APCO 25 Statewide Nebraska System Programming

[ghall426]

I'm trying to program my first digital trunking system into my new Uniden BCD996P2 scanner. I am trying to program the Nebraska Statewide Radio System: Nebraska State Radio System Trunking System, Statewide, Nebraska - Scanner Frequencies

It is a multi-site APCO 25 system which I have selected. I first understood that I can use "Control Channel Only" and only need to program in the primary control channel and alternate control channel which I did but got nothing.

Each site has 2 or 3 other frequencies (not sure what these are even for - can somebody answer me?) so I attempted to program in the other 2 or 3 frequencies for each site and still nothing.

I tried both the 800 standard system and 800 splinter system but still nothing.

I guess my next step is to use the band plan option, even though I thought that APCO 25 systems would automatically relay this info through the control channels. But to program in the band plan, I need the base frequency and spacing. The trunking table here on RadioReference shows the first row as 851.00625 with spacing of 6.25. This worked, but the next line has a base freq. of 762.00625 which is an invalid frequency.

What am I doing wrong? And what are those other frequencies listed along with the red and blue control channel frequencies?

 

[W8RMH]

The red freq is the primary CC while the blue freq is the alternate as these may rotate duties as the control channel. The other freqs are used for voice and/or data as is the CC freq not being used as the CC. You can program all of them but it is not necessary.

The band plan is received from the CC.

That is a VHF system not an 800 system. It should be programmed as P25 Standard.

Are you programming every site? Try just programming the few sites near you. If you program every site it will take a while for the scanner to scan all those sites and you will miss transmissions.

In the future I would post regional related questions in your state forum where others who monitor this system can better assist you.

 

[ghall426]

Thanks for the reply. I'll give it another shot.

I understand the band plan for this system will be pulled from the control channel, but can you explain what the trunking table is showing on this site: Nebraska State Radio System Trunking System, Statewide, Nebraska - Scanner Frequencies

Is it particular to the Nebraska Statewide site or is that just a generic trunking frequency table?

Is there any way to determine what the actual set of trunking frequencies is? I'm just curious even though I understand I don't need to program them.

 

[nd5y]

Some older scanners require a custom table for P25. The BCD996P2 does not.

The other channels besides red and blue in the database are voice channels. All the frequencies listed for each site ARE the actual set of trunking frequencies for that site (at the time the info was submitted).

Don't count on the database to be accurate and complete. The control channels could have changed to ones that are not red or blue or they could have added and deleted frequencies.

Program all the frequencies for the site(s) near you, not just the red and blue control channels.

 

[ofd8001]

The best way of programming a scanner is to use a program such as FreeScan and being an RR premium subscriber. That way the program can connect to the RR database and "grab" the neccessary stuff for a given system.

That way the correct settings such as system types, band plans and control channel frequencies are obtained. You will also see boxes where you can select desired sites and groups of talkgroups.

On frequencies, as noted above, the database shows a number of frequencies for each site. The colored ones are those reported to be control channels. The rest are "voice" channels which are used for the actual transmissions.

While it is not necessary to program all frequencies, I usually do unless I am getting close to memory limits. That gives me a "warm fuzzy" feeling that I have everything possible because the database is human made and humans can make an occasional mistake. Plus there is a remote chance the system administrators could change control channels.

 

[yortster]

newbie here..just bought the BCD996P2 im kinda in same boat.. i used freescan to upload the info from this site , but i have a list of frequencies used here in york nebraska that are not in this data , i am not sure at all how to enter these frequencies