PRO-71 VHF/UHF/Air Handheld Scanner
(200-0311A)                Scanning Guide             Faxback Doc. # 60715

General Guide to Scanning

Reception of the frequencies covered by your scanner is mainly "line of
sight."  This means you usually cannot hear stations that are beyond the 
horizon.

During the summer months, you might be able to hear stations in the 30-50 
MHz range located several hundred or even thousands of miles away.  This 
is because of summer atmospheric conditions.  This type of reception is 
unpredictable but often very interesting!

Guide To Frequencies

Weather Frequencies

* These frequencies are not programmed in this scanner, but you can
  manually program them.

National:

    162.400     162.425     162.440*      162.450
    162.475     162.500     162.525       162.550

Canadian

    161.650*    161.775*    163.275*

Ham Radio Frequencies

Ham radio operators often transmit emergency information when other means 
of communication break down.  The following chart shows the frequencies 
this scanner receives that Ham radio operators normally use:

             Wavelength (meters)               Frequency (MHz)

                 10-meter                      29.000 -  29.700
                  6-meter                      50.000 -  54.000
                  2-meter                     144.000 - 148.000
                 70-meter                     420.000 - 450.000

Note:  Your scanner cannot receive some types of transmissions on these
       bands.

Birdie Frequencies

Every scanner has birdie frequencies.  Birdies are signals created inside 
the scanner's receiver.  These operating frequencies might interfere with 
broadcasts on the same frequencies.  If you program one of these 
frequencies, you hear only noise on that frequency.  If the interference 
is not severe, you might be able to turn SQUELCH clockwise to cut out the 
birdie.

The birdie frequency on this unit to watch for is 146.65 MHz.

To find the birdies in your scanner, begin by disconnecting the antenna 
and moving it away from the receiver. Make sure that no other nearby radio 
or TV sets are turned on near the scanner.  Use the search function and 
scan every frequency band from its lowest frequency to the highest. 
Occasionally, the searching will stop as if it had found a signal, often 
without any sound.  That is a birdie.  Make a list of all the birdies in 
your particular scanner for future reference.

Guide To The Action Bands

United States Broadcast Bands

In the United States, there are several broadcast bands.  The standard AM 
and FM bands are probably the most well known.  There are also four
television audio broadcast bands - the lower three transmit on the VHF 
band and the fourth transmits on the UHF band.

Typical Band Usage

HF Band (3.00-30.0 MHz)

10-Meter Amateur: ........................................ 29.00-29.70 MHz
High Range: .............................................. 29.70-29.90 MHz

VHF Band (30.00-300.0 MHz)

Low Range: ............................................. 30.00 - 50.00 MHz
6-Meter Amateur: ....................................... 50.00 - 54.00 MHz
Aircraft: ............................................ 108.00 - 136.97 MHz
U.S. Government: ..................................... 137.00 - 144.00 MHz
2-Meter Amateur: ..................................... 144.00 - 148.00 MHz
High Range: ........................................... 148.00 -174.00 MHz

UHF Band (300.00 MHz-3.0 GHz)

Military Aircraft: ..................................... 380.00-384.00 MHz
U.S. Government: ....................................... 406.00-420.00 MHz
70-Centimeter Amateur: ................................. 420.00-450.00 MHz
Low Range: ............................................. 450.00-470.00 MHz
FM-TV Audio Broadcast, Wide Band: ...................... 470.00-512.00 MHz

Primary Usage

As a general rule, most of the radio activity is concentrated on the
following frequencies:

VHF Band:

Activities                                           Frequencies

Government, Police, and Fire: ...................... 153.785 - 155.980 MHz
Emergency Services: ................................ 158.730 - 159.460 MHz
Railroad: .......................................... 160.000 - 161.900 MHz

UHF Band:

Activities                                           Frequencies

Land-Mobile "Paired" Frequencies: .................. 450.000 - 470.000 MHz
Base Stations: ..................................... 451.025 - 454.950 MHz
Mobile Units: ...................................... 456.025 - 459.950 MHz
Repeater Units: .................................... 460.025 - 464.975 MHz
Control Stations: .................................. 465.025 - 469.975 MHz

Note: Remote control stations and mobile units operate at 5 MHz higher
      than their associated base stations and relay repeater units.

Specified Intervals

Frequencies in different bands are accessible only at specific intervals.
For example:

Band Type                                               Specified Interval

VHF, HAM, and Government: .................................. 5.0 kHz steps
Aircraft and Others: ...................................... 12.5 kHz steps
Aircraft: ................................................. 25.0 kHz steps

Note:  Your scanner rounds the entered frequency to the nearest valid
       frequency.  For example, if you try to enter 151.473, the scanner
       accepts this as 151.475.

Band Allocation

To help decide which frequency ranges to scan, use the following listing 
of the typical services that use the frequencies your scanner receives.  
These frequencies are subject to change, and might vary from area to area.  
For a more complete listing, refer to the "Police Call" available at your 
local RadioShack store.

Abbreviations                                                     Services

AIR ............................................................. Aircraft
BIFC ................................... Boise (ID) Interagency Fire Cache
BUS ............................................................. Business
CAP ..................................................... Civil Air Patrol
CB ......................................................... Citizens Band
CCA ....................................................... Common Carrier
CSB ................................................. Conventional Systems
CTSB ........................................ Conventional/Trunked Systems
FIRE ..................................................... Fire Department
HAM .................................................. Amateur (Ham) Radio
GOVT .................................................. Federal Government
GMR ................................................. General Mobile Radio
GTR ...................................................... General Trunked
IND .................................. Industrial Services (Manufacturing,
                                   Construction, Farming, Forest Products)
MAR ............................................... Military Amateur Radio
MARI ......................... Maritime Limited Coast (Coast Guard, Marine
                             telephone, Shipboard Radio, Private Stations)
MARS ..................................... Military Affiliate Radio System
MED ........................................... Emergency/Medical Services
MIL ........................................................ U.S. Military
MOV ........................................ Motion Picture/Video Industry
NEW .................................................... New Mobile Narrow
NEWS ................................... Relay Press (Newspaper reporters)
OIL ............................................... Oil/Petroleum Industry
POL .................................................... Police Department
PUB ................................ Public Services (Public Safety, Local
                                        Government, Forestry Conservation)
PSB ........................................................ Public Safety
PTR ...................................................... Private Trunked
ROAD ........................................ Road and Highway Maintenance
RTV ..................................... Radio/TV Remote Broadcast Pickup
TAXI ....................................................... Taxi Services
TELB ............................ Mobile telephone (Aircraft, Radio Common
                                              Carrier, Landline companies)
TELC ..................................................... Cordless Phones
TELM ............................................... Telephone Maintenance
TOW ........................................................... Tow Trucks
TRAN ................................ Transportation Services (Trucks, Tow
                                           Trucks, Buses, Railroad, Other)
TSB ...................................................... Trunked Systems
TVn ................................................ FM-TV Audio Broadcast
USXX ............................................... Government Classified
UTIL ........................................... Power and Water Utilities
WTHR ............................................................. Weather

High Frequency (HF) Hi - (3 MHz - 30 MHz)

10-Meter Amateur Band - (28.0 - 29.7 MHz)

29.000-29.700 ........................................................ HAM

Very High Frequency (VHF) - (30 MHz - 300 MHz)

Low Band - (29.7 - 50 MHz - in 5 kHz steps)

29.700 - 29.790 ...................................................... IND
29.900 - 30.550 ................................................ GOVT, MIL
30.580 - 31.980 ................................................. IND, PUB
32.000 - 32.990 ................................................ GOVT, MIL
33.020 - 33.980 ............................................ BUS, IND, PUB
34.010 - 34.990 ................................................ GOVT, MIL
35.020 - 35.980 ...................................... BUS, PUB, IND, TELM
36.000 - 36.230 ................................................ GOVT, MIL
36.250 ................................................ Oil Spill Clean-Up
36.270 - 36.990 ................................................ GOVT, MIL
37.070 - 37.980 ................................................. PUB, IND
38.000 - 39.000 ................................................ GOVT, MIL
39.020 - 39.980 ...................................................... PUB
40.000 - 42.000 .......................................... GOVT, MIL, MARI
42.020 - 42.940 .......................................................POL
42.960 - 43.180 ...................................................... IND
43.220 - 43.680 ........................................... TELM, IND, PUB
43.700 - 44.600 ..................................................... TRAN
44.620 - 46.580 ................................................. POL, PUB
46.600 - 46.990 ............................................... GOVT, TELC
47.020 - 47.400 ...................................................... PUB
47.420 ................................................ American Red Cross
47.440 - 49.580 ................................................. IND, PUB
49.610 - 49.990 ................................................ MIL, TELC

6-Meter Amateur Band - (50-54 MHz)

50.00 - 54.00 ........................................................ HAM

Aircraft Band (108 - 136 MHz)

108.000 - 121.490 .................................................... AIR
121.500 .................................................... AIR Emergency
121.510 - 135.000 .................................................... AIR

U.S. Government Band (138-144 MHz)

137.000 - 144.000 .............................................. GOVT, MIL

2-Meter Amateur Band (144-148 MHz)

144.000 - 148.000 .................................................... HAM

VHF-Hi BAND (148-174 MHz)

148.050 - 150.345 .......................................... CAP, MAR, MIL
150.775 - 150.790 .................................................... MED
150.815 - 150.965 .................................................... TOW
150.980 ............................................... Oil Spill Clean Up
150.995 - 151.130 ................................................... ROAD
151.145 - 151.475 .................................................... POL
151.490 - 151.955 ............................................... IND, BUS
151.985 ............................................................. TELM
152.0075 ............................................................. MED
152.030 - 152.240 ................................................... TELB
152.270 - 152.465 .............................................. IND, TAXI
152.480 .............................................................. BUS
152.510 - 152.840 ................................................... TELB
152.870 - 153.020 ............................................... IND, MOV
153.035 - 153.725 ......................................... IND, OIL, UTIL
153.740 - 154.445 .............................................. PUB, FIRE
154.490 - 154.570 ............................................... IND, BUS
154.585 ............................................... Oil Spill Clean Up
154.600 - 154.625 .................................................... BUS
154.655 - 156.240 .................................... MED, ROAD, POL, PUB
156.255 .............................................................. OIL
156.275 - 157.425 ................................................... MARI
157.450 .............................................................. MED
157.470 - 157.515 .................................................... TOW
157.530 - 157.725 .............................................. IND, TAXI
157.740 .............................................................. BUS
157.770 - 158.100 ................................................... TELB
158.130 - 158.460 .............................. BUS, IND, OIL, TELM, UTIL
158.490 - 158.700 ................................................... TELB
158.730 - 159.465 ......................................... POL, PUB, ROAD
159.480 .............................................................. OIL
159.495 - 161.565 ................................................... TRAN
161.580 .............................................................. OIL
161.600 - 162.000 .............................................. MARI, RTV
162.0125 - 162.35 ........................................ GOVT, MIL, USXX
162.400 - 162.550 ................................................... WTHR
162.5625 - 162.6375 ...................................... GOVT, MIL, USXX
162.6625 ............................................................. MED
162.6875 - 163.225 ....................................... GOVT, MIL, USXX
163.250 .............................................................. MED
163.275 - 166.225 ........................................ GOVT, MIL, USXX
166.250 .................................................. GOVT, RTV, FIRE
166.275 - 169.400 ............................................. GOVT, BIFC
169.445 .................................................... Wireless Mics
169.500 ............................................................. GOVT
169.505 .................................................... Wireless Mics
169.55 - 169.9875 ........................................ GOVT, MIL, USXX
170.000 ............................................................. BIFC
170.025 - 170.150 ........................................ GOVT, RTV, FIRE
170.175 - 170.225 ................................................... GOVT
170.245 - 170.305 .......................................... Wireless Mics
170.350 - 170.400 .............................................. GOVT, MIL
170.425 - 170.450 ................................................... BIFC
170.475 .............................................................. PUB
170.4875 - 173.175 .............................. GOVT, PUB, Wireless Mics
173.225 - 173.375 ........................................ MOV, NEWS, UTIL
173.3875 - 173.5375 .................................................. MIL
173.5625 - 173.5875 ................... .......... MIL Medical/Crash Crews
173.60 - 173.9875 ................................................... GOVT

U.S. Government Band (406 - 450 MHz)

406.125 - 419.975 ............................................. GOVT, USXX

70-cm Amateur Band (420 - 450 MHz)

420.000 - 450.000 .................................................... HAM

Low Band (450 - 470 MHz)

450.050 - 450.925 .................................................... RTV
451.025 - 452.025 ................................... IND, OIL, TELM, UTIL
452.0375 - 453.00 ............................. IND, TAXI, TRAN, TOW, NEWS
453.0125 - 453.9875 .................................................. PUB
454.000 .............................................................. OIL
454.025 - 454.975 ................................................... TELB
455.050 - 455.925 .................................................... RTV
457.525 - 457.600 .................................................... BUS
458.025 - 458.175 .................................................... MED
460.0125 - 460.6375 ....................................... FIRE, POL, PUB
460.650 - 462.175 .................................................... BUS
462.1875 - 462.450 .............................................. BUS, IND
462.4625 - 462.525 .................................. IND, OIL, TELM, UTIL
462.550 - 462.725 .................................................... GMR
462.750 - 462.925 .................................................... BUS
462.9375 - 463.1875 .................................................. MED
463.200 - 467.925 .................................................... BUS

FM-TV Audio Broadcast, UHF Wide Band (470 - 512 MHz)
(Channels 14 through 20 in 6 MHz steps)

475.750 ....................................... Channel 14
481.750 ....................................... Channel 15
487.750 ....................................... Channel 16
493.750 ....................................... Channel 17
499.750 ....................................... Channel 18
505.750 ....................................... Channel 19
512.000 ....................................... Channel 20

Note:  Some cities use the 470 - 512 MHz band for land/mobile service.

Avoiding Image Frequencies

You might discover one of your regular stations on another frequency that 
is not listed.  It might be what is known as an image frequency.  For 
example, you might find a service that regularly uses a frequency of 
431.875 also on 474.675.

To see if it is an image, do a little math.

Note the new frequency.                                     474.675

Double the intermediate frequency of 21.4 MHz (42.8)
and subtract it from the new frequency.                     -42.800
                                                            _______
If the answer is the regular frequency, then you have
tuned to an image.                                          431.875

Occasionally you might get interference on a weak or distant channel from 
a strong broadcast 42.8 MHz below the tuned frequency.  This is rare, and 
the image signal is usually cleared whenever there is a broadcast on the 
actual frequency.

Frequency Conversion

The tuning location of a station can be expressed in frequency (kHz or 
MHz) or in wavelength (meters).  The following information can help you 
make the necessary conversions.

1 MHz (million) = 1,000 kHz (thousand)

To convert MHz to kHz, multiply by 1,000: 9.62 MHz x 1000 = 9620 kHz
                                       

To convert kHz to MHz, divide by 1,000: 2780 kHz/1000 = 2.780 MHz
                                       

To convert MHz to meters, divide 300 by the number of MHz.
                                       300/7.1 MHz = 42.25 meters

(GLW EB 8/3/00)

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