BCT8 questions...

[ILbandit]

I am trying to program trunk freqs. into my private banks for the first time.
I entered all the freqs. from a local E2-800 system into bank 4, then went to "prog id", and put in a couple local ID numbers.
(I think they are id's anyway, numbers were 5 digit like: 21040/Lasalle Co. sherrif, and16560/Yellow Freight-Lasalle IL)

I noticed if I turn the squelch down, it moves though each freq. real slowly. One in a while a thing saying id scan comes up, I'm not sure what that is, or how it gets there.
It has stopped a couple times on people talking, and another 5 digit number comes up.( I am assuming these are other ID's) I pushed hold, and pushed the arrow buttons up to an empty id bank, hit E, and sved them also.

After doing this, do I just make sure the trunk button is pushed, and just scan bank 4? Will that make it scan for all active talking on the whole system, and show any new id numbers talking as is stops on transmissions?

I'm just kind of stumbling through all of this not knowing what I'm doing. I know it is probably alot simpler that I am thinking it is.
I'd really like to get this stuff figured out!
HELP???

 

[oregontreehugger]

Since I don't own one, I'm not sure if the BCT-8 does this, but I'm guessing it does:

There is a method to follow Motorola trunked systems strictly by programming in the control channel only. Might be a reference in your manual to "control channel scanning" or something to that effect.

The idea is that instead of having to enter all the frequencies from the trunked system you just enter the one or more control channels. Sometimes the control channel changes by itself, i.e., one day it's on one frequency, the next day it's on another.

(Also, be sure you programmed the frequencies in as "trunked" not just as conventional 800MHz frequencies. And yes, the five digit numbers sound like IDs.)

I'm pretty new to trunking myself, but I'm sure someone else on here who is more familiar will jump in.

 

[ILbandit]

Yeah, I changed it over to the control only, and put in the 2 numbers. And I am getting activity on there now.
Still playing around trying to figure out the "search" stuff though.
I don't really understand how to do alot of stuff yet.

Can I put any control channel or freq. or group number in that bank as long as it falls under the E2-800 system type?
Or does it have to be from the listings under Clear Talk only? (Since the freqs. I have in there now are from Clear Talk)

 

[Tweekerbob]

Try turning your squelch up. It should be turned up to the point where is does not go through each channel individually, but only displays ID SCAN or ID SEARCH.


What the radio is doing when you have the squelch is turned down all the way is going through each channel trying to find the control channel. It it possible this system is too weak?? Once it finds the control channel, as long as the reception is constant, it should stay "locked" on to the system unless you have other banks/channels active, in that case it will only lock on to that system, then continue scanning the other banks, then come back to that system. THen you will see ID scan or ID search. I forget which page in the manual talks about ID search and ID scan. In ID scan, the scanner will only stop on the talkgroups you have programmed whereas in ID search mode it will stop on any active talkgroup.

HTH, Ryan

p.s. I don't believe the BCT-8 has control channel only feature. To be on the safe side, I would enter ALL system frequencies into the bank. *****ACTUALLY, I stand corrected...The BCT-8 does do Control Channel Only mode as described on page 46 of the manual.