your scanner in the long run, then you can have Scanner Master program the radio for you for a fee. A good
percentage of Scanner Master’s customers do this very thing.
If you have dealt with programming scanners before, you will still need to know that this PSR600 works
markedly different than any other scanner. While a lot of the familiar GRE and Radio Shack scanner
protocols remain, there is enough left over that will make your head spin if you try to dig into it without
reading up on it.
The basics are that you create “Objects”, then tell the scanner what Objects you want to scan by using Scan
Lists. Objects can be conventional scanner frequencies, trunked system talkgroups, Limit Searches,
Spectrum Sweeps or Service Searches. While conventional channels and the various searches can pretty
much be entered directly, trunked Talkgroups have to be identified with a Trunked System (“TSYS”).
The GRE manual advises to start off slow and work towards more complicated items later. This is good
advice, since it takes a while to learn the various nuances of this radio. For example, start off with
conventional radio channels first. The learn how to add names (called Tags) to these channels. Then learn
how to create Scan Lists. Finally learn how to program Trunked Systems and talkgroups into Scan Lists.
Along the way you can take side trips and learn how to program limit searches and Spectrum Sweeper
events as well as adding these and Service Searches to Scan Lists.
RTFM (Read The Flippin’ Manual) or Not
The GRE scanners come with a very inclusive Owners Manual on an included CD-ROM. While it is good
it isn’t perfect. There are some typos and formatting errors, and there are several instances of the sister
PSR500 being identified instead of the PSR600. This really isn’t a big deal since both radios are
functionally identical and share firmware, programming files and the rest. You will want to print the
manual if you use the radio away from a computer.
If you don’t understand or like the GRE manual you may want to try other sources to help learn the radio.
One of the best sources for scanner techniques and tips is the MarksScanners pages. Mark has detailed
instructions on how to program and operate many scanners, the PSR500/PSR600 and sister Radio Shack
PRO106 and PRO197 instructions are found here:
http://marksscanners.com/106_197/106_197.shtml
You can also draw a lot of information from the relevant RadioReference.com and YahooGroups forums.
RadioReference also has an inclusive Wiki system that covers these scanners.
Since the Firmware updates that GRE produces as needed may change how some of the features work it is
a good idea to check for more current editions of the Manual on GRE’s website. Updated manuals are a
free download. They come in a PDF format so you can read or print them with free software.
Basic Programming techniques
To program Conventional (non-trunked) channels, talkgroups or searches you go into the Program mode
by pressing the PGM button then select the proper soft key. For conventional channels you enter in the
frequency and then if you then press the soft key (F1) labeled Save the channel will be stored into a
memory slot. If instead you press the down button on the 5-way pad you can then edit more parameters
such as the text tag, Squelch type (CTCSS, DCS, NAC, or Search) Priority, how the LED and display
backlight reacts with the channel and more. Keep on going you can go into the “Expert” menu items where
you can change the modulation from the default to another mode, set the attenuator, the delay settings,
AGC settings and a couple others.
In this Expert Menu are a couple unusual items. The first is called “SuperTrack”. This is a method of
changing the way the radio processes digital signals. Since each digital system has slightly different
parameters, this adjustment can help make decoding a bit more reliable. If you are having difficulties with a
channel or system’s digital decoding toggle the SuperTrack setting on or off to see if it helps.
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