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Reviews For: Realistic PRO-26

Category: Receivers: Scanners

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Review Summary For : Realistic PRO-26
Reviews: 4MSRP: 150
Description:
Scannner/Receiver 25-1300MHz AM/FM/WFM
Product is not in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0044.3
DXPETE Rating: 2022-06-11
PRO-26 better then many others from RS Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I got my Pro-26 after using a Pro-43 for a few years, I still have both even now! Pro-26 has fewer coverage gaps then many other scanners. I'd even buy another if I could find a mint one. On Ebay recently a broken one in the UK went for nearly $100US, shipping extra, go figure!

Weirdly PRO-26 needs batteries to hold memory while the PRO-43 does not. The Pro-26 display is bigger, great for older eyes like mine. Battery compartment is stronger then then the holder in the PRO-43. I run alkaline batteries and when the low Bat comes on, Ill test all and remove the low one and replace with a Lithium AA that runs at 1.7 to 1.8V and run the rest of the alkaline AAs as flat as I can. Sensitivity is good and it works well with all the antennas I have including on the roof. There's still room for an analog radio scanner in an encrypted world: CB, FRS, GMRS, MURS, aircraft and unencrypted agencies in small towns, what's not to love?
AJ6LN Rating: 2013-10-25
memory glitch Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased this used as a replacement for a Pro-60 that replaced a wonderful, but finally-dead Pro-43 (It was a wedding present from a friend in 1995. Not often the groom receives a guy gift.). The 26 was priced right and even came with the original carton.
The Pro-26 has decent sensitivity and good audio, plus, it's easy to program. But it has one major fault: the memory is volatile. One, the memory is wiped if an external power source is plugged into it when it is already running. It does not matter if the external power is from an AC wall-wart or from the specified Rat Shack DC-to-DC supply. And two, the manual states that memory will fail after three days without power, be it from an external source or from the AA batteries. Given the non-volatile memories in other Radio Shack scanners, the volatile memory in the Pro-26 is quite puzzling. Would I buy another? No. Is it better than no scanner? Of course.
CHUK Rating: 2005-04-05
second scanner Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
started scanning upon meeting an old pal and finding out he was now a amatuer radio operator, first bought cheap pro50 sold for profit then upgraded to pro26,use mainly to listen to 2m/70cms using supplied rubber duck picks up really well sitting in living room,great starter scanner pick up cheap on ebay(paid £65 sold for profit now got mvt-7100)0-1300mgz good coverage.
SWLABN Rating: 2004-10-09
my first scanner and it impressed Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I was pretty supprised to see this hadn't been added to the review list but as far as I'm concerned this is a winner.

My uncle very kindly gave me this beauty as a present and it didn't take long for me to get hooked with it.

My first scanner and it has left a wonderful memory.
I started by trying out its rx performance and was amazed, you could probably connect this thing to a yagi antenna and it wouldn't overload! - well on the bands that interest me 25 - 80mhz

This scanner is great for the low vhf bands (NFM) and I remember scanning from 32-50mhz and hearing US stations right through. Very clear audio and a joy to listen to.

It handles nicely on airband - the audio is loud and with the right antenna can pull in weak signals.

I've had this scanner for over 5 years and will never part with it - that's how much I like it!