898 EDACS & Ocean City

[bwhite]

Wasn't sure where to best post this....
I'm using ScanControl for my 898T and 245,
The 245 shows OC as EDACS, the 898T provides many more choices.
I believe I should choose ED-NAR, can anyone confirm?
Also, Ken says that I can enter the talkgroups in using nearly any convention;
has anyone entered them via this software and had success? (I don't live near there
to test it). I'm thinking I should just key in "02-123" overtop of the defaulted values of 000000.
Thanx all.

 

[WCRadioGuy]

If your talking Ocean City, MD, it's a wide band system.

 

[bwhite]

Interesting......when I inquired I got the following info,
"You would choose ED-WID (EDACS WIDE), ED-NAR (EDACS NARROW) or ED-SCT (EDACS-???). The Narrow or Wide choice refers to the band of the frequencies in use. Wide for lower freqs (400 - 500 MHz)and narrow for higher freqs (800 MHz). Can't recall what the SCT designation is but it is
very rare and probably not what you are seeking."
Thanx much. [yes, OC Md]

 

[WCRadioGuy]

SCT is SCAT Site. Single Channel Autonomous Trunking

 

[bwhite]

WCRadioGuy,
Just curious on your source of info? (or do you live near there and this is what works in your scanner?)
I googled my fingers off and couldn't find it.
Thanx

 

[JoeyC]

Numerous references to Single Channel Autonomous Trunking come up when googling EDACS SCT or EDACS SCAT. ???

Also Wide/Narrow doesn't have to do with the freq range its related to the system controller baudrate. MANY 800 mHz EDACS systems are programmed as WIDE and in FM (not NFM) mode.

 

[MCMD5]

Numerous references to Single Channel Autonomous Trunking come up when googling EDACS SCT or EDACS SCAT. ???

Also Wide/Narrow doesn't have to do with the freq range its related to the system controller baudrate. MANY 800 mHz EDACS systems are programmed as WIDE and in FM (not NFM) mode.

I have a 250 with OC mode programed as NFM. Are you advising this should be programed as FM?

Thanks

 

[Bote]

EDACS mode different from FM mode

This is a source of confusion when programming EDACS into your scanner.

EDACS has two modes that are totally UNrelated to your FM receive mode: EDACS Wide and EDACS Narrow. This determines which control channel codec they use.

It is highly likely that O.City uses EDACS Wide based on the remarks here and on experience, so tell your software to use that setting. It'll either work or it won't.

This has nothing to do with programming frequencies into your scanner as FM, NFM, WFM and so forth. That is a horse of a different color. The BC780 sets this for you on EDACS systems no matter what you programmed in anyway. I don't know what the newer scanners do on EDACS systems.

 

[bwhite]

Thanx all, yeah I know that FM, NFM, WFM etc is not pertinent to this.
After WCRadioGuy replied with such quick & accurate info he had me curious as-to how he located the info so readily. What I was unsuccessfully Googling for were specifics regarding "OC Maryland and EDACs Wide vs. Narrow" [no this wasn't the syntax I used, I tried many Boolean variations]. Looks like this turned into a short, yet interesting lesson for many.
Thanx again to all. Any further posts appreciated.

 

[maus92]

I have the Ocean City (and Worcester County) systems up and running on my 396T using EDACS WIDE.

CA
Annapolis

 

[bwhite]

Thanx much.
Don't tell me you can receive them from Annapolis....
If so, inquiring minds want to know how....

 

[maus92]

I wish! No, but I travel on the Eastern Shore frequently. I can pick up OC and Worcester starting at Dewey Beach in DE, and Worcester at about the Salisbury area. OC is pretty directional - it has better coverage north and south than out to the west - which makes sense considering the town is built on a barrier island.

CA
Annapolis

 

[bwhite]

Well, now I've got to try to find a similar EDACS wide system in about 70 mile radius of Baltimore County. There is a quirk when programming the 245 that requires that it "aquire the control channel" or it won't accept the load from the computer. Doesn't have to be the right control channel (OC) just one from a similar system.

 

[WCRadioGuy]

I came upon the info so quickly because I installed the system.

 

[bwhite]

WC,
Having grown up with many broadcast engineer types,
I just had a feeling that was the case.
Because I "need to aquire the control channel" (from a similar system) to successfully program
my 245 via a software connection, are you aware of any similar systems in the Baltimore County.
area? Strangely enough, I can program OC if the radio acquires a valid control channel from a
similar system.
Thanx again!

 

[WCRadioGuy]

Sorry, I don't know too much about the scanner side or Baltimore.

 

[bwhite]

Something you may know.....
Seems like the audio on many trunked systems (can't remember about OC's)
is "crackley", typical VHF transmissions including their multicasts are clean.
Is there a reason for this?