Whistler WS1040 Handheld Digital Scanner – P25 Phase I, Trunking, Same Weather Alerts, Multi-System Support, Programmable, PC Interface, LED & Audio Alerts

If programming a scanner scares you, maybe I can help and save you a few bucks. I’ve been there. I’ll explain later.First off, the WS-1040 is a fantastic scanner. When programmed correctly, it has more bells and whistles than a circus train and leaves nothing to be desired in the way of a scanner. The specs are on the money and correct to a T.The most difficult part is the programming.If you wish to do it yourself, WIN500 from Radio Reference or Starrsoft is highly recommended but it is a PC based program. It will not work on Mac.Butel, ARC500 software is what I use. It is also PC based.Here's a WARNING based on my 4 years of experience starting as a dummy knowing nothing.In 2012, I didn't know anyone who could program a scanner for me. Numerous negative reviews stating “difficult to program” scared me away from trying it myself. So, I ordered a GRE PSR500 from an online SCANNER retailer that offered pre-programming for 1 county for $70.00. I thought it would be great to have my scanner working right out of the box. This was a huge mistake. I felt like I’d just had a bad night at Vegas and didn’t even get a kiss.The scanner did not work out of the box. An expensive amplifier was a waste. I emailed the seller twice and explained my problem. They told me to call them.Having worked on an I.T. help desk for a major corporation for years, I fully understand the obstacles involved in communication between the trained and untrained even when both parties speak the same language fluently. That's seldom the case anymore. I've written trouble-shooting flow charts and know they exist on any help desk, however, they are not about to email them to a customer. Programming a digital scanner is a complicated process. Attempting to do so over the telephone was more than I was willing to endure.Finally, through an Internet search, I located a local HAM radio club. Almost immediately, a half dozen members responded who were willing to help me out. I was totally impressed and pleasantly surprised.Amateur (ham) radio operators are a great group of guys. As Yogi Bear might say, “They are smarter than the average bear.”I live in a small county with only eight frequencies. The SCANNER seller had not programmed any of them. The amateur (ham) operator deleted all incorrect data and cloned my GRE PSR500 to his. The results were amazing.Whistler bought GRE. GRE made Radio Shack scanners. Therefore, the Pro106, Pro107 and GRE PSR500 are internally the same as the WS-1040. They can all be cloned from each other by pressing 3 keys. The SIMPLE instructions are on page 19 of the WS-1040 owner’s manual. All that’s needed is a cable with a 1/8-inch(3.5 mm) male stereo phone plug on each end, NOT INCLUDED. I use Amazon Basics.The WS1040 is compatible with the following scannermodels: PRO-106, PRO-197, PRO-651, PRO-652, GREPSR-500, PSR-600, WS1040, and WS1065.To clone a scanner: 1. Connect the two scanners at their PC/IF ports. 2. Turn on both scanners. 3. On the source scanner, press PGM. 4. Press the GLOB softkey. 5. Use the 4-direction keypad to locate the CloneSend option. 6. Press SEL to transfer data.Since my GRE PSR500 settings were saved on ARC500 software in my PC. I plugged in my WS-1040 with the supplied data cable and uploaded. I was scanning in one minute.The WS-1040 has 7 color coded lights that can be set by the programmer to flash or stay steady indicating which agency is transmitting. I love this feature. I listen to two police departments, county sheriff’s office, EMS and Fire. I can tell by the color and flashing sequence of the lights which agency is transmitting from across the room. This is really helpful anytime you're not holding the scanner in your hand. The LED and keypad can also be programmed to illuminate as the user desires. This is a great amenity in low light conditions.Pre-programming services do NOT program such luxury features.There is NO refund on pre-programming service whether it works or not. A pre-programming service is not for the benefit of the buyer, it merely helps the online retailer make more sales to nervous first-time buyers like myself. And making sales is what business is all about.Had the SCANNER online help desk been able to get me up and running over the phone, I would have never realized what I was missing and would have probably been willing to accept the very minimum this scanner has to offer.If a new, pre-programmed scanner DOES work out of the box, it will be the very minimum at best and most users will probably be willing to accept it. As a result, they will never know what they're missing.Here’s the SUGAR FROSTING: Someone in your area owns one of the above mentioned radios and probably has it programmed exactly as you would like. Start by searching the Internet for local HAM Radio clubs and send them an email. They are willing to help beginners get started and will clone it for you in a heartbeat at NO charge. If they have a frequency that you do not want like the FAA tower, delete it.Do it right from the beginning and you will be a HAPPY SCANNER.I didn’t do it right from the beginning and it cost me big.In 2012, the GRE PSR500 was $500.00.IN 2016, the WS-1040 is about $265.00.SCANNING IS GETTING CHEAPER AND THAT MAKES ME A HAPPY SCANNER.UPDATE 9/9/21. I cloned 2 WS1040 scanners. Here are easier-to-follow instructions on cloning.CLONING WHISTLER WS1040 SCANNERAll that’s needed is a cable with a 1/8-inch(3.5 mm) male stereo phone plug on each end.Connect the two scanners at their PC/IF ports.Turn on both scanners.On the source scanner, press PGM.Press the GLOB softkey F3. Will be lit.GLOB will appear on screen above.Use the 4-direction keypad to locate the CloneSend option.Press SEL to transfer data.Disconnect cable.Press SCAN key and you’re in business.

I’m glad I read the reviews before purchasing this scanner because the best tip I found was to spend a little extra on a subscription to RadioReference.com and download the Butel ARC500 software. With those two things, programming this scanner was surprisingly simple - even for someone like me who only has a basic understanding of radios and scanners. If you can remember navigating menus on old-school flip phones, you’ll feel right at home.Even Mac users shouldn’t shy away. I run a Windows 11 virtual machine on my Mac (using Parallels for other Windows needs), and it worked almost flawlessly. The only hiccup was figuring out which USB driver to use, but it wasn’t a dealbreaker. Free virtual machine options like VirtualBox should work fine too. Without reading much documentation, I had the scanner fully configured in under an hour.Performance has been excellent so far. Indoors with the stock antenna, I easily pick up local emergency response channels. Outdoors, I was able to pick up aviation and weather frequencies as well. I’ll probably invest in an external antenna to extend the range, but for the price and the ease of setup, this scanner has exceeded my expectations. It’s lightweight, easy to move around. Bought a $20 package of Amazon rechargeable batteries with a charger to reduce waste.Highly recommended for beginners and casual hobbyists alike.

Quite like this scanner. The interface takes a little getting used to, and you have to understand how the system is laid out, but once you 'get' how the memory system works, it's an easy-to-operate scanner. Being able to toss frequencies in from the database without a computer is great.Pros:Fast scanning: The sweeper and actual scanning are very fastExcellent voice qualityReceives nearly all digital modes in use today (excluding ProVoice and NXDN)Huge amounts of memory, the entire RadioReference database onboard the SD cardCharges/runs off MiniUSB port (NOT MicroUSB, which most phones use). Makes it easy to power from any USB charger.Great receptionCons:Start-up speed: The larger the SD Card, the longer it will take to boot, regardless of how much space you have actually used for recordings, systems, and frequencies.Battery life: When scanning, the unit will chew through batteries. Better get a few sets of Eneloops and a charger, or keep a simple USB charger and cord handy.Interface: It's got a steep learning curve. I'm very technically minded and I had to read through the manual a few times to get the picture, but once you understand it's not bad.Price: It's nearly $100 more than for the model with less buttons. Seems steep for identical internals, software, and just a few more added buttons on the front.EZ-Scan software: While it works well, it's a bit clunky and buggy, and windows-only. Will run through WINE, but not without issues.Overall, probably one of the best scanners you can buy. Has some neat features like I/F output from the headphone port for those who want to decode their own audio on a computer, V-Scanner (which lets you save entire virtual scanner setups), and the broad functionality of the spectrum sweeper and trunking systems, as well as being able to record directly to the onboard SD card.It's got it's downsides, but every scanner does, and this one works well for me.

Very good scanner. Audio is clear and seems to pick up channels good. Programming is easy if done on a computer. Manually is a bit hard. Would recommend to those just starting out with a scanner.