PSR-500/ PSR-600

[retiredFD07]

Does anyone on the list use either of these radios?

I'm currently using Pro-97's but I've been wanting to upgrade to something digital. I have the opportunity to pick up a couple of these for $200 each, brand new and still in the box, but I know nothing about them. I have no clue how they work, I've never had the opportunity to monitor a digital system. Is the software program necessary to program them and run the scanner, or is it like the WIN97 software, where you fill in the template and download it to the scanner?

I've been using scanners for over forty years, but I'm not computer literate at all. It took me a long time to figure out my WIN97 program.

I also understand that most digital systems here in soCal are also encrypted, and this radio won't help me there. I'd like to get a digital radio for my travels to places like CO and PA, where many users have gone to P-25 but aren't encrypted yet.

Any comments or suggestions from those in the know?

Thanks,
<>< Mike

[sp1989]

I was considering buying a PSR 500, and researched it. Starrsoft does make programming software for it, but it seems to be quite a bit more complicated than Win 97, due to the 'object oriented' way of managing the frequencies, so I would imagine trying to program it manually is more complex as well. I finally abandoned any plans to get one, as there is nothing locally to monitor that my Pro 96 can't do. If you want to use it for travelling, seems like one of the new digital scanners that program themselves by zip code would be the easiest way to go. I recently spent hours trying to program a scanner for a driving trip to Utah, and nothing worked so I had to go back to using the search function to find anything. Good luck, Mike!