Best setup for Fleetnet on the BCT396T

[acurayyz]

Right now I have Fleetnet Zone 1 programmed with each OPP district (GTA, Central Ont, etc) and each CACC in their own groups. The main System has various tower control channels available to scan. What is the best way to have a non-multi site scanner set up for Fleetnet? What is "System Band List" and do I need to use it if I have the "trunked frequencies" filled with my control channels?

Also, is it possible to "hide" the control channels from being "selectable" when I hold on the system? Right now I have to click through about 20 frequencies till I get to the individual talkgroups I have programmed (if I want to tune into a specific TG).

Thanks!

 

[EJB]

I think that it is probably better to make individual systems rather than do it the way you are doing.
Your scanner can handle literally hundreds of systems and it has 100 quick keys, why not use them?

In Zone 1 where I live I has several quick keys each set up for individual towers, Charlton, Brittania, Mowat, B-fad and so forth. Basically I created a bunch of separate systems for tower. If I would think that I might go to an area I could always switch the quick keys while I was going. If you want to save space you can put 2 or 3 towers together I.E. Primrose and Dyers Bay and Simcoe had the same control channels, the three were in the SW OPP 6 London Dispatch area so I saved space. Since towers like Brittania and London were busy enough I did not want to put these two toghether, did not want to miss out on all the action.

I did have a few exceptions. I made a few systems, one for all the MOH talkgroups in Zone1, one for the MTO, etc.
In order to hold on certain control channels in multi C/C/ systems I created (the scanner will stay on the first one in the list until that one goes out of range) was to Lock them out from time to time. It was a pain though.

The newer scanners will move from CC to CC and I prefer that although I do miss my 396T.

Eric

 

[acurayyz]

I think that it is probably better to make individual systems rather than do it the way you are doing.
Your scanner can handle literally hundreds of systems and it has 100 quick keys, why not use them?

In Zone 1 where I live I has several quick keys each set up for individual towers, Charlton, Brittania, Mowat, B-fad and so forth. Basically I created a bunch of separate systems for tower. If I would think that I might go to an area I could always switch the quick keys while I was going. If you want to save space you can put 2 or 3 towers together I.E. Primrose and Dyers Bay and Simcoe had the same control channels, the three were in the SW OPP 6 London Dispatch area so I saved space. Since towers like Brittania and London were busy enough I did not want to put these two toghether, did not want to miss out on all the action.

I did have a few exceptions. I made a few systems, one for all the MOH talkgroups in Zone1, one for the MTO, etc.
In order to hold on certain control channels in multi C/C/ systems I created (the scanner will stay on the first one in the list until that one goes out of range) was to Lock them out from time to time. It was a pain though.

The newer scanners will move from CC to CC and I prefer that although I do miss my 396T.

Eric

The XT scanners can do multi-site scanning. Although, the 396T does scan all the control channels. The main reason for keeping the single Fleetnet Zone 1 System is because I like being able to have all my stuff on 10 quick keys as it is much easier to turn on/off stuff I don't want to scan. Each group of TGs (ie. OPP GTA, Georgian CACC, Oshawa CACC, MTO) is on it's own group ID so I can say have OPP GTA and Georgian CACC on when I am in York Region and then put Mississauga and Cambridge CCAC on when I go into Peel without having to change Scan Banks. Since I also listen to Air and local police, I have them on separate banks as well with Fire and Police on their own groups. I am also trying to put different groups together on a group ID (ie. you will see OPP GTA and Inter-department Ops are on Group ID 1).

Although I love the 396T so far, I find it a bit overwhelming so I am trying to figure out the easiest way to set up what I want to listen to so I can quickly go between systems/channels/TGs. I am just so used to my PRO-90 that had 10 banks and each frequency was numbered.

See my set-up below. Maybe you can show me your set up so I have an idea of what other ways I can program my scanner.

 

[EJB]

The XT scanners can do multi-site scanning. Although, the 396T does scan all the control channels. The main reason for keeping the single Fleetnet Zone 1 System is because I like being able to have all my stuff on 10 quick keys as it is much easier to turn on/off stuff I don't want to scan. Each group of TGs (ie. OPP GTA, Georgian CACC, Oshawa CACC, MTO) is on it's own group ID so I can say have OPP GTA and Georgian CACC on when I am in York Region and then put Mississauga and Cambridge CCAC on when I go into Peel without having to change Scan Banks. Since I also listen to Air and local police, I have them on separate banks as well with Fire and Police on their own groups. I am also trying to put different groups together on a group ID (ie. you will see OPP GTA and Inter-department Ops are on Group ID 1).

Although I love the 396T so far, I find it a bit overwhelming so I am trying to figure out the easiest way to set up what I want to listen to so I can quickly go between systems/channels/TGs. I am just so used to my PRO-90 that had 10 banks and each frequency was numbered.

See my set-up below. Maybe you can show me your set up so I have an idea of what other ways I can program my scanner.

I used and still use ARC software. If you have it I can probably find some of my files and show you how I did it.

It is a personal thing. If youre system works well for you and by all means use it. It is smart to turn off and on various banks, no sense scanning Cambridge CACC in Toronto off Mowat.

To me I can remember my first ten systems:
System 1-Charlton and whatever OPP, MTO I would expect to affliliate with this tower GTA OPP, MTO Burl, etc

#2 Miss (Brittania), ditto
#3 Mowat
#4 MOH Control Channels for variosu towers I would normally be in, the set up like you have
#5 Halton Burlington EDACS
#6 Fonthill
etc

It was easier for me to use my scanner like this. As I travelled I would first listen to Charlton while driving east to work on the QEW. When I got to Oakville I would switch to Fonthill (good tower for the southern GTA if you dont have a good antenna), then Brittania, then Mowat or King City.

With the distracted driver law, you dont want to be futzing around with your scanner, easy enough to scan 1 or 2 separate towers at a time, so as not to miss anything.
Bank 3

 

[torontokris]

my suggestions, give each group a quick key
that way you can turn them on or off (at the moment CACC and MTO are always active).

Yes you can give EACH tower its own system (just do a copy system, then paste - delete all other control channels).
Note this wont work for ALL of zone 1 you will run out of memory. And if your only using the first 10 system quick keys you may run out of system quick keys

that being said you can use say
1 toronto tower
2 mississauga tower

or if you want it by area you can make
1- toronto opp tower + toronto police + toronto ems
2- mississauga tower + peel police + peel ems

that way when you enter an area you can put on the quick key

 

[EJB]

my suggestions, give each group a quick key
that way you can turn them on or off (at the moment CACC and MTO are always active).

Yes you can give EACH tower its own system (just do a copy system, then paste - delete all other control channels).
Note this wont work for ALL of zone 1 you will run out of memory. And if your only using the first 10 system quick keys you may run out of system quick keys

that being said you can use say
1 toronto tower
2 mississauga tower

or if you want it by area you can make
1- toronto opp tower + toronto police + toronto ems
2- mississauga tower + peel police + peel ems

that way when you enter an area you can put on the quick key

Kris: It is different with the 396T and 396XT, no? If he uses, lets say Quick Key 1 he can only put in one system for that quick key. I know the XT series of scanners are different and can do them the way you described.

 

[acurayyz]

I can (and have) put different systems/groups in quick-key. For example, I have Fleetnet set up as quick key 1 and have group 3 which includes the OPP Tactical, Wide, and Inter-police force ops (3 separate groups that will get scanned when I have group id #3 on.

 

[acurayyz]

When I hold FUNCTION and push the scroll dial twice I get a small display at the bottom of the screen with some info. What are the 3 numbers on the lowest line (ie. 1.35, 1.58, 1.0) and what does the number beside AUTO correspond to (I can adjust it by turning the dial).

Is it possible to see the frequency of the channel I am listening to? For example, YYZ has two Tower channels, if I want to follow a plane being passed from Approach controllers to tower on freq 118.700 I need to know which of the two Tower freqs I have programmed are this one. Is there an alternate display mode?

 

[torontokris]

P25 digital decode settings/explainations can be found here
P25 audio decode level adjustment - The RadioReference Wiki

If i remember its FUNC 5.


To just see the freq when its being held on a channel
"To toggle between frequency/ID or text display Hold on any channel. Press and hold Func then 5. Press Hold to resume"

quote above taken from
Easier to Read BCD396T/UBCD396T Digital Scanner Manual

I suggest re-naming the towers as yyz tower 1 and yyz tower 2 - that will help to see which is which with out having to go to freq mode

When I hold FUNCTION and push the scroll dial twice I get a small display at the bottom of the screen with some info. What are the 3 numbers on the lowest line (ie. 1.35, 1.58, 1.0) and what does the number beside AUTO correspond to (I can adjust it by turning the dial).

Is it possible to see the frequency of the channel I am listening to? For example, YYZ has two Tower channels, if I want to follow a plane being passed from Approach controllers to tower on freq 118.700 I need to know which of the two Tower freqs I have programmed are this one. Is there an alternate display mode?