Strong Signals
First Impressiosn

RadioShack PRO-92
PRO-92 image

by
Rich Wells, N2MCA

It seems that everyone is climbing onto the bandwagon! And for good reason too. What started out as a single, revolutionary radio from Uniden has spawned an assortment of handheld, base and mobile trunked radio system tracking scanners.

Once relegated to multi-radio, custom setups controlled by a personal computer, these specialized, trunking-capable scanners are on the rise with eight models being manufactured by Uniden (BC235XLT, BC245XLT, BC895XLT with RadioShack selling the PRO-2050, PRO-2066, PRO-90 & PRO-91) or Optoelectronics/GRE (OptoCom).

Not wanting to be left out of this new market, it was rumored that both GRE and AOR were busily working on models of their own. Where GRE was concerned, it didn't take long to turn rumor into fact. As soon as the RadioShack 2000 catalog was printed, word spread like wildfire that they would be carrying three new trunking scanners. Two would be made by Uniden while the third, the PRO-92, was to be an "unknown quantity" from GRE.

Not only would GRE choose to compete with Uniden and their popular BC245XLT by offering simultaneous conventional and trunked scanning, they would sweeten the pot by adding LTR capability, alpha-tags, weather alert and PL/DPL! It seemed almost too good to be true, but GRE has established a very good reputation among discerning radio buyers. Radios like the PRO-2004, PRO-2006 and PRO-43 have achieved "cult" status with the PRO-34, PRO-60, PRO-62, PRO-64, and PRO-2042 reaching lofty ranks as well.

One can only wonder how well the PRO-92 will fare. Does it have what it takes to stand up there with the best of the best? Has GRE added another notch in their belt? Let's take a closer look to try and find out!

What follows are my personal impressions regarding the features and performance of this receiver. This, in no way, should be viewed as an endorsement to purchase this radio nor is it intended to discourage anyone from buying it. I have no personal or business relations with Tandy Corporation or GRE. These are simply thoughts offered to my fellow hobbyists who may be interested in purchasing this particular radio or learning more about it.

A lot of hard work and effort has gone into the testing and writing of this review. I would appreciate it if every effort is made to keep this document whole with me as the original author. Of course, it doesn't hurt that this document is copyrighted and therefore protected by US law and international treaties governing intellectual property. Except for personal use, and for the sake of brief passages quoted in reviews and given appropriate credit, no part of this work may be reproduced in any forms or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the author.

Thank you and enjoy!

Rich Wells
N2MCA
Strong Signals web site

This document contains the following sections:
  • What You Get
  • Model Tested
  • Basic Specs
  • Operating Manual
  • Construction and Physical
  • Pictures
  • Antenna
  • Features
  • VFO
  • Memory
  • Scanning
  • Searching
  • Priority
  • PL/DPL
  • Trunking
  • Weather Alert
  • Interface
  • VHF/UHF Performance
  • Ranking
  • Things I Like
  • Things I Would Change
  • Summary
  • Closing Remarks
  • Update - December 12, 1999
  • Thanks!
    • What You Get
  • PRO-92 Multi-Trunking Scanner
  • 6" BNC antenna
  • Black alkaline AA battery holder
  • Yellow rechargeable AA battery holder
  • Plastic belt clip
  • POLICE CALL Trunking Guide
  • Owner's Manual
    • Model Tested
  • Serial #: 0140xx
  • FCC ID: AA02000522
  • Date Code: 09A99 (Sep 99)
  • Made in Japan
    • Basic Specs
    Channels 500
    Scan Banks 10
    Search Bands 10
    Coverage 29-54 108-174 380-512 806-960 MHz
    Scan 25 chan/sec
    Search 50 step/sec
    Steps 5/10/12.5/15/20/25/30/50/100 kHz
    Modes AM & FM
    Sensitivity As specified in the manual :
    FM:
    29-54 0.3 µV
    108-136.9875 0.3 µV
    137-174 0.5 µV
    380-512 0.5 µV
    806-960 0.7 µV
    AM:
    29-54 1 µV
    108-136.9875 1 µV
    137-174 1.5 µV
    380-512 2 µV
    806-960 2 µV
    Selectivity As specified in the manual :
    -6 dB @ ±10 kHz
    -50 dB @ ±18 kHz
    Conversion Triple
    IFs 1=257.5 2=21.4 3=0.455 MHz
    Priority 1 channel
    Search skip 500 frequencies
    Auto-Store No
    S-meter No
    Delay Yes
    Lockout Per channel
    Attenuator Per channel
    Lock Yes
    Tone codes PL & DPL
    Computer intf Cloning
    Rotary control No
    Channel count No
    Data skip No
    Clock No
    Timers No
    Weather Yes
    Weather Alert Yes
    Light Display
    Power 9V DC
    Audio 240 mW
    Size 2.4"(W) x 6.22"(H) x 1.75"(D)
    Weight 9.9 oz
    Memory non-volatile
    Operating Manual
  • As we've come to expect from RadioShack, the manual is a well-detailed and thorough effort at documenting this radio's operation
  • There is a lot of material to be covered and at 80 pages, it's easy to get lost from time to time. Luckily there is a well written Table of Contents that will prove invaluable in tracking down items
  • My advice to everyone is to read the manual, read it again, and then once more. I seem to get an undue amount of e-mail from users of all kinds of radios who tell me their manual is wrong, or the radio doesn't do what the manual says it should. Hogwash! 99.9% of the time this is due to those who skip steps or entire sections, or simply see what they want to rather than what's printed in black and white!
  • The overall layout is largely well organized and progresses logically from the simplest steps of attaching the antenna and installing the batteries, to explaining memory, scanning, searching, special features, and how to perform trunk scanning
  • The usual and detailed "General Guide to Scanning" is included toward the back of the manual and shows the beginner where to start looking in the frequency spectrum for the action they seek
  • Like all GRE-made models ahead of it, the Specifications section for this radio is well detailed and includes specs for sensitivity, selectivity, spurious rejection, IFs, IF rejection, squelch sensitivity, audio power, current drain, and so on
  • With the limited time available to review this unit, I did not get a chance to perform a detailed scan of the manual's contents
  • One mistake I did notice is on page 37 with regards to programming of EDACS frequencies. It mentions that the frequencies must be placed in LCN order starting with 'channel 1'. Since channel numbers for each bank start with '00', I think this will created undue confusion and the wording should be changed as such
  • The PRO-92 does appear to have a battery saver feature but I found no mention of it in the manual contents nor listed under the Specifications
  • While here, I'll briefly mention the included POLICE CALL Trunking Guide that is included. It is very similar to the Uniden offering and lists the US states alphabetically and then within each state there is an alphabetical listing of cities with trunking systems. Included with each city entry is the callsign, tower location and list of frequencies. For Ericsson systems, the LCD ordering is given where known. The guide also mentioned that digital systems were removed wherever possible to avoid confusion
    • Construction and Physical
  • This is a larger radio than I was expecting!
  • While it is roughly the same width and depth as previous GRE models, it has grown in height putting it in the ranks of the largest handhelds from Yupiteru and Sony
  • With the 6 AA batteries fitted, it is also quite hefty
  • Overall fit and finish are excellent which is the usual for GRE made equipment. Very solid which adds to its quality feel
  • The entire radio is encases in a front/back plastic shell molded in very dark gray
  • On the front panel, the large LCD is mounted at the top followed by the speaker grill underneath it and the key pad underneath that
  • All keys are black with white lettering except for the TRUNK label which is orange
  • Keys, depending on their function, come in rounded square, triangular, circular and ovular shapes
  • The numeric keys are the largest in size and have good feedback. All the other keys are quite a bit smaller and do not have as good a feel
  • Overall key spacing is adequate
  • The top panel holds the usual BNC antenna connector, volume and squelch controls, and the 1/8" monaural earphone/headphone jack
  • Both side panels have a series of horizontal slits running from top to bottom which help aid in gripping
  • The left side panel houses the 9 volt DC power jack
  • The right side panel houses the "PC/IF" PC interface/cloning jack
  • The bottom panel is comprised of the usual battery cover door which slides outwards towards the back to release the AA cell holder
  • The back panel contains the mounts for the belt clip screws and near the bottom is the FCC identification sticker containing serial number, FCC ID, country of manufacture, etc.
  • Per the new FCC regulations, this sticker also contains the following warning which will be found on all new model units:
    WARNING: Modification of this device to receive cellular radiotelephone service signals is prohibited under FCC rules and federal law.
    • Pictures
  • 3 generations of GREs: PRO-43, PRO64 & PRO-92
  • The competition!
  • The big boys: BC3000XLT, PRO-92 & ICF-SC1PC
  • IC-R2, PRO-92 & VR-500
  • PRO-92 keypad
  • FCC ID sticker
    • Antenna
  • Appears to be the usual GRE model supplied on almost all of their handhelds
  • It is an overall average performer
  • It scores well on 800/900 MHz, poorly on VHF-lo and aircraft, and average everywhere else
  • To achieve this radio's full potential it is a must to buy a long whip
  • This radio should even be able to handle an exterior antenna such as a beam or discone
    • Features
  • The LCD is a large, 4 row, 12 column, dot matrix display
  • It is easy to read and viewing holds up well from all angles
  • It does have an adjustable contrast with 6 settings although the last 2 are largely unusable
  • The LCD is backlight by 2 green LEDs located along the top edge
  • Pressing the LIT key turns on the backlight for 5 second intervals and, during this time any key press resets the timer for another 5
  • The backlight itself is rather anemic which continues to be a weak spot for GRE considering the same malady afflicts the PRO-43, PRO-60, PRO-62, PRO-64, etc.
  • Audio is abundant and I'm inclined to actually believe the 240 mW value listed in the Specifications!
  • Audio fidelity is VERY crisp. While that does help to cut through any ambient noise in your listening environment, it also helps to bring out any noise in received signals
  • The audio amplifier is constantly enabled and this is made painfully obvious by the ever present hissing emanated by the speaker. It becomes even more evident when the battery saver kicks in and this hissing pulses on and off
  • Associated with the audio is the key beep that sounds whenever a key is pressed. Its volume is not effected by the Volume control but it can be turned off if desired
  • As expected, there is a keypad lock to prevent accidental activations
  • One very welcome feature is the ability to tag memory banks, memory channels, search bands, and trunking IDs with 12 character labels which I like to call alpha-tags
  • 12 characters is a great number to work with and allows very descriptive labeling
  • The entire alphabet is available in both upper and lower case, along with 0 - 9, space, a right pointing arrow, and the following characters: .-#_@+*&/'$%!^()?`
  • To aid in the labeling process, each numeral key has printed above it the set of characters it controls just like a telephone keypad
  • I personally found the text entry process awkward. Time and use will tell how well I like it down the road
  • To select a character, you first press the appropriate numeric key. Say we wanted an 'H' which would mean pressing the 4 key which controls G, H and I. Pressing '4' results in 'G H I' being shown on the LCD. Since H is the 2nd ordinal character in this list, we need to press the 2 key to select H. Had we wanted 'h', we would have needed to press FUNC to display 'g h i' and then press 2
  • Pressing the 0 key is how the symbols are accessed which becomes more of a chore since you have to count the position of the character you want in the displayed list, and then press the appropriate numeric key
  • I think the biggest aid here is to concentrate on the keypad and not keep looking up to the display (at least that's what I've found). Teach yourself to count positions using the text labels above the keys and not on the display will make entry go faster and easier...I think
  • The entry scheme does allow you to back up and correct a character using the CL key
  • There is an easy way to erase an existing label simply by editing the tag and then pressing '.' as the first character which is used to access the space character
  • Due to the presence of the letter text above the numeric keys, there are no labels for the various numeric keys which have secondary functions (used with the FUNC key)
  • Two reset functions are available; one is a 'light' reset while the other is full reset which erases all of memory
  • In regards to the squelch tail, there is none! This radio is superb in this respect regardless of whether you are using conventional or trunked frequencies and regardless of any use of PL/DPL!
    • VFO
  • While not a true VFO, the PRO-92 comes with a TUNE feature which allows the entry of a desired frequency without having to program a memory channel
  • The TUNE key is pressed followed by the entry of the desired frequency to be received
  • The radio will automatically select a receive mode based on the frequency value but this can be overridden using the MODE key. For the PRO-92, available modes include, AM, FM, PL, DPL, LTR, Motorola and Ericsson
  • Using the arrow keys, it is possible to alter the receive frequency which is done according to the current step size. Unfortunately this step size is selected by the radio and can not be altered. Bummer!
  • To help tune about quickly, FUNC can be pressed followed by one of the arrow keys to change the frequency by 1 MHz accordingly. Too bad you have to press FUNC each time you want to step by this amount!
  • The attenuator can be used in this mode
  • Should an interesting frequency be discovered, pressing FUNC + ENTER stores it into the first available memory channel of bank 9
  • It would have been nice if there was a way to perform a search from this mode as well
    • Memory
  • Memory is composed of 10 banks of 50 channels each
  • Both banks and channels start with 0 which is a new methodology compared to all past GRE models which not only use a consecutive numbering scheme but also banks and channels starting with 1
  • Furthermore, those of use to these older models have been "trained" to press 0 to access the last bank, 10, while on the PRO-92, 0 is now used to access the first bank
  • To move about within memory, the MANUAL key is pressed to ensure you are in manual mode which is signified by the 'M' in the upper left hand corner of the display
  • Immediately following this 'M' are the current bank and channel number being viewed. Just below this is the channel's frequency value
  • If the radio receives a signal, a lightning bolt-like symbols appears just after the bank/channel number on the first line
  • To move about memory one channel at a time, the arrow keys can be used to go to the next or previous memory channel
  • Empty memory channels are indicated by a frequency of '0.0000' and they will not be scanned
  • Indicators in the top row convey whether this channel has the attenuator setting activated, priority status, receive mode, delay setting, and lockout setting
  • If the current channel is in AM or FM mode, the line below the frequency will display the channel's alpha-tag (if programmed - if not, it displays the bank # and channel #) and on the bottom line is displayed the bank alpha-tag (if programmed)
  • To go directly to any channel, the one digit bank number (0-9) is keyed in followed by the two digit channel number (00-49) followed by ENTER
  • To program a frequency value, the desired channel is located, the radio is placed into programming mode by pressing PGM (and noting the P now seen in the upper left hand corner of the LCD), and entering the frequency value followed by ENTER
  • The radio will automatically select AM or FM mode for you. If PL, DPL, LTR, Motorola or Ericsson mode is required, the MODE key is pressed successively until the desired mode is displayed
  • A nice touch about this programming is that the radio will then remember the current mode and select it for you should you program a successive memory channel (simply by pressing PGM to advance to the next channel)
  • Before moving on to program the next channel, you can alter this channel's delay, lockout or attenuator setting
  • Of course you can also decide to enter a bank or channel alpha-tag if desired
  • Channels can be just as easily deleted from memory by pressing FUNC + CL
  • By default, the radio enters manual mode at bank 0, channel 00 whenever powered on. Weird
  • Another quirk is that each time the radio is powered on, the lockout settings for all Motorola programmed channels are turned off. Once scanning starts, the radio will stop on the active data channels which can then be locked out manually so as to resume scanning without being bothered further by these transmissions
    • Scanning
  • Scanning starts with a simple press of the SCAN key and banks are selected for scanning or not by pressing their respective numeric key
  • Scanning is indicated by the presence of the Scanning... label on the third line of the LCD
  • The first line is used to indicate which banks are enabled for scanning and a cursor moves over the top of a bank number while it is actually being scanned for activity
  • The second line of the display is used to indicate the Open/Closed status of each bank on the first line
  • The last line is used to indicate whether the Priority feature has been enabled or not
  • When scanning stops on an active frequency, the LCD changes to resemble manual mode
  • The top line displays an 'S' in the upper left hand corner followed by the current bank/channel number and the rest of the channel's attributes
  • If the memory channel is configured for PL or DPL, the bottom line is used to display the decoded PL/DPL value (in Open mode)
  • If the memory channel is configured for LTR, Motorola or Ericsson, the bottom line is used to display the trunking ID (in Open mode)
    • Searching
  • The PRO-92 not only comes with 10 search banks which can be programmed to search frequency ranges of your choice with a selected mode and step size, there are also 60 preprogrammed ranges (with alpha-tags) which can be individually copied into one of the 10 search banks for your use (the manual lists them all)!
  • Just like scanning, search mode is entered by pressing SEARCH. The display then shows 'Searching up...' or 'Searching down.' depending on the direction the search is progressing in
  • And just like in scanning mode, the top line is used to indicate which search banks are currently selected
  • At any time during the search, it can be paused to allow changes to be made to the step size and/or receive mode
  • Use of the arrow keys changes the search direction and bank traversal order according to which key is pressed
  • The bottom line of the LCD is used to display whether or not the Priority function has been enabled
  • Unfortunately there is no indication given of what the current frequency is while the search is ongoing
  • Once activity is found, the display changes to show 'SR' in the upper left hand corner followed by the bank number the active frequency was found in
  • The second line of the LCD is used to display the active frequency and below this, the current step size. The current receive mode can be noted in the upper right hand corner and next to it the current delay setting
  • If an alpha-tag has been programmed for this bank, it will be shown on the bottom line of the LCD when it stops for activity
  • Each bank can lock out up to 50 undesirable frequencies. Should an active frequency prove bothersome, the next time it is active a press of the L/OUT key adds it to the lockout list
  • This lockout list can be viewed which also allows individual frequencies to be removed from the list. There's also a handy keypress for removing all frequencies from the list in one fell swoop
  • If the search stops on a desirable frequency, it can be automatically saved to the first empty channel of bank 9, or it can be stored to any memory channel of your choice
  • An interesting frequency can also be put into TUNE mode so that you are free to tune at will
  • To pause the search, FUNC + STEP is pressed which displays the pause message as well letting you see what frequency the search stopped on
  • One feature that surprised me was finding out that when programming a search band, you can only search within one of the programmed bands (29-54, 108-136.975, 137-174, 380-512 & 806-960) and you are not allowed to span a search across these bands. Odd...
    • Priority
  • The PRO-92 allows any one channel to be designated as the priority channel to be checked every 2 seconds for activity when the priority feature is enabled
  • By default, Bank 8 Channel 00 is designate as the priority channel. Makes sense, right?!
  • While priority can be enabled during scanning and searching, it is temporarily disabled while receiving a trunked transmission
  • If a memory channel with PL/DPL is selected as the priority channel, the Open/Closed status for that channel's bank is not considered. It is always considered to be in Closed mode (if a PL/DPL tone has been programmed and will only stop for traffic that has a matching PL/DPL tone
  • Priority is usually used to keep tabs on an important frequency programmed into one of the memory channels but on the PRO-92, it can also be used to watch for NOAA weather alerts
  • Selecting a weather frequency and then making it the priority channel will monitor that frequency every two seconds but it will only stop to listen to that frequency when the 1050 Hz severe weather alert tone is broadcast
    • PL/DPL
  • The PRO-92 comes with a PL/DPL decoder which allows such tones to be decoded and displayed in real time, as they happen!
  • With such a decoder, there is also the ability to program tones into memory channels so that only users on a frequency transmitting a matching tone will be heard while all others are ignored
  • The PRO-92 allows 50 PL and 100 DPL tones to be programmed
  • Discussion of these tones is a good place to describe what Open and Closed modes are
  • Open and Closed mode are used to indicate to the radio what it should do when it encounters PL & DPL tones (as well as trunking IDs for the three supported system types when trunking)
  • Each bank is programmed to be in either Open or Closed mode
  • In Open mode when using PL/DPL programmed channels, the scanner will stop on that channel's frequency when it becomes active with a signal, and then display any PL/DPL tone being transmitted. So Open mode is akin to a 'search' mode where you use it to find out information you don't have
  • In Closed mode when using PL/DPL programmed channels, the scanner will only stop on an active channel's frequency if the tone being broadcast matches the tone you have programmed for that channel. So Closed mode is akin to a 'scan' mode where you dictate how channels will be tested based on information you know about that channel's tones
  • These two modes therefor allow you to determine the tones being used if you don't know them (in Open mode) and to then use these tones to control the squelch (in Closed mode)
    • Trunking
  • Trunk scanning on the PRO-92 supports LTR, Motorola and Ericsson systems
  • When programming the frequency values, you also program the type of system by selecting the proper receive mode as mentioned earlier
  • Programming the systems at the channel level allows multiple systems to be placed in one bank along with conventional frequencies. Just be warned that the manual indicates that if using Ericsson, it must be placed in a bank all by itself (most likely due to LCN ordering and monitoring/decoding of the control channel)
  • Trunk scanning also uses the Open/Closed mode concept just like PL/DPL
  • In Open mode, the scanner is free to listen to all transmissions and display the decoded trunking IDs. In Close mode, the scanner will only stop on those transmission which match the set of programmed trunking IDs
  • For LTR systems, trunking IDs take the form of AHHUUU where A is the area code (0/1), HH is the Home repeater (01-20), and UUU is the User ID (000-254)
  • For Motorola Type I systems, trunking IDs take the form of FFF-SS where FFF is the Fleet ID, and SS is the Subfleet ID. Type II systems use 5 digit trunking IDs which are divisible by 16. Hybrid systems can use a combination of both
  • For GE/Ericsson systems, the trunking IDs are 4 digit decimal numbers between 0000 and 4096
  • When using Motorola Type I systems, you have the ability to specify one of the 16 preprogrammed Fleet Maps or program one of your own
  • Each trunked bank is allowed to store up to 100 trunking IDs. The big drawback is that there are no subdivisions for these IDs (what Uniden refers to as Scan Lists)
  • To lock out a specific trunking ID, you need to program it into the 100 entry list and then lock it out! This is also a poor method since not only is there no simple way to lock out an ID, but you must also use one of the 100 IDs to do so! This also means there is no way to lock out IDs when in Open mode!
  • There is a function which allows you to hold an an ID when in Open mode and there's also a function which transfers the current ID directly into the 100 list
  • A big plus is the ability to alpha-tag each trunking ID!
  • For my testing purposes I programmed up the PRO-92 just like I had set up my BC245XLT which basically consists of 4 conventional banks and 3 Motorola trunked banks
  • I then scanned all 7 systems and it worked wonderfully! And it was so VERY nice not to be hamstrung by that stinkin' 5 second delay that Uniden forced upon us!
  • I didn't have time to thoroughly test all of this but my limited testing and comparison to the BC245XLT showed it did everything equally well. Overall I'd say it was even better due to the lack of the forced 5 second delay
  • The only problem I found was that when stopped on a trunking ID, the ID liked to flicker between two values. It would spend most of its time on the correct value but you could tell it was certainly confused at times. I have never noticed this on the Uniden made models but I have seen the same happenings when using Scan*Star on the OptoCom
    • Weather Alert
  • The PRO-92 has been programmed with the 7 NOAA weather frequencies used in the US
  • These are easily accessible via the WX key
  • Not only can it detect the old 1050 Hz analog tone used for severe weather broadcasts, the PRO-92 can also decode the new generation, digitally encoded SAME signal and display the actual type of alert
  • When listening to the weather frequencies by simply pressing WX, the radio will only respond to the SAME weather broadcasts and ignore the 1050 Hz alerts
  • If a weather frequency is programmed as the priority channel, then the radio will only respond to the 1050 Hz alerts thus ignoring the SAME messages
  • To respond to either the 1050 HZ or the SAME signal, the PRO-92 is put into standby mode in which it does nothing but monitor the chosen weather frequency (and therefor does not function as a normal scanner)
  • When either signal is detected, the radio sounds an alert. If the SAME signal is detected, it decodes the event type and displays an equivalent message on the LCD (or "Tune to TV or Radio" if the event code is not recognized)
    • Interface
  • As mentioned previously, the right side panel contains the "PC/IF" jack which is the typical 1/8" format
  • This jack is used to clone the contents of one PRO-92 into another using the supplied cloning cable
  • Both PRO-92s are turned on and then the cloning cable is connected to to both radios
  • A menu appears confirming that CLONE MODE is active
  • The Up Arrow on the "sending" PRO-92 is pressed followed by the 1 key
  • Data is then cloned to the receiving unit
  • The cloning cable is removed to exit this mode
  • The PC/IF jack is also used to connect the radio to your PC so that data can be uploaded or downloaded
  • To do so requires "an optional PC interface kit available by special order from your local RadioShack store."
    • VHF/UHF Performance
  • While the manual lists 65 birdie frequencies, I detected only 3! All 3 matched values found in the birdie table
  • While at home, I swept its entire receive range using a 19" whip antenna and only detected 1 frequency with interference on it which was caused by a strong TV signal!
  • I then traveled to the part of town where I test all radios to see how well they hold up in an area of intense RF activity
  • I again swept the entire range using the 19" antenna and the overall results were great!
  • The only problems detected were found on 6 frequencies and were images caused by 3 different TV signals
  • Next, we returned home and put the PRO-92 up against the "GRE standard" PRO-43 which is known for its fantastic dynamic range (ability to hear very weak signals while not being overloaded by strong signals). It also seemed appropriate to measure it against Uniden's latest trunking scanner, the BC245XLT
  • For each frequency, the same antenna was used to compare each radio. First place was awarded for the radio(s) with the strongest, clearest signal with positions awarded for 2nd and 3rd place if necessary. Where there was a tie, the radios were ranked equally. If the signal could not be received, a '-' is listed. If the signal was not within the tuning range, 'N/A' is listed for that radio.
    Freq PRO-92PRO-43BC245
    42 2 1 2
    124 3 1 2
    132 2 1 3
    162 3 1 2
    155 2 1 3
    117 2 N/A 1
    146 2 1 3
    453 1 1 2
    450 1 1 -
    460 1 1 1
    851 3 1 2
    855 3 1 2
    862 3 1 2
    866 3 1 2
    936 2 1 2
  • Adding the columns (and assigning a 4 for 'N/A' and '-') and dividing by the number of entries ranks the radios from first to last as follows: PRO-43 (1.2), PRO-92 & BC245XLT (2.2)
  • The PRO-43 was by far the winner with the PRO-92 and BC245XLT tying for a solid 2nd
  • While the PRO-92 and BC245XLT might have tied overall in the sensitivity department, looking back at my BC245XLT testing, it is easy to see that the PRO-92 is FAR superior in the areas of interference rejection
  • The PRO-92 did not quite have the top-notch sensitivity of the PRO-43 but it was not that far behind either. Taking into account its stellar performance in "RF hell", it is plain to see that this radio has great dynamic range. Something missing from all too many radios being cranked out these days
    • Ranking
    Category Score Out of
    Sensitivity 15 25
    Selectivity 15 15
    Interference rejection 20 20
    Coverage 30 90
    Channels 15 15
    Channels per bank 5 15
    Ease of use 5 20
    Scan/Search speed 5 10
    Receive modes 0 15
    Step sizes 20 25
    Conversion 10 10
    Audio 15 20
    Antenna 5 20
    Construction 10 20
    Size 0 15
    Search 30 35
    Attenuator 10 20
    Auto-store 0 20
    Search frequency lockout 15 15
    Backlight 5 30
    Alpha-tagging 10 20
    VFO 5 10
    Squelch tail 10 10
    Priority 5 20
    Delay 10 15
    Hold 0 10
    Rotary Control 0 10
    S-meter 0 10
    Power-on resume 0 10
    Computer Interface 10 20
    Tone Decode 10 15
    Battery indicator 0 10
    Channel count 0 5
    Tape record control 0 5
    Clock 0 5
    Timers 0 5
    Weather programmed 5 5
    Weather alert 5 5
    Data skip 0 5
    Bank delete 0 5
    Bank sort 0 5
    Total 300 670
    Total 45 100

    As a reference, the BC245XLT scored 36% while the highest score to date is 74% posted by the AR8200
    For all the gory details of how this ranking system works, read the ranking criteria

    Things I Like
  • Great dynamic range (it can hear the weak while not being overloaded by the strong)
  • Multi-System scanning
  • VFO-like Tune function
  • PL/DPL decode, display & squelch
  • Alpha-tags!
  • Audio power
  • No trunk scanning delay like the BC245XLT
  • No squelch tail...anywhere!
  • Weather alert capabilities
  • Per channel attenuator
  • PC Interface - if it will allow ALL INFO to be up/downloaded
    • Things I Would Change
  • Need banks for trunking IDs
  • Separate list for trunk ID lockouts
  • Display frequency during search
  • Weak backlight
  • Audio amplifier hiss
  • Use 4 AAs - it seems everyone else can
  • Per channel open/closed mode (rather than per bank)
  • Powering up in manual mode
  • Key labels for secondary functions
  • White stripes on Volume and Squelch controls
  • PC control would have been nice
    • Summary
  • An overall top-notch receiver and a job well done considering it's GRE's first trunking scanner effort!
  • This is not to say the PRO-92 has no rough edges. Most of these fall within the bounds of the trunking realm. The use of a single bank of trunking IDs is a sore spot that will get a lot of negative feedback from users who have been "spoiled" by Uniden's offerings. There is also no easy way to lock out trunking IDs, and to do so requires using up precious entries in the 100 trunk ID list
  • Even with these drawbacks, the ability to monitor all of these types of systems at the same time with one radio is phenomenal and represents a great achievement. I can't think of too many people who wouldn't want such a do-almost-everything radio in their monitoring arsenal
  • As a conventional scanner, the PRO-92 passes with flying colors!
  • The receiver itself has very good dynamic range which those in the heavily RF-burdened urban areas will enjoy immensely
  • Audio power is in abundance
  • Alpha-tags are always a welcome feature and they are in abundance for scan banks, search banks, memory channels, and trunk IDs. The 12 character limit is great since it allows descriptive labels
  • PL/DPL is also a blessing with both decode, display, and squelch control!
  • 500 channels in 10 banks is a nice layout
  • 10 linkable search ranges keep reprogramming tasks here to a minimum, not to mention the 500 lockout capability
  • This one radio manages to pack in a LOT of the technology that users ask for while remaining at what I consider to be a good price. Look at the current market of radios available in the $300 - $400 range, compare them feature for feature, compare their performance, and I think it's easy to see who the winner is
  • What would be fantastic would be for GRE to now come out with a PRO-93 which does all of this, fixes some of the issues I've brought up here, adds 88-108 (with wide FM receive) and 225-400 coverage, and a computer control port! I wouldn't mind paying $450-$500 for that at all
  • Until then, I'll happily settle for the PRO-92!
    • Closing Remarks
  • All that you read here was the result of testing over a 2 day period in which I was loaned this radio
  • Also consider that, due to my upcoming marriage in less than a week, I could not even spend these 2 days in full with this radio
  • While testing was, and could not be, as extensive as I would like and normally adhere to, I tried to do the best I could to cover all the major aspects
  • I'm sure there are things which I missed and/or glossed over but I hope they are not major
  • But hey, compared to what you paid for this info, I think you got your money's worth...and then some...;-)
    • Update - December 4, 1999
  • Testing by users in all parts of the country has turned up several problems with the PRO-92
  • Stop by Jack Anderson's PRO-92 site for details
    • Thanks!
    Before you leave, I would like to thank Glenn Cohen of     Scanners Unlimited for his generosity in parting with this early production unit so that it could be evaluated here at Strong Signals! Because of his kindness, you have this information and most likely long before you'll read it in printed form!

    If you are interested in pre-ordering one of these radios or simply want more information, please stop by his web site (click below) or write Glenn at scannerunl@aol.com.

    Oct 17, 1999
    Copyright © 2010 by Richard J. Wells Return to Home Page