Scanning Conventional and Trunked Freqs

[Aileron95]

It seems my local county has gone digital within the past few weeks and I am looking at purchasing a PRS800. If I am understanding the manual correctly, I can set up a scan list to scan conventional as well as trunked freqs simultaneously..........such as mil air, civilian air, local services, trunked 800 freqs, etc. My current BC895XLT will not allow this.

[gewecke]

I do not have the 800, but I do have the pro-197 and 106 and I can scan 2 different analog ltr systems, our statewide digital system and conventional vhf/ uhf channels as well so it's probably no sweat for the psr800.

73,
n9zas

[caravanken]

You should read the article on GRE / GRECOM PSR-800 EZ Scan - RadioShack PRO-18 - Uniden BCD396XT N9EWO Review to get an idea what this unit is all about. There is an underlying message in the information. If the primary manufacturer has stopped production, either they are coming out with a new model or it sucks and doesn't sell. To answer your question, it will let you setup ANY conventional, analog or digital trunked on the same scan list. There memory SD card specs does not mention having digital systems stored so you may need to have a way to download the data from Radio Reference and program the unit.

I just got a PR-197. With a programming cable, Win 500 programming software, and a subscription to Radio Reference I am a VERY HAPPY SCANNER indeed.

[gmclam]

You CAN select what you want to scan all at once, but I'd use caution in scanning too much at once, especially from a trunked system. Essentially your scanner needs to be receiving data from the control channel when it is sent to find a desired & active TG on the trunked system. It can't do that if it is busy scanning tons of other (conventional) channels.

When scanning tons of conventional channels, if the scanner happens upon the frequency after the transmission has started, you merely miss the beginning of that transmission. If the scanner happens upon the control channel after the start of info indicating a TG you want to monitor, you'll miss the call totally.

[IowaGuy1603]

Originally Posted by Aileron95

It seems my local county has gone digital within the past few weeks and I am looking at purchasing a PRS800. If I am understanding the manual correctly, I can set up a scan list to scan conventional as well as trunked freqs simultaneously..........such as mil air, civilian air, local services, trunked 800 freqs, etc. My current BC895XLT will not allow this.

The answer is yes.

I have a P25 system in my scanner AND have some conventional frequencies in the same scanlist
It works flawlessly.

[TGP]

Originally Posted by gmclam

You CAN select what you want to scan all at once, but I'd use caution in scanning too much at once, especially from a trunked system. Essentially your scanner needs to be receiving data from the control channel when it is sent to find a desired & active TG on the trunked system. It can't do that if it is busy scanning tons of other (conventional) channels.

When scanning tons of conventional channels, if the scanner happens upon the frequency after the transmission has started, you merely miss the beginning of that transmission. If the scanner happens upon the control channel after the start of info indicating a TG you want to monitor, you'll miss the call totally.

I'm with you on this.
While a digital scanner will scan it all, it's not that efficient.
A dedicated analog scanner, and a digital one for trunked systems is best..
The more systems/channels you scan,the more conversations you miss,
Especially when the scanner is switching between analog and digital.

Tom

[jackj]

Don't pay any attention to the nay-sayers. It works fine and the only traffic you will miss is what comes up while it is receiving other frequencies. Will you miss stuff, sure but you will also miss stuff with only one Trunked system programed in. After all, it can only do one thing at a time.

[RKG]

Originally Posted by jackj

Don't pay any attention to the nay-sayers. It works fine and the only traffic you will miss is what comes up while it is receiving other frequencies. Will you miss stuff, sure but you will also miss stuff with only one Trunked system programed in. After all, it can only do one thing at a time.

Actually, there is a difference. With an all conventional, or all only one trunked system, programmed in a scan list, a quiet radio means no traffic on any scan list members. If you put conventionals and a trunked system in the same scan list, the radio can be parked on the trunked control channels, waiting for a timer interval to see what OSWs come up, while valid traffic is passing on one of the conventional channels. The problem is compounded when one adds additional trunked systems.

The rule of thumb for those in the business of servicing public safety radios is never mix conventionals and trunked talkgroups in the same scan list.

[IowaGuy1603]

Any time you have more than one frequency or talk group programed into a scanner you might miss something on that station.

I have a P25 simulcast system programmed into my scanner along with 3 state police conventional frequencies. When at home and listening---------------I usually have my old school conventional scanner running (with the state police frequencies)

Unless the P25 system happens to be in use, I hear the conventional frequencies just as often as I do on my conventional scanner

My "work" frequency happens to be in both scanners.......................but if I want to make sure I dont' miss anything on it, I have it selected up on my Police HT.

I am not a "purest"......I just scan to what I want to listen to

[Aileron95]

Thanks to all for the replies. All have been duly noted and are very much appreciated. My older scanners will stay in service to monitor conventional and trunked freqs. I have already learned a great deal from this forum since joining a few days ago, but I still have a lot to learn about these digital scanners.

Thanks to RR!

Alan

[Ed_Seedhouse]

There is no reason why it should take a radio to switch between FM and Digital modes, especially not the GRE 400 since it already knows the frequency is digital when it opens the squelch. On a trunking system it might take a bit of time to read the channel information from the control channel and then switch to the frequency the conversation is on, but just switching modulation types should take no time at all.

[avery_k]

I've had conventional frequencies & trunked systems programmed in my PSR-500 almost since I bought it, though the conventionals are on a separate scanlist so I can switch them off when not needed. Do I miss some things doing both? Probably. I don't use them both very often though. Just keep the conventional frequencies to what you really need and it should work OK.

[SouthSideScannerGuy]

Originally Posted by TGP

I'm with you on this.
While a digital scanner will scan it all, it's not that efficient.
A dedicated analog scanner, and a digital one for trunked systems is best.
The more systems/channels you scan,the more conversations you miss,
Especially when the scanner is switching between analog and digital.

Tom

Amen!!

For now, I have only the Illinois Starcom21 system and Chicago FD digital freqs running on my 800. To take things a step further with analog frequencies, I have one scanner (pro-163) set up for just conventional freqs and another scanner (bct15x) set up with just trunked systems. Covering the same amount of ground, so to speak, but missing less since everything is split between three different scanners.