What am I missing in determining my trunk frequencies?

[CanAm]

I am in Victoria, Canada. The following web page gives the info about our local Motorola II trunking system:

http://members.shaw.ca/c_cheply/Victoria CREST Frequencies.htm


That page lists the base frequency, the spacing, and the offset but it seems I need the trunk frequencies themselves though - and this page doesn't list it. Is that right?

(The other freqeuncies on the page don't seem to be trunking frequencies, just re-broadcast freqeuncies). How do I know what the trunking freqeuncies are, or do I somehow use the "spacing" to figure out the rest of the frequencies?

 

[gmclam]

All the site lists is the control channel frequencies. It states that the systems are Motorola II, but they do not give you any talkgroup IDs. They do not give you the voice frequencies used, but for most scanners you do not need them. One scanner that does need them is the PRO-92. The PRO-93, PRO-95 & PRO-97 do not.

 

[DJ88]

All of the information about the system is here on the database, the Custom Frequency Table (Base Frequency, Offset Channel and Spacing), System Frequencies and Talk Group IDs.

http://radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&sid=2589

The system is a Motorola Type 2 Smart Zone. I've never had to program one, but I believe, if you want to listen to the entire system, you have to put each site in a separate bank in your scanner because each site has it's own control channel(s), and scanners will always stop on (pick up) the first control channel in a bank.

 

[hankv]

All of the information about the system is here on the database, the Custom Frequency Table (Base Frequency, Offset Channel and Spacing), System Frequencies and Talk Group IDs.

http://radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&sid=2589

The system is a Motorola Type 2 Smart Zone. I've never had to program one, but I believe, if you want to listen to the entire system, you have to put each site in a separate bank in your scanner because each site has it's own control channel(s), and scanners will always stop on (pick up) the first control channel in a bank.

Remember to program it as a Motorola Type II VHF, not 800 Mhz standard.

You didn't say what type of scanner you have

 

[CanAm]

DJ88: Thank you for the weblink
hankv: My scanner is a Uniden BC XLT780.

So the correct trunking frequenices for this system are generally in the range of 140-142 Mhz? I thought trunk tracking frequencies were in the 800 and 900 Mhz range, but I guess not?

Your website lists the system I am trying to listen to as a Motorola Type II Smart Zone, the other website lists it as a Motorola Type II VHF. Are they equivalent?

Thus far:

I did input the frequences into a bank. When I just do regular scanning (i.e. not trunk scanning), the scanning will pick up transmissions but not any information like group ID's. When I try trunk scanning with the same freqeuncies, the scanner does not pick up anything.

I believe I have inputted the correct base frequency, step and channel because the XLT780 specifically asks for those things in a submenu sequence. Then when you go to a frequency bank to put in trunk frequencies, you have to hold the trunk button down for 2 seconds, and an "M" will then appear in the display - showing the frequency has been accepted as a trunking frequency.

So I am at a loss right now, I probably am doing something wrong in the programming, but I can't figure out what.

 

[gmclam]

Here in Sacramento, Californioa there is a similar system - two sites for one system. I programmed the conventional 800 MHz "car to car" channels between the frequencies for each site all in the same bank of a PRO-95. The conventional channels cause the scanner to find both control channels in one bank. It works for me.

Good luck

 

[fmon]

Here in Sacramento, Californioa there is a similar system - two sites for one system. I programmed the conventional 800 MHz "car to car" channels between the frequencies for each site all in the same bank of a PRO-95. The conventional channels cause the scanner to find both control channels in one bank. It works for me.

Good luck

Multi sites and CC only scanning won't work with the 780, 250/785 or 296/796 in VHF/UHF trunking. Ya need a bank for each site and all freqs for the site (as M) in the bank(s).

 

[CanAm]

Multi sites and CC only scanning won't work with the 780, 250/785 or 296/796 in VHF/UHF trunking. Ya need a bank for each site and all freqs for the site (as M) in the bank(s).

Yes, unfortunately my 780 doesn't give me the option of Control Channel only scanning in for the Type II VHF system.

 

[hankv]

DJ88: Thank you for the weblink
hankv: My scanner is a Uniden BC XLT780.

So the correct trunking frequenices for this system are generally in the range of 140-142 Mhz? I thought trunk tracking frequencies were in the 800 and 900 Mhz range, but I guess not?

Your website lists the system I am trying to listen to as a Motorola Type II Smart Zone, the other website lists it as a Motorola Type II VHF. Are they equivalent?

Smartzone is a "brand" and irrelevent to programming the scanner.

There is Type II Trunking in VHF, UHF, 800, and 900 ranges, but only 800 & 900 are standardized - for VHF & UHF you have to provide Base, Step, and Offset.

http://www.uniden.com/pdf/BC780XLTom.pdf Page 55

 

[CanAm]

I've got it working! The radioreference frequency page really helped I think. Thanks for all your comments and help!!

 

[hankv]

I've got it working! The radioreference frequency page really helped I think. Thanks for all your comments and help!!

While it's not perfect, the radioreference frequency pages are usually more up to date than other sources I have tried