Category: Product Reviews

A review of a [Imitation] Leatherman Raptor

Eric John MonierLeave a comment

Just to cover my butt, I am not the owner of the featured image on this page.

I give all credit whereupon credit is due and in this case, I downloaded the image from eBay.

Since the late 2000s, I had been a fan of Leatherman Tools.

I bought my first Leatherman Tool in January 2010.

Since then, I have acquired and EDCed several other Leatherman Tools over the years.

Since the mid-2010s, I had coveted a Leatherman Raptor, but could never justify the cost of one, especially since I am not employed in the medical profession.

The Raptor series of Leatherman Tools is geared specifically towards paramedics and emergency medical technicians, although, I have also seen emergency room nurses carrying them as

I still think it is a neat multi-tool, even though I would never be employed in such a career.

I can’t explain exactly why I like this tool so much, except that between leaving my now ex-wife and the awful events of Hurricane Ida, I had lived in an apartment complex in the Houma suburb of Bayou Blue. While some neighbors gave me grief (Karens), I had other neighbors who were good as gold.

There was one middle-aged lady whose nephew I had befriended through my church. I and others would hang out at her apartment. She was shut in, due to her weight, and also on Oxygen.

As I have done since childhood, I always EDCed my gear in some form of a bag, and there was no exception when I would visit her.

She and several other neighbors began referring to me as “Inspector Gadget”, because of the tools and electronics I frequently carried.

I helped this lady fix her medical devices, phone, and tablet and I even installed her television antenna.

Sadly due to a fall, she sustained shortly before Hurricane Ida, my neighbor had to go into a nursing home.

My wife and I went to visit her and we hope to visit her more often in the future.

So what does all of this have to do with my Leatherman Raptor? You, the reader, may ask.

Yes, that is probably a good question.

I will try and answer it:

My former neighbors saw me as sort of a handyman but also in some ways as a step between what they could do and what first responders could do.

And I also frequently carried at least one scanner radio.

All of this made me want a Leatherman Raptor even more.

My wife saw how much I wanted one, so she bought me the next best thing for Valentine’s Day and that multi-tool is what this piece will be a review thereof.

And for anyone wondering what I bought my wife for Valentine’s Day, I will tell you:
I bought her a 5 D Cell Maglite with a Xenon Bulb.

Back to the review:
Yes, it is an imitation of a Leatherman Raptor down to every detail and seems to be as solidly constructed as a genuine Leatherman Raptor but for a small fraction of the cost.

Even if I were to get a real Leatherman Raptor sometime in the future, I will still cherish this one because my current and I fervently pray, forever wife bought it for me. I love her so much and I thank God for her!

So, even though it isn’t a real Leatherman Raptor, it has all of the appearance and functions of one.

I will now break tall the features down:
1) Folding Multi-Purpose Scissors-These are just like EMS shears and probably the most useful daily feature.
2) Seat Belt Cutter-Very handy when performing a vehicle extrication but could also be useful in everyday cutting applications.
3) Ring cutter-Another feature almost strictly for EMS, although maybe it could cut some wire as well?
4) Ruler-This could be helpful in a plethora of applications.
5) Wrench-Specfically an Oxygen Tank Wrench that I wish I could show off to my former neighbor.
6) Window Breaker-Also very handy performing vehicle extrication but in a pinch would be used in self-defense.

This multi-tool can be folded away and clipped inside a pants pocket until needed, thanks to the sturdy pocket clip. Also, the tool stays locked in place when unfolded until the push button locks are activated.

I think this particular multi-tool most resembles the original Leatherman Raptor and not the Raptor Rescue or Raptor Response, but I could be wrong.

All in all, it is a great tool.

Even for an imitation, I have to give it 5 out of 5 stars, because it is perfectly functional.

I guess this, therefore, concludes my review of the [Imitation] Leatherman Raptor.

And I hope that you, the reader, have been informed, enlightened, and maybe even entertained.

May God richly bless you!

Back to the review:
Yes, it is an imitation of a Leatherman Raptor down to every detail and seems to be as solidly constructed as a genuine Leatherman Raptor but for a small fraction of the cost.

Even if I were to get a real Leatherman Raptor sometime in the future, I will still cherish this one because my current and I fervently pray, forever wife bought it for me. I love her so much and I thank God for her!

So, even though it isn’t a real Leatherman Raptor, it has all of the appearance and functions of one.

I will now break tall the features down:
1) Folding Multi-Purpose Scissors-These are just like EMS shears and probably the most useful daily feature.
2) Seat Belt Cutter-Very handy when performing a vehicle extrication but could also be useful in everyday cutting applications.
3) Ring cutter-Another feature almost strictly for EMS, although maybe it could cut some wire as well?
4) Ruler-This could be helpful in a plethora of applications.
5) Wrench-Specfically an Oxygen Tank Wrench that I wish I could show off to my former neighbor.
6) Window Breaker-Also very handy performing vehicle extrication but in a pinch would be used in self-defense.

This multi-tool can be folded away and clipped inside a pants pocket until needed, thanks to the sturdy pocket clip. Also, the tool stays locked in place when unfolded until the push button locks are activated.

I think this particular multi-tool most resembles the original Leatherman Raptor and not the Raptor Rescue or Raptor Response, but I could be wrong.

All in all, it is a great tool.

Even for an imitation, I have to give it 5 out of 5 stars, because it is perfectly functional.

I guess this, therefore, concludes my review of the [Imitation] Leatherman Raptor.

And I hope that you, the reader, have been informed, enlightened, and maybe even entertained.

May God richly bless you!

Back to “Product Reviews”

A Review of the Energizer Hybrid Power Tactical Flashlight

Eric John MonierLeave a comment

So, in case anyone is wondering, I do not own the featured image on this page. While I bought my particular unit at Target, I acquired the image from Lowe’s. This is me giving credit whereupon credit is rightly due. It also shocks me that this product is not featured on its company website, namely Energizer.

So, as other posts suggest, I frequently shop at Target.

And just about every time I visit Target, I check out the flashlight section.

For the past year, I had seen the Energizer Hybrid Power Tactical Flashlight.

I know I said in a recent post how Target seems to be discriminating against men and I still stand by that belief, but this is one of the very few products sold at Target that most men would find appealing. However, there was only one on the shelf.

My sister and her husband gave my wife and me a Target Gift Card as our wedding present and among other things at Target, I purchased this flashlight and that is what this piece will be a review thereof.

For anyone wanting to know, the model number is an Energizer YMHT61 and my unit came off the assembly line in March of 2022.

Earlier this evening, I went to my family’s property where it is dark enough to test this flashlight out.

One of my cousins saw the light and thought it was an intruder.

An uncle by marriage later asked me if I was back there and I told him how I indeed was.

Now, some of my family has a neighborhood watch going on, I guess because this neighborhood in which I grew up is nowhere near as innocent as it once was, but an entire block is occupied by my family.

Everyone was relieved however when they found out it was only me testing out a new flashlight.

My reaction is that I was initially disappointed.

The beam distance is nowhere near as far-reaching as I thought it would be.

But that is my only complaint.

I like how it has a removable and rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery that can be charged via USB.

And in a pinch, it can also be powered by 6 AA batteries.

I also appreciate how it is long enough to be used as a melee weapon but still concealed in a coat pocket or deep pants pocket.

This flashlight also features a crenelated strike bezel for further self-defense purposes.

On High Mode, it puts out a total of 1200 lumens for 4 hours with a beam distance of 200 meters.

On Low Mode, it puts out good enough 250 lumens for 15 hours.

There is also quite an effective self-defense strobe mode that is very easy to activate!

Ten years ago, these numbers would be considered science fiction!

It is rated to withstand a 1-meter drop on concrete although it can probably take much more than that due to it being tactical grade.

It is also rated to be used in driving rain but probably not much more moisture than that.

So I don’t think this would be at all appropriate for a tactical search and rescue situation.

However, I think it would be perfect for light-to-medium-duty security work, such as at a mall, church, truck stop, or possibly even a low-profile marine terminal.

What I think it would be ideal for is home defense, either for confronting an unknown knocker at the door or even against an unarmed or even lightly armed home invader, especially in total darkness! This is where the strobe and strike bezel come into play.

So, some might not be happy that I used a wedding present gift card to buy a flashlight when I already have so many.

However, these same people need to realize that shady people are roaming around where I live and some are knocking on doors in the middle of the night harassing residents.

I needed to upgrade my flashlight for confronting someone in such a situation and the Energizer Hybrid Power Tactical Flashlight fits the bills almost perfectly.

This flashlight set me back $44.99 plus tax, which considering everything the price is almost fair.

If I had to, I would give it a 4.25 out of 5 stars, because I think the throw or beam distance could be better and the spill is a bit too wide. Everything else is perfectly fine.

I guess this, therefore, concludes my review of the Energizer Hybrid Power Tactical Flashlight.

I hope that you, the reader, have been informed, enlightened, and maybe even entertained.

May God richly bless you!

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A Review of the Radio Shack® 12-259 or 120-0522 Handheld Public Alert Weather Radio

Eric John MonierLeave a comment

Just to bring everything to light, I am not the owner of the image featured on this page. I am giving credit where credit is rightly due and in this case, I cropped it out of some Radio Shack literature.

I had wanted a sturdy pocket-sized weather radio since my late teen years and since then I have tried several.

I discovered the Radio Shack 12-259 at the age of twenty, though I didn’t purchase it at that time.

The model number was later changed to a 120-0522 or a 12-522, depending on the source, and given a red cabinet as opposed to an olive green cabinet.

I think Radio Shack was promoting the color red for some of their products to promote preparedness because the prepper mentality began around 2008 and has taken off full force since. Maybe they even partnered with the Red Cross and that was the idea for the color red. I think pocket-sized weather radios should be bright yellow, but that’s just me.

I am referring to it as the 120-0522 because that is how it is referred to in the literature which I acquired from Radio Shack and is so shown in the featured image.

Even though money was tight for Christmas of 2009, I was still given some cash by family members and went to my local Radio Shack to see what I could buy.

I don’t remember if it was on sale or if I paid the full SRP, but I saw one, and I bought it.

I also bought a tin that was filled with Enercell batteries.

I carried it in what was my EDC backpack for the next almost three years.

Then, sadly, sometime in 2012, it just stopped working. No matter which Weather Channel I tried tuning in to, nothing would be received. I had assumed it was dead and sadly chucked it.

I was highly disappointed because it seemed like the perfect pocket-sized weather radio.

In July of that year, I purchased a Radio Shack Weather Cube, which I had until a wicked woman named Ida did her very wicked deed.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, I purchased the predecessor model, the 12-259.

I even dreamed about me carrying it in my EDC backpack in a shopping mall, trying to stay safe during a tornado. I even attempted to make it into a story based on myself and a certain young lady that I was talking to. For the record, this event occurred between my ex-girlfriend breaking up with me and meeting my current [and I so fervently pray, forever] wife.

For those who are wondering, my 12-259 came off the assembly line in October of 2004.

First of all, let me say that I have tried quite a few pocket and/or travel-sized weather radios.

The closest competing model to the 120-0522 or 12-259 would be the Midland HH54/HH55 series radios and I will say right now that the Radio Shack 12-259 or 120-0522 had a better antenna skin. And this is shocking because normally I would say that Midland makes the best weather radios, hands down and Radio Shack in the 2000s to 2010s was very much a has-been.

I have only owned my 12-259 for about a year, but it has assisted me in tracking some severe weather, especially in the months following Hurricane Ida.

I even EDCed it in my backpack from time to time.

Both Radio Shack models are Public Alert Certified.

The reception range could be a little better but that would mean a longer antenna would be required.

There is also a travel and home setting, which would make this ideal for road trips to keep tabs on the weather or keep as a bedside standby radio when anticipating a power failure.

An optional AC adapter can be purchased, allowing the end user to conserve the batteries for a real weather emergency.

The speaker is loud and clear.

The cabinet is made of smooth but sturdy polymer plastic.

The dot matrix LCD is clear enough and even has a bright backlight.

I believe the backlight on the 120-0522 is blue whereas on the 12-259 it is indigo.

My chief complaints are that it eats batteries like a starving pit bull that was locked in a butcher shop and it loses the signal way too easily.

There is a feature that will alert a siren should it lose the signal in standby mode, but this proves more annoying than usual.

I would recommend this product on the following conditions:

If one is using it to travel at all (even commuting on foot.)

If one works, plays, or is otherwise frequently outdoors.

OR

If one wishes to use this in a safe room to monitor the progress of inclement weather and lives close enough to a weather radio station. And when I say close enough, I mean twenty-five miles or less.

My 120-0522 is long gone but I still use my 12-259 from time to time.

In later years Radio Shack products seemed to be lacking in their quality, performance, and longevity. This was not the case in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Certain countries are better at producing electronics than others, but I digress.

If I were to give these weather radios a rating, it would be about 4.25 out of 5 stars and this is because of the frequent signal loss. It seems compactness and portability were traded for antenna gain.

All in all, I hope that you, the reader have been informed enlightened, and maybe even entertained.

May God richly bless you!

PS, Here is a video of this weather radio in action

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A Review of the Realistic (Radio Shack®) 12-162 Mini Pocket Weatheradio

Eric John MonierLeave a comment

Just to let you, the reader, and everyone else knows, I do not own the featured image on this page. Truth be told, I cropped it from the Radio Shack Catalog.

I had been collecting various weather radios since the Summer of 2012.

In the latter part of 2018, I was divorced from my first wife and suddenly had much more financial freedom than before.

I will also say that on October 28, 2022, I married a wonderful young lady and I hereby declare that she is my biggest blessing ever. I find myself frequently thanking God for her.

Nonetheless, in the latter part of 2018, I had more financial freedom than ever before.

And for the record, my finances are in better shape now than in 2018.

So because of this financial freedom, I was able to enhance my weather radio collection among other interests.

I had seen some vintage commercials about the Realistic Mini/Pocket Weatheradio 12-162 on YouTube and wanted one.

I thought those commercials were so neat. Furthermore, they truly captured the time in which they were recorded, namely the early-to-mid 1970s, especially with the emergence of soft rock. The scenes from the bedroom window showing nighttime thunderstorms and then the waves crashing on the shore and the calls of seagulls make me think of the many soft rock hits of the era.

So, I was romanticizing such a weather radio and I ordered one, not knowing that the antenna was damaged. I ended up selling it for parts.

I ordered a duplicate in 2019 and used it on and off.

The Realistic 12-162 was put on the market before 1975, which means it technically was not supposed to tune in to the third weather radio broadcast channel (162.475 MHz.) That said frequency was introduced in 1975.

However it was able to tune in the first two channels 162.55 MHz and 162.4 MHz and since 162.475 is right dab in the middle, with patience it can also be tuned in on this radio since it employs a rotary tuner.

I was able to get footage of mine receiving KIH23 out of Morgan City, Louisiana which indeed broadcasts on 162.475 MHz.

Sadly, I lost my second one to a very wicked woman named Ida.

If I would have lived closer to a weather radio station that broadcast on one of the two original frequencies and it would have been the 1970s, this radio would have been halfway decent.

It appeared to be built to withstand light rain and uncomfortably hot or cold temperatures and maybe even a little sea spray (as the commercial implies) because of its tough plastic cabinet.

In other words, this weather radio was meant to be used outdoors to get vital weather data whilst outdoors and on the go.

This was also Radio Shack’s first pocket-sized dedicated weather radio.

The Realistic 12-162 was first introduced in the 1974 Radio Shack catalog and came up for sale on October 1, 1973.

In 1974, it sold for $14.95 which would have been the equivalent of $90.37 in 2022 US Dollars.

The price peaked in 1975 at $15.95 or $88.35 in 2022 US Dollars, although there were sales of $5 off according to the aforementioned commercial that caught my interest in the product. I would assume that commercial aired in 1975 so if it was on sale for $10.95 in that year it would be the equivalent of $60.65 in 2022 US Dollars. This means that inflation may have been worse in the 1970s than it currently is because a pocket-sized, entry-level weather radio retails for about half of what it would have retailed for in those days, inflation-adjusted.

According to my digital collection of Radio Shack catalogs, the Realistic 12-162 was not listed in the 1976 catalog.

In 1977 and 1978 it sold for $11.95, which would be the equivalent of $58.77 and $54.62 respective American Dollars.

In 1979 it was replaced by the Realistic 12-156, which I do not yet own at the time of writing this piece but do hope to own one day, God willing.

I don’t understand the use of blue for the cabinet color of the 12-162 and 12-156. Yellow would have been a far better choice.

I mean Radio Shack had other types of radios in the color yellow, but maybe the shade of blue was associated with stormy weather.

When the Radio Shack 12-162 was on the market, Weather Radio was still in its infancy or at least early childhood and nowhere as mature as it is in 2022.

I do appreciate the compact size and rugged cabinet, but the antenna is flimsy as can be.

However, this radio would have been quite useful for those in maritime hobbies or occupations, farmers, hunters, and travelers, especially anyone commuting on foot.

If it was before 1975 I would give this product a 4.5 out of 5 stars because I do not dig the flimsy antenna.

However, the Realistic 12-162 was a huge milestone because it was the first dedicated weather radio that could indeed be EDCed.

I guess this, therefore concludes my review of the Realistic 12-162.

I hope that you, the reader, have been informed, enlightened, and maybe even entertained.

May God richly bless you.

PS, Here is a video of this weather radio in action in June of 2020.

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A Review of the Realistic (Radio Shack®) 12-161 Pocket Weatheradio Alert

Eric John MonierLeave a comment

Just to clear the air, I do not own the featured image on this page. To give credit whereupon credit is due, I cropped this image out of the 1980 Radio Shack Catalog.

My wife and I had a little money left over for the month of November 2022. She purchased a few items and I purchased a vintage but still in very good condition Realistic 12-161 Pocket Weatheradio Alert.

For those wondering, mine came off of the assembly line somewhere in the Republic of China in December of 1979.

This means that at the time I received it, it is almost forty-three years old.

However, it works just flawlessly.

The speaker’s sound is crisp and clear.

The reception is dead on.

There is even no static in the volume potentiometer!

I have been keeping it near my bedside and listening to the weather forecasts almost every night since it came in.

The only drawback is that it only receives the three main weather radio channels and not the other four intermediate channels but in 1979, there were no intermediate weather radio channels and wouldn’t be for at least a decade.

I never owned the 12-156 (which is the step below the 12-161.) However, I have owned two of the 12-162 weather radios which is the predecessor model to the 12-156. As much as I think a rotary tuner is cool, it is not anywhere near as reliable as the crystal-controlled tuner that the 12-161 has. Also, the 12-162 seems to be much more flimsy than the 12-161.

I get it though, the 12-156 and the 12-162 were meant for the outdoors and traveling, for getting weather data on the fly. They are more weather resistant and because of that, they were made of that plastic whereas the 12-161 is made of some plastic but also brushed Aluminium.

I could picture those younger boomer teenagers and older Xer children taking the 12-156 and 12-162 while walking to school and even carrying it in their coat pockets.

The 12-161, however, was maybe meant for a traveling business person, to be placed at the bedside in his or her hotel room. The standby alert feature enforces this theory of mine.

I could also see some people using this for off-the-grid living and needing emergency weather information.

Still, a rich or nerdy boomer teen or Xer child may have also carried one of these.

The price of the 12-156 in was $12.95 throughout its production run from 1979 until 1982 ($39.99-$53.16 in 2022 US Dollars.) The 12-162 was at its highest price in 1975 at $15.95 ($88.35 in 2022 US Dollars.) It would sometimes go on sale for $10.95 in 1974 or 1975 ($66.19 and $60.65, respectively.) Near the end of its production run in 1978, it sold for $11.95 ($54.62 in 2022 US Dollars.) However, throughout its production run, from late 1979 to 1984, the 12-161 cost a whopping $32.95 ($94.51-$135.25 in 2022 US Dollars.)

This inflation is hurting everyone, but I won’t speak any further of it, lest this blog becomes political.

However, I will let the numbers do the talking.

I think that you, the reader, can now see why I have the theory that I have.

The 12-161 would have been a pocket portable weather radio for the well to do and 12-156 and 12-162 were for those who needed weather radios outdoors or just cheap access to vital weather data.

I am still wondering if any school children carried weather radios on their foot commutes to and from school or anywhere else they went in the mid-1970s throughout the 1980s.

I could not find any conclusive data about this.

I cannot yet write accurately about the 12-156 but I can say that in terms of longevity, the 12-162 was a poor performer in later years and both fell apart on me.

However, the 12-161 is robust and still working well almost 43 years later!

If it were 1979 or 1980, I would have to give it the full five stars.

In 2022, I would give it 4.5 out of 5, because it only has the three main channels, no S.A.M.E. feature, and probably would not be good for outdoor travel.

And there are now weather radios available in 2022 that indeed do have those provisions.

I guess this, therefore concludes my review of the Realistic 12-161 Pocket Weatheradio Alert.

I hope that you, the reader, have been informed, enlightened and maybe even entertained.

May God richly bless you!

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A Review of the Realistic (Radio Shack®) Pro-2004 Programmable Desktop Scanner

Eric John Monier1 Comment

Just in case anyone throws a fit or raises a fuss, I hereby declare that I am not the owner of the featured image on this page. I shall give credit whereupon credit is due, in this case, I cropped the image from the 1987 Radio Shack Catalog.

For those of you who didn’t realize, I was born in January of 1987.

It wouldn’t be for fourteen and a half years before I would discover scanner radios.

I wouldn’t own one until I was fifteen and going on sixteen.

Since then I have gone through several.

In my early thirties, I began collecting and even using some vintage scanner radios.

In the Summer of 2021, at the age of thirty-four-and-a-half, I purchased my first Realistic Radio Shack Pro 2004. Then in March of 2022, I purchased another of the same scanner. The reason why I wanted these is that they were Radio Shack top-of-the-line model scanners in 1987 and the second one I purchased came off the assembly line in January of 1987, according to the date code. I keep my first one in a secure storage area and I keep the one that is as old as me, next to my bed, for sentimental reasons.

And that scanner is what this piece will be a review thereof.

The Realistic Pro 2004 was indeed Radio Shack’s premium model scanner for the year 1987.

It retailed brand new for $399.99 in 1987 which, in 2022 dollars, would be a whopping $1,042.83!

To justify that cost, there is a plethora of features on this scanner that made it truly top-of-the-line.

I will list some of the features and specs along with my commentary:
Frequency Range 25-520 MHz and 760-1300 MHz-Very generous coverage, especially for the late 1980s.
AM/FM/WFM Selectable for each channel-There are some modern scanners that do not have this.
300 Channels in 10 Banks-more than what most scanner listeners know what to do with.
10 Search Ranges-perfect for hiding hidden frequencies on specific bands.
1 Priority Channel-I could take or leave this feature, honestly.
Memory powered by 9 Volt Battery-this is what technology offered in those days.
Power Supply 13.8 Volts DC or AC mains-can be used even in a power failure with the right equipment, that is.
Weight 7 pounds or 3.2 kilograms.
Sound Squelch-more scanners should have this feature available as it would make them less annoying to everyone else.
Tape out jack-another feature that more scanners should possess.
10dB attenuator-this is something that is found on the higher-end models, well this was a higher-end model.
Backlit display-great for listening at night.
Triple Conversion Superheterodyne Receiver-this provides excellent sensitivity as well as selectivity.
Two Speeds 9 or 16 Channels or Steps per second-pretty obsolete by 2022’s standards and I cannot believe scanners with this much memory were this slow.

Because it is analog only, non-trunking, and has a slow scan speed by today’s standards, it is partially [mostly] obsolete in 2022.

However, it can still be used to hear traffic on Citizen’s Band, the neighboring 11 Meter Free Bands, Military and Civilian Aircraft, fire dispatch (if set up properly), most railroads, and virtually all VHF Marine. There is also a good bit of business band and some EMS traffic that can still be heard in some areas. Since it can do AM or FM, I programmed some FM CB frequencies, since I currently (at the time of writing this) live near a truck stop and major highway.

Railroad, marine, or fire calls can be difficult to hear replies if all banks are turned on, because of the slow speed. Still, when coupled with a decent antenna, this scanner can pull in a great deal of radio traffic.

I use this mostly for hearing CB, Freeband, and the little bit of military aircraft in my area.

In order to hear fire dispatch, I must only monitor the bank I have set for that, as the slow speeds will cause me to miss some of the details of the call between the tones finishing and the dispatcher beginning.

I know I have listed a few complaints about this scanner, but it is truly a workhorse.

Furthermore, how many scanners made in 2022 will be able to pick up any signals or even work at all 35 years in the future?

I know I purchased this for sentimental reasons and that, I can use other scanners to feed my listening hobby, but this is still a winner.

If I was old enough in 1987 to purchase this scanner, I would give it a full 5 out of 5 stars and I would probably lock myself with it in a room and be listening for days on end.

I still give it a 3 out of 5 stars for it in 2022 but am annoyed more than anything else by the excessively slow scan speed. Everything else makes this scanner awesome.

I guess this, therefore, concludes my review of the Realistic Radio Shack Pro 2004.

I hope that you, the reader, have been informed, entertained, and maybe even enlightened.

May God richly bless you!

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A Review of the Energizer Weatheready Compact Rechargeable LED Flashlight

Eric John MonierLeave a comment

Just to cover my own butt, I hereby declare that I am not the owner of the featured image that is located on this page. Therefore I give all credit whereupon credit is indeed due.

I am sure that those familiar at all with this blog know that I, Eric John Monier, have and have had a lifelong fascination with flashlights.

And for those of you who don’t read this blog on the regular or if you came across this blog recently, I will say that yes, it’s true, I do have a lifelong fascination with flashlights.

I also very much admired my Maternal Grandma, June Aucoin Gauslin, and took it very hard when she passed away. It has been almost nineteen years at the time of me writing this piece that she is gone and I still take it hard. I think about her every day that God sends.

She may not have been fascinated by flashlights like I am but, she always kept one in her kitchen outlet between her stove and refrigerator.

If my memory serves me correctly, I believe that it was a First Alert Ready Lite-and Lord knows I wish those would have never been discontinued!

I do not have anything material to remember her by, but I do have a lot of wonderful memories.

And in my weird way of honoring and remembering her, I too keep a rechargeable flashlight plugged in my kitchen. You the reader may or may not get it but my family gets it.

On June 1, 2011, I purchased an Energizer Weatheready Compact Rechargeable LED flashlight. And that is what this piece will be a review thereof.

Granted it is not and never will be a First Alert Ready Lite, but it at the time and still is the closest thing available on the market that I could use to imitate my Grandma.

Sadly I lost this flashlight that I had used for over ten years to a wicked woman named Ida.

If only that flashlight could talk, it would speak of the fights my now ex-wife and I had, my first attempts at cooking, the frequent severe storms, and subsequent power failures that it helped me through. It would probably even tell about the time I was in my apartment one night and it was pitch black. I saw the red LED indicator light on the flashlight as it was plugged into the wall and mistook it for the LASER aiming system on a high-powered rifle. I freaked out thinking a sniper was trying to take me out until I realized what the red dot truly was, then I went to take my medication. Actually, the one thing I inherited from my Grandma was schizophrenia and all the good and bad traits that come along with it. She managed it like a boss and I hope that I can do as well as her. With the help of Christ, I will manage it for sure.

In the early parts of 2022, after moving into my Ida Sheltering Program Camper, I ordered an updated version of this Eveready flashlight.

It came in promptly and I have had it plugged into my kitchen receptacle ever since.

The one time that my power failed living in this camper, this flashlight activated right away and lit up my kitchen.

While it may not be as coveted by me as a First Alert Ready Lite, it still had some sentimental value.

The following is what the company website has to say about this product:

No batteries to replace, always ready to shine – the Energizer® Weatheready® Compact Rechargeable Light makes the ideal emergency flashlight.

The company also stated a three-hour runtime on a full charge, a light output of 40 Lumens, a beam distance of 30 Meters, and a drop impact resistance rating of 1 Meter.

This by no means is meant for a tactical or even an industrial setting but only a domestic or office environment.

Still in those applications, it will get the job done effectively.

I can’t say that I have any complaints about this product but I wish that Energizer would make a replica of the First Alet Ready Lite but fit it with a Lithium Ion battery and high-powered Warm White LED.

Actually one thing I would do if I came into money aside from opening up a restaurant known as “The Dirty Drip Pan”, I would also build a factory that would make replicas of all my favorite flashlights that were sadly discontinued. But some would be made in their classic configuration and others would be fitted with modern technology.

On a slightly related note, I think it was super cool of Energizer to make that Stranger Things replica flashlight of one of their classic models. It was also frequently featured in Knight Rider. I intend to give one to my parents as a gift in the near future but don’t tell them.

If I had to give this product a rating, I see nothing wrong with giving it a full 5 out of 5 stars.

I guess this, therefore, concludes my review of the Energizer Weatheready Compact Rechargeable LED Flashlight.

Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope that you have been informed, enlightened, and maybe even entertained.

May God richly bless you!

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A Review of the Midland ER10VP Compact AM/FM/Weather Radio

Eric John MonierLeave a comment

Let’s clear the air now: I declare that I am not the owner of the featured image on this page and I, therefore, give all credit whereupon credit is rightly due.

I, of course, have felt the need to EDC a Weather Radio for quite some time.

For years, my go-to EDC Weather Radio was a Midland HH50B.

My lovely fiancée now carries one of those.

In the Spring of 2022, I decided to try a newer Weather Radio for EDC purposes.

There’s nothing really wrong with the Midland HH50B, save for a faulty belt clip.

I just wanted to try something new for a change.

Therefore in that aforementioned time, I purchased a Midland ER10VP and have been EDCing this ever since.

And that is what this piece will be a review thereof.

God be praised, there hasn’t been much severe weather in 2022 so far, at least for my immediate area. This is a very good thing for me as I am currently living in subpar housing.

I lost my original Midland WR100EZ to Hurricane Ida, but my renter’s insurance replaced it and pretty much everything else that I lost. So, I keep one of those on standby right next to where I sleep. As mentioned before, if my fiancée and I are traveling, she carries a Midland HH50B in whatever handbag she has at the moment. And sometimes, I will carry my Midland ER10VP in my EDC backpack.

I think Midland makes the best weather radios that are currently on the market and I have relied on them for almost a decade.

Initially, I purchased my Midland ER10VP to give as a gift to a friend but later purchased him a better radio in the stead.

Therefore, I kept the Midland ER10VP for myself and have been EDCing it on and off since.

If I know ahead of time that there will be a significant chance for severe weather, I stay with family members who have more sturdy housing.

This was the case on the evening of March 22, 2022. My parents had me come to their place to ride out a squall line that was due in our area that evening.

I had my Midland ER10VP with me and was on standby.

After Ida had damaged their home they had upgraded their roof.

While the squall line was passing through, I was in their attic with my tactical flashlight (a PowerTac Valor for those who wish to know) monitoring for leaks. There appeared to be none.

After the storms had moved out of my area, I kept my Midland ER10VP on standby, just in case.

At one point, it alerted me to a Tornado Warning for Lafourche Parish, and several minutes before my parents’ cable system got the message out.

Now I have been observing the weather for the past twenty years and usually, in fact, almost always when anything tornadic forms in Lafourche Parish, it is always in the southeastern portions of the Parish near the Jefferson Parish line.

This was the case with this tornado as well, but I kept tracking it with my Midland Weather Center app anyway. It turns out that this would be the tornado that damaged parts of Greater New Orleans.

My fiancée was staying in the New Orleans area during all this and because of a misunderstanding, I had put her in the friend zone, which was a huge mistake on my part. Still, I liked her and I wanted her and when I saw that the tornado that I had previously thought not much of was in her neck of the woods, I texted her, which gave her seconds to get to safety. In the text I let her know that I still cared about her. She and I eventually got into a relationship on May 23, 2022, and have been very happy ever since.

Two other times, I had used this weather radio that I am currently reviewing to monitor the progress of severe weather.

It entailed me packing it in my EDC backpack, then seeking shelter in a truck stop near my subpar housing site and purchasing some food and/or drink, so I can say that I am a paying customer, thus allowing me to stay in the trucker’s lounge or adjacent restaurant for more substantial shelter.

I am also assisted by my Midland Weather Center app and a robust data plan.

As you, the reader can see, I am quite satisfied with this product as far as Weather Radio reception is concerned.

FM reception is also fairly decent and AM reception is on par with that of a radio its size.

As much as I like flashlights, I could take or leave the flashlight feature on this device.

I could also take or leave the clock, although I do greatly appreciate the digital display and PLL tuner.

My one complaint is that it gets knocked on into standby mode way too easily, thus unnecessarily running down the batteries.

I wish there were a better way to keep it turned on while being carried in a backpack, so if one plans to use it as the main radio, have extra AA batteries on hand.

It does not have a SAME decoder feature, but I see this more as a traveler’s weather radio, and therefore, I don’t think it needs one.

Although I see it has much potential as a traveler’s weather radio, I think Midland has intended this to be for tracking the progress of severe weather during and after a severe weather event and also while off grid due to a severe weather event.

The following is what the company website had to say:

“Don’t be caught off guard when you’re off the grid – be prepared at all times with the Midland ER10VP Emergency Alert AM/FM Weather Radio. An essential piece of equipment when you’re hiking, fishing, hunting, overlanding, or camping with the family, the ER10VP will immediately alert you of incoming inclement weather. This versatile battery operated weather radio doubles as a flashlight with Hi, Lo, and SOS strobe options in case of emergency. Its slim and compact design lets you easily slip it into your pocket or gear bag, and it comes equipped with a wrist lanyard to keep it on you at all times. Leisurely listen to AM/FM radio with the comfort of knowing that you will be warned of any emergency weather in your area.”

For all intents and purposes, this is a great device for weather-related emergencies. It is especially perfect for the aftermath of a hurricane or tornado but could also be useful for everyday applications.

I guess this, therefore, concludes my review of the Midland ER10VP and if you, the reader are wondering, I give it 4.50 out of 5 stars only because it gets knocked on way too easily while in a backpack.

I hope that you have been informed, entertained, and maybe even enlightened.

May God richly bless you!

PS, Here is a YouTube video of it in action

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A Review of the Radio Shack Pro-82 Handheld Scanner

Eric John MonierLeave a comment

It was either December 23 or Christmas Eve of 2004.

I was given some cash as a Christmas gift by my parents and was making a beeline to my local Radio Shack.

There was a certain scanner that I was laser-focused on purchasing, namely a Radio Shack Pro-82.

And that is what this piece will be a review thereof.

I had been medicated since the following June and this medication was hindering my academic performance considerably. This was on top of the fact that I don’t think I belonged in school or at least a conventional school.

However, despite experiencing all of these academic hindrances and anhedonia to a considerable degree, my scanner interest was still somewhat there, although it had been considerably diminished.

The two reasons for me desiring a Radio Shack Pro-82 were that it was affordable (on sale for $79.99), it could tune in civilian aircraft, and it had an extensive memory compared to what I had been previously used to.

That day, I don’t remember what type of shirt or pants I was wearing but I had on a Synergy jacket that I had worn from the ages of 11 to 22. I remember paying cash for the scanner and may have purchased some Alkaline Ennercell batteries for that scanner as well. I then placed the scanner still in its box along with the receipt in the shopping bag inside that jacket.

My Chemistry teacher happened to be also walking the mall and I remember running into her and asking if I passed for the semester to which she said I did. While I do think science is fascinating, I am terrible at it because of all the Algebra it requires.

Afterward, I went to Burger King along with my dad and brother and I drank some coffee, although I cannot remember what I had to eat.

When I arrived home, I set up the scanner and began to do a dedicated search of the aircraft band, although I could not well understand what was being said. Before this, my only ability to tune in aircraft transmissions was by my Radio Shack Multiband Radio which was a 12-756.

For the rest of Christmas Break, I used this scanner to tune in all sorts of aircraft communications.

I was also attending a church in Schriever, Louisiana, and should have used this scanner to tune in the railroad communications in addition to the aircraft communications.

What highly impressed me was the crispness and clarity of this scanner’s audio, especially compared to my Uniden BC80XLT, which seemed to have dull audio.

After Christmas break was over and school had resumed, I would frequently carry this scanner in my schoolbag and listen to it after school or during lunch (in a secluded area of the school.)

When not in school I was either tuning in local businesses (especially Southland Mall), fire and EMS communications, or sometimes marine traffic all in addition to air traffic.

It was now Summer break of 2005 and I had some income from my first job. For years I had wanted to obtain an amateur radio license but could never afford the equipment or even the test to take, but never had the income.

One day after work, I used this scanner to tune in to my local amateur radio repeater and took note of the callsigns being mentioned.

I had looked several of them up on QRZ’s website and acquired the email address of a few.

One older gentleman replied to my email and informed me that there was an event occurring shortly, namely Field Day. I did attend that event and I noticed that all the other guys were holding various handheld transceivers while I was holding my Radio Shack Pro 82. I was later given some study materials which helped me pass my exam on July 18, 2005.

So you, the reader, could say, this scanner was instrumental in me getting my ticket.

Sadly shortly after, there was a software glitch and it gave out on me.

I would replace it a year later with a Radio Shack Pro-95.

In November of 2009, I bought another Radio Shack Pro-82 and installed a high-performance antenna on it.

This second one was instrumental in me listening to my local railroads as well as the fire and business band.

In fact, it was my EDC scanner until December of 2011.

I ended up giving it to a friend in the former parts of 2012. I think he still uses it!

Feeling nostalgic, I purchased my third Radio Shack Pro-82 in the latter parts of 2021, although I haven’t used it much.

If one wants to listen to fire department tone-outs, marine traffic, civilian air traffic, most railroad traffic (even in 2022), [local] amateur radio, analog business band, racing, and maybe a few federal entities, then this scanner would still be useful even today. For anything else, it also receives Weather Radio broadcasts. I think it was put on the market in 2003 and taken off between 2007 and 2009, replaced by the Pro-404. This scanner does not tune in CB or Free Band, which means I will take off a point. It also does not have a Signal Stalker feature but it was made before such a feature was standard on most scanners.

A more detailed list of the features follows:

Frequency Range:
29.00-54.00 MHz FM
108.00-137.00 MHz AM
380.00-512.00 MHz FM

Dedicated Push button service band searches for
VHF Marine (ship button)
[Rural] Police, Fire, and EMS (flame button)
Civilian Aircraft (airplane button)
Amateur Radio (10M, 6M, 2M 70CM all in FM) (antenna button)
All 7 Weather Channels (storm cloud button)

200 Memory Channels

The Radio Shack Pro 82 was Radio Shack’s entry-level handheld model for the mid-2000s.

If only one could go back to [19]82 with one of these (considering the model number), then it would shine like the brightest beacon on a moonless night!

It may be considerably bulky by 2022’s standards, especially for someone wanting to watch trains and boats outdoors, but it makes up for it with sensitive tuning and excellent audio (which made me a convert to Radio Shack scanners for a few years.)

I guess this, therefore, concludes my review of the Radio Shack Pro-82.

If you’re wondering, I give it a 3 out of 5 stars. The first point was taken off for not featuring CB and Freeband when it easily could have. Another half point was taken off for not covering 800 MHz, which many even some rural agencies were using by 2003. Finally, there could have been a dedicated search for a business band, maybe with a dollar sign button to activate it. If I were to rate it in 2022, I would still give it 3 out of 5, analog 800 MHz is almost obsolete nowadays, but CB and Freeband are making a comeback, and business band frequencies are quite interesting to hear these days. However, this scanner is quite bulky and power-hungry by modern standards.

For those wondering, my anhedonia has been kept at bay almost continuously since late January 2006.

I hope that you, the reader, have been informed, enlightened, and maybe even entertained.

May God richly bless you!

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A Review of the Radio Shack Pro-404 Handheld Scanner

Eric John Monier1 Comment

So, I had been interested in radio electronics since toddlerhood, but the interest didn’t come to fruition until the age of fourteen.

Likewise, I had been interested in trains since infancy, but somehow the interest became dormant until the age of seventeen, when I was walking around Schriever, Louisiana, and saw a train up close for the first time. This was in the Spring of 2004. I began downloading pictures of trains and trying to listen to them on my scanner but had very limited success with the latter. Then in June of 2004, I had a mental breakdown and was to be medicated for the rest of my life. The medication I took exacerbated my anhedonia, which is the inability to have interests or feel any kind of pleasure. I suffered from this until January of 2006 when I was prescribed a much better medication known as Geodon. By that time my train interest sadly went dormant again. It was so dormant that I rode on a train in June of 2006 and didn’t think much of it, whereas most people who love trains as I have felt at certain times in my life would have felt a state of euphoria just below that of worshipping God in Spirit and Truth and being overcome by His presence just from seeing a train, much less getting to ride on one. But I didn’t think much of it. It would be this way until some time in 2010 when I was attending a church near a mainline railroad and spending a considerable amount of time near the same mainline as well. In September of 2011, I quit my job, mostly due to my hours being drastically cut, a demotion from a position where I performed better than anyone else on-site, and just the toxic environment I worked in. I was able to live well enough off of my disability income in addition to my then-wife-now-ex-wife’s disability income.

It was during this time that my interest in trains came back in full force and stronger than ever before.

I planned to purchase a cheap scanner to take with me whilst foaming and decided on a Radio Shack Pro-404 and that is what this piece will be a review thereof. I had watched several YouTube videos that my fellow foamers created either reviewing this scanner or using it trackside. It seemed to be the perfect scanner for foaming. In those days and still, very much today though sadly changing, one only needs an entry-level scanner to listen to railroad traffic. I know times are changing, though, with this wretched Nexedge being slowly adopted as the new communication standard for railroads and therefore needing a top-tier model scanner to decode such transmissions. That was a factor in my decision to start listening to marine communications which I began in October of 2015 and still do to the present. Watching boats had sadly now taken priority over watching trains although I still think trains are much cooler and likely always will.

In mid-December of 2011, a friend owed me some money which I used to purchase a Radio Shack Pro-404. From December 2011 until March 2014, this was my EDC scanner and I had it until it died on me in July of 2014.

The Radio Shack Pro-404 was the first scanner that I dedicated to my foaming hobby. But I also used it for listening to fire departments and business band users among other things.

The one frequency I wanted to listen to most was 160.290 MHz (AAR Channel 12) which is assigned to BNSF’s Lafayette Subdivision. I also listened to other railroad frequencies on it such as 160.515 MHz (AAR Channel 27) which is heavily used in Louisiana and system-wide by Union Pacific, 160.920 MHz (AAR Channel 54), and 161.190 MHz (AAR Channel 72) which are used by Canadian National DBA Illinois Central in Southeast Louisiana and 160.260 MHZ (AAR Channel 10) which is used by Kansas City Southern on their mainline from Shreveport to New Orleans.

Sadly the particular unit I bought was defective and I didn’t fully realize this until it was out of warranty. The only railroad channel it received with any consistency was 160.260 MHz even most of the time I was 40 miles away from the dispatch tower. In those days BNSF’s Lafayette Subdivision mainline was my favorite railroad line mostly because it is and was the closest mainline railroad to me and because it is an ex-Southern Pacific line. When I became a full-blown foamer in 2011 and learned about the Southern Pacific and how it was split between Union Pacific and BNSF after merging with Union Pacific, I was angry because I had developed a tremendously strong prejudice in favor of the old Espee. I was married at the time, but as my marriage started to deteriorate, I had vowed not to ever date a young lady who was born on or after September 11, 1996-the date of Southern Pacific’s death. I pretty much stayed true to this vow, although in late 2020 and early 2021, there was one very brief online relationship with a young lady born several months after that date. So even though I resented BNSF for taking that former Southern Pacific mainline, I still wanted to tune them in and this scanner just could barely pull anything in on the required frequency. I even tried high-performance antennas but to no such avail. Union Pacific’s frequency came in but I had to be closer to one of their mainlines than I usually was and voice transmission on that frequency was so sporadic due to the heavy use of Centralized Traffic Control. I don’t remember how well this scanner performed on the CN DBA IC channels I programmed for it. In July of 2013, I traveled to Texas for the first time. The trip was with my now ex-in-laws and I didn’t have to pay anything. I did a little bit of foaming in San Antonio, and this scanner performed slightly better, to the point that I was disappointed when I had to go back to Louisiana.

My then-wife and I would make frequent trips to the New Orleans area to go shopping and of course, I would use my Radio Shack Pro-404 to tune in railroad traffic. It performed better in the New Orleans area and maybe even better in Texas. Still, for the one frequency, I wanted to hear most it wouldn’t even stop on but my other scanners would.

By the Fall of 2013, I could tell that this scanner was not as great as I expected it to be or as great as the ones I saw on YouTube. I had assumed that all Radio Shack Pro-404 scanners were like this but was wrong to assume this. I was an immature Christian in the early 2010s though I had been born again for almost a decade. I also did not consider the possibility of spiritual attacks, especially those on the personal possessions of Christians. I still had some superstitions and assumed that this scanner was cursed, which maybe I was partially correct, but not cursed entirely in the way I was thinking back then.

As obsessed as I can be with trains I know that my interest in them never was an idol but, rather it brought me closer to my God. Case in point, I was in Sunday School back when I attended a church near the aforementioned BNSF mainline. My then-Pastor-Teacher was speaking to the class and mentioned how so many people are not in church on Sundays and instead are engaging in worldly pleasures. At that moment a train passed through town and I heard it loud and clear and I felt spiritually vindicated in that moment, knowing I was in church. My then wife smiled approvingly at me but on the flip side of that, she would curse me lower than a dog because I liked trains so much. I think she is a borderline narcissist because she hated everything that brought me happiness anything besides her that made me happy was a threat to her ego. But I truly believe God approves of my train hobby because it is good, clean, wholesome, and harmless fun and every time God allows me to enjoy this hobby my heart is filled with pure gratitude and delight towards Him. And I know for a fact that God is glorified by such. So this could explain why this particular scanner was under spiritual attack. Furthermore, the friend who owed me the money which I used to purchase this scanner would also take me out drinking even though I was a married man. As a Christian, I felt so out of place in a bar room, although the food was delicious and the beer tasted wonderful at the time. I no longer think beer or any other strong drink tastes wonderful and praise God in Jesus’ Name because he delivered me from such desires! But because of the less than noble means by which I acquired this scanner, I can see it not working properly when trying to use it for a godly hobby and I now chalk it up to spiritual attacks.

To further add weight to this testimony, sometime after Hurricane Ida, I saw another Radio Shack Pro-404 for sale on eBay, and feeling nostalgic for those times when I was a full-blown foamer, I purchased it. When I used this new one, it worked very well. I remember taking it on a camping trip that the men from my current church had done and it was pulling in Aircraft, Marine, and dare I say even Railroad Traffic beautifully. While the campsite was close to an airport and a major waterway it was further from any railroad lines than my usual listening posts. I still have this newer unit and while I don’t EDC it, I still use it from time to time, especially if I want to hear Air Traffic because that is where this is a winner!

I will say that GRE made much better scanners than their successor company Whistler, but that is something for a different blog piece.

Below is a list of the features and specifications of the Radio Shack Pro-404 along with my commentary:

200 Memory Channels in 10 Banks-More than enough for anyone who wishes to use this for any sort of logistics listening hobby. Along with many memory spaces to spare for other listening interests.

Automatic AM/FM Selection-I wish there was a choice between AM or FM for any frequency but this is symptomatic of an entry-level scanner.

PC Programming/Cloning Jack-The cable needed for PC programming is not included and the software only supports Windows-not cool!

Specific Area Message Encoding for Weather Alerts-This could be helpful if used by a Skywarn Volunteer or storm chaser or just someone who needs access to reliable weather information whilst outdoors and on the go.

1 Priority Channel-I never saw this as a useful feature on any scanner because it interrupts reception on all other channels.

Signal Stalker (GRE’s Spectrum Sweeper)-very helpful for detecting unlisted nearby frequencies. This feature alone has lent tremendous aid to the scanning hobby in general.

Orange Backlight for Display Reading in Low or No Light conditions-This is another great feature but I wish it could be toggled on or off instead of pressing the light button and activating the light for only a few seconds.

Earphone Jack for Discrete Listening-this is a standard feature on just about every scanner I’ve handled.

Frequency Coverage:
29 MHz-54 MHz FM-I wish this could go down to 25 MHz and receive AM as well.
108 MHz-136.9875 MHz AM-The reception on this band is great but now partially obsolete because this band has narrowed down to 8.33 kHz steps as opposed to 12.5 kHz steps.
137 MHz-174 MHz FM-I wish the lower portions of this band (137-150) could also do AM because of some military and amateur radio users. It is also partially obsolete for railroad traffic because of the 5 kHz steps as opposed to the new 7.5 kHz steps and Nexedge.
380 MHz-512 MHz FM-The 380-420 “Feds and Military” portion is mostly obsolete on this scanner because most of the traffic there is either digital or trunked or both. But that wasn’t as much the case from 2008 to 2013 when this scanner was on the market. Also, this band goes in 12.5 kHz steps which made it partially obsolete in 2018.

5 Pre-Programmed Service Searches-This feature originated on the Radio Shack Pro-82/Pro-2018/Pro-2054 and was carried down to their successor models, the Pro-404 being the direct descendant of the Pro-82.

These service searches are accessed by dedicated keys for each one:
A key with a ship icon indicating VHF Marine.
A key with a flame icon indicating Public Safety.
A key with an airplane icon indicating Civil Aviation.
A key with an antenna indicating Amateur Radio Operators.
A key with a cloud and lightning bolt indicating Weather Band.

I think there should also be a key with a $ icon to indicate Business Band, a key with an eagle icon to indicate Federal Government and Military, and, of course, a key with a RR crossing icon to indicate Railroad.

Fun fact, the original ancestor of Pro-404 is the Radio Shack Pro-32 from 1987, which was the first handheld [Radio Shack] scanner to have 200 Memory Channels and the same frequency coverage.

I get that many scanner listeners want to hear Public Safety and Government communications but typically a premium scanner is required to do so. However, with a Radio Shack Pro-404 and any of its current successors, one can still hear things like many local business and retail operations (very interesting stuff, especially on the itinerant business frequencies), fire and EMS dispatch calls ( very similar to what is heard on Emergency! and Chicago Fire, and is still overwhelmingly in the clear. In real life, the Chicago Fire Department’s dispatch calls are encrypted but Los Angeles County Fire Departments are still in the clear!) almost all civilian aircraft traffic, Amateur Radio operators in FM mode on 70 centimeters, 2 meters, 6 meters, and some of the 10 meters bands (this is quite interesting at Ham Fests.) Civil aviation is also available and that is where this scanner performs best! Then there are my two favorites: Railroad and Marine. I’ve been defaulting more to Marine in recent years because not only are the days of railroad traffic in the clear numbered but there’s also the advent of Positive Train Control which may do away with railroad voice communications on the 160-161 MHz band altogether. Whereas VHF Marine will still be in the clear for years maybe even decades to come.

If it were between 2008 and 2013 and there was no demonic assignment on my first Radio Shack Pro-404, I could give it a solid four out of five stars simply because there are no additional dedicated searches and the scanner itself isn’t as compact as its competitor Uniden’s counterparts from the same era. The second one I purchased works very well even in 2022 and while it isn’t my main scanner, I still have some use for it, at least as a backup.

I guess this, therefore, concludes my review of the Radio Shack Pro-404 Handheld Scanner.

I hope that you, the reader, have been informed, enlightened, and maybe even entertained.

May God richly bless you as He has blessed me!

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