Camden Co. EDACS System & Talk Groups

[TrunkerNewbie]

I recently purchased a Radio Shack PRO-2051 Triple Trunking scanner. I am new to the trunking world of scanning.

I am ready to tear my hair out trying to set up this scanner for EDACS programming. The manual is of no use. I have no idea what the hell a talk group is or an ID? Are they one & the same? I do not know what I am doing wrong!!!!

The county I live in---Camden, Co (Cherry Hill, NJ) is an analog EDACS system & has encryption capabilities on all police radios.

I have entered the frequencies correctly (I think) under the ED (EDACS Wide Band: 9600 band) code.
The frequencies are:
866.950
867.750
868.475
868.950

Now here is where my head is in the clouds............Talk Groups. Cherry Hill's TG are:
273 02-021 CHPD-1 (patch to 155.52)
274 02-022 CHPD-2 (patch to 155.31)
276 02-024 Tactical
278 02-026 Traffic
281 02-031 Traffic

When I attempt to enter the above following the "programming id scan lists manually"....EDACS talk groups directions, I get nothing!!!!

I have not been able to scan anything EDACS!!!!!
---------------------------------------------------------

I also need detailed instructions on how to scan Talk Groups. I can't seem to do that?
Maybe give me some codes from Camden and/or Burlington Counties (New Jersey) to test out.

Sorry about this. As you can tell, I am new to trunking & haven't the slightest idea on what I am doing.

PS: I have the EDACS frequencies set up in BANK 1 & that is where I also tried to set up the IDs/Talk Groups. Is this correct or should the IDs/TG be in a a different BANK?

 

[robbinsj2]

I'm not familiar with the 2051 in particular, but here are some pretty general suggestions.

For EDACS, channels must be entered in the proper order, and you missed one in your list.

1=866.95000
2=867.47500
3=867.75000
4=868.47500
5=868.95000

Of course all five should be code ED. Finally make sure EDACS Wideband is enabled for the bank

Talkgroups are the same as IDs in this context. They should be programmed for the same bank (look in your manual for exactly how). There are two possible formats -- decimal (0273) or AFS (02-021). Program one or the other, depending on your scanner, but not both.

It may be better to put the scanner into ID Search mode once you get the frequencies' and bank's configurations correct. You'll have to check the manual on using ID Search mode, but basically it'll stop on any IDs it is able to receive, instead of only ones you have programmed and not locked out.

Burlington is a little more complex, because of the type of system it is. I wouldn't tackle it just yet if I were you. Besides it looks like all the police there are digital.

Camden Police looks comparable to Cherry Hill, so that might be another good system for you to try out. Same instructions as above, but use their six frequencies (in the order shown). Also make sure you put them in a different bank than Cherry Hill.

Good luck,

Jim

 

[TrunkerNewbie]

Camden Police looks comparable to Cherry Hill, so that might be another good system for you to try out. Same instructions as above, but use their seven frequencies (in the order shown). Also make sure you put them in a different bank than Cherry Hill.

Good luck,

Jim

Ut Oh!! I only counted 6 "frequencies". Where is the 7th one? :?

12 Talk Groups :roll:

Lawd, you're right about Burlington Co. That data info gave me a headache!

Thanks for your detailed info, reviewing my info & correcting my error. I printed it out. I am currently trying to get this scanner - the EDACS side to work. :x

 

[robbinsj2]

Sorry, I counted wrong, you're right & I edited my original post.

 

[TrunkerNewbie]

Well I have given up.....sort of.....playing around with this damn EDACS system.

I have triple checked everything & I don't know what I am doing wrong.
I *suspect* the problem may be the frequencies in the 2 cities, Camden & Cherry Hill. I wonder if they are *current & correct*?

I did find this wonderful site which I will be checking out once my brain becomes unfried.

EDACS PROGRAMMING Brief guide to EDACS programming step-by-step.

 

[camdensfinest_2000]

i have, those trunked systems in my ole 94 and i dont miss beat maybe youre doing some thing wrong consult the manal or get back with me in a post

 

[JRM5204]

You have to progam the LCN order in the begining of your bank starting with 01. (Example Bank 3 (301) if you start with 300 it won't track EDACS. Also you have to select EDACS for the bank and select ED for EDACS after you program each freq. Monitor the system and start saving the talkgroups as you monitor by holding trunk in when your on a active talkgroup, and I think if you hold in hold for a few seconds when a talkgroup is active it will monitor that specific talkgroup and not the whole system or you can go through the talkgroups you saved and lockout the ones you don't wanna monitor and listen to the ones you do, select closed mode I think it's function and 2 hold function and press 2 and it should switch from open to closed. I know what I said is confusing, look at what I said and read the manual and you should be able to figure it out.

 

[TrunkerNewbie]

i have, those trunked systems in my ole 94 and i dont miss beat maybe youre doing some thing wrong consult the manal or get back with me in a post

I have consulted my manual & other help manuals until I am blue in the face. This EDACS system is a pain in the ass.
I still can't hear a thing out of Camden or Cherry Hill & I know I should.
I have triple & quad tripled everything & I know I have configured everything correctly because I do hear Talk Groups but none from Cherry Hill or Camden! :evil:

I also noticed this item from the Cherry Hill data base:

"AS of Monday July 21st the VHF patch has been turned off. All police units are utilizing the 800 mhz radio system."

I should mention that I do hear bits & pieces of Cherry Hill Talk Groups on rainy days about flooding in the area. But, once that clears up, the Talk Groups are silent. :evil:


RadioShack Pro 2051

 

[TrunkerNewbie]

You have to progam the LCN order in the begining of your bank starting with 01. (Example Bank 3 (301) if you start with 300 it won't track EDACS. Also you have to select EDACS for the bank and select ED for EDACS after you program each freq. Monitor the system and start saving the talkgroups as you monitor by holding trunk in when your on a active talkgroup, and I think if you hold in hold for a few seconds when a talkgroup is active it will monitor that specific talkgroup and not the whole system or you can go through the talkgroups you saved and lockout the ones you don't wanna monitor and listen to the ones you do, select closed mode I think it's function and 2 hold function and press 2 and it should switch from open to closed. I know what I said is confusing, look at what I said and read the manual and you should be able to figure it out.

You're right it's confusing. RadioShacks manuals are a lot to be desired. Took me a month to figure this stuff out but with the help of you guys & throwing this scanner up against the wall a couple of times I sort of figured it out. :roll:
Still having problems with my county though which is stuck in EDACS & all the surrounding counties are on digital.

I should have bit the bullet & purchased a digital scanner.

Thank you.

RadioShack Pro 2051

 

[JRM5204]

Well I'm not sure if Camden is analog or digital but from what I have the above freqs are incorrect. I see they have some digital talkgroups but the main dispatch channels look analog. Try theese

866.1625 LCN01
866.7375 LCN02
867.7875 LCN03
868.1875 LCN04
868.7000 LCN05
860.9875 LCN06

Program them in a empty bank starting with channel 01 (Ex. Bank 1 Channel 101 not 100 and program for EDACS. You should be able to pickup the system now. Just make sure the above freqs are the only freqs in that bank for now. I don't think you can monitor multiple trunked systems in one bank bun you can monitor conventional freqs in that bank with the EDACS system.

 

[TrunkerNewbie]

Well I'm not sure if Camden is analog or digital but from what I have the above freqs are incorrect. I see they have some digital talkgroups but the main dispatch channels look analog. Try theese

866.1625 LCN01
866.7375 LCN02
867.7875 LCN03
868.1875 LCN04
868.7000 LCN05
860.9875 LCN06

Program them in a empty bank starting with channel 01 (Ex. Bank 1 Channel 101 not 100 and program for EDACS. You should be able to pickup the system now. Just make sure the above freqs are the only freqs in that bank for now. I don't think you can monitor multiple trunked systems in one bank bun you can monitor conventional freqs in that bank with the EDACS system.

The frequencies I posted in my original post are for Cherry Hill.
Yours are for Camden. I doubled checked them with mine, followed your directions & checked my bank & I did it exactly & still nothing!

Do you think the problem may be that I also programed the Talk Groups in the same bank?

Tomorrow, I am going to delete the Talk Groups that I programmed & see what happens. Because I noticed that the scanner picks up on all the Talk Groups that I did not program and none of them are Camden or Cherry Hill which are EDACS.

BTW: Camden & Cherry Hill are on the EDACS system.

PS: I just may work on this tonight as soon as I scrape this scanner off the wall *again*.
:twisted:

Thanks for sticking this out with me & your help is most appreciated.