scannerhead
Member
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2002
- Messages
- 66
I want to thank everyone at GRE for the NEW TalkGroup Patch feature that is part of the PSR-500/600 CPU 1.8 Firmware update released on March 16, 2010. This part of the firmware update really is an upgrade, a NEW Feature. There have been many PSR-500 owners here, including myself, which have put this on our “wish-lists” to GRE ever since the PSR-500 came out. Many great, new features have been added since it’s release because GRE listened to their customers. And with this upgrade they continue to show that they are still listening and working to implement what is important to their customers, us.
In their release notes GRE wrote, “Added patch support for P25, Motorola and EDACS trunking.”
It’s possible that some scanner users did not even know about the TalkGroup Patch feature that many trunked-radio system operators use. In ultra-simple terms, it’s when the dispatcher connects two or more talkgroups together so users on each talkgroup are able to communicate with each other. This is often done when radio traffic is minimal and only one dispatcher is required to handle 2 talkgroups. The mobile units still have their radios set to their own designated talkgroups but now they are patched together as if they were on 1 talkgroup. Patches are sometimes done to handle emergency traffic. (Note: The Patch feature works for Analog talkgroups too. Some have thought it was P25 only.)
Without this new TalkGroup Patch feature it was possible that you could miss hearing radio traffic and not even realize it. Say you are scanning talkgroup “East” but not talkgroup “West.” It’s possible that “East” could get patched to “West” for any number of reasons. Before this upgrade, “East” would have gone silent on your scanner. You would have had to start scanning the West talkgroup to hear East & West patched together. Now with this upgrade the PSR-500/600 handles the patch like a service radio does, it’s seamless. You’ll hear all traffic on the East talkgroup and “ptch” will flash alternately where “TGRP” is usually displayed.
Some agencies may not use patches at all and some use them extensively. Some use patches in very odd ways. I’m sure someone can explain it all better than I, but I just wanted to tell GRE and anyone else involved (possibly Don Starr … based on past threads) how much I appreciate you getting this done! If you feel the same, please add your words of appreciation here. My PSR-500 just got even better!
Keith Thompson
In their release notes GRE wrote, “Added patch support for P25, Motorola and EDACS trunking.”
It’s possible that some scanner users did not even know about the TalkGroup Patch feature that many trunked-radio system operators use. In ultra-simple terms, it’s when the dispatcher connects two or more talkgroups together so users on each talkgroup are able to communicate with each other. This is often done when radio traffic is minimal and only one dispatcher is required to handle 2 talkgroups. The mobile units still have their radios set to their own designated talkgroups but now they are patched together as if they were on 1 talkgroup. Patches are sometimes done to handle emergency traffic. (Note: The Patch feature works for Analog talkgroups too. Some have thought it was P25 only.)
Without this new TalkGroup Patch feature it was possible that you could miss hearing radio traffic and not even realize it. Say you are scanning talkgroup “East” but not talkgroup “West.” It’s possible that “East” could get patched to “West” for any number of reasons. Before this upgrade, “East” would have gone silent on your scanner. You would have had to start scanning the West talkgroup to hear East & West patched together. Now with this upgrade the PSR-500/600 handles the patch like a service radio does, it’s seamless. You’ll hear all traffic on the East talkgroup and “ptch” will flash alternately where “TGRP” is usually displayed.
Some agencies may not use patches at all and some use them extensively. Some use patches in very odd ways. I’m sure someone can explain it all better than I, but I just wanted to tell GRE and anyone else involved (possibly Don Starr … based on past threads) how much I appreciate you getting this done! If you feel the same, please add your words of appreciation here. My PSR-500 just got even better!
Keith Thompson
