Scanner Bank Manager User Documentation Copyright 1992, Jay J. Levine - All Rights Reserved Scanner Bank Manager Introduction Getting Started This program is designed to help you manage the many radio frequencies for your scanner. Many of today's scanners have multiple banks with multiple channels. Often times, it is difficult to manager the hundreds and thousands of frequencies you wish to listen to. System Requirements Scanner Bank Manager is designed to run on any IBM or compatible microcomputer. The faster the processor (e.g. 80386 vs. 80286) the faster the software will run. Disk Space - The program itself requires approximately 550KB. The data files included with the registered version require approximately 4MB. Once you load the data files, you may delete unwanted frequencies to conserve space. Memory - This program should operate in less than 500KB of AVAILABLE memory. Monitor - The program will operate with any monitor. It is designed, however, to make use of color. If you are using this on a laptop or monochrome monitor, use the command BW80 at the DOS prompt before starting the program. Mouse - This program has full support of a mouse. Be sure that your mouse drive is loaded prior to starting the program. This is usually done by typing MOUSE at the DOS prompt. Check you mouse manual if you have any questions. Printer - The program will support any type printer. Control codes for IBM, Epson and HP LaserJet printers is included. Use the Printer Controls menu to add controls for your printer. You will need the codes to set condensed print on and off and to set the lines per inch to 6 and 8. This information can be found in the manual for your printer. Windows - This program is not a windows program. However, it can be used under Windows 3.0 (full screen mode) or Windows 3.1 (either full screen or windows mode). An icon and PIF file is included. To use Scanner Bank Manager under Windows, consult your Windows documentation about adding a program under Program Manager. Be sure to specify the file BANKMGR.PIF rather than BANKMGR.EXE when identifying the files to run. Installation Create a subdirectory to hold the program and data files. You may use a directory of any name on any drive. As noted above, be sure you have approximately 5MB of available space. From that subdirectory, type A:INSTALL This process will expand the files and copy them to the subdirectory. If you have the disk in a drive other than A, substitute that letter in the command. Be sure to make a back-up of your original disk and put the original and back-up in a safe place. CONFIG.SYS Your CONFIG.SYS file may have to be modified to accommodate the program. In the CONFIG.SYS file are settings for FILES and BUFFERS. Be sure that your settings are as follows: FILES=40 BUFFERS=20 If either number is equal or GREATER the program will work fine. System Overview This program is designed to help you keep track of radio frequencies for your scanner or shortwave. It is designed to help you with multi bank/channel radios. This program has full support of a mouse. However, you may use keyboard combinations if you prefer. Mouse - When using the mouse, you simply click on any of the topline menu items or buttons. Keyboard - Commands are executed from the keyboard by using the key combination of A and the highlighted letter. For example A H for help. Using the Program Menu Choices Add The add command is used to enter new data in the system. A data entry form will be displayed requesting the information. Click on Add or type ALT A. The INS key may also be used. Change The change command allows you to edit data previously entered into the system. The data entry form will be displayed allowing you to edit the existing information. The change command may be executed in several ways. You can highlight the entry to be changed by using the up and down arrows and then click on Change or type ALT C. You may also highlight the entry to be changed by using the up and down arrows and then press Enter or finally, you may double click on the entry to be changed. Delete The delete command allows you to delete a record previously entered into the system. You may execute delete by clicking on the Delete, typing ALT D or using the DEL key. Once deleted the record may not be retrieved. Reports This menu selection will display a submenu of all of the reports which are available to you in the system. Click on Reports or press ALT R. Utilities This menu selection will display a submenu of all of the Utilities which are available to you in the system. Click on Utilities or press ALT U. Filter The registered version of this program includes a filter feature. This allows you to limit the data which is visible in the table. For example, on the STATE table, you could filter to only show frequencies in Florida by selecting Filter and entering FL. Filters are available for STATE, SERVICE and FREQUENCY. See below for more information on filters. To select press ALT F or click the mouse on FILTER. Quit Exit the program. Data is automatically saved. Press ALT Q or click Quit with the mouse. Help This program includes extensive context sensitive help. Activate help by pressing ALT H, clicking Help with the mouse or pressing F1. Buttons The buttons on this screen allow you to change the sort order of the data which is displayed. Click the button or use the appropriate ALT key. Name - Alphabetical order of all frequencies. Bank - The data is displayed in Bank & Channel order. Only those items which have an entry for bank will be displayed. State - State order of all frequencies which have an entry for state. Service - Service Code order of all frequencies. Frequency - Order by frequency. Jump to...- This Jump to....... entry field allows you to quickly move through the list of data in the table. Note that this field is case sensitive. If you are on the STATE table and wish to jump to another position, you must enter the state in upper case to move to the right position. Tagging Items Records may be selected for batch processing. This is done by tagging the record for later processing. You may use this process for Change or Delete. Items are tagged by using the mouse and clicking once in the Tag column or by pressing CTL T or the space bar. Untagging is done the same. You may tag ALL items by pressing CTL A or untag ALL by pressing CTL U. Once tagged, use the Change or Delete to process. Each record will be called to change or confirm the delete. Data Entry Name Enter the name of the station you are listing. This information is required. Frequency Enter the frequency of the station you are listing. This information is required. Service Code Enter the service code of the station you are listing. Only a valid service code will be accepted. If the entered code is not valid, a table of valid codes will be displayed. The full name of the service will also be displayed in the Service field. This information is required. Service The service field is used to display the full name of the service identified by the Service Code. You cannot enter information into this field. City Enter the city of the station you are listing. This information is optional. County Enter the county of the station you are listing. This information is optional. State Enter the state of the station you are listing. This information is required. Bank Enter the bank on your radio where you have placed this frequency. Only a number may be entered. This field is optional. Channel Enter the channel on your radio where you have placed this frequency. Only a number may be entered. This field is optional. Monitored Press the space bar or click the box if you wish to keep track of those frequencies which you have monitored. This field is optional. Date Enter the date you last monitored activity on this frequency. This information is optional. User Field # 1 & 2 Enter any information you desire. You may change the caption for the user defined fields by using the Utilities menu. This information is optional. Remarks Enter any remarks you desire. This field is optional. Reports Menu Reports Available All reports in the program are accessed from the Reports Menu. Each report can be sent to the screen, printer or a file. The reports menu provides for the following sort catagories: Name Report - Alphabetical order of all frequencies. Bank Reports - The data is displayed in Bank & Channel order. Only those items which have an entry for bank will be displayed. Two reports are available. A full size report and a pocket reference for use with portable scanners. State Reports - State order of all frequencies which have an entry for state. You may report on all states or select a single state. Service Reports - Service Code order of all frequencies. You may report on all services or select a single service. In addition, you may report on all available services. Frequency Reports - Order by frequency. You may report on all frequencies or select a single frequency. User Reports - A report of the user defined field. There are separate reports for User Field #1 and User Field #2. Selecting an Output Device After selecting the report, you will be asked to select the output device. Click on your choice, followed by OK. WARNING Do not select SCREEN for reports which are for all of the data (e.g. All States). Screen output utilizes memory and will exceed the available memory on most computers. Utilities Menu There are several utilities included with the program. They are all accessed from the Utilities Menu. Service Code List The Service Code List is a table of available service codes. Use this menu selection to access the list. Once the list is active, you may add, change, and delete items from the list. Each item on the list has the full name and abbreviation. User Fields There are two user definable fields in the program. You may enter your own caption for these fields using this menu choice. These captions will be used on screen displays and reports. User #1 Table This table is similar to the tables in the main section of the program. However, it is sorted by User Field #1. You may add, change or delete data from this table. User #2 Table This table is similar to the tables in the main section of the program. However, it is sorted by User Field #2. You may add, change or delete data from this table. Choose Printer Each printer has different control codes. Control codes are entered into the system through the Printer Control menu choice. Move the cursor to your printer and press Enter to select your printer. If your printer is not listed, use the Printer Control menu choice to add it. Printer Controls There are four printer controls which must be entered to control your printer. These are very common features found on almost every printer. Consult your printer manual to find the control codes to: Turn on condensed print Turn off condensed print Set printer to 6 lines to the inch Set printer to 8 lines to the inch If you require control codes (e.g. CTL O), use the numeric keypad and hold the ALT key (e.g. ALT 015) If you are uncertain, consult your printer manual. Filter Menu Use the filter selection menu to activate the filter feature. Filters are available for: State Service Frequency Keep in mind that the filter match is EXACT. For STATE, be sure you use UPPER case ONLY. For SERVICE, it must be a valid service. If it is not the service list table will appear. For FREQUENCY, you must enter the exact number. Support Getting Help This documentation and program help is complete and extensive. If however, you require additional help. Please contact us via Compuserve (73720,3233), Prodigy (NNFK73A) or America Online (JAY 3475). You may also write to us at Box 3475, Gaithersburg, MD 20885-3475 Frequency Lists Along with the registered version of this software is a data base of over 8,000 frequencies. This data has been accumulated from many different sources over the past few years. I cannot, however, vouch for the accuracy. If you find duplicates or errors, drop us a note. In addition, if we receive new frequencies from users, we will post them on Compuserve, America Online and many bulletin boards. This data file will only work with the registered version and not the shareware version. Registration This software is distributed as shareware, it is not free and is protected by U.S. copyright laws. Try the software. If you like it, please use the Register function on the Utilities Menu. You may upload this shareware version to any bulletin board or pass it along to anyone. Warranties There are no warranties, expressed or implied with regard to this software.