Subject: Re: PRO-39 Memory Life

From: [email-masked] (John Quill Taylor)
Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1993 22:12:22 GMT

James Mikelis ([email-masked]) wrote:
: Does anyone know how long the memory will last on a PRO-39 once the low 
: battery circuit kicks off the scanner because of weak batteries?

At least overnight (it's happened a few times to me). -jqt

- - - - - - - - -

                     *** Bob's Tip of the Month ***

 (from Monitoring Times, January 1993, Dial 1-800-438-8155, Great Magazine!)

 Realistic (R) PRO-39 Cellular Restoration (Page 107)

 [with a few comments added by someone who witnessed such restoration -jqt]

           The recently released PRO-39 handheld scanner from Realistic (R)
    is a fine performer, but its 800 MHz range is interrupted by the
    factory censoring of cellular frequency coverage. Long-time MT
    supporter Larry Wiland of Youngstown, Ohio, would like to share the
    simple fix. Remember, however, that it is unlawful to listen to
    cellular phone calls.  

    (NOTE: These procedures may void your warranty. Do not attempt
    them unless you are familiar with small component soldering.
    Monitoring Times accepts no responsibility for damages resulting from
    attempting this modification.) 

    TOOLS NEEDED: Fine-tipped soldering iron, desoldering wick,
    small Philips screwdriver, long-nosed pliers, rosin-core solder.  

(1) [Turn off your radio. Removing the batteries when the radio is ON can
    erase the memory! -jqt] Remove the battery door, holder and [battery
    pack] from the bottom of the radio.  

(2) Remove the four screws from the back of the scanner and carefully lift
    the back off.  

(3) Unplug the two wiring harnesses at their connectors and remove the six
    bright colored screws [that hold] the circuit board in place. Unsolder
    the ground wire from the lower right corner of the circuit board.
    Unsolder the two wire connections from the BNC antenna connector at the
    board. Carefully lift the board (grasping it near the Molex connector)
    and set it aside.  

(4) Remove the two bright colored screws from the next circuit board.
    Carefully unplug the two-wire connector [and remove the board, as I
    recall -jqt]. Unsolder and lift the rectangular metal shield exposing 
    the diodes.  

(5) Carefully unsolder and remove diode D6 only; this will restore the
    missing cellular frequencies which can be searched in appropriate
    30 kHz steps.  

           This completes the cellular restoration. Reverse all procedures
    to reassemble the radio and test it by entering any frequency between
    869-894 MHz. [If you are as lucky as I was, the memory will still
    contain your other frequencies! -jqt] 

           Curious about the other diodes? D4 would enable 68-88 MHz
    coverage, but deletes 30-54 MHz; D5 (present) allows 800 MHz band
    operation; and D7 would make cellular spacing 12.5 kHz (incorrect).  

           Thanks Larry!