BCD436HP system/site frequencies question

[ofd8001]

No, what I mean is there a way to leave all the sites programmed with their respective control channels and NOT use location or GPS and set the scanner to park itself on the first good control channel it finds and not let go of that control channel to check other sites unless I move away from that tower and the control channel gets too weak to monitor?

You could, casting aside frequency limits restriction, program all the control channels for the whole system into one site. The scanner "latches" on to the first active control channel for a site and disregards all others.

The downside is you could be in range of multiple sites. So you may miss transmissions. That's because the scanner "latched on" to Site A and disregards adjacent Site B.

 

[marksmith]

No, what I mean is there a way to leave all the sites programmed with their respective control channels and NOT use location or GPS and set the scanner to park itself on the first good control channel it finds and not let go of that control channel to check other sites unless I move away from that tower and the control channel gets too weak to monitor?

If you only scan that one site, it will stay put. If you leave all the sites programmed, and you are scanning, it's going to scan. To my knowledge, Whistler radios do the same thing.

For multiple site systems, I often set the 2 or 3 local sites up that I usually monitor as individual systems. That way I can control what site (or sites) I monitor using quick keys or favorites lists.

Mark
WS1095/536/436/996P2/HP1e/HP2e/996XT/325P2/396XT/PRO668/PSR800/PRO652

 

[drdispatch]

With most multi-site systems, you will probably always be able to receive 2 or more sites. From my house I can reliably receive 5 sites on my state's P25 system. I always scan all 5 because 1 or 2 might carry traffic that the others do not, or if a site goes into site-trunking mode (isolating it from the rest of the system). There is an explanation why sites may carry traffic that a neighboring site would not, but it's complex; suffice it to say that if the department you monitor covers an area which is covered by more than 1 site, you will want to monitor all those sites.

 

[Tim-B]

Ok, I usually do what Mark Smith said and program each troop area as a different system with a single site and put in all the control channel frequencies for all sites in that troop area into that single site in the scanner so it will sit on that one control channel. I do understand how smartzone trunking works and how I will only hear any given talkgroup if there is a user's radio set to that talkgroup affiliated with that particular site. This is, however, not a problem on the system I am monitoring because any given site always seems to have all the local talkgroups active as well as those for at least a one parish(county) halo around that site. I will probably just set up the 436 that way as it works well when mobile around the state. The 28 frequency per site limit will be enough for me to put all control channels within a troop area in a single site in the programming.

 

[phask]

"han 1 site, you will want to monitor all those sites."

I'd question that - it's one of those YMMV issues. It may work for you, but not for others. There are 5 sites that overlap for my local area - but 1 site will get 99% of my local Sheriff. I have locked other scanners on 1 or 2 of the sites farthest from the center of the county. I do get traffic of other counties, yet all the SO is on both that site and the more central - maybe all 5

If you do it with just 1 scanner you will invariably lose something on another site... maybe.

Like you said - try all sites, learn your traffic/systems and hone down as needed.

With most multi-site systems, you will probably always be able to receive 2 or more sites. From my house I can reliably receive 5 sites on my state's P25 system. I always scan all 5 because 1 or 2 might carry traffic that the others do not, or if a site goes into site-trunking mode (isolating it from the rest of the system). There is an explanation why sites may carry traffic that a neighboring site would not, but it's complex; suffice it to say that if the department you monitor covers an area which is covered by more than 1 site, you will want to monitor all those sites.

 

[ofd8001]

The good part about these scanners and Sentinel, there are many ways of doing things.

Another thing you could do is set the Department Quick Keys (sites are at the department level) to correspond to the troop. Thus is you get in Troop 1's area, you turn on DQK1. If you move into Troop 2, you turn off DQK1 and turn on DQK2.

You can try many different methods and see what works best for you.

 

[Tim-B]

Yep, that's exactly how I do it. I also have a one parish(county) halo of sites and talkgroups programmed around each troop area for a bit of overlap for a more smooth transition when moving from one troop area to another. I also have an easy to remember numbering system I use with each agency's dispatch channels so I can quickly select their dispatch channel by entering [HOLD] [NUMBER] [NUMBER] [NUMBER] [MENU] to go to that channel quickly.