newbe
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Well, I took a look over at: Scott County, Iowa (IA) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference and the sheriff is not listed.
So I checked under the RACOM system, and that's where the Sheriff is located:
RACOM - IL, WI, MN, NE, SD, IA Trunking System, Various, Multi-State - Scanner Frequencies
To listen to EDACS there are many scanners that can do it, as for which scanner is best that I can't help you with as I never listen to EDACS systems myself. Hopefully someone can offer some advice to you on that.
So I checked under the RACOM system, and that's where the Sheriff is located:
RACOM - IL, WI, MN, NE, SD, IA Trunking System, Various, Multi-State - Scanner Frequencies
To listen to EDACS there are many scanners that can do it, as for which scanner is best that I can't help you with as I never listen to EDACS systems myself. Hopefully someone can offer some advice to you on that.
IowaGuy1603
Member
The sheriff was listed (not by name but by inference) at the top of the frequency table there is the following statement
"Scott, County of
Almost all public safety agencies in Scott County, Iowa utilize the RACOM EDACS TRS (see below). Fire tower is selected by input tone."
does this mean they went digital?
IowaGuy1603
Member
can I program them into a psr300 scanner?
RACOM is an EDACS system.
You need to know if your radio can be programmed for EDACS.
Here's the link that will tell you- PSR-300 - The RadioReference Wiki
(I found the link as the 2nd item brought up when searching on "PSR-300" at the top of the Radio Reference page.
Use your manual and follow the instructions to do it.
(I'm just passing thru. )
I see a parallel thread started yesterday in the New Users forum about the mechanics of doing the job. That's probably a better place to learn to program the radio.
Just to be sure you get the info- RACOM may be transmitting something called ProVoice. No scanner can turn that into audio. So even if you program the radio correctly, you'll hear nothing.
But don't assume that's the case until you've tried everything else. If you program the EDACS frequencies as simple FM, if the system was transmitting ProVoice you wouldn't hear anything useful. If you hear normal transmissions in FM on those channels programmed as FM then you only have to figure out how to properly program for EDACS. (if you hear 5 beeps at the end of transmission you're hearing an EDACS system - not all do this but....- you won't hear the beeps when the system is trunkin properly)
Just to be sure you get the info- RACOM may be transmitting something called ProVoice. No scanner can turn that into audio. So even if you program the radio correctly, you'll hear nothing.
But don't assume that's the case until you've tried everything else. If you program the EDACS frequencies as simple FM, if the system was transmitting ProVoice you wouldn't hear anything useful. If you hear normal transmissions in FM on those channels programmed as FM then you only have to figure out how to properly program for EDACS. (if you hear 5 beeps at the end of transmission you're hearing an EDACS system - not all do this but....- you won't hear the beeps when the system is trunkin properly)
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IowaGuy1603
Member
Scott county is not pro-voice it is in the clear.
I know nothing about programming a trunker........sorry
I know nothing about programming a trunker........sorry
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Like any software product you can trust BUT YOU MUST VERIFY that it did what you expected.
Compare the RR database listing for the site you are programming against what you see in the program.
And DO try what I suggested about putting the freqs in as FM to see if you can hear the system. (do in a different bank)
If you can't hear the system, programming it to trunk correctly won't matter.
I did as you said,programed everything in FM' and I got some reaction
THANK YOU
You have been a great help.
THANKS for the info
I progamed everything in FM and got some reaction.Will go to trunking now.
"some reaction" sounds a little too sketchy to me.
EDACS trunking (in my experience) requires really strong signals. If you aren't hearing the traffic on the FM programmed channels loud and clear then the trunking feature isn't going to work.
You can hear the traffic on an EDACS system in FM mode. What EDACS adds to plain FM is that when your conversation of interest jumps to a different channel (as directed by the system) your scanner will follow. This way you can listen specifically for Police or Fire or DogCatcher identified by talkgroup.
Otherwise it just sounds like FM.
Again, you MUST have strong FM receipt before even a perfectly programmed scanner can follow the EDACS trunking information.
For EDACS work you must have: strong signals, channels programmed in the correct channel numbers in order, channels programmed to ED mode, talkgroups set to ED mode. (or their equivalent - I know several Radio Shack models, not sure about yours)
I mean some of the channels came in,some were control channels,some are the other freq's in that site#
how close to a site tower do I need to be? what kind of antenna do I need?
Was what you heard LOUD AND CLEAR?
If yes, then you have enough signal to start programming the EDACS trunking features.
If not then you need to be closer or have a better antenna to achieve loud and clear. If it's not loud and clear are you in the area that is supposed to be covered by that system? Usually coverage is pretty good for the intended city/town. If you're further away then you may have trouble.
The rubber antenna on the scanner is pretty poor but it's there because it's durable for carrying around. The Radio Shack magnetic mount mobile antenna up on a file cabinet in the house (preferably 2rd or 3rd floor up on the side the system is transmitting from and not shielded by any metal) is often much better than the rubber one.
I am about five miles west of the Quad Cities.but I am right on the river.looking at the site maps I should be within range.I am going to get another antenna just to be sure.
IowaGuy1603
Member
Are you near Buffalo.....
I would strongly suggest you join the Yahoo Groups ScanIowa
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scaniowa/
There are several people in the QC area on the group and will be able to help you out
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