GoldenHawk,
A little delayed, but the reply I promised. They are no stupid questions.
DMR, an acronym for digital mobile radio, is a set of standards for narrow band radio communications. Mototrbo is one variety of DMR. There are many others. Since /\/\ is huge, a lot of the DMR systems in the country are Motorola.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_mobile_radio
DMR and trunked are not the same. Trunked systems allow a large number of talkgroups to utilize a limited number of frequencies. There is a control channel and (usually) multiple voice channels. Traffic is prioritized and assigned a voice channel. DMR can be trunked, or it can be only one frequency. Likewise, trunked systems come in many different protocols (P25, EDACS, DMR, etc.). To make things a bit more complicated, a single DMR frequency can handle two conversations (or channels) on two separate timeslots, referred to as time division multiple access. There are two time frame slots and the information rapidly alternates between channels.
If it is a single frequency, you can add it almost like normal; just make sure you add it from the Conventional Frequencies tab and select Channel Type as "DMR Digital." However, if it is trunked, you will have to add it through the Trunked Radio Systems tab, get the LCN order and frequencies correct, and add a wildcard talkgroup in the talkgroup details tab (and add that to the appropriate scanlist).
You are correct about the use of V-Scanner folders. Each one is an entirely new scanner configuration. It's like having 10 scanners in your glovebox, each configured differently, but you can use only one at a time. All of the settings (General Settings and Advanced Features tabs) can be different between V-Scanner configurations, as well as the scanlists. Generally, the best use if for geographic, use, or time purposes. For instance, for going to the race (I have a NASCAR V-Scanner config), even if it is in the town where you live. Or you might be going on a trip, so you make several V-Scanner configurations for the various places you will visit. Or perhaps you have one V-Scanner folder for the day and one for night, with volumes and sounds muted, as well as focusing on only the most important channels worth waking you up.
To make or change V-Scanner folders, the options are under the File menu in EZ Scan. From the scanner, they are accessed from the main screen, "V-Scanner," where you can select (with the left and right arrows only, for some reason) and load other V-Scanner folders.
Easier to Read Whistler WS1080/1088 Handheld Scanner and Software Manual
To create a new V-Scanner folder from the EZ Scan software, point to File -> New Configuration. Select an empty folder and click select. You can then go to File -> Set V-Scanner Description to give it a meaningful name. When you transfer your data to your scanner, you can select which V-Scanner folders you want to copy over.
I have no clue why it's called "New Configuration" rather than "New V-Scanner Folder." I understand that it is incredibly confusing. I try to give feedback regarding the software, but I don't think they are interested. It is inconsistent and incomplete, but I guess too late once you already own the scanner -- better to focus resources on marketing... Indeed, why are you having to learn from me how to use your
Whistler scanner? Oh, the world we live in.
