Setup/Trunking/Scancat

[pro95new]

Pro-95; frustrated with Win95; purchased ScanCat Lite Plus

Have input all frequencies (Banks 0-4); including talkgroups in the trunking component for Sacramento, California area.

Question 1: Does the CHP in the Sacramento area use trunking? When loading from the Pro-95, the red check mark automatically populated. Leave alone or uncheck if CHP is not using trunking?

All frequencies appear active in reviewing the small screen on the Pro-95 (i.e., general frequencies, including CHP, SacSo, SacPD, etc. and trunked frequencies). Still getting Light Rail and apparently garbage pickup people and heaven knows what else.

Question 2: Using ScanCat Lite Plus, how to include all police, sheriff and CHP, but exclude Light Rail, garbage, etc.?

I suspect the answer lies in turning off some of the general frequencies and just use the trunking.

Question 3: But, if I turn off the left part of the screens - using only trunking, would that not turn off CHP?

Question 4: How do you turn off (without erasing) the general frequencies AND if doing so, will that allow just the trunking frequencies?

Unfortunately, for Sacramento, it appears that the trunking frequencies are the problem as the entire county/city (including Light Rail) appear to use the trunked system which naturally picks up everyone. I just want cops and, if necessary, fire. Help.

Thanks.

[gmclam]

Originally Posted by pro95new

Pro-95; frustrated with Win95; purchased ScanCat Lite Plus

Bad move. You just jumped from the hot seat into the fire.

I am in the Sacramento area, and I have several PRO-95s here. I use WIN95 (as well as the other WIN9x programs). If you'd like to send me your .p95 file, I will look at it, fix it, and tell you what the problem is. You can post it here in a .zip file or send it to me (PM me and I'll give you a direct email address).

The CHP is NOT on a trunked system. CHP is on lowband and is one of the most difficult agencies for many people to receive. There are lots of issues, not just programming.

The Sacramento trunked system is made up of two sites. That's where you'll find Sacramento City Fire, Sac Metro Fire and virtually all law enforcement in Sacramento county, but not CHP (as well as what used to be State Police).

Go back to WIN95, make sure the bank in which you have used for trunking is CLOSED. To turn off frequencies, lock them out. You can also lock out talkgroups. Additionally, talkgroups are in sub groups which can be turned on & off.

[gmclam]

Welcome to RadioReference.com !!!

Originally Posted by pro95new

Question 1: Does the CHP in the Sacramento area use trunking?

No.

When loading from the Pro-95, the red check mark automatically populated. Leave alone or uncheck if CHP is not using trunking?

If you are putting the CHP in their own bank, set that bank to "conventional" in WIN95. If you are mixing the CHP in the same bank as you are using for trunking, set the bank to "Motorola".

All frequencies appear active in reviewing the small screen on the Pro-95 (i.e., general frequencies, including CHP, SacSo, SacPD, etc. and trunked frequencies). Still getting Light Rail and apparently garbage pickup people and heaven knows what else.

You have the bank open. In WIN95, set the bank(s) you are using for trunking to CLOSED.

Question 2: Using ScanCat Lite Plus, how to include all police, sheriff and CHP, but exclude Light Rail, garbage, etc.?

Sacramento Police and Sacramento Sheriff are on the trunked system (as so it Light Rail). If the bank is set to closed, you will have control over what you hear. Program the desired talkgroups for Police & Sheriff (and if the bank is closed you won't hear Light Rail). I'd program CHP into a separate bank.

I suspect the answer lies in turning off some of the general frequencies and just use the trunking.

Can you be more specific about what "general frequencies" you are talking about? To program the trunked systems here, you'll want to enter 4 control channel frequencies for the city site and 4 frequencies for the county site. I put them into separate banks (and do not program the other 96 frequencies of those banks). Then you program the desired talkgroups into BOTH banks.

When it comes to conventional frequencies, it depends on what you want to hear. CHP uses 4 pairs of frequencies for this area. Plus there are the old "State Police" frequencies, now part of the CHP - this is where you'll hear activity around the capitol and other state properties.

Question 3: But, if I turn off the left part of the screens - using only trunking, would that not turn off CHP?

By programming the CHP into a separate bank you can control that bank separately easily. If you mix them into the same bank as used for trunking, you'll have to go through and lock out (or unlock) the frequencies independently.

Question 4: How do you turn off (without erasing) the general frequencies AND if doing so, will that allow just the trunking frequencies?

I have my scanners all programmed as follows:
bank 0 - conventional fire frequencies
bank 1 - Cal Fire
bank 2 - Parks & forests
bank 3 - CHP (statewide)
bank 4 - Sacramento city trunked system
bank 5 - Sacramento county trunked system
bank 6 - conventional law enforcement frequencies
bank 7 - conventional law enforcement south of highway 50
bank 8 - amateur & marine frequencies
bank 9 - aviation

I rarely have all banks on on all scanners at the same time. I usually run several scanners and have different stuff on on different scanners at any given moment. This gives me the ability to add or turn off things in the above groups easily. If I want to control individual agencies in Sacramento county, I use sub groups of the trunked systems. If I want to turn off only one channel/frequency, I use the lock out function.

Unfortunately, for Sacramento, it appears that the trunking frequencies are the problem as the entire county/city (including Light Rail) appear to use the trunked system which naturally picks up everyone. I just want cops and, if necessary, fire. Help.

I don't think you understand how the scanner works. Most of the newer scanners work the same way, until you get into the digital models. WIN95 mimics the scanner. ScanCatLite does NOT WORK correctly at all - it will not put into the scanner what you see on your computer screen - nothing but a total headache.