|
Pro-34 opinions
I was just given a Pro-34 scanner by a friend who bought it some years back
to monitor airband frequencies (he's a pilot), but then he got a dedicated airband transceiver shortly after purchasing the Pro-34. So he put the scanner away; he said he used it for a total of less than two hours. It appears brand new, there's no dust on it, but there is no AC adapter or manual (I found an operating guide online). I already have a couple of scanners, but I said I would take it anyway. I turned in on last night and programmed a few local frequencies into it. It worked great, even with the stock antenna. I replaced that with a Diamond RH77CA antenna, which pulls in signals much better. I was pretty impressed by its sound and sensitivity. It's bigger than anything I currently own, but still not too ungainly for a portable scanner. So, my questions: has anybody on the group ever owned of these scanners? How did you find their performance to be? How does it compare to more current models? I don't really need this scanner, but I don't know whether it is even worth putting it up for sale. I noticed that several of these sold on eBay recently for between $50-$72 US, which seems rather high to me, but I have no idea if that price range is realistic or not. If the consensus is that it's a good performer, I may just end up keeping it, since we have very little trunked scanner activity in my listening area anyway. But I need another scanner like I need un agujero en la cabeza... :) Jackie |
It's a decent performer. It can also easily be modified for cell
frequencies. That would probably explain the high prices. I have seen them go for much more... "Buzzygirl" wrote in message ... I was just given a Pro-34 scanner by a friend who bought it some years back to monitor airband frequencies (he's a pilot), but then he got a dedicated airband transceiver shortly after purchasing the Pro-34. So he put the scanner away; he said he used it for a total of less than two hours. It appears brand new, there's no dust on it, but there is no AC adapter or manual (I found an operating guide online). I already have a couple of scanners, but I said I would take it anyway. I turned in on last night and programmed a few local frequencies into it. It worked great, even with the stock antenna. I replaced that with a Diamond RH77CA antenna, which pulls in signals much better. I was pretty impressed by its sound and sensitivity. It's bigger than anything I currently own, but still not too ungainly for a portable scanner. So, my questions: has anybody on the group ever owned of these scanners? How did you find their performance to be? How does it compare to more current models? I don't really need this scanner, but I don't know whether it is even worth putting it up for sale. I noticed that several of these sold on eBay recently for between $50-$72 US, which seems rather high to me, but I have no idea if that price range is realistic or not. If the consensus is that it's a good performer, I may just end up keeping it, since we have very little trunked scanner activity in my listening area anyway. But I need another scanner like I need un agujero en la cabeza... :) Jackie |
the pro-34 has held a little higher resale value ( than other similar scanners ) due to it's ability to listen to the cellular band. if I were you I'd try to sell it on ebay, while the value is still holding , because in less than 18 months the analog cellular band will no longer exist. the FCC has decided to ' kill " analog use of the 800 mhz cell band , by no longer requiring providers to maintain services for the nearly non existent remaining analog cellfones. after the cell band dies totally ( it's already nearly dead most places ) , " all " new scanners will most probably begin to cover that range of freqs again. ( because eavesdropping on cell calls will no longer be possible ) the near future value of that scanner is likely to decrease dramatically. I say " sell it on ebay " , because the sale can reach customers where the analog band is still active ( south america , some pacific rim areas ) and because selling here in the NG would most likely be futile since people here are aware that it will soon become nearly valueless. k.. On Sun, 28 Aug 2005 00:21:08 -0500, "Buzzygirl" wrote: I was just given a Pro-34 scanner by a friend who bought it some years back to monitor airband frequencies (he's a pilot), but then he got a dedicated airband transceiver shortly after purchasing the Pro-34. So he put the scanner away; he said he used it for a total of less than two hours. It appears brand new, there's no dust on it, but there is no AC adapter or manual (I found an operating guide online). I already have a couple of scanners, but I said I would take it anyway. I turned in on last night and programmed a few local frequencies into it. It worked great, even with the stock antenna. I replaced that with a Diamond RH77CA antenna, which pulls in signals much better. I was pretty impressed by its sound and sensitivity. It's bigger than anything I currently own, but still not too ungainly for a portable scanner. So, my questions: has anybody on the group ever owned of these scanners? How did you find their performance to be? How does it compare to more current models? I don't really need this scanner, but I don't know whether it is even worth putting it up for sale. I noticed that several of these sold on eBay recently for between $50-$72 US, which seems rather high to me, but I have no idea if that price range is realistic or not. If the consensus is that it's a good performer, I may just end up keeping it, since we have very little trunked scanner activity in my listening area anyway. But I need another scanner like I need un agujero en la cabeza... :) Jackie |
On Sun, 28 Aug 2005 00:21:08 -0500, "Buzzygirl"
said in rec.radio.scanner: I was just given a Pro-34 scanner by a friend who bought it some years back to monitor airband frequencies (he's a pilot), but then he got a dedicated airband transceiver shortly after purchasing the Pro-34. So he put the scanner away; he said he used it for a total of less than two hours. It's a decent receiver for the frequencies it covers. (Mine is buried somewhere. Basement? Storage room?) It appears brand new, there's no dust on it, but there is no AC adapter 9 volts, 300 mAh or more, center positive, IIRC. |
Center is negative, shell is positve.
A PITA as I like the shell to be (-) so there are no arcs if it touches ground. Terry |
|
"Al Klein" wrote in message
... From memory, so I sincerely hope no one blew up their Pro-34 on my account. Heh, don't worry. I haven't gone out to buy an adaptor for the ol' girl yet. I'm fairly impressed by the performance of this older scanner. I live in a populous metropolitan area, made up of two fairly large cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul) and many smaller cities (grand total of the Twin Towns and their 'burbs is almost 3 million now). Hennepin County (the most populous county in the state, which includes the city of Minneapolis) is using trunked radio, but I've heard nothing terribly interesting coming out of there so far on my Pro-95. The St. Paul Police Department is still using UHF and the local state patrol car-to-base is using VHF. Lots of action between just those two entities. So, having used it for a few nights now, I can say that the Pro-34 works quite well, and picks up everything my Pro-95 and Pro-83 picks up, even with its stock antenna. I dunno... I may keep it, or I may sell it, but probably not on eBay. I don't have a seller's account there, and don't really care to set one up just to sell one item. Jackie |
Buzzygirl wrote:
Heh, don't worry. I haven't gone out to buy an adaptor for the ol' girl yet. I'm fairly impressed by the performance of this older scanner. I live in a populous metropolitan area, made up of two fairly large cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul) and many smaller cities (grand total of the Twin Towns and their 'burbs is almost 3 million now). Hennepin County (the most populous county in the state, which includes the city of Minneapolis) is using trunked radio, but I've heard nothing terribly interesting coming out of there so far on my Pro-95. The St. Paul Police Department is still using UHF and the local state patrol car-to-base is using VHF. Lots of action between just those two entities. So, having used it for a few nights now, I can say that the Pro-34 works quite well, and picks up everything my Pro-95 and Pro-83 picks up, even with its stock antenna. I dunno... I may keep it, or I may sell it, but probably not on eBay. I don't have a seller's account there, and don't really care to set one up just to sell one item. Jackie ----------- First sorry is two very similar messages show up. Yahoo barfed on my first post attempt. You might consider starting a "bug out bag". If some local event, like a train wreck with a hazmat leak, force you to evacuate your home it is nice to be able to evesdrop on what is happening. I have my old PR034, a Sangen ATS909, a really ancient IC-2AT (Ham HT), and other usefull items, in a water proof bag ready to "deploy". While I have no expectations of a Katrina like event, it never hurts to be prepared. From my personal experience you aren't going to get very much out old scanners/receivers, so for me, it makes more sense to keep them for backups, or for real emergencies. I don't keep batteries in the bag, they are kept in the fridge in an air tight container and changed out every other year. Oh, keep a list of usefull(!!current!!) freqs. Terry |
wrote in message
oups.com... You might consider starting a "bug out bag". If some local event, like a train wreck with a hazmat leak, force you to evacuate your home it is nice to be able to evesdrop on what is happening. I have my old PR034, a Sangen ATS909, a really ancient IC-2AT (Ham HT), and other usefull items, in a water proof bag ready to "deploy". Excellent ideas; thanks for the reminder. I've been telling myself that I need to set up a "go" bag for some time now. I have enough radio-related items to fill a bug-out bag, and then some. All I really need is to get a decent waterproof backpack and put the stuff I have into it. Need to buy some more batteries though; lots more batteries. Perhaps a portable power supply as well. We don't have any seismic or even many weather-related emergencies where I live, but I do live one block east of a busy railroad track, and who knows what those cars are carrying besides multiple graffiti tags. The Pro-34 looks kinda bride-of-Frankensteinish compared to my other rigs. Cool in a retro way, but not as cool as the 1930's Philco cathedral radio that's also next to me. I like the juxtaposition of these two retro-rigs, one on either side of me as I'm typing this. :-) Jackie |
Buzzygirl wrote:
Excellent ideas; thanks for the reminder. I've been telling myself that I need to set up a "go" bag for some time now. I have enough radio-related items to fill a bug-out bag, and then some. All I really need is to get a decent waterproof backpack and put the stuff I have into it. Need to buy some more batteries though; lots more batteries. Perhaps a portable power supply as well. We don't have any seismic or even many weather-related emergencies where I live, but I do live one block east of a busy railroad track, and who knows what those cars are carrying besides multiple graffiti tags. The Pro-34 looks kinda bride-of-Frankensteinish compared to my other rigs. Cool in a retro way, but not as cool as the 1930's Philco cathedral radio that's also next to me. I like the juxtaposition of these two retro-rigs, one on either side of me as I'm typing this. :-) Jackie -------------------------- If you can stand the Ot political BS, http://groups.google.com/group/misc.survivalism can be a usefull, though frustrating NG. Whne cooler weahter gets here I am going to put a R390 into service. The waste heat will be usefull, and my wife's cat loves the heated top. My first SWs, a Zenith and a Heath GR64, are so deaf compared to anyh o fmy modern SW, even when compared to the Grundig "emergency" FR200, that I really ought to toss them. But like my first decent CB HT, a Midland 13-110H 2Ch (100mW!), I just can't bring myself to gfet rid of them. Too many memories. While school taught me some things, trying to get a "better" antenna, to listen and talk further really did me a favour and got me started in electronics. Terry |
I sure wouldn't say $50 to $72 is high for these... that was a $150 to $200
scanner on Ebay 3-5 years ago when cell monitoring was popular. If you can get a nice one for around current Ebay values, then go for it. "Buzzygirl" wrote in message ... If the consensus is that it's a good performer, I may just end up keeping it, since we have very little trunked scanner activity in my listening area anyway. But I need another scanner like I need un agujero en la cabeza... :) |
On Wed, 31 Aug 2005 21:43:53 -0500, "Buzzygirl"
said in rec.radio.scanner: I have enough radio-related items to fill a bug-out bag, and then some. All I really need is to get a decent waterproof backpack and put the stuff I have into it. Need to buy some more batteries though; lots more batteries. Perhaps a portable power supply as well. A 12-volt power supply and a car cord for every piece of equipment (or enough universal cords to run anything you might want to run simultaneously). Alternatively, an inverter and AC wall warts for everything. Make sure that you have every cable, adapter, antenna, mount, programming CD, etc., in that bag too. It's not really great to get somewhere only to realize that you just need the SMA-BNC adapter (or something else Radio Shack never carried) to use the only scanner that can receive xxx - and you don't have one with you. It's also nice if the bag has a pocket you can keep paperwork safe in. |
On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 11:30:06 GMT, [email protected] wrote:
On Sun, 28 Aug 2005 08:49:52 -0700, krackula wrote: What is your source for the claim that the FCC is going eliminate analog 800 MHz cellular usage? I want to follow-up on it. Thanks. try this site at the bottom of the page http://www.privateline.com/Cellbasics/Cellbasics.html or read the FCC document here ...... http://www.privateline.com/Cellbasic...ogcellular.doc or ....... http://www.heavydutytrucking.com/2002/11/068a0211.asp if you have an analog cellfone, after late 2007 , there will be NO requirement for service providers to keep it alive. all big metro providers need the BW for their more popular and profitable digital phones. probably , in out lying areas and from small providers, analog service will last a bit longer as they will be slow to buy new equipment. it was a blast while it lasted, but the " fat lady " is singing loud and clear !!!! ;^) hope you don't have " onstar " ha hahah aha ha a k............... |
On Tue, 06 Sep 2005 23:00:10 +1000, Barry OGrady
said in rec.radio.scanner: The Pro-34 has a sensitive receiver but it overloads easily. That seems to be a trademark of GRE. Also, it has almost no image rejection. 10.7 MHz IF - so the lack of image rejection above 107 MHz isn't surprising. (10:1, which is one reason for multiple conversion receivers - it's difficult to get narrow bandwidth with a 90 MHz IF.) |
|
On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 11:30:06 GMT, [email protected] said in
rec.radio.scanner: On Sun, 28 Aug 2005 08:49:52 -0700, krackula wrote: What is your source for the claim that the FCC is going eliminate analog 800 MHz cellular usage? I want to follow-up on it. Thanks. It's been in the works for years. You must have been living on Mars all this time. |
| All times are GMT +1. The time now is 02:12 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
RadioBanter.com