Trunk Scanning

[namiezbud]

I am so confused, got a scanner for Christmas and I am used to conventional scanning. Are there any references that explain how to scan using trunked systems?

 

[n2mdk]

This will give you an idea about trunked radio systems
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Trunking_Basics
For more specifics we need more info such as make and model of scanner and where you live, Country, State, County, City or local area etc.

 

[crawford330]

I am so confused, got a scanner for Christmas and I am used to conventional scanning. Are there any references that explain how to scan using trunked systems?

I'm with you namiezbud......I've been trying to figure out this trunking stuff for several months now. I just found this website and forum yesterday. There is a lot of good information here but I'm afraid most of it goes over my head. I still am not getting my scanner to pick up anything from a trunking system.

Signed,
C330


Crawford County, Arkansas
Scanner: PRO97

 

[n2mdk]

I'm with you namiezbud......I've been trying to figure out this trunking stuff for several months now. I just found this website and forum yesterday. There is a lot of good information here but I'm afraid most of it goes over my head. I still am not getting my scanner to pick up anything from a trunking system.

Signed,
C330


Crawford County, Arkansas
Scanner: PRO97

What trunking system are you trying to listen to? If it's Arkansas Wireless Information Network (AWIN) that's digital and can't be listened to with a Pro-97

 

[jonny290]

TRUNKING FOR DUMMIES:

A small town has five gangs of youths in town. When they built the corner diner, they only put three booths in there, as there was no need for more.

It used to be that the Greasers always got the end table, the Warriors got the middle and the Lost Boys got the door booth. But then the Riders and the Killers showed up.

So, there are five gangs, and only three booths. Now, all five gangs never hang out there at the same time. So, what the waitress does is, each time a gang of kids comes in, she directs them to the first open table.

If it's dead, every time they'll get the same table. But if she let one of the other gangs in a booth first, she redirects the new gang to the next booth.

Once in a very long while, the booths will all be full for a little bit. When that happens, she has the newest gang wait until the old one has finished using a booth, then moves the new ones in as soon as possible.

Each "gang" in a trunking system is called a talkgroup. each radio 'joins a gang' and does whatever that gang does. Each "booth" in a trunking system is a channel (or frequency). Every time a radio keys up, the 'waitress' tells everybody in that 'gang' what 'booth' to go to this time.

 

[Gooser]

TRUNKING FOR DUMMIES:

A small town has five gangs of youths in town. When they built the corner diner, they only put three booths in there, as there was no need for more....

...Each "gang" in a trunking system is called a talkgroup. each radio 'joins a gang' and does whatever that gang does. Each "booth" in a trunking system is a channel (or frequency). Every time a radio keys up, the 'waitress' tells everybody in that 'gang' what 'booth' to go to this time.

Now THAT is funny.

Seriously, one of the best analogies for trunking I have heard. I have tried to explain it other ways to friends and family before.

Being in a Motorcycle Club, I can relate...I will change "gang" to "club" and "diner" to "bar" next time I try to explain trunking LOL.

 

[Catdriver]

I'm with you namiezbud......I've been trying to figure out this trunking stuff for several months now. I just found this website and forum yesterday. There is a lot of good information here but I'm afraid most of it goes over my head. I still am not getting my scanner to pick up anything from a trunking system.

Signed,
C330


Crawford County, Arkansas
Scanner: PRO97

I'm with you guys.... I got a new bc898t an the book on trunk scanning that comes with it doesn't make much sense to me. I've read it 3 or 4 times an still can't figure it out. Some on here say this book is worthless that comes with it and I'm starting to believe them.

Ron

 

[crawford330]

What trunking system are you trying to listen to? If it's Arkansas Wireless Information Network (AWIN) that's digital and can't be listened to with a Pro-97

I have programmed the freqs for Sebastian County into one bank and Arkansas State Police into another. Both are EDACS systems according to information listed on this website. I cannot pick up anything on either system. I've been told that the ASP have switched to another system but I haven't found out what it is yet. I'm not sure I'm operating the scanner correctly either. The "logical order" issue with EDACS isn't clear to me yet.

I am a Deputy Sheriff so I plan on contacting our communications guru at the department to get his help.


C330

 

[crawford330]

Ok, apparently I have my sources wrong because this site clearly does not list EDACS for the state police but I did find that information somewhere and it is apparently incorrect.

Can anyone recommend a scanner or radio for AWIN?


C330

 

[n2mdk]

Lets start with the system I know will work in the Pro-97 this one
http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=2241
You will see it has 4 sites listed, each one needs to be in it's own bank starting with a channel number of 001, 101, 201, 301. The mode has to be set to ED for EDACS the little gray numbers next to the frequencies are the LCN order (channels) that each frequency must go into.

 

[n2mdk]

Ok, apparently I have my sources wrong because this site clearly does not list EDACS for the state police but I did find that information somewhere and it is apparently incorrect.

Can anyone recommend a scanner or radio for AWIN?


C330

This is a list of the digital scanners some on the list are discontinued.
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Category:Digital_Scanners
The current scanners are the GRE PSR-500 and 600 (awaiting release)
Uniden BCD396T and BCD996T
Radio Shack (made by GRE) Pro-96 and Pro-2096
Because digital scanners and systems have so issues at times it's best to ask in the AR regional forum what people are using and the results they are getting.

 

[crawford330]

Lets start with the system I know will work in the Pro-97 this one
http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=2241
You will see it has 4 sites listed, each one needs to be in it's own bank starting with a channel number of 001, 101, 201, 301. The mode has to be set to ED for EDACS the little gray numbers next to the frequencies are the LCN order (channels) that each frequency must go into.

First of all, thanks for the help. Now, let me get this straight. In the example you linked, which is one that I'm having problems with by the way, site 001 (Fort Smith) would go in say bank 7 with 856.2125 being channel 001, 857.2125 being channel 002, etc? And site 002 (Hartford) would go into say bank 8? So a 100 channel bank in this case would be dedicated to 6 channels?


C330

 

[n2mdk]

Yes that is correct, it's sort of not very allocation/memory efficient. I do believe that conventional frequencies can be stored in the empty channels even on EDACS systems as long as they have the right mode setting, I just checked this out myself and it does work

 

[crawford330]

Ok Jerri, now I'm starting to get it....I think. Do the DEC and AFS numbers and talk groups have to be programmed in?

 

[n2mdk]

They don't have to be if the bank is open, it will receive everything. It's just easier to tell who is who if you program them in. Where I live the public safety, city services and even private business all use the same system, being able to either lock out or close the banks to only hear what you really want to is a good thing. Plus you can Alpha Tag them so you really know what each TG is assigned to. It's easier to program them in a DEC then switch the bank to AFS if that's how you want to see them. On the Pro-97 you can switch back and forth between Text and numerical TGIDs

 

[crawford330]

Well now I'm lost again. Let me take some time to play with this new information and read over the programming guide again. Thanks for being patient and showing the FNG what to do. I'll be back tomorrow with new problems I'm sure.

BTW, sorry for hijacking a thread here. Should I start a new one? Can I email or PM you direct to keep from using forum space?


C330

 

[n2mdk]

This is a lot easier to understand than the regular manual
http://myweb.cableone.net/marksscanners/97/97.html
This can be helpful as well
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Programming_Shortcut_Pro-97

 

[dbsar]

Crawford 330. 99. I feel your pain.

If this helps, I program my pro 97 this way. Bank one is my county, bank two is neighboring county... Within bank one, I program in all the listed frequency numbers making sure to tell the scanner what type of system these frequencies are (EDACS MOT etc). Once you enter all those frequencies, you must now tell the scanner what departments you want to listen too (or you can listen to every department who uses the same radio system). My scanner calls these sub banks. I enter the talkgroup id number and then type in the name for the talkgroup (i.e. LAPD DISP 1) . Now the scanner will monitor those frequencies in the selected banks. If you tell the scanner to limit what you hear to the departments in your sub banks, it's a lot eaiser to follow.

 

[n2mdk]

Crawford 330. 99. I feel your pain.

If this helps, I program my pro 97 this way. Bank one is my county, bank two is neighboring county... Within bank one, I program in all the listed frequency numbers making sure to tell the scanner what type of system these frequencies are (EDACS MOT etc). Once you enter all those frequencies, you must now tell the scanner what departments you want to listen too (or you can listen to every department who uses the same radio system). My scanner calls these sub banks. I enter the talkgroup id number and then type in the name for the talkgroup (i.e. LAPD DISP 1) . Now the scanner will monitor those frequencies in the selected banks. If you tell the scanner to limit what you hear to the departments in your sub banks, it's a lot eaiser to follow.

The thing is only one trunking type can be programmed into any one bank, you can program more than one MOT system in a single bank, but not 2 EDACS because of the need to use the LCN. Conventional frequencies can be programmed into a bank along with a TRS.