New to digital

[sparks40]

Hi. I recently purchased a GRE PSR500 through Scannermaster. I'm having them program my county, but i will have quite a bit to add to it after i get it. Most of the frquencies i will be adding are analog. Is it any harder than an analog scanner to program manually, and will i NEED the programming software or can i get by without it. Also, what are the advantages, programming wise, if i sign up for a premium membership here? Thanks in advance.


Dave

 

[martyjess]

Digital

I have a digital scanner and I can manually program frequencies very easily. The software is obviously good but it's OK without it unless you have a lot of things to put in it. Takes time that's all without the CD.

Digital is the way to go.

 

[gmclam]

Most of the frquencies i will be adding are analog. Is it any harder than an analog scanner to program manually, and will i NEED the programming software or can i get by without it.

It is not analog vs digital that makes it harder, it is conventional vs trunked. The real killer to program via the keypad is all the alpha tags. If you don't want alpha tags and are only programming conventional frequencies, it is "very simple".

Also, what are the advantages, programming wise, if i sign up for a premium membership here? Thanks in advance.

You can use the "import" function to download directly from the DB so you don't have to type and/or cut and paste.

 

[JoeyC]

You can use the "import" function to download directly from the DB so you don't have to type and/or cut and paste.

Which is a lifesaver for getting a lot of frequencies and systems into the scanner. However, the alpha tagging in the database leaves much to be desired for many areas. You wind up downloading a ton of freqs/systems, only to find cryptic alpha tags that don't allow you to know who you are listening to unless you are intimately familiar with the area/agencies that you have downloaded. So some tweaking on your part may be in order because of that.

 

[gmclam]

DB Alpha tags

However, the alpha tagging in the database leaves much to be desired for many areas. You wind up downloading a ton of freqs/systems, only to find cryptic alpha tags that don't allow you to know who you are listening to unless you are intimately familiar with the area/agencies that you have downloaded.

One reason I do not use any import functions. It seems that the so-called alpha tags in the DB cater to the lowest common denominator - radios which are limited (to 12 characters) in what they can display. I hate abbreviations and uncommon acronyms and take full advantage of the number of characters I am given to describe a channel.

Just as an example, one of the TGs in my area is labeled "CH 1". That sure looks like "channel 1" to most people. It is in fact "Citrus Heights PD 1". I am more likely to know the actual TGID (48560 in this case) than the channel when IDd by "CH 1". USELESS!

 

[FLA2760]

I have the PSR 500 and listen mainly to conventional traffic. The scanner sees it as a conventional object. I use the Butel software to program and it makes it a lot easier and customizing alpha tags no problem.

 

[KE4ZNR]

There is an easy fix for this: hit the "Submit Info" at the top
of each and every page and submit verified more descriptive & accurate alphatags.
That way you, the software, and everyone benefits.
The way I see it: if you know something is inaccurate but do nothing to help fix the situation or make it better then you have no room to complain and whine.
Anyone & everyone can (and should) help make the RR.com as accurate as possible.
Happy Monitoring
Marshall KE4ZNR

One reason I do not use any import functions. It seems that the so-called alpha tags in the DB cater to the lowest common denominator - radios which are limited (to 12 characters) in what they can display. I hate abbreviations and uncommon acronyms and take full advantage of the number of characters I am given to describe a channel.

Just as an example, one of the TGs in my area is labeled "CH 1". That sure looks like "channel 1" to most people. It is in fact "Citrus Heights PD 1". I am more likely to know the actual TGID (48560 in this case) than the channel when IDd by "CH 1". USELESS!

 

[JoeyC]

Its very time consuming to customize alpha tags on a large download, but you have to to avoid the ambiguous tagging that the database holds. With the HP-1 now on the market, depending on the accuracy of the RR database, hopefully in the upcoming months some kind of standardization and cleaning up of the alphatagging in the database will occur.