BC785D questions

[lgentle]

I just bought a PRO-2052 that I'm not to happy with. I'd like some feedback on the 785D. I've been looking at it and looking at it. It seems to me like the scanner I should have gotten in the first place. I do have a main question. Can you put alpha tags on EVERY talkgroup ID and not just ones that are placed into a scanlist? Thanks for your input.

 

[vsny]

I own a 785--w/digital card--great scanner

As long as the talkgroup is "programmed " as one of your listening choices that talkgroup can have an alpha tag that you would save.
If you are just "searching" as an example, and an ID appears that you want to hear, it will not have an alpha tag unless you previously have it stored.
Hope this helps.

 

[JoeyC]

In answer to your question, NO, only programmed talkgroups can have alpha tags. (Bummer, I'd like to have the ability to tag them all).

Contrary to what the lgentle said, the 785 does NOT show the alphatag when searching, even if it is programmed as a talkgroup in a scanlist. The 796 does though.

 

[loumaag]

Can you put alpha tags on EVERY talkgroup ID and not just ones that are placed into a scanlist?

I'm just wondering where you think they might be stored if not in the Scanlist?

Another point to consider is that 785d's are becoming harder to find since they are out of production and the cards used to make them digital are also not available anymore (new). I see that where you are, you really don't need digital, so if you can find one, you should grab it up, but even on close out prices, you are going to pay about twice what you probably paid for the RS model.

 

[fmon]

Contrary to what the lgentle said, the 785 does NOT show the alphatag when searching, even if it is programmed as a talkgroup in a scanlist. The 796 does though.

Joey,
Was this an upgrade or did the 296/796 have this from the get go?

Thanks

 

[lgentle]

JoeyC - I agree. Why don't they make a scanner where you can alpha tag ANY and ALL talkgroup ID's ANYTIME. Not just ones you program.

loumaag - Yeah, the 785D is out of production. It seems the only scanner still in production by Uniden is the 796D. I've looked at several Uniden models and have found most are going out of production.
I don't understand why you have to program ID's just to alpha tag them. That to me is limiting. Have one memory area where everything is stored.
With an alpha tag, you know what your listening to. No need to create scanlists for PD, FD, utilities, etc., etc.

 

[fmon]

That to me is limiting. Have one memory area where everything is stored. With an alpha tag, you know what your listening to. No need to create scanlists for PD, FD, utilities, etc., etc.

No Alpha Tags are assigned by the system. Only ID numbers.

Edit: The info garnered by thousands of scannist is where Alpha Tags evolved. We are fortunate to have scanner technology which allows us to program this collective resource into the scanner.

 

[loumaag]

I don't understand why you have to program ID's just to alpha tag them. That to me is limiting. Have one memory area where everything is stored. With an alpha tag, you know what your listening to. No need to create scanlists for PD, FD, utilities, etc., etc.

Well yes, that is the reason you alpha tag them. But since the Talk Group "Name" is not transmitted over the air, just the number, how do you propose to have a place to put TG Names without the numbers? Want an example? Try this, without looking, why don't you tell me what TG 17856 is?
.........
Okay, I give, you can look.
.........
What do you mean, "What system?"

See where I am heading with this? :wink:

 

[lgentle]

OK, so why do scanner's limit the number of ID's that you can program? You can only save so many ID's per scanlist, right? In my area, (Maryland, Baltimore County), there are a page & a half of talkgroups for FD, and a page & a half for PD. I can't program ALL those talkgroups into my scanner (not enough space in any one scanlist). I think what's I'm trying to say is, if you have to program talkgroup ID's to associate an alpha tag with it, why didn't scanner manufactures make scanlists like how you input frequencies? Just make it a "database", where when a communication comes over, the scanner searches the database & displays the tag. Are manufactures not doing this because of performance issues?

 

[fmon]

OK, so why do scanner's limit the number of ID's that you can program? You can only save so many ID's per scanlist, right? In my area, (Maryland, Baltimore County), there are a page & a half of talkgroups for FD, and a page & a half for PD. I can't program ALL those talkgroups into my scanner (not enough space in any one scanlist).

Use two or more banks, and sort one bank with PD and the second with Fire/EMS, if needed use a third bank. I generally use two scanners, one for each agency.

I think what's I'm trying to say is, if you have to program talkgroup ID's to associate an alpha tag with it, why didn't scanner manufactures make scanlists like how you input frequencies? Just make it a "database", where when a communication comes over, the scanner searches the database & displays the tag. Are manufactures not doing this because of performance issues?

They're not doing it yet likely due to technology, but have a look at this feed BC396T

 

[loumaag]

... if you have to program talkgroup ID's to associate an alpha tag with it, why didn't scanner manufactures make scanlists like how you input frequencies? Just make it a "database", where when a communication comes over, the scanner searches the database & displays the tag.

:?: I think you are pretty confused as to this.

What "database" do you think contain the frequencies? There isn't one. If you were listening to 155.3400 and heard a transmission, who are you listening to?

If you were monitoring a TRS and TG 17856 came up, who is it assigned to? I asked about this TG earlier and you still haven't responded! Could it be because you don't know. Well if you don't know what TG I am talking about, how do you think the radio is gonna know? Even if it were possible to come up with a database of all Motorola SysID's and associated TG's what are you going to do about those pesky EDACS TRS's which have no unique SysID's? How are you going to tell which EDACS system TG 11-001 belongs to?

We have now released the RR Wiki to the general public. I advise you to sign up and then vist this FAQ Page. After reading all you can there you should understand the impossibility of what you are proposing. If you continue to insist otherwise, I am going to suspect you are just trolling and if that is the case, I can do something about that. :wink:

 

[lgentle]

Thanks for everyone's input. I'm not getting any answers here.

BTW, I don't appreicate begin called "trolling" (whatever that is). I'm just a person who's confused.

 

[Dubbin]

Thanks for everyone's input. I'm not getting any answers here.

BTW, I don't appreicate begin called "trolling" (whatever that is). I'm just a person who's confused.

People are tring to explain it to you but you dont seem to want to listen. To put it simple, what you are asking for can not be done.

 

[JoeyC]

Thanks for everyone's input. I'm not getting any answers here.

Not getting answers here? LOL! :lol: :lol:

 

[loumaag]

Thanks for everyone's input. I'm not getting any answers here.

Actually you are getting answers everytime you post. And I might add the answers are not confusing and are informative. The problem is you apparently have something set in your mind and no amount of facts presented will change your impression of how something works.

BTW, I don't appreicate begin called "trolling" (whatever that is). I'm just a person who's confused.

I didn't call you "trolling" or for that matter did I call you a Troll; I merely said I suspected if you continued to deny what you were being told, I would suspect you were trolling.

I have just reviewed all 18 (up to this time) posts you have made on forums here. It is apparent that you just have a basic mis-understanding of what Trunking is and how it works. I will repeat my advice that you go to the RadioReference Wiki FAQ (link provided previously) and go through the information there. Once you have read that information with an open mind, if you have informed questions, then you certainly are welcome to continue to ask them. People hang out on these forums to learn and to teach, nothing is more frustrating than to try and help someone who already has thier mind made up and won't accept the answers to the questions they ask. 8)

 

[lgentle]

One person DID answer my question.

JoeyC - Thank you for the answer.

I was just wondering why you had to save tg id's into a scanlist just to alpha tag them. A simple I don't know, that's just how scanner manufactures do it would work.

 

[loumaag]

I give up! :evil:

One person DID answer my question.

JoeyC - Thank you for the answer.

I was just wondering why you had to save tg id's into a scanlist just to alpha tag them. A simple I don't know, that's just how scanner manufactures do it would work.

I do know. It is not just how the scanner manufactures do it. It is the only way it can be done. The mfgrs. are not choosing to make life miserable, there is just no other way to do it; as was explained at least twice previously by me alone, not to mention everyone else who has answered before.

A judge I once knew used to quipe, "Don't try and confuse the issue with facts." You may be related to him! :roll:

 

[h8tdigitalradio]

I was just wondering why you had to save tg id's into a scanlist

If you want to ID Scan a selected List of TG's, and not ALL THE TG's.

just to alpha tag them.

You don't have to Alpha Tag TG's if you don't want to. That is up to the user.

A simple I don't know, that's just how scanner manufactures do it would work.

From this statement, you seem confused. Follow Lou's advice to get a good understanding of "just how scanner manufactures do it would work"

73

Dave AKA The Tripzter :shock:

 

[lgentle]

A picture is worth....

 

[loumaag]

Yes? The chart shows that it has the capability of storing 100 TG's per trunking bank. This seems pretty standard for Uniden radios. My 796d has the same limit. My Pro-96 can store 150 TG's per trunking bank (5 banks of 30 ea). It being able to store an extra 50 doesn't help on systems that have hundreds of TG's. I still don't understand your point.

No matter how much memory you put in a scanner or how much you try to figure a way to do it, there is no way for the radio to know, before you program it, to know that TG 02-111 is Uilicorp United - Energy One Utility on the RACOM system and 02-111 is Magnolia Bend VFD-Back channel on the Montgomery County, TX system. So until then you will just have to do like the rest of us; program the ones you want to listen to and assign your own alpha tags. 8)