so much easier. For $150 or less, it's a good fair deal.
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DJC996
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Rating: 5/5
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May 2, 2007 07:08
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Great Scanner
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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You can't knock this scanner for not having Digital capability because it does not have the price tag of a digital scanner.Someone knocked it for it's lack of sensitivity, well he was wrong or has a defective unit.This scanner is very sensitive and for the money and features it is hard to beat, if I had to nit pick I would say the scanner's inability to be flashed for rebanding may make it unusable for certain MOT trunked systems other than that it is a winner.
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KB2FBI
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 16, 2006 13:23
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Good Bang for the Buck
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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Howdy:
This radio is fine. It lacks only a digital system mode mode. (Buy Pro 96 if you need digital)
Flaw(s) The internal charger is iffy on mine.
The power adapter is extra
Cannot make a Motorola Channel a priority (At least I haven't learned how.) You can set a freq. as a priority. I set the WX channel and it works well.
Good stuff.
On-board charging if you buy the adapter.
Hears very well. I bought the 800mhz. bnc antenna and so this makes it even better. Stock antenna is OK, the 800 mhz is worth the 16 bucks.
Signal Stalker works well.
While plastic, I have dropped it (do not do this at home!) and it still works.
Works well mobile. (use my iPod sound connector to push the audio through the vehicle radio)
For $150 - good deal.
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KB2FBI
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 4, 2006 13:57
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Audio update
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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Love this guy. BUT, a few complain, and me once in a while, about audio; especially while mobile. Solution: same as my IPOD. I tried the FM radio xmtr to the vehicle's unsed FM freqs. Then, I have loud, clear audio. No problemo. Also, a recent buyer tossed me a note about programming. Best way, is to see/read a step-by-step for a sample system. This did it for me and I did it for the new guy. The yellow recharge batt. pack, sloshes around a bit and the plastic door does not hold them "snugly". There must be a "field fix" someone's thought of.
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