PRO668 Multi-Site P25 System scanning (stays on one site - is there a fix)

[stlouisx50]

I have been trying for weeks and am fed up with the PRO-668 as it's not very user friendly when it comes to Multi-Site P25 scanning.

I have read to program each site into its own scan/play list and thought I'd try this on the 668, but can't find a way to do such. I can do It on the PSR-500 with ease, but not the 668.

This is how I thought people were accomplishing entering a site to playlist using the Radio Shack Programing Software...
Open the app
Click Trunked Radio Systems
Click New, Change the Alpha Tag Name, Change Type to P25, Change country to USA, Change voice to Digital
Click Site Details Tab, Change Alpha Tag and Name
Click the Frequency area and add all Control and Alternative Control Frequencies
Click Site Options and change Trunking Tables to Auto FIll
Add Wildcards to Talkgroup Details and Radio Id Details..
Then Click New and repeat the steps above....

When I did this I couldn't pick up anything, but did see the T pop up when the scanner was scanning but see no way to assign each site to a separate playlist? There is no such option for that.

The only thing that works is to ...
Click Trunked Radio Systems
Click New Change the Alpha Tag Name, Change Type to P25, Change Country to USA , Change Voice to Digital
Click Site Details Tab, Change Alpha Name
Click the Frequency area and add all Control and Alternative Control Frequencies
Click Site New under Trunked System Site Information and add as many Sites with their respective CC and AC frequenenices
Click Site Options and Change Trunking Tables to AutoFill
Add Wildcards to Talkgroup Details and Radio Id Details..

The problem with doing the latter is the 668 will scan all sites, but will lock on one and stick to that one for a long period. This is an issue because I want to monitor all systems that are receivable. Say system 1 has traffic, I can hear it, but miss out on anything on system 2, until the scanner finally gets around to scanning site 2.
Unplugging the antenna does a manual restart of the site search so it may then end up on site 2, but then I miss out on site 1 stuff, until the scanner gets around to changing sites. I have tried to mess with the Multi-Site thresholds and don't see much of a change. I have read everything I can find on google in reference to Multi-Site threshold settings and none of that has helped with the above issue.

Recap:
How can I scan all sites and pick up all sites without the scanner locking onto only the strongest one?
Or How do I program in 1 site per 1 playlist so I can scan every site and receive every site ?

Thanks,
Stlouisx50Add Wildcards to Talkgroup Details and Radio Id Details..

 

[buddrousa]

 

[stlouisx50]

Is what I am showing on my display. Appears to be the same thing besides me having the thresholds at 1 and 55. I have had them at 70/90, 70,95, 65/95, 65/90 but the issue remains that the scanner will stick on the strongest site for long periods then finally switch to another site , missing traffic on the previous site.

 

[tvengr]

For example: Set up one system with the site and talkgroups and assign the talkgroups to scan list 1. In the system name, include a reference to the site you are using. Highlight the system and click Duplicate That will copy the system, site, and talkgroup information. Highlight the duplicate system and change the name to include a reference to the second site. All you have to do next is change the name of the site, change the frequencies for that site, and assign the talkgroups to scan list 2. You now have 2 systems each with their own site using the same talkgroups on different scan lists.

 

[stlouisx50]

OK I think I understand that now. Ill try it today and write back on how it goes. Any suggestions on the thresholds I should use to get the distant stations on the far out sites?

 

[tvengr]

The thresholds are not used on single site systems. They are used to select the best site on multi-site systems.

 

[kruser]

You could try cloning that trunked system and then go in and check L/O for all but one site.
Clone the trunksys as many times as the sites you have is what I've had to do for Moswin. This allowed the radio to work with one site only.
You will still miss things though as it takes time to scan a site for traffic. About 1.6 seconds last time I checked for the CC data to roll through.
This approach can sometimes work better than multisite modes.

edit: it looks like tvengr said the same thing while I was typing my reply!

 

[stlouisx50]

The thresholds are not used on single site systems. They are used to select the best site on multi-site systems.

True, but I have read to make a dummy fake site and adjust the thresholds that way.

 

[R8000]

For what it is worth, I have a PRO 652 with a setting to choose between staying on a site or scanning all sites in a multi site trunking system. Looks like the PRO 668 doesn't have this setting. My 668 was upgraded by Whister and I don't see that setting in the software. My state system is P25 Phase II, so my 652 gets used to listen to my local power company who is on P25 Phase I.

 

[tvengr]

You can also do this: Let's say that you want fire and police on separate scan lists for each site. Highlight system A (with site A) and assign the fire talkgroups to scan list 1 and the police to scan list 2. Highlight system B (with site B) and assign fire to scan list 3 and police to scan list 4. The sites will follow the scan lists. You can also assign scan LISTS 1 & 2 to scan SET 1 and scan LISTS 3 & 4 to scan SET 2. Using this method, you can turn multiple scan LISTS on and off by changing the scan SETS. R8000, the Pro-668 does not have the option of off/stationary/roam on multi-site before or after the upgrade.

 

[stlouisx50]

Thanks guys, finally got the time to do as you all said using 1 Playlist per 1 site. Works great and picking up much more then having all sites in one Playlist.

Thanks!