programming Trunked systems

[MichMar]

I only have 1 extra bank available on my scanner. How the heck do I know which MPSCS sites and talk groups to program?? I'm using Starrsoft with the premium subscription thru RR, so I just have to pick & choose, but there's so many!

[GreatLakes]

Originally Posted by MichMar

I only have 1 extra bank available on my scanner. How the heck do I know which MPSCS sites and talk groups to program?? I'm using Starrsoft with the premium subscription thru RR, so I just have to pick & choose, but there's so many!

Basically you choose the ones you want to listen to. Unless I'm misunderstanding your question?

You program the tower site frequency typically for the one you're closest to. You only need to program the frequencies in red, as they are the primary control channel. It's a good idea to program the blue ones as well, as they are alternates that may be used when there are problems on the primary. You can ignore the ones in black. Then program the talk groups that relate to the type of activity you want to monitor, ie; Police Dispatch, Detectives, EMS, etc. You can skip programing the TG's and run your radio in open scan, or search TG mode, and you will hear any, and all TG's that go though that site.

[MichMar]

so, if I didn't want to miss out on any Talk Group stuff because I put in specific ones, I would just pick the Sites (Channels) for around my area, i.e. Fennville, Allendale, etc., and not pick any talk groups at all. And then, I would get ANY traffic, whether it was DNR, State Police, Coast Guard, etc.?

How come there's MSP posts all over but there's only sites in certain areas? I mean, I know there's a MSP post in Grand Haven, and Rockford, but those cities aren't listed at all in the Site list.

[bigbluemsp]

You wan to program District 6 N and S dispatch.

Enter the following

3061 bf5 D D61POST Post 61 - Rockford Post Channel
3069 bfd D REGD6N North Dispatch (Station 60)
3070 bfe D REGD6S South Dispatch (Station 60)
3080 c08 D D68POST Post 68 - Ionia Post Channel
3084 c0c D D62POST Post 62 - Reed City Post Channel
3097 c19 D D66POST Post 66 - Hart Post Channel
3246 cae D REG6K9 District 6, K-9 Ops.
5014 1396 D REG6MCD Motor Carrier Enforcement

[GreatLakes]

Originally Posted by MichMar

so, if I didn't want to miss out on any Talk Group stuff because I put in specific ones, I would just pick the Sites (Channels) for around my area, i.e. Fennville, Allendale, etc., and not pick any talk groups at all. And then, I would get ANY traffic, whether it was DNR, State Police, Coast Guard, etc.?

How come there's MSP posts all over but there's only sites in certain areas? I mean, I know there's a MSP post in Grand Haven, and Rockford, but those cities aren't listed at all in the Site list.

Yes, depending on your scanner. If it's a Uniden, then you want to put it in "Search Groups" mode. If it's a Radio Shack (aka; GRE), then you want to put it in "Open" mode. The downside of not programming the TG's is that you will only see the TG's number, and not a alpha tag describing what the TG is. So you can search RR's TG list by TG, and see what it is. If you program TG's then the alpha tag you programmed will be displayed on your scanner when it stops on that TG.

MSP uses the MPSCS (Michigan Public Safety Communications System), which is similar to a cell phone network. They have towers all over the state, and normally authenticate to the closest one, providing they're authorized, and programmed to use that tower site. The tower site doesn't have to be located at a MSP post.

This link is neat for finding sites, and related info, although it hasn't been updated in some time.

Tower Sites: http://radiowurx.com/mpscs/

If you click on a site, it displays related info.

[seamusg]

Originally Posted by MichMar

so, if I didn't want to miss out on any Talk Group stuff because I put in specific ones, I would just pick the Sites (Channels) for around my area, i.e. Fennville, Allendale, etc., and not pick any talk groups at all. And then, I would get ANY traffic, whether it was DNR, State Police, Coast Guard, etc.?

How come there's MSP posts all over but there's only sites in certain areas? I mean, I know there's a MSP post in Grand Haven, and Rockford, but those cities aren't listed at all in the Site list.

The Sites for MPSCS are to cover a given area, the are not the same as MSP Posts. MPSCS Sites are in zones (1-6) and the first digit of the site is it's zone. Each sites ID's it's neighbors so a radio on the system can move between towers(sites). If you click on a site in the RR Database it will give you the site information and if you click on the call sign for a site it will give you a map of where the site is at. The system of sites were designed to give 80% in car coverage for the state. One way to figure out Sites in your area is to find the one closest to you and see if it's neighbors are listed in the database here, then try each of the neighbors to see which one you can receive. From where I'm at I can get Romeo, Richmond, Mt. Clemens, Northville and Detroit.

[MichMar]

Thanks - I'll have to play with it this weekend when I have more time.

[MichMar]

How many talk groups can be programmed in each channel bank? Just 30?

[W5JSS]

Originally Posted by MichMar

How many talk groups can be programmed in each channel bank? Just 30?

150 talkgroup IDs per bank

[MichMar]

Control Channel / Alternate question:

If I only need to program the frequencies that are in Red and Blue from RR.com, what are the other ones, the ones in black? Why do those NOT need to be programmed?

[Skud]

Originally Posted by GreatLakes

This link is neat for finding sites, and related info, although it hasn't been updated in some time.

Tower Sites: http://radiowurx.com/mpscs/

If you click on a site, it displays related info.

I noticed they don't have the new Ionia one in there yet

[Skud]

One thing I do because I only have 10 banks and I want 15 towers is I program each bank per county I listen to. So in this case for Barry County, I program in the 1st Primary, then because I have a RS Pro-96, I have a dummy channel with 1300.00 under FM then the next Primary. etc listed below.

BANK NAME(in my case bank name is the county the tower is located) = Barrry
Chnnael 000 867.8875 T010F P MO
Channel 001 1300.000 Dummy FM
Channel 002 868.8875 T030A P MO
Channel 003 1300.00 Dummy FM
Channel 004 867.3875 T010F S MO
Channel 005 1300.00 Dummy FM
Chnnael 006 868.3625 T030A S MO

So there is Channel, Freq, ID of Tower include if Primary or Secondary. and MO or FM = mode

[bigbluemsp]

Originally Posted by Skud

One thing I do because I only have 10 banks and I want 15 towers is I program each bank per county I listen to. So in this case for Barry County, I program in the 1st Primary, then because I have a RS Pro-96, I have a dummy channel with 1300.00 under FM then the next Primary. etc listed below.

BANK NAME(in my case bank name is the county the tower is located) = Barrry
Chnnael 000 867.8875 T010F P MO
Channel 001 1300.000 Dummy FM
Channel 002 868.8875 T030A P MO
Channel 003 1300.00 Dummy FM
Channel 004 867.3875 T010F S MO
Channel 005 1300.00 Dummy FM
Chnnael 006 868.3625 T030A S MO

So there is Channel, Freq, ID of Tower include if Primary or Secondary. and MO or FM = mode

You only need the dummy freq in between different towers. If you are just putting in one tower and its freqs you don't need a dummy between each control channel. You only do that for different towers.

[MichMar]

Okay - I think I finally got my mom's scanner programmed including the trunked systems from MPSCS or whatever it's abbreviated. Only putting in the Control and Alternate frequencies helped a LOT - I was able to fit all the MPSCS freq's into the one Bank, and maxed out the 150 Talk Groups for them. Don't know if she'll pick everything up, as I don't know how far the range is with the 800 frequencies, but at least they're in there just in case. Also put in the Casino 400-frequencies - if she can hear what's going on out at the casino she'll get a kick out of that. Can't wait 'til Xmas to see how well it works up there.

So you think I'll be alright if the scanner's not plugged in to power until Xmas, as far as keeping the programming I've set up? She doesn't have a computer, so if I lose the programming I'd have to bring the scanner back home with me (2 hours away), program it again, and take it back up the next time I'd go up there. Don't want to have to do that!!

[k8tmk]

MichMar asked what the frequencies not shown in red or blue are for. The frequencies shown in red are the main control channel. The frequency(s) shown in blue are the alternate control frequency(s). The other frequencies are the working channels where the actual communication takes place. You do not need to program the working frequencies because the control channel will direct the scanner to the appropriate working frequency automatically.

It would be a big waste of time to program the working channel frequencies into the scanner. In Michigan, just use Type 2 when you program the control channel and the scanner will not miss any working channels.

Randy

[MichMar]

What do you mean "use Type 2 when you program the control channel"? Do I have to pick an option somewhere in the Starrsoft "Channels" screen for that?


Edited to add: Do you mean Type = MOT up along the top of the "Channels" screen? That's what this bank is set at.

[seamusg]

Originally Posted by MichMar

What do you mean "use Type 2 when you program the control channel"? Do I have to pick an option somewhere in the Starrsoft "Channels" screen for that?


Edited to add: Do you mean Type = MOT up along the top of the "Channels" screen? That's what this bank is set at.

He's got the wrong type of scanner - for a pro96/2096 it's MOT - for a BC796/296 it's type 2.

[MichMar]

Oh - Okay. I should be set then. My Bank is set at MOT as are all the individual trunked frequencies' Rx Mode.