EDACS Control Channel

[gkovar]

What is the method for identifying Primary Control Channel vs Secondary Control Channel on an EDACS system?

I may be asking the wrong question, but my logic for asking it is as follows:
My local EDACS system that I've had programmed into my scanners and trunking seemed really unresponsive this morning. So, I jumped over to manual mode on my 97 to the Control channel (happens to be number 02 in whatever bank I have it programmed in, the trunked system is in multiple banks). When I hit what I thought was the control, there were transmissions on it. I hopped around the other system frequencies to find that the control channel is now a different frequency than it had previously been.

Is there any way of discovering if this is temporary? If this is the new primary? Aside from the distinct control channel sound, what other clues can I look for?

Thanks,
Gary

[DickH]

Originally Posted by gkovar

What is the method for identifying Primary Control Channel vs Secondary Control Channel on an EDACS system?

I may be asking the wrong question, but my logic for asking it is as follows:
My local EDACS system that I've had programmed into my scanners and trunking seemed really unresponsive this morning. So, I jumped over to manual mode on my 97 to the Control channel (happens to be number 02 in whatever bank I have it programmed in, the trunked system is in multiple banks). When I hit what I thought was the control, there were transmissions on it. I hopped around the other system frequencies to find that the control channel is now a different frequency than it had previously been.

Is there any way of discovering if this is temporary? If this is the new primary? Aside from the distinct control channel sound, what other clues can I look for?

Many systems change control channels often, some almost never. If the scanner is trunking properly you will never know when they change.
My guess is you are running in non-trunking mode. You won't make much sense of conversations in a busy system running that way.

To answer your question, unless they are identified in the RR database, the method you desribed is the only way.
But again, it must not be trunking properly
Check your programming and the RR database. Maybe you are missing some freqs.

[gkovar]

Dick,

Thanks for the info...
Scanner was trunking correctly, however signal strength was really bad.
After grabbing the scanner and laptop and moving upstairs things are working fine.
Guess it's time for a trip to the antenna portion of the board.

I've decided to keep track of the control channel by using my 83 (non-trunked) and noting when/if the control changes.

This leads to another question...
When I have a weak signal on the control, logically my scanner should not be able to understand talk groups and thusly my various closed banks on my 97 will never stop an any talk groups because they are not receiving any correct?

On non-trunked signals it is easy to tell when I have big signal as it sounds awful, but when I have my trunked system programed correctly I should just get no audio at all correct?

[DickH]

Originally Posted by gkovar

Dick,
Thanks for the info...
Scanner was trunking correctly, however signal strength was really bad. ...
After grabbing the scanner and laptop and moving upstairs things are working fine.
Guess it's time for a trip to the antenna portion of the board. ...
... when I have my trunked system programed correctly I should just get no audio at all correct?

Scanner was trunking correctly, however signal strength was really bad. ...
That will do it every time.

After grabbing the scanner and laptop and moving upstairs things are working fine.
That will also do it every time. Height is great medicine.

Guess it's time for a trip to the antenna portion of the board. ...
This works pretty well. Also try a telescoping top element and extend it to multiples of 3-1/4"; 6-1/2", 9-3/4", 13". http://www.pbase.com/dickh/image/27104369

Also, the Radio Shack 800MHz rubber duck works very well. RS #20-283 ?
NOTE: Since 1/4 wavelength is only 3-1/4", moving an antenna around just a few inches can make a huge difference.

... when I have my trunked system programed correctly I should just get no audio at all correct?
Right - just the normal voice channels.

[gkovar]

Dick, again fantastic information.

I have the RS 800MHz ant. However, I've taken to using the rubber duck that comes with the 83 on my 97 simply because in the car, the scanner can sit in the cup holder without having to bend the antenna. This just gives me reason to figure out an antenna for the car.

Also very interesting note on the 1/4 wavelenth. I've adjusted my telescoping antenna on my base station accordingly.

One last note, today the control channel is back to where it originally was, so it seems as though yesterday was temporary.

Thanks again,
Gary

[DickH]

Originally Posted by gkovar

Dick, again fantastic information.

I have the RS 800MHz ant. However, I've taken to using the rubber duck that comes with the 83 on my 97 simply because in the car, the scanner can sit in the cup holder without having to bend the antenna. This just gives me reason to figure out an antenna for the car.
Gary

This works very well in the car. Just a couple of pieces of Velcro.
http://www.pbase.com/dickh/image/40547826
http://www.pbase.com/dickh/image/40547839