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

On 29 Aug 2005 08:34:14 -0700, said in
rec.radio.scanner:

Center is negative, shell is positve.

From memory, so I sincerely hope no one blew up their Pro-34 on my
account.

"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