SDS100/SDS200: Scan is skipping priority channel

[DMSSIOWA]

I have one channel set as a Priority channel. When I'm scanning (with priority off) that channel never comes in even though it's a very active channel. To hear it, I have to hold on that channel and not scan. Once I scan, it doesn't come in again. This is a PD channel. It'll stop on the FD channel fine, just not PD. It's the same dispatch center. They're on a trunked system.

I tried changing the priority to DND to see if that made any difference. Nope. It seems to be checking for the channel from what I can tell on the display, but it never lands for traffic.
Any ideas?

 

[jtwalker]

Sounds like you don’t have some parameter set to scan this channel. What you describe doesn’t happen when everything is set appropriately.

 

[MStep]

Did you check to see that somehow that particular channel (or talk group) did not get locked out of your scanning sequence?

 

[werinshades]

The Priority you're using is for conventional systems and not Trunk systems. To use Trunking Priority, you have to set the Priority ID Scan Mode to ON under the Systems Option tab. In addition, you have to set the specific talk group to Pch to ON under the Department on the trunking system.

Something to keep in mind, trunking priority acts like a DND (Do Not Disturb) priority on conventional programming. Once a transmission is completed on a non-priority talk group, it will "jump" over to the priority talk group and not "interrupt" the transmission like a commercial grade radio does.

 

[ofd8001]

I'm betting there is some kind of Avoid condition that is telling the scanner to not "listen" to the talkgroup. Could be the talkgroup is Avoided, the Department is Avoided, a Quick Key is off, etc. Service Type issue may be another.

Just for the heck of it, you could edit the Favorites List to change the Talkgroup ID number of that "working" Fire talkgroup. See if you can hear the police channel (yeah the alpha tag will be wrong, etc.) If you do hear the police this way, that confirms a programming hiccup.

And of course be sure to restore the Talkgroup ID number for that fire talkgroup.

 

[Ubbe]

They're on a trunked system.

It seems to be checking for the channel from what I can tell on the display, but it never lands for traffic.
Any ideas?

This makes no sense. If they are on a trunked system then you'll never see the scanner checking for any TG's.
Either they are not on a trunked system but on a conventional with the PD on their own conventional radio frequency and will show up while it is scanned, or the PD and FD are on two different systems, one conventional and one trunked,

Please export your favorite list as HPE and post here so we can take a look, or are you doing database scanning?

For trunked system the prio function are only active while the scanner are monitoring the systems control channel. For DND type and not working then try to switch to priority instead of DND and set interval timer to 2sec and see if that makes a change.

/Ubbe

 

[DMSSIOWA]

Okay, so I tried every option and it would never pick up DMPD (the priority channel) when I scan. So I took priority off that channel and have priority off in my settings. Same situation. It just will NOT land on it and it has the most traffic of any channel I scan. If I hold on it, it comes in loud and clear. Scanning, it is never 'found'. I've attached the hpe (zip file) for this channel and also my misc settings in case something in there is messed up that I didn't notice.

I appreciate the help! I run a scanner group on FB and it's really a pain to not be able to scan the entire area at once!

The Priority you're using is for conventional systems and not Trunk systems. To use Trunking Priority, you have to set the Priority ID Scan Mode to ON under the Systems Option tab. In addition, you have to set the specific talk group to Pch to ON under the Department on the trunking system.

Something to keep in mind, trunking priority acts like a DND (Do Not Disturb) priority on conventional programming. Once a transmission is completed on a non-priority talk group, it will "jump" over to the priority talk group and not "interrupt" the transmission like a commercial grade radio does.

THIS makes sense! I've attached my files in another reply if you want to take a look but this could be the issue. However...I have turned priority off everywhere and it's still not landing on this channel. So that explains why priority didn't work but not why it still won't land on the channel when it's in use. :-\

I'm betting there is some kind of Avoid condition that is telling the scanner to not "listen" to the talkgroup. Could be the talkgroup is Avoided, the Department is Avoided, a Quick Key is off, etc. Service Type issue may be another.

Just for the heck of it, you could edit the Favorites List to change the Talkgroup ID number of that "working" Fire talkgroup. See if you can hear the police channel (yeah the alpha tag will be wrong, etc.) If you do hear the police this way, that confirms a programming hiccup.

And of course be sure to restore the Talkgroup ID number for that fire talkgroup.

I'll give that a try when it's a busier time and see if it fixes it. It never fails if I try it late at night (it's currently almost 2 am) that the action will stop so I can't tell. I've attached my files for a look-see in another comment, also.

This makes no sense. If they are on a trunked system then you'll never see the scanner checking for any TG's.
Either they are not on a trunked system but on a conventional with the PD on their own conventional radio frequency and will show up while it is scanned, or the PD and FD are on two different systems, one conventional and one trunked,

Please export your favorite list as HPE and post here so we can take a look, or are you doing database scanning?

For trunked system the prio function are only active while the scanner are monitoring the systems control channel. For DND type and not working then try to switch to priority instead of DND and set interval timer to 2sec and see if that makes a change.

/Ubbe

Attached in a separate comment for your perusal. ;-) I should have mentioned that it used to work and I have NO idea why it stopped. Entirely possible I hit something wrong and messed it up. I just can't figure out what it is. I'll try changing the TGID with a working one as a test as suggested by somebody else, too. But if you see anything wrong in my file, let me know!

I just saw that I do have that channel with a Quick Key number. Is it a problem I don't have '01' checked on this screen? I don't really even need to to be a QK, I never remember to use it...

Guess what? I checked the Quick Key # for that channel on the Quick Keys Status screen and it seems to be working now. So...I have to not only set the QK on the channel but ALSO check it on that screen. That seems to have been the issue. Does that sound right? I must have set up the QK and that's when it stopped working - but I didn't realize it until after I forgot I'd done it!

I don't even use the QK but it was easier to just turn it on than take it off the channel.

 

[werinshades]

I think I found the issue. Under the Channel Name DMPD DISPATCH, scroll to the right where Pch is displayed and turn it to ON. That's your Trunking Priority talk group. Everything else looks correct.

 

[jtwalker]

I think I found the issue. Under the Channel Name DMPD DISPATCH, scroll to the right where Pch is displayed and turn it to ON. That's your Trunking Priority talk group. Everything else looks correct.

Sounds as OP figured it out. A quick key was off.

 

[werinshades]

Sounds as OP figured it out. A quick key was off.

I saw that post and it might be one of the issues, but he mentioned it still wasn't working after making some changes that I suggested, and still won't work unless the Pch is turned to ON.

 

[jtwalker]

So I took priority off that channel and have priority off in my settings. Same situation.

I assumed (which is never safe to do) that OP turned the p-ch bit off intentionally.

 

[werinshades]

I assumed (which is never safe to do) that OP turned the p-ch bit off intentionally.

I'll let him chime back in here to avoid the confusion.

 

[GTR8000]

Looks like almost all of the ISICS talkgroups in Des Moines/Polk County are Phase II TDMA. Trunking priority (aka priority monitor) for P25 TDMA talkgroups is broken. It was reported numerous times over many years, but has never been fixed. This affects numerous models, including the SDS series.

 

[werinshades]

Looks like almost all of the ISICS talkgroups in Des Moines/Polk County are Phase II TDMA. Trunking priority (aka priority monitor) for P25 TDMA talkgroups is broken. It was reported numerous times over many years, but has never been fixed. This affects numerous models, including the SDS series.

I'm using Trunking Priority on a Phase 2 system using Phase 2 talk groups, and it works like a Phase 1 system I also have it set up on. It's more of a "Do Not Disturb" than a true priority system, which we've all mentioned over many years, but I like having it at least "jump" over to the priority talk group.

 

[KevinC]

Here we go…again…

 

[GTR8000]

I'm using Trunking Priority on a Phase 2 system using Phase 2 talk groups, and it works like a Phase 1 system I also have it set up on. It's more of a "Do Not Disturb" than a true priority system, which we've all mentioned over many years, but I like having it at least "jump" over to the priority talk group.

It doesn't work, period. We've tried explaining this to you and others (mainly you) multiple times over the years, but you continue to argue this "it acts like DND" gibberish.

The bottom line is that if the scanner doesn't interrupt a transmission on a non-priority talkgroup when a priority talkgroup goes active, then there is no PRIORITY at all.

 

[werinshades]

It doesn't work, period. We've tried explaining this to you and others (mainly you) multiple times over the years, but you continue to argue this "it acts like DND" gibberish.

Not arguing, just disagreeing with the "broken" statement. But, I'll let the OP figure out what's working and not, this is his issue.

 

[Ronaldski]

Just generalizing on trunked systems, you cant just arbitrarily select priority on any talkgroup you want like in the ole analog days. In order for the priority to work as expected it will also need to be set as priority on the official system itself.

What I have seen around here is that the main police & fire dispatch talkgroups are set as priority and the scanner does jump over to the priority talkgroups as expected if there is a transmission when the radio is stopped on another non priority channel.

if there are two or more priority talkgroups talking at the same time, at least with Unidens it will go to the lower talkgroup number.

What ones are priority? You can set ones that you want as priority and it works best with a second scanner, but not required, is HOLD another non priority talkgroup and if the other scanner hears it, the one on HOLD if it jumps over to the talkgroup, its set as priority at 911. If it doesnt, obviously it wont work as priority since its not setup as a priority in the actual radio system.
If you have just one trunking scanner have it locked on a non priority talkgroup and any talkgroups it jumps over to are set as priority in the radio system.

 

[DMSSIOWA]

I think I found the issue. Under the Channel Name DMPD DISPATCH, scroll to the right where Pch is displayed and turn it to ON. That's your Trunking Priority talk group. Everything else looks correct.

Ohhhh That may be why I now can't turn priority on. I tried through the scanner menu and it said 'no priority selected' or something like that. I'll give that a try!

I saw that post and it might be one of the issues, but he mentioned it still wasn't working after making some changes that I suggested, and still won't work unless the Pch is turned to ON.

I turned it ON. Went in through the scanner menu to Priority Scan and tried both Priority DND and Priority Scan - either one, it says "Priority Scan, no channel". I'm missing something somewhere...

Just generalizing on trunked systems, you cant just arbitrarily select priority on any talkgroup you want like in the ole analog days. In order for the priority to work as expected it will also need to be set as priority on the official system itself.

What I have seen around here is that the main police & fire dispatch talkgroups are set as priority and the scanner does jump over to the priority talkgroups as expected if there is a transmission when the radio is stopped on another non priority channel.

if there are two or more priority talkgroups talking at the same time, at least with Unidens it will go to the lower talkgroup number.

What ones are priority? You can set ones that you want as priority and it works best with a second scanner, but not required, is HOLD another non priority talkgroup and if the other scanner hears it, the one on HOLD if it jumps over to the talkgroup, its set as priority at 911. If it doesnt, obviously it wont work as priority since its not setup as a priority in the actual radio system.
If you have just one trunking scanner have it locked on a non priority talkgroup and any talkgroups it jumps over to are set as priority in the radio system.

I have a friend that works for the county and has an official dept radio/scanner and they are able to set priority. So it seems to be possible from that end as far as I can tell.

It doesn't work, period. We've tried explaining this to you and others (mainly you) multiple times over the years, but you continue to argue this "it acts like DND" gibberish.

The bottom line is that if the scanner doesn't interrupt a transmission on a non-priority talkgroup when a priority talkgroup goes active, then there is no PRIORITY at all.

I'm actually okay with that in my case. I just want it to keep checking the priority channel and if something else is going on at the same time in two places, it's fine if it stays where it is until that transmission ends. I'm missing the WHOLE channel during scan now so having it just look at that priority channel more often is fine with me. Not optimal, but okay for my needs.

 

[werinshades]

Ohhhh That may be why I now can't turn priority on. I tried through the scanner menu and it said 'no priority selected' or something like that. I'll give that a try!


I turned it ON. Went in through the scanner menu to Priority Scan and tried both Priority DND and Priority Scan - either one, it says "Priority Scan, no channel". I'm missing something somewhere...

Nope, you're still in the wrong area of programming if you're seeing that message. That is for conventional programming, and not Trunking and it's telling you that no conventional frequencies are set to priority. According to what I saw in your programming, you have it right except you have to go into the favorite list to where you have your talkgroups, scroll to the right where PCH is and turn it on.