techues
Member
Can someone explain to me what is the difference between the control channels and do you need to have the secondary ones entered in the database?
Thank You in advance
Pat
Thank You in advance
Pat
The difference between primary and secondary control channels.
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doctordialtone
Member
The secondary channel is only there in case the Primary goes down.
It's up to you if you want the same backup.
nd5y
Member
It depends on the system.
Some systems have all red or all blue control channels in the database.
Primary (red) are usually the ones that are active most of the time and alternate (blue) can be all or a few of the other channels.
On some systems the current control channel rotates periodically between all of the primary and alternate control channels.
Motorola systems usually only have 2 -4 primary/alternate control channels and Harris systems can use any channel for control channels.
If you are smart you will program all the frequencies and not just the red and blue ones.
Sometimes systems change control channels to ones that aren't shown as red/blue in the database and then people wonder why they stopped receiving it.
Some systems have all red or all blue control channels in the database.
Primary (red) are usually the ones that are active most of the time and alternate (blue) can be all or a few of the other channels.
On some systems the current control channel rotates periodically between all of the primary and alternate control channels.
Motorola systems usually only have 2 -4 primary/alternate control channels and Harris systems can use any channel for control channels.
If you are smart you will program all the frequencies and not just the red and blue ones.
Sometimes systems change control channels to ones that aren't shown as red/blue in the database and then people wonder why they stopped receiving it.
Well, maybe.
Some systems, in particular older Motorola Type II, like to rotate control channels on a daily basis. Even some modern Harris P25 systems like to rotate control channels to balance the load across repeaters, rather than having one repeater dead keyed for years. Motorola ASTRO 25 systems tend to remain on the "most preferred control channel", and will normally only roll to a "less preferred control channel" if there is some sort of issue preventing the most preferred from operating effectively.
Bottom line: it doesn't hurt to include all frequencies that are flagged as being control capable when programming a scanner. If in doubt, program all of the frequencies listed, including the traffic (voice/data) channels. Once the scanner locks onto the active control channel, it'll stay put, so there's really no penalty in having them all programmed (in some rare cases there may be co-channel usage where a different system within range uses one system's traffic channels for its own control channels, but that doesn't happen very often thanks to (hopefully) good frequency coordination).
As the OP didn't specify what type of receiver or system he's talking about, these are just some general observations that apply to most scanners and the more popular systems that use control channels.
slicerwizard
Member
Then they should all be marked as primary control channels in the database, no?
The current policy is to mark all Harris control capable frequencies as "primary", so that takes care of some of it. But more to your point, regarding the distinguishing between primary vs alternate in the RRDB, I have a hunch that is going to go away at some point in the near future.
slicerwizard
Member
IIRC, it went away at one point in the past, which didn't make sense at the time and it got reverted. So what's the motivation this time...
I'm not the lead admin or Lindsay, so I would only be speculating/opining. But I reckon that it really doesn't matter, as long as the control capable channels are somehow distinguished from the traffic channels. This thread is a good example of why it's better to just flag them as control capable and get on with more important things than answering "what is the difference?" dozens of times a year. That and the pedantic OCD submitters who love to make submissions every time a control channel rolls. 🤦♂️
slicerwizard
Member
Sounds about the same as last time. Apparently it's better to remove the CC/AC distinction, even though information - like the fact that every site in many networks have a preferred control channel and what those channel frequencies are - is lost. Instead, just mark 'em all red (like Harris). I understand that there are reasons for wanting to do it that way. Oh well.
Control channels are confusing ! Some systems seems to keep the same old frequency all the time, others will keep it for like a month or two and then change it. And everytime I run DSD+, it'll list like almost all the frequencies as 'SCC', but then the RR database often has only like 3-4 secondaries.
techues
Member
I was referring to the snacc control channels. Just trying to find the cause of occasional clipping of audio for the Henderson Police/fire frequencies. I later found out that the probable cause was using the Las Vegas Simulcast site. Still not sure. I have several issues with my scanner and the use of Butel's software or internal issues with the scanner. Been scanning ever since the old aluminum Comb channels in a box the size of a suit case. Still not smart enough to figure out these new digital scanners Sigh!!!
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