780XLT and LTR systems

[dgoodson]

I need help getting alphanumeric "Scan Lists" to work on my 780XLT for an LTR system.

The system is programmed fine, and receiving like gang busters. I have programmed ScanLists using the AFS780 utility, and that might be part of my confusion.

First, should the "talkgroup" be entered in the format of 0-05-020, or just 05-020?

What I really can't seemed to do is to turn on the scan lists. I have the radio in TRUNK mode, and in SEARCH, and it stops on all the groups and displays the numerical values, but either it isn't recogizing the values in my scan lists, OR I don't have the scan lists turned on. I don't get much help from the manual!

TIA

 

[DaveIN]

The talkgroups should be x-xx-xxx. Do you see ID Search or ID Scan with your LTR system?

 

[dgoodson]

Well- partial success. I entered a talkgroup in the ScanList directly from the radio front panel, and it worked. Then I downloaded the radio contents using AFS780 utility to see what the format looked like, and it showed up as 005020 for 0-05-020. Then I reentered all my ScanList entries in this format (six digits, no "-") using AFS780 and uploaded and they all work now.

I still can't figure out how to switch this LTR system from Scan ID to Search ID mode.

 

[DaveIN]

From page 44 of the manual:" 4. Press SRCH to return to Trunk Tracking Search mode.
For motorola and EDACS system, to change your
display between the Scan List indicators and trunk
bank display, press SELECT.
For LTR systems only, the talkgroup must be active in
order to change the scan list and bank indicators. If
the talkgroup is not active, change the scan list by
using the menu screen.
Note: • Once you press SCAN or SRCH in one bank, all trunking banks will change to
that mode.
• Selecting a Scan List is also possible in the menu mode. (LTR only)
• ID SCANNING appears on the bottom of the screen during Trunk Scan instead
of simply SCANNING."

 

[dgoodson]

From page 44 of the manual:" 4. Press SRCH to return to Trunk Tracking Search mode.
For motorola and EDACS system, to change your
display between the Scan List indicators and trunk
bank display, press SELECT.
For LTR systems only, the talkgroup must be active in
order to change the scan list and bank indicators. If
the talkgroup is not active, change the scan list by
using the menu screen.
Note: • Once you press SCAN or SRCH in one bank, all trunking banks will change to
that mode.
• Selecting a Scan List is also possible in the menu mode. (LTR only)
• ID SCANNING appears on the bottom of the screen during Trunk Scan instead
of simply SCANNING."

Well, I found all that in the manual, and its clear as mud to me. But here is what I figured out. While Trunking, I turn SEARCH off. So now I am "Scanning" the ScanLists, I think. BUT- you cannot tell WHICH of the ScanLists are turned on. When the radio stops on an active group (which must be in a ScanList), if I press SELECT briefly while its sitting on that channel, then YES, the display does change from displaying "Banks" to displaying "LISTS" and vice versa. (If you press SELECT too long, it MUTES the radio.... arghhhh). But it only indicates LIST mode while the scanner is stopped on an active channel. When that channel is quiet and scanning resumes, it reverts to BANK mode. While its in LIST mode, I can in fact press the numeric keys to turn the different ScanLists on and off, but again, this is only while it is stopped on a conversation. So it's really only in List mode while its actually stopped on a channel in the ScanList- that is to say, I can only change what ScanLists are active (or even see which ones are active) while its stopped on a conversation. Kinda limiting, I'd say.

Here's the crazy part: I only have two of the ten ScanLists populated. So I ran this test... I went to list mode, and turned ON ScanList 3 (which has nothing in it), and turned OFF all others. So now, I am scanning an empty list, so the radio will never ever stop on a conversation, and since it will never stop, I can never toggle ScanLists 1 and 2 back on! I will never hear anything again! This seems really awkward and nuts to me.

Further, I never see ID SCAN or ID SEARCH in the display for the LTR system....

(I am going to program an active ID into list 3, then when it stops, I will turn 1 and 2 back on.)