Newb ? - Scanner Modes & More

[Go-24]

I have been so busy listening to traffic I havent done much in the way of learning how to master my scanner yet. I think I am now ready to learn more about its features, that is if someone is willing to teach me. hahaha!

Firstly, I was editings some groups and systems on my BC246T using ARC24 and noticed several settings that I would very much like to learn about.

Scanner Mode - SCAN or SEARCH - which one is recommended? I seemed to notice a major difference when I assigned quick keys and switched to search mode. Things seemed to have gotten a lot busier, but that could be coincidence.

Here are more settings I havent a clue about yet ...

Icall - whats this do? On/Off?
End Code: Yes/Ignore?
Status Bit On: ?
Control Channel Only: Checked or not?

What are additional tweaks / settings are recommended for the 246 and/or scanning in general?

Thanks for taking the time - I really do appreciate it.

 

[dlbrock]

Icall - whats this do? On/Off?
End Code: Yes/Ignore?
Status Bit On: ?
Control Channel Only: Checked or not?
What are additional tweaks / settings are recommended for the 246 and/or scanning in general?

This info is from my scanner manual 296D. I am not sure if the 246 manual covers it in this detail.

I-Calls are direct unit-to-unit transmissions that are not heard
by other users. I have the 296 and it picks them up but I have to be in ID search mode because I don't know all the ID's. Each car has a separate I-Call ID.

End Code:
Toggling End Code Detect
At the end of each transmission, a digital burst is sent so that
radios on the system will quickly switch back to the control
channel. Your scanner also listens for this code.
1ETECT
The scanner detects the end code and immediately
switches back to the control channel.
2:IGNORE
The scanner waits for the carrier to drop before
switching back to the control channel.
--You will get less noise if you turn this to 'Detect'.

Status Bit On:
Status Bit - This term refers to Motorola Type II systems.
There is a method by which special types of
communications utilize unique talk group numbers.
For example, if all emergency calls are set to occur on a
specific talk group number then you will not miss the
transmission even if you have not programmed all the talk
group numbers. With the Status Bit on and you have
programmed the unique number, then you don’t have to
worry what the rest of the groups numbers are. The topic of
interest will be picked up.

Control Channel Only: Checked or not?
Using Control Channel Programming
Your scanner has a powerful feature that lets you program in
only the control channels for Motorola 800 and 900 MHz
systems. This can greatly shorten the time it takes to program
system information.
2:SCAN OPTION → 2:TRUNK → Select the bank
→ :CNTRL CH ONLY
For 900 MHz systems, you can then simply turn the feature
on or off. For 800 MHz systems, you need to select the band
plan for the system:
1LAN1
Use if the last three digits of all of the frequencies
used by the system end in 125, 375, 625, or 875.
2LAN2
Use if the highest frequency used by the system is
above 866 MHz and if the last three digits end in 000,
125, 250, 375, 500, 625, 750, or 875.
3LAN3
Use if the last three digits of all the frequencies in the
system end in 000, 250, 500, or 750.
4LAN4
Use if the highest frequency in the system is below
866 MHz and if the last three digits end in 000, 125,
250, 375, 500, 625, 750, or 875.
5:OFF
Select to turn off control channel programming for this
bank.
Note: • Many systems alternate control channels. To properly
track the system, you need to program all alternate
control channels.
• If you do not know all of the frequencies for a system,
but know at least one control channel, start by
selecting Plan 1 (the most common type). If you
notice that you seem to be missing transmissions
and replies, try each of the other plans until you
find the one that works best.

What are additional tweaks / settings are recommended for the 246 and/or scanning in general?

Sorry, I don't have the 246

Hope it helps,

Doug

 

[Go-24]

Thanks for the response.

I have my 246 Manual and see what it says about each parameter, but was interested in getting recommendations as to how I can best set everything up to work together.

 

[dlbrock]

Oh. Sorry about the long winded response then. I misunderstood your question.

I-Calls - I use these all the time when monitoring the EDACS system in Kokomo. Often the best communications are what is said between cars. Especially in a chase situation.

End code: I always set this to detect. I have found that if I don't then I often get unwanted noise at the end of the communication.

Status Bit: Again, I always turn this on. The scanner will pickup comms if they are moved to a different talkgroup that I don't have programmed.

Control Channel only: This one is very interesting to me but has caused tons of frustration at the same time. The idea is that you can program only the control channel and then tell the scanner which plan the system is on and it will pickup the entire system. I have not had any luck with it working on my 296D correctly. It will pickup some coms but not all. I have had more luck just programming the entire system into the scanner. One thing to note, I was hoping that I could use this feature and it would allow me to program more than one system in a single bank but it won't. Once it finds the first system it ignores all other systems programmed in the same bank.

Hope it helps,

Doug