BCD396/996 Digital Conventional Mode Programming

[Russell]

This one is a pet peeve for me. If I program a conventional channel (non-trunked) as Digital in the UASD will it block analog traffic on that channel?

I have a couple channels in the Dallas area that have recently moved to digital. I want to program a channel as digital only and do not want to hear other users on that channel in analog mode. On the Pro96 the mode must be set as FM to receive digital traffic. Unfortunately, this means I can hear all the analog traffic on that channel, too. For example, Grayson Co SO just moved to digital, so I set the mode back to FM from CT - now I hear all the other users in the area in analog mode. This is not desirable.

Thanks,
Russell

 

[hiegtx]

This one is a pet peeve for me. If I program a conventional channel (non-trunked) as Digital in the UASD will it block analog traffic on that channel?

I have a couple channels in the Dallas area that have recently moved to digital. I want to program a channel as digital only and do not want to hear other users on that channel in analog mode. On the Pro96 the mode must be set as FM to receive digital traffic. Unfortunately, this means I can hear all the analog traffic on that channel, too. For example, Grayson Co SO just moved to digital, so I set the mode back to FM from CT - now I hear all the other users in the area in analog mode. This is not desirable.

Thanks,
Russell

Russell,
On the 396, you can't really specify that. You can lock out a specific tone, so that you won't hear it, but that may make the scanner ignore digital transmission. Apparently, anything that makes the 396 look for or use a tone may cause issues.

On the 996, however, you can set channel voice for analog, digital, or "all". Download the 996 software and you'll see what I mean. You don't have to have the scanner to download & install the software.

I haven't ordered a 996 yet, but probably will. As TX DPS switches over to APCO-25 in additional areas, I suspect we'll see more of the Vhf county systems make the same move. The 996 is the only scanner with the option to sort the digital/analog channels consistently at this time.

 

[Russell]

This is an excellent selling point for the 996. The need to distinguish between analog and digital users is now a requirement. And to further that point, how soon will we be able to distinguish between digital users on the same frequency using the NAC? Texas DPS comes to mind on this one.

Thanks,
Russell

 

[ems170]

On the 396 if you set it to ignore a tone it will not decode digital. I really wish they would add the option to the 396 as I have the same problem with other users.

 

[Russell]

When will we start seeing scanners supporting the NAC the same way they handle PL/DPL? I would like to see search and set for NACs before I think I will consider a new digital scanner. (Of course I am awfully tempted).

 

[ems170]

Adding the option to the 396 would be really great. Half of the digital conventional ch's I listen to get some sort of skip. It seems to me going back to csq monitoring is a major step in the wrong direction,