PRO-90 300-Channel Trunk Tracker Scanner
(200-0520A)                Scanning Guide             Faxback Doc. # 60725

A General Guide To Scanning

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

Guide To Frequencies

National Weather Frequencies:

  162.400                 162.475                  162.525
  162.425                 162.500                  162.550
  162.450

Canadian Weather Frequencies:

161.650                 161.775                  163.275

Note: These frequencies are not pre-programmed in the weather service
      bank but can be manually programmed into a channel.

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.

This scanner's birdie frequencies (in MHz) are:

   41.6000              406.2000             438.4000            489.2500
  118.8875              413.1750             445.8250            495.3625
  138.7000              413.2250             445.8375            496.3750
  138.7050              416.1125             455.7375            813.4000
  158.5150              426.0125             465.6500            852.0375
  158.5200              426.0250             475.5500            899.2375
  168.4250              435.9250             485.4625            926.7000

Guide to the Action Bands

Typical Band Usage

VHF Band:

Low Range: ............................................... 29.00-50.00 MHz

6-Meter Amateur: ......................................... 50.00-54.00 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:

U.S. Government: ....................................... 406.00-420.00 MHz

70-cm Amateur: ......................................... 420.00-450.00 MHz

Low Range: ............................................. 450.00-470.00 MHz

FM-TV Audio Broadcast, Wide Band: ...................... 470.00-512.00 MHz

Public Service: ........................................ 806.00-823.93 MHz

Conventional Systems: .................................. 851.00-856.00 MHz

Conventional/Trunked Systems: .......................... 856.00-861.00 MHz

Trunked Systems: ....................................... 861.00-866.00 MHz

Public Safety: ......................................... 866.00-868.93 MHz

High Range: ............................................ 896.11-902.00 MHz

32-Centimeter Amateur: ................................. 902.00-928.00 MHz

Private Trunked: ....................................... 935.00-940.00 MHz

General Trunked: ....................................... 940.00-941.00 MHz

Fixed Services: ........................................ 941.00-944.00 MHz

Studio-to-Transmitter Broad-cast Links: ................ 944.00-952.00 MHz

Private Fixed Services, Paging: ........................ 952.00-960.00 MHz

Aeronautical Navigation: .............................. 960.00-1000.00 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.

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 Radio Guide
including Fire and Emergency Services," available at your local RadioShack 
store.

Abbreviations                                                Services

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 & Highway Maintenance
RTV: .................................... Radio/TV Remote Broadcast Pickup
TAXI: ....................................................... Taxi Service
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 & Water Utilities
WTHR: ......................................................... .. Weather

Very High Frequency (VHF):

VHF Low Band-(29 - 50 MHz - In 5 kHz steps):

29.000 - 29.700: ..................................................... HAM
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 Cleanup
36.270 - 36.990: ............................................... GOVT, MIL
37.020 - 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 - 137 MHz):

108.00 - 121.490: .................................................... AIR
121.500: ................................................... AIR Emergency
121.510 - 136.000: ................................................... AIR

U.S. Government Band - (137 - 144 MHz):

137.000 - 144.00: .............................................. GOVT, MIL

2-Meter Amateur Band - (144 - 148 MHz):

144.000 - 148.00: .................................................... HAM

VHF High Band - (148 - 174 MHz):

148.050 - 150.345: ......................................... CAP, MAR, MIL
150.775 - 150.790: ................................................... MED
150.815 - 150.980: ................................ TOW, Oil Spill Cleanup
150.995 - 151.475: ............................................. ROAD, POL
151.490 - 151.955: .............................................. IND, BUS
151.985: ............................................................ TELM
152.0075: ............................................................ MED
152.030 - 152.240: .................................................. TELB
152.270 - 152.480: ........................................ IND, TAXI, 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 Cleanup
154.600 - 154.625: ................................................... BUS
154.655 - 156.240: ................................... MED, ROAD, POL, PUB
156.255 - 157.425: ............................................. OIL, 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 - 162.000: ........................................ OIL, 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 - 169.505: .................................. Wireless Mikes, GOVT
169.55 - 169.9875: ....................................... GOVT, MIL, USXX
170.000 - 170.150: ................................. BIFC, GOVT, RTV, FIRE
170.175 - 170.225: .................................................. GOVT
170.245 - 170.305: ........................................ Wireless Mikes
170.350 - 170.400: ............................................. GOVT, MIL
170.425 - 170.450: .................................................. BIFC
170.475: ............................................................. PUB
170.4875 - 173.175: ............................ GOVT, PUB, Wireless Mikes
173.225 - 173.5375: ................................. MOV, NEWS, UTIL, MIL
173.5625 - 173.5875: ............................. MIL Medical/Crash Crews
173.60 - 173.9875: .................................................. GOVT

Ultra High Frequency (UHF):

U.S. Government Band - (406 - 420 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 - 454.000: ............................................. PUB, 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 - 462.925: .............................................. GMR, BUS
462.9375 - 463.1875: ................................................. MED
463.200 - 467.925: ................................................... BUS

FM-TV Audio Broadcast, UHF Wide Band - (470 - 512 MHz):
(Channels 14 through 69 in 6 MHz steps):

475.750: ...................................................... Channel 14
481.750: ...................................................... Channel 15
487.750: ...................................................... Channel 16
511.750: ...................................................... Channel 20

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

Conventional Systems Band - Locally Assigned:

851.0125 - 855.9875: ................................................. CSB

Conventional/Trunked Systems Band - Locally Assigned:

856.0125 - 860.9875: ................................................ CTSB

Trunked Systems Band - Locally Assigned:

861.0125 - 865.9875: ................................................. TSB

Public Safety Band - Locally Assigned:

866.0125 - 868.9875: ................................................. PSB

33-Centimeter Amateur Band - (902 - 928 MHz):

902.0000 - 928.000: .................................................. HAM

Private Trunked:

935.0125 - 939.9875: ................................................. PTR

General Trunked:

940.0125 - 940.9875: ................................................. GTR

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 the number of megahertz by 1,000:

   9.62 (MHz) x 1000 = 9620 kHz

To convert from kHz to MHz, divide the number of kilohertz by 1,000:

   2780 (kHz) divided by 1000 = 2.780 MHz

To convert MHz to meters, divide 300 by the number of megahertz:

   300 divided by 7.1 MHz = 42.25 meters

(GLW EB 8/4/00)

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