396 Systems and Trunking

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Dubbin

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I'm sure this has been addressed before but doing a search on specific 396 issues in next to impossible. Anyway, my question is this. Can there be more then one trunking system in a 396 system? I know it can be done on the PRO-96 but I'm not sure about Unidens. I'm wanting to put several MARCS sites into one system.
 

SCPD

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Dubbin said:
I'm sure this has been addressed before but doing a search on specific 396 issues in next to impossible. Anyway, my question is this. Can there be more then one trunking system in a 396 system? I know it can be done on the PRO-96 but I'm not sure about Unidens. I'm wanting to put several MARCS sites into one system.

enter them into there seperate system them asaign the same quick key and seperate it with a differend group quick key
 

Dubbin

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That didn't answer my question. I already know how to do that and I don't want to if I can get away with it. Thanks anyway.
 

steve_eg

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You might be able to do it if the sites are far enough apart that you won't run into problems with the control channels "locking on" to a distant site and missing something on the CC that's closest to you.

Another alternative might be to enter multiple sites into one system, and then locking out all but the the control channel for the site that's nearest to you.

Good luck-

Steve
 

W4KRR

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Dubbin said:
I'm sure this has been addressed before but doing a search on specific 396 issues in next to impossible. Anyway, my question is this. Can there be more then one trunking system in a 396 system? I know it can be done on the PRO-96 but I'm not sure about Unidens. I'm wanting to put several MARCS sites into one system.

No, you can't. And given the memory and system capacity of the '396, I can think of no reason that anybody would need or want to do such a thing.
 

Dubbin

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W4KRR said:
No, you can't. And given the memory and system capacity of the '396, I can think of no reason that anybody would need or want to do such a thing.
I didn't think you could and I have my own reasons for wanting to do it like that.
 

DaveIN

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Dubbin said:
I'm sure this has been addressed before but doing a search on specific 396 issues in next to impossible. Anyway, my question is this. Can there be more then one trunking system in a 396 system? I know it can be done on the PRO-96 but I'm not sure about Unidens. I'm wanting to put several MARCS sites into one system.

You can put the control channels in one system, *but* it will lock on to the first one it finds, and not go on to the next control channel until the signal drops on the currently tracking control channel.

So if you want to listen to "more than one" MARCS system at a time then you need to put each control channel in its own system.
 

b52hbuff

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W4KRR said:
No, you can't. And given the memory and system capacity of the '396, I can think of no reason that anybody would need or want to do such a thing.

Why would anyone want more than 640k of memory? ;)

Unfortunately you can run out of memory real quick, since it's the tail wagging the dog. Sure, without entering TGIDs, you can duplicate a ten site system and only take 40 slots (e.g. 10 sites * 4 CC per site). But start adding TGIDs and the numbers add up really quick.

Now add 200TGIDs (which isn't unreasonable for a large state/county system), and you have:
200TGIDs * 10 sites = 2000 channels.

So now you're single ten site system has taken 1/3 of available memory.
 

rdale

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Odds of you getting all 10 sites in one location are very low, so combining CC's based on geography will get you out of that jam.
 

kikito

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W4KRR said:
No, you can't. And given the memory and system capacity of the '396, I can think of no reason that anybody would need or want to do such a thing.
Is that why the new BCD996T incorporates the new "Multi-Site Trunking" feature that nobody would need or want either that solves that "issue"? :roll:

There's a lot of reasons to want and do what Dubbin is asking. And with all the statewide systems popping up everywhere, is real easy to waste a lot of memory, time and effort duplicating systems and their talkgroups unnecessarily. Not to mention, that everytime you want to add, delete or change something, you have to do it to ALL those systems.

I'm already at 40% capacity and most of it is taken by one big system where I can receive 5 or more different sites at any given time or place. This is a Smartzone Omnilink system, so you get different traffic on each site, hence the reason to have as many sites programmed and actively monitoring each one, sequentially. From someplaces I can actually receive 8 or more sites even.

The suggestion to geographically combined sites, helps, but is not the solution.

What Dubbin is asking for is actually wanted, needed and asked by many (including me) and like I said, that's why Uniden responded with the solution on their new BCD996T.
 

rdale

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"What Dubbin is asking for is actually wanted, needed and asked by many (including me) and like I said, that's why Uniden responded with the solution on their new BCD996T."

Correct. But until (unless?) we see that coming for the 396, might as well go with the workarounds. Uniden is aware of the desire ;>
 

kikito

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Correct. But until (unless?) we see that coming for the 396, might as well go with the workarounds. Uniden is aware of the desire ;>

Correct. I'm well aware of the tedious work-arounds, I've been using them and living with them since the BCD396T came out. ;)

But the reason for my post was to "rebut" the comment from the poster that claimed nobody would want or need that capability.
 

W4KRR

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kikito said:
Is that why the new BCD996T incorporates the new "Multi-Site Trunking" feature that nobody would need or want either that solves that "issue"? :roll:

What Dubbin is asking for is actually wanted, needed and asked by many (including me) and like I said, that's why Uniden responded with the solution on their new BCD996T.

Yes, I do understand the desire and need for the "Multi-Site" trunking feature in the new '996. But Dubbin, in his original post, didn't mention Multi-Site trunking as his reason for wanting to be able to put more than one trunking system into a '36 system.

EDIT: I will now assume that a MARCS system is a Smartzone system.

Even when the State of Florida had its statewide Motorola Smartzone system running, I could only get one control channel from my locaton. I have lots of stuff (to me it's a lot) programmd into my '396, including out of state stuff, and I have only used like 19% of the memory. If people are running out of room in their '396, and are scanning everything at once, then you must be missing a LOT of traffic, given the time it would take to make a complete pass of all those systems, especially if they're busy!
 
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Dubbin

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OK now I am starting to confuse myself (not hard to do). I just skimmed throught the manual and didn't find the answer. How many talk groups are allowed in a system? 200?
 

kikito

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Dubbin said:
OK now I am starting to confuse myself (not hard to do). I just skimmed throught the manual and didn't find the answer. How many talk groups are allowed in a system? 200?

Yes, 200 TGs on the BCD396T.

And 250 TGs on the new BCD996T, just to keep you confused! ;)
 

subter

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This isn't 100% related but I didn't want to start another thread for this. Is there a way to hold on a system on the 396T? I know if you press hold it holds on a channel and if you hold the function button you can temporarily hold the system but I want to be able to hold on the system for several minutes or longer with a button press.
 

Dubbin

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subter said:
This isn't 100% related but I didn't want to start another thread for this. Is there a way to hold on a system on the 396T? I know if you press hold it holds on a channel and if you hold the function button you can temporarily hold the system but I want to be able to hold on the system for several minutes or longer with a button press.

Close all the systems but the one you want to listen to.
 

subter

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I know you close out the system but that's not practical if I'm scanning several systems and have to close out 12 or more systems just to stop on one for a while. I was looking for a way to hold on a system by a button press or a quick function setting.
 

RISC777

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subter said:
I know you close out the system but that's not practical if I'm scanning several systems and have to close out 12 or more systems just to stop on one for a while. I was looking for a way to hold on a system by a button press or a quick function setting.

subter,

That's the only feature I wish the 396 had/has.

Too bad it doesn't.
 
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