Scan between systems

[meb]

I all I could not find this in a search. My Co. is going to a P-25 system. PD has a need to scan and interface with other systems that will not be moving. How hard is it to scan between systems. If it makes a dif. p-25 is hi band other systems are hi band and uhf Both simplex and repeaters. Thanks

 

[doctordialtone]

How hard is it to scan between systems

That's exactly what a scanner does. Receive only.

Let us know when you have more detailed info.

1st post since 2004? Impressive!

 

[ka3aaa]

one good scanner will do it all, however if you need to transmit between every tying i think multiple transceivers will be required.

 

[clbsquared]

I’m assuming you’re looking for a two way radio hat can accommodate this? Or are you wanting a scanner?
You can scan between systems of the same band quite easily. As long as the radio contains the correct features.
Scanning between bands will require a radio that is capable of multiple bands. Such as a Motorola APX, Harris or Kenwood radio.
It’s also worth noting that your dispatch may want to look into the ability to create a patch. Thereby connecting a subscriber through the console to another user on a different system.

 

[meb]

I’m assuming you’re looking for a two way radio hat can accommodate this? Or are you wanting a scanner?
You can scan between systems of the same band quite easily. As long as the radio contains the correct features.
Scanning between bands will require a radio that is capable of multiple bands. Such as a Motorola APX, Harris or Kenwood radio.
It’s also worth noting that your dispatch may want to look into the ability to create a patch. Thereby connecting a subscriber through the console to another user on a different system.

Sorry to be unclear, one long day. I know it will be a muti band radio. but I was looking to see ow well it work s

 

[GTR8000]

How hard is it? Not very. With a Motorola APX radio, for example, you simply setup a Multi-System Talkgroup or Intelligent Priority type scan list, which you can then populate with talkgroups from different systems and/or conventional channels.

Does it work well, though? Eh, your mileage may vary. Remember that if you're dealing with trunked systems, the radio must scan between control channels looking for talkgroups grants. The default dwell time is 2 seconds per control channel before moving on to something else. If you have conventional channels in the mix, it's even less efficient. Priority doesn't work well at all, because if the radio has landed on System A and a talkgroup you require priority on is carried on System B...you're out of luck until the radio gets back around to that system's control channel.

tl;dr Yes it can be done, but I would never recommend doing so for anything that is important, much less mission critical.

 

[meb]

How hard is it? Not very. With a Motorola APX radio, for example, you simply setup a Multi-System Talkgroup or Intelligent Priority type scan list, which you can then populate with talkgroups from different systems and/or conventional channels.

Does it work well, though? Eh, your mileage may vary. Remember that if you're dealing with trunked systems, the radio must scan between control channels looking for talkgroups grants. The default dwell time is 2 seconds per control channel before moving on to something else. If you have conventional channels in the mix, it's even less efficient. Priority doesn't work well at all, because if the radio has landed on System A and a talkgroup you require priority on is carried on System B...you're out of luck until the radio gets back around to that system's control channel.

tl;dr Yes it can be done, but I would never recommend doing so for anything that is important, much less mission critical.

Thank you, I was told by a vender that it was not a problem and would work ok.

 

[GTR8000]

Thank you, I was told by a vender that it was not a problem and would work ok.

It's not entirely clear if you're talking about trunked systems, or conventional repeaters. You mention "P-25 system" in your first post, which usually implies a P25 trunked system, however you also mention "Both simplex and repeaters". So, are you talking about scanning between multiple P25 trunked systems? A P25 system and some conventional channels? Or is everything conventional?

Nothing special about scanning between conventional channels, that's been done for decades, and some of them being P25 doesn't really factor into it as long as the radio is capable. If you're talking about one or more trunked systems being in the mix, that's when things start to get unreliable and transmissions will be missed. Not a matter of if, but how often.

So yeah, it can be done, but it's hardly the most reliable method trying to scan across multiple trunked systems with conventional thrown into the mix.

 

[meb]

I posted while I was busy with something else so it was not well done. This would be between a p-25 trunked and repeater system and a simplex system. It looks like it not going to be easy. Thanks all for the info.

 

[ka3aaa]

multiple radios will do the trick.

 

[GTR8000]

It looks like it not going to be easy.

Setting up the scan list is actually quite easy, it's just not very reliable as I've detailed. If there is any concern about missing transmissions, then a multi-system scan list is not the way to go, I don't care what some salesman is promising.

 

[12dbsinad]

Not going to be easy is right. That's why most systems I deal with throw a cheap analog radio in the vehicles to scan the analog conventional stuff.

 

[ladn]

Not going to be easy is right. That's why most systems I deal with throw a cheap analog radio in the vehicles to scan the analog conventional stuff.

Or as CHP does--a scanner.

 

[meb]

The trouble is it is a campus and the officers are on foot most of the time. Only about 49,000 people in the Co. All small Depts. They all work back each other up. So the need to hear and talk to each other is important. Oddly when I started to work there in the 80's we used a scanner to hear the City PD. So it looks like back to the 80's

 

[12dbsinad]

The trouble is it is a campus and the officers are on foot most of the time. Only about 49,000 people in the Co. All small Depts. They all work back each other up. So the need to hear and talk to each other is important. Oddly when I started to work there in the 80's we used a scanner to hear the City PD. So it looks like back to the 80's

Remember after 9/11 how we spent million of our hard earned tax dollars on the buzz word 'interoperability'? We are actually more backwards now then back then with all kinds of different flavors being sold to PS with things like DMR and NXDN and then throwing in their version of trunking with each. There are some places around me that need 3 radio's to talk to neighboring communities. I however blame this on the manufacturer(s) who price gouge their equipment and agencies looking for cheaper options that work just as well, hence the dealers will do whatever to make the sale.

 

[meb]

And ego's that say " I do not want anyone on my system." Or the " the state uses this system so we should have one ".