assistance with programming STARS

[Detjohnc]

Working with a GRE 500, and PSR EDIT 500, I am attempting to load my radio with VA STARS frequencies. After loading the controls, and the alternates, with the assistance of RR's web import, I noticed that the frequencies take up two "banks." If I keep both "banks" on, and enable all of the talkgroups for both "banks," will I be missing anything? Or should I be doing something entirely different.

Thanks in advance for any help coming my way.


John M. Crupi
DetJohnC@aol.com

 

[fmon]

Hi John

Determine what area you need while traveling around the state, Then set a TSYS for Virginia STARS N and a second TSYS for Virginia STARS S. N & S for north an south.

Use Mobile site, the three unnamed sites (5, 9 & 10), and Cumberland + Leigh Mountain + Burgess in both TSYS. This gives a CC and Alt CC count of 29 freqs in both. You can import the same TGRP Objects to both TSYS and choose same Scanlist (not Banks) for both or set Scanlist after Import to agencies if desired.

Working with a GRE 500, and PSR EDIT 500, I am attempting to load my radio with VA STARS frequencies. After loading the controls, and the alternates, with the assistance of RR's web import, I noticed that the frequencies take up two "banks." If I keep both "banks" on, and enable all of the talkgroups for both "banks," will I be missing anything? Or should I be doing something entirely different.

Thanks in advance for any help coming my way.


John M. Crupi
DetJohnC@aol.com

 

[fmon]

John,
Set in this format.

N	1-001	Richmond
N	1-002	Petersburg
N	1-003	Louisa County
N	1-004	Warsaw
N	1-005	Rumford
N	1-006	Thornburg
N	1-007	Fork Mountain
N	1-008	Hogback Mountain
N & S	1-009	Site 9
N & S	1-010	Site 10
S	1-011	Hampton
S	1-012	Williamsburg
S	1-013	Accomac
S	1-014	Chesapeake
S	1-015	Emporia
S	1-016	Franklin
N	1-017	Fairfax
N	1-018	Independent Hill
N	1-019	Arlington
N & S	1-020	Mobile Site
N & S	1-021	Burgess
S	1-022	Eastville
	1-023	Mount Weather
N & S	1-024	South Hill
N & S	1-025	Cumberland
N & S	1-026	Leigh Mountain
S	1-027	Edgehill
N & S	2-5	Site 5

My import had Edgehill in North but it should be South. This would give 28 frequencies for STARS N and 30 for STARS S with 8 sites listed in both.

 

[rfburns]

1-009 is Pinnacle (14 mi WSW of Winchester) so that would be north. 1-010 is Massanutten (4 mi SE of New Market) also north.

 

[Detjohnc]

Thank you both for your prompt replies. I live in lower southern Maryland, and travel to Virginia occassionally. From my southern Maryland location, I was getting Richmond and Chesapeake and Culpeper on STARS, but then it stopped. I thought I'd re-enter everything and try it again. I'll let you know how it goes, but again, thanks.

John Crupi

 

[Detjohnc]

Frank,
Your table doesn't indicate whether 1-023, Mount Weather, is N or S. Should I just put it in both TSYS north and south?

john

 

[fmon]

Frank,
Your table doesn't indicate whether 1-023, Mount Weather, is N or S. Should I just put it in both TSYS north and south?

john

N, I think its east of Winchester.

To rf, thanks for clarifying 09 & 10.

 

[tglendye]

1-009 is Pinnacle (14 mi WSW of Winchester) so that would be north. 1-010 is Massanutten (4 mi SE of New Market) also north.

Thanks... I didn't realize that #10 was Massanutten. I knew it was close..

 

[mikev]

Frank,
Your table doesn't indicate whether 1-023, Mount Weather, is N or S. Should I just put it in both TSYS north and south?

N, I think its east of Winchester.

Yes, it is. It's between US-50 and VA-7, right along the Loudoun/Clarke county line.

 

[mikev]

Ok... what's the trick to programming the site 9 and 10 frequencies in? My scanner wants to make them 161.8250 and 161.8100 respectively. Tried entering them directly into the scanner and into ARC500... it does it both places.

 

[W4UVV]

Frequency Rounding

I do not use ARC500 software but if it is like the ARC996T software check the system setup options and one of them should be to deselect rounding of frequencies.

 

[fmon]

Ok... what's the trick to programming the site 9 and 10 frequencies in? My scanner wants to make them 161.8250 and 161.8100 respectively. Tried entering them directly into the scanner and into ARC500... it does it both places.

Keyboard=PGM>FUNC>F3 GLOB>Scroll down 17 times to FlexStep>right to on.

ARC500=Global Settings>Expert>check FlexStep box lower left. Save and send to scanner.

 

[rfburns]

Ok... what's the trick to programming the site 9 and 10 frequencies in? My scanner wants to make them 161.8250 and 161.8100 respectively.

Site 9 IS 161.8250. It is in Table 4 and is channel 2330 with a spacing of 2.5 Khz. The base frequency for Table 4 is 156.0000. Multiply 2330 times 2.5 Khz and you get 5.825 Mhz. Add that to the base of 156.0000 and you get 161.8250 Mhz.

Site 10 is also Table 4 and is channel 2325 which is 161.8125 Mhz so you do have to change the programming for site 10 as noted above.

Depending on your scanner, 2.5 Khz off may or may not make any difference. I haven't experimented with my 996, but my GRE's do not track as well when the frequency is 2.5 Khz off. The IF filters are not that tight so it has to be related to the control ch decoding.

 

[GROCKSHD]

Ok, I think im having problems with my 396xt. I live in Norfolk and work in Newport News. I have the following STARs in My radio. Chesapeake, Hampton, Site 5, 9, 10, and Willamsburg programmed;. But it seems like my 396xt is having trouble locking on/ decoding the P25. Am I missing sites for my area? Or is there something I need to add to make sure I am tarcking the right system?

 

[fmon]

Ok, I think im having problems with my 396xt. I live in Norfolk and work in Newport News. I have the following STARs in My radio. Chesapeake, Hampton, Site 5, 9, 10, and Willamsburg programmed;. But it seems like my 396xt is having trouble locking on/ decoding the P25. Am I missing sites for my area? Or is there something I need to add to make sure I am tarcking the right system?

I don't have your scanner but if correctly programmed all you should need is Chesapeake and Hampton controls. Though the others shouldn't be a problem.