Hi, I am using the Butel ARC software to program my 996t. I am starting to get the hang of it but one problem I have encountered is that when I have taken systems directly from radio reference and programmed them into the scanner I get duplicate frequencies in some of my different county systems. I.e. county a uses 155.73 as does county b. The software is programming the same frequency into different systems and the scanner is scanning them. I was under the impression that the scanner would alert me to duplicate frequencies. I know that the software allows me to find and erase duplicates within a group but not across systems as far as I can tell. Any help would be appreciated. I am sure I just missing something. I have had the radio for less than a week.
BCD 996t Duplicate Channels Help!
- Thread starter smp928s
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Thanks garys, any suggestions as to what i can do to fix my problem? I can save my virtual control scanner logs to excel and sort the frequencies and find the duplicate systems using them one by one but is there a better way you know of?
Butel's software can find, and delete duplicate frequencies. I think it's in the Options pull-down menu.
Thanks for the replies. As far as I can see the arc software only finds duplicates in single groups. For example One of my systems is Schenectady County and one is Schoharie County (I am in upstate NY). The software will find duplicates in my Schenectady County Groups if I am looking at those, but will not tell me if I have the same frequency in one of my Schenectady County Groups as I do in one of my Schoharie County Groups (as they are separate systems). I hope this made sense, and again I am new to the scanner and the software so I may be missing something. Thanks again for the help as I am quite confused.
I'm currently running ARC250, with a BC796D, and Butel's software gives me the option to check for duplicates in the Current Group, or All Groups. Your software is a little different, yet newer, so I would have to believe it can do the same.
I don't have my ARC996 installed at the moment, so I can't confirm.
I don't have my ARC996 installed at the moment, so I can't confirm.
My software has this option as well but its not really searching all groups across all systems, it just checks the groups in the system you are clicked on. So if the same frequency is in 2 different systems it doesn't appear to have the ability to find it. It doesn't even give the option to find or delete duplicate channels unless you are clicked on a group. I am trying to find a way to highlight more than one system at a time but I am striking out. Thanks for your help.
You can not search for duplicates in multiple systems, this only works within the active
system.
Gommert
www.butelsoftware.com
system.
Gommert
www.butelsoftware.com
Going back to the original question, is there a real problem here? It's not uncommon for counties to use the same frequencies for different purposes. They should have been properly coordinated and thus have different CTCSS/DPL codes in such circumstances. I see only one county shf mentioned using it in the RR listing, with PL 186.2. What's the other county use? Just because they're the same frequency doesn't mean you want to delete the duplicate--make sure it has the proper PL/DPL as necessary. Of course, if it's an inter-agency frequency that each agency uses with the same PL/DPL, it would be better in a common systems group than within each county system. This also assumes you're grouping your counties as separate systems. Lot's of memory, lots of capabilities for separate systems, so make sure you're using the scanner and software to organize your monitoring.
thanks bc for the reply. I have been an avid scanner user for many years but I guess I have never taken the time to learn the ins and outs of the technical side. What you just told me is new to me and quite confusing. Basically here is one example of my situation. Using the radioreference to ARC direct programming I put Essex County and Schoharie County New York into my scanner as separate systems. Both counties use (I think its 155.22, I am not near my scanner). I am getting ems calls for Schoharie County on both the channels that are programmed into my scanner, the Schoharie County 155.22 and the Essex County. Part of the problem is that Essex County is pretty much out of my listening range over 100 miles away and I probably won't hear it anyways but I figured since I have so many channels, why not. I am assuming the situation you are discussing would be two counties within range of each other on the same frequency having different uses. Schoharie County NY and Essex County NY are over 150 miles apart from each other. I am somewhat in the middle of them. I will look into the information you gave me so I am better educated as that is what I am here to do. If you could point me in the direction of a post or an article that better describes ctcss/dpl codes etc. I would appreciate it. Thanks again.
Read http://www.grove-ent.com/SCANNERPROGRAMMING.htm for the system grouping concept (it's a good review, especially for the new scanners). Search the WIKI database for basic information on CTCSS (aka PL, Channel Guard, Tone Squelch) or DCS (aka DPL, Digital Squelch).
The issue you're experiencing could be the fact that some frequencies, like the EMS frequencies, are indeed common to every agency and may use only carrier squelch (no CTCSS or DCS), thus you'd hear all traffic on that frequency, regardless of what jurisdiction is using it. In such circumstances, for example, I have a separate system programmed, e.g., State Common, that has the point to point, ITAC, VTAC, UTAC, EMS, MABAS. Mutual Aid, and other similar state-wide common frequencies in that system grouped so as to keep the clutter out of specific county or city system groupings. If, however, something is specific to that county or system, by all means give it an entry within a group of that county's system.
Be sure to set up your system quick keys and group quick keys within each system to give you better granular control of what you want to listen to. Be sure to program the tones for the frequencies listed to get the least interference (other counties or services on the same frequency, band openings to areas you're not interested in, etc.), giving you the most enjoyment out of listening.
The issue you're experiencing could be the fact that some frequencies, like the EMS frequencies, are indeed common to every agency and may use only carrier squelch (no CTCSS or DCS), thus you'd hear all traffic on that frequency, regardless of what jurisdiction is using it. In such circumstances, for example, I have a separate system programmed, e.g., State Common, that has the point to point, ITAC, VTAC, UTAC, EMS, MABAS. Mutual Aid, and other similar state-wide common frequencies in that system grouped so as to keep the clutter out of specific county or city system groupings. If, however, something is specific to that county or system, by all means give it an entry within a group of that county's system.
Be sure to set up your system quick keys and group quick keys within each system to give you better granular control of what you want to listen to. Be sure to program the tones for the frequencies listed to get the least interference (other counties or services on the same frequency, band openings to areas you're not interested in, etc.), giving you the most enjoyment out of listening.
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