996XT CTCSS/DCS search with multiple names?

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Muskratt

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I have just recently started to use 'SEARCH' instead of a specific CTCSS/DCS tone for some frequencies. I like how the tone will change if one agency transmits over the other, but is there some way to program a channel name to go with each specific CTCSS/DCS that shows up.

When there is tropo, one very busy frequency is 154.875. Right now I have that frequency programmed 11 different times with 11 different CTCSS/DCS tones and 11 different channel names. If I program 154.875 with CTCSS/DCS of 'SEARCH', I can see the different CTCSS/DCS tones show up depending on what the strongest signal is, but the bad part is I don't have channel names to go along with the different tones so I don't know what I'm listening to. Another bad thing with 'SEARCH', is that you receive all transmissions on that frequency. If I only want to hear transmissions on 154.875 that have one of the 11 different tones I want and NO others, then 'SEARCH' won't work for me.

I think there needs to be some kind of 'MULTI' option under the 'Audio Type/Analog Only' CTCSS/DCS settings. I have recently done the firmware upgrade on my 996xt and tried out the very cool unit ID feature. It was after trying the unit ID's that I began wondering if there was someway that method could be used to improve on the way I scan the many frequencies I have programmed multiple times with multiple CTCSS/DCS tones. Seems like it could be done with a firmware update and definitly one I would be willing to pay extra for.

Muskratt
 

Muskratt

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Joined
May 9, 2009
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77
Location
Eagle, WI
Thanks UPMan for the fast reply. For now I'll just keep using the 'SEARCH' on those busy frequencies and maybe type up a list and keep it nearby. If there were a 'MULTI' function, I would think it would be similar to the Unit ID's and you would just have to program a separate channel for each different tone. So for the 11 occurrences of 154.875 I have, I would add a 12th one that has a tone of 'MULTI'. I would lockout the other 11, and only scan the one that has 'MULTI'. When the 12th one has a signal, the scanner would figure out what CTCSS/DCS tone it is and then look through the channels in the current group looking for a match of both frequency, 154.875, and CTCSS/DCS tone. If a match is found, the squelch is opened and the channel name of the matching frequency/tone channel is displayed. If the tone changes, then the scanner looks through the group again for a match and displays the channel name. If no match, then scanning continues.

Muskratt
 

Viper43

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Jul 23, 2005
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8520/4.6.1.314 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102)

The way to figure out who is who with multiple hits is to listen for clues as to who they are. Most use their call sign then look it up here in the database or through the FCC ULS database.
Another way is to listen for road names and use a map program to locate the city or county. Also if a city name keeps popping up on traffic stops you can use that to narrow down the search

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