WS1080 trunking site problem

[AA6IO]

Two of the major trunk systems here in Los Angeles (LA ICIS and LA ICIS P25) and one in Orange County (CCCS) have many sites that carry different traffic and that I can easily here from my location. With my x36HPs, I simply assign each individual site with a QK of 90-99 and turn off or on as I please. Also do the same thing for RWC simulcast sites in Phoenix when I visit my daughter. With x96XTs, also used QKs.
I have had the 1080 now for about 2 months (never had the PSR-600). I am aware that it is mult-site trunking and looking for the best CC signal among all sites. So what I have been doing is making "scan lists" with only one site entered for any particular trunk system. For example, have a scan list with Pasadena site only for LA ICIS P25, one with Simulcast A site only for Phoenix RWC, and one with Countywide site only for OC CCCS. However, despite this, my 1080 still seems to be searching for the best CC signal in the entire system. I have my 436HP on Pasadena LA ICIS P25, hear traffic, nothing on 1080, then I see its on the CC for Montebello site, even though that was never programmed in anywhere. Same with OC CCCS, hear stuff on 436HP, stuff on 1080, then 1080 still shows T but is quiet, and I see it has locked on to CC for Northwest site where there is less traffic. Same situation happens to me when in Phoenix.
How do others with PSR-800 or WS-1080 set things up if they want to listen to more than one site on their trunking systems at different times. I seem to be missing something here. I presume the same will be true for the 1095 when it comes out. Any suggestions. Thank you.

Steve AA6IO

 

[W6KRU]

I don't think a WS-1080 is going to work the way you want. What mechanism are you going to use to select a site? You would have to use separate v-scanners for different sites? By design the 1080 finds a CC that meets the threshold requirements and stays there.

 

[JD21960]

WS1080 Trunking Site Problem

I saw your videos on youtube. I liked them as the Uniden's have what you recorded and the description of it instead of just the sound like the WS1080 where you would have to remember what channels/talkgroups you recorded. Actually DDan's idea of separate V-scanners sounds good which is probably why they made it this way. The way the WS1080 is setup you can't See the System Control channels *as far as I have found* to turn off a "SYSTEM" trunking like you could with older scanners like the Pro96. You can only do things like that or attenuate the SITE/System in the EZScan software. I did what he said for the Lake County IL Starcom21 site that can overlap with my Cook County IL Starcom21 tower site. I upped the Multi-site threshold on the Lake County Site to my north and lowered my Cook County site thresholds so it's easier to get. Seems to work ok. With the Old Pro96, I could just turn OFF the BANK with the Lake Co Control Channel/Tower until I got in range IF I was driving up there. The V-Scanner idea is a good one since you can quickly select THAT V-scanner you named and load that one with no interference from anything else. As long as you name the V-scanner it should be easy to navigate. I hope you can get it solved, I hate that when you get pushed out by a fringe Control Channel.

 

[AA6IO]

Thanks Dan and Johnnydollar2 (I have seen your videos as well for the Chicago area with the 1080). The V-Scanner technique may be what I have to do. I think the "different tools for different locations" is what is going on here. I'm not talking about fringe CCs. For example, with Orange County CCCS, there are 5 sites that clearly give me 90-100% CC decode, including Countywide, North, Northwest, South, and Southwest. Countywide is the busiest, followed by South, but each have some TGs that clearly frequent (if not exclusively) a particular site.
So with the x36HPs, I can have one FL QK for Orange County, one system QK for OCCS, and 100 QKs (in my set-up) usually 1-20 for different departments, and 91-95 for the different sites. It is fairly easy, once you get the hang of it.
If I need 5 V Scanner files to do the same with the 1080 (PSR-800/1095) just for OC CCCS, its clearly not as easy in my location. Because I need to do this for LA ICIS, LA ICIS P25, RWC (Phoenix), keeping track of what goes to what VFolder and making sure CCs for any one particular system do not mix with each other, seems like a bit of a pain.
We keep hearing differing opinions about which scanner is better, and I'm certain we will here the same about the 536HP vs 1095 when it comes out. The fact is, IMHO, these are all pretty good scanners, actually remarkable, for what can be packaged in such relatively small units.
That said, I will probably sit down and learn about VScanners. There are definitely some features I like about the WS-1080. Never really got into using VScanners with my earlier GRE/RS scanners. Probably time to learn.
Thank you gentlemen.
Steve AA6IO

 

[baayers]

I am currently doing exactly what you are asking for and you do not have to use the V scanner option to accomplish it.

In order to accomplish this you will need to use the EZ Scan software

1. Name your scan lists. For example orange north, orange south, ETC. I suggest naming them for the sites you wish to monitor. Also make sure to create a list named orange full for example where you will place the import that contains all of the sites.

2. Import the full entry into the folder that you created for it. Since we are using orange county as an example you would import the full orange county data entry into the orange full scan list.

3. Click the trunking tab and select the orange county trunking system. Once the system is highlighted press The dupe button to make a duplicate of the trunking system. For example if you have five sites that you would prefer to monitor all at the same time without them interacting with each other then you would want to make five duplicates.

4. Click a duplicate and on the bottom section click the sites tab. remove all but one trunking system. For example you would remove everything except for orange county north out of the list of trunking sites.

5. Now click the talkgroups tab. Once your list of IDs are available to view press control A to select all.

6. On the right side you should see the option to select a scan list. Click one time and when the box appears change the preferred Scan list. For example you would uncheck orange full and check orange north instead. Finally click OK.

Click the next duplicate and repeat steps 4 through 6 above for your other systems and you should be good to go. I will say that it is a bit time consuming but once you have finished this you will be able to turn your individual sites on and off through the ScanList menu. You will also still have the full entry which will Rome from site to site as you travel for example. This way you have the best of both worlds. Lastly make sure to not delete the original system that contains all of your sites. This has caused me problems so just leave it. Since the full system will be in a separate ScanList it should not affect you anyway.

As I am typing this post I am listening to three separate sites on a multiple site system. I miss the check all CC's option from my 106 but at least this is a good alternative.

 

[W6KRU]

Great solution baayers! That sounds like it will work fine without using a v-scanner slot.

 

[baayers]

Great solution baayers! That sounds like it will work fine without using a v-scanner slot.

Not a problem. This was something I figured out while I was in the bay area back in September. I had actually intended to put a thread about this on RR but you know how time sometimes gets away from you.

 

[AA6IO]

baayers
Thanks much for that advice. That's what I was hoping I could do. I will try to set that up using EZ Scan later tonight.

Steve AA6IO

 

[troymail]

I do this same import and duplicate process... Gives you complete control over which site you want to monitor at any given time.

 

[AA6IO]

I tried to duplicate sites just as Baayers recommends. No problem with the duplication and eliminating all but the desired site for each. But I do not see anywhere on the right any option to select a "scan list."

Steve AA6IO

 

[AA6IO]

Oh well I must be getting senile. I'm looking all over for the scanlist on the far right near New, Add Wildcard, etc. And there it is right next to AGC.


Steve AA6IO

 

[baayers]

Oh well I must be getting senile. I'm looking all over for the scanlist on the far right near New, Add Wildcard, etc. And there it is right next to AGC.


Steve AA6IO

We've all been there. Coffee is your friend lol.

 

[AA6IO]

I know I am crazy, but this is driving me more crazy. Now I made the lists exactly as you stated Baayers, at least I think I did. Created the Orange full, duplicated 5 times, so now I have six OC scan lists:
Orange full, Countywide, North, South, Northwest, and Southwest. The latter 5 have only that one site, and Orange full has all those sites. TGs are identical in all 6 scan lists.
So I turn off the Orange full scanlist, and run the 5 scanlists with 5 sites. Guess what, I keep picking up TGs, but when I do, it says I am on the Orange full scanlist. Nothing on other sites except South, which is farthest from me. How can I pick up Orange Full when the list is turned off?
You guys using the WS-1080 must be a lot smarter than I am. I thought the x36HPs had a learning curve. Oh well, I will try again later this evening.

Steve AA6IO