BC246T: TG ID Limit

[KCA6YU]

Hi all
Is there a TG limit on the 246 when programming a trunk system?
Thanks

 

[ofd8001]

From page 101 of the manual:

Systems: .......................................................... 200 max
Groups: ................................................... 20 per system
Channels: ..................................................... up to 2500
Channels per Trunked System: ..................... up to 200

Looks like up to 200 to me. I'm thinking that control channels and any programmed voice frequencies will count toward that 200 channel limit.

 

[n1chu]

I am questioning my interpretation of page 101. I am not familiar with the 246 but when I read the info from page 101 posted here I wonder if I am reading it correctly. I read it as 200 trunked systems max, each trunked system may contain up to 200 frequencies max, TG’s per trunked system may contain up to 20 max. And overall, the scanner will support 2500 between trunked and non trunked frequencies.

I would have answered the OP’s question with 20 TG’s max, not 200… so, if I’m wrong, I wonder what I missed.

 

[GTR8000]

You're reading it wrong. A system that can hold 200 frequencies but only 20 talkgroups would be a bit silly.

The answer is that you can create up to 20 "groups" of talkgroups per trunked system, with each of those groups capable of a theoretical maximum of 200 talkgroups per. Of course you'd run up against the maximum limit of the scanner, 2500, pretty quick.

Easier to Read BC246T Scanner Manual

 

[n1chu]

Under “Understanding Dynamic Memory” in the Easier to Read BC246T Nanual it states the following…

“You can store as many as 200 'Systems' and you can have as many as 20 groups per 'System' with up to 200 frequencies or IDs in each 'Group' (if you have enough memory). The manual says up to about 2500 total channels but with alpha tags you get about 1600.”

You write almost the same but have substituted TG’s for frequencies.

And that is why I question. Thanks for offering your understanding but I’m still questioning it. Hopefully others will join the thread. But I do appreciate your taking the time for an explanation.

 

[ofd8001]

Uniden went from “groups” to “departments” to eliminate the confusion. Think of it this way; “in a Trunked system you can distribute your 200 talkgroup ids among 20 groups”

Of course you are not required to use all 20 groups. You can have 1 group of 200, 2 groups of 100 per group and so on.

 

[tvengr]

It is my understanding that you are limited to a maximum of 200 talkgroups per trunked system in the BC246T, no matter how many talkgroups are in each group and how many groups you are using. The BCD396T has the same limit. For example, Baltimore County Fire had about 250 talkgroups. When I programmed my BCD396T, I could not exceed the 200 talkgroup limit, no matter how many groups I was using. I had to limit the total number of talkgroups to 200 to avoid getting an error for exceeding the limit when I tried to upload to the scanner.

 

[KCA6YU]

I asked this question, because I recently added some agencies to a system I listen to. Well alot and I mean alot of the TGID's were missing. I have a Pro96, and it does the same thing, limits the amount of ID's per system. What I think gonna have to do, is the same I did with the 96, break up the systems into smaller chunks. After looking again, I think I have to recount the IDs. Anyway, thanks guys for the input!

 

[tvengr]

The PRO-96 has 5 Sub Banks per Bank with each Sub Bank holding 30 talkgroups for a total of 150 talkgroups per system (One system per bank). The BCD396T has a limit of 200 talkgroups per system. The BCD996T has a limit of 250. The XT and P2 scanners have a limit of 500. You need to tailor your programming to the scanner you are using. The downside of splitting talkgroups between multiple systems is that you end up scanning the same site a number of times and start losing the beginning of transmissions. For example, you could have one system for Fire and another for Police. While scanning the Fire system, you will miss the beginning of any transmission on the Police system. While scanning the Police system, you will miss the beginning of any transmission on the Fire system. If the Fire and Police talkgroups are all in one system using one site, the scanner will immediately go to any transmission on a Fire or Police talkgroup.