Do I have to use talk groups?

[fredg]

OK, I have read the Wiki and multiple other sources on how trunking works but it is still not clicking for me!! I have been conventional scanning for 30 years and have never needed trunking (I moved from CA in 1995 before anyone in my area used trunking, and now I am in a small KS town with only the electric company trunking in my area).

I have a Pro-2052. I have the "Eaiser to read" manual and have programmed it correctly I believe. Per this page:

http://myweb.cableone.net/marksscanners/2052/2052.html#Programming_a_Motorola_Type_II_System

Here is the data I am using:

System Type: Motorola Type II SmartZone
936.41250 936.42500 936.43750 936.45000 936.46250 936.47500*

Part of my problem is I think this system is rarely used so it makes it hard to tell if I have it right because no one is talking!

So bottom line I think I am good to go but will need to wait for the rare transmission to see. Now I did not do anything with Talkgroups and the Pro-2052 does not do Alpha tags.

If I understand it right I do not have to use Talkgroups, they are just an added convenience???

 

[fredg]

OK, I really suck... I just saw this thread a few down from my post!!

http://www.radioreference.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98884

But after reading it I am still not sure as to the answer to my question.... I will read it again....

 

[mlconnell]

Make sure you chose the 900 Band under the Motorola Setting. I had that same scanner before but can't remember the setup now. Been too long. As far as the talkgroups are concerned you will be scanning the trunk and the tg's will ID. Then if you want you can seperate the different TG's into groups to scan or not to scan. Like lets say the Public Safety uses, Police, Fire, Bus Station, EMS etc... if I only want to hear Police Patrol instead of the Busses also I can only scan the TG's of the Police...I'm thinking that MOT Smartzone is 800 Mhz but I could be wrong. I never saw it as 900 Mhz but then I'm not exactly sure on that. As long as you have the control channels in there and you have all the coice channels setup and go into trunk mode.... does it start trunking?

There we go... thats a much better explanation thatn I was giving you Fred. (The link you posted above)

 

[fredg]

Make sure you chose the 900 Band under the Motorola Setting.

Yes I am using the E2-900

As far as the talkgroups are concerned you will be scanning the trunk and the tg's will ID.

It appears to be trunking, I have the trunked freq's in a bank by themselves with the other banks scanning conventional (my Pro-2052 can do both at the same time).

I can clearly hear the control channel when I take it out of trunk mode so I know I am in range.

Also, it stops on the trunked bank for 1 sec like it should but I see nothing on the screen but: -- ---

 

[WayneH]

This is a scanner specific question so moved to the RadioShack forum. Before posting in the forums under "Trunking Forums" please make sure to read the Stickied posts regarding what to post and where. Thanks.

 

[fredg]

Sorry, I actually did read the stickie... this started as a generic question about Talk Groups but evolved from there.... thanks for moving it!!