Hello Radio Geniuses:
I just replaced my old scanner (996xt) with a 536hp and am having trouble understanding a few issues.
I know very little about the new scanner and am completely clueless when it comes to the NJ ICS system.
I updated the firmware using Sentinel and purchased Pro-Scan for the PC controllability and future streaming to Broadcastify. I wasn’t aware that it could also program the scanner, so I also purchased the Butel software for programming from the Radio Reference database(s).
I primarily want to listen to Cedar Grove Police/Fire/EMS and North Caldwell Police/Fire when I’m at work in Denville.
I added the NJ ICS “System” and added several “Sites” that seemed to be close to Denville.
(Morris County Simulcast / West Orange Simulcast / High Point)
I then added all of “Essex County” as the “Department” instead of just adding the CG and NC talkgroups and then enabled “permanently avoid” for everything other than the CG and NC talkgroups. (leaving the other Essex entries in the scanner, but “avoided“ so I can go back later and monitor them if desired).
Everything seemed to go smoothly up until attempted to listen to those two towns.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The issues I am having difficulty with understanding:
1. Are all of the talk groups carried on all of the “sites” or are they only carried regionally?
2. What would be the best “site“ for me to use? Or should I leave all of the sites enabled? Does the scanner look for the strongest “site” signal?
3. From my location, once I figure out which site is closest and clearest, can I monitor unencrypted talk groups on the system from around the state?
Example: Can I listen to a distant shore town while the scanner is physically located in Denville? Can I listen to Cedar Grove and North Caldwell if the scanner is physically located at our summer home down in Lavalette?
Did that make sense?
4. Is there an easy way to identify the best “site” to my current location? (signal strength, etc.)
5. If I have hundreds/thousands of “departments“ entered into my primary favorites list but most (95%) are “permanently avoided“, does it slow down the scanning process?
6. The CG fire department is apparently still being paged out on their old UHF (T-Band) frequency. Is this just a temporary way of duplicating the QC2 paging for redundancy or back up? Are they being toned out on the TRS radio system?
7. I was able to monitor a few random transmissions on the ICS system while I was tinkering with it and the audio sounded very poor to me compared to analog etc. I know it sounds like I’m being very fussy and I guess I am. 🤔
How well does the 536hp decode P25 phase 1 or 2 compared to the SDS200 and/or an actual Motorola APX series portable radio?
If I purchase an APX8000, can I MONITOR (RX only) the ICS system? Or does it require system keys or anything similar? I would definitely consider purchasing a single radio to replace my 4 older XTS portabłes (VHF / UHF 1+2 / 800).
I was much more active on the ham bands when working out in Colorado, but rarely use them as of late now that I’m back in Jersey, so wouldn’t mind a single radio replacement for the 4 old beasts.
Thank you very much and 73.
I just replaced my old scanner (996xt) with a 536hp and am having trouble understanding a few issues.
I know very little about the new scanner and am completely clueless when it comes to the NJ ICS system.
I updated the firmware using Sentinel and purchased Pro-Scan for the PC controllability and future streaming to Broadcastify. I wasn’t aware that it could also program the scanner, so I also purchased the Butel software for programming from the Radio Reference database(s).
I primarily want to listen to Cedar Grove Police/Fire/EMS and North Caldwell Police/Fire when I’m at work in Denville.
I added the NJ ICS “System” and added several “Sites” that seemed to be close to Denville.
(Morris County Simulcast / West Orange Simulcast / High Point)
I then added all of “Essex County” as the “Department” instead of just adding the CG and NC talkgroups and then enabled “permanently avoid” for everything other than the CG and NC talkgroups. (leaving the other Essex entries in the scanner, but “avoided“ so I can go back later and monitor them if desired).
Everything seemed to go smoothly up until attempted to listen to those two towns.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The issues I am having difficulty with understanding:
1. Are all of the talk groups carried on all of the “sites” or are they only carried regionally?
2. What would be the best “site“ for me to use? Or should I leave all of the sites enabled? Does the scanner look for the strongest “site” signal?
3. From my location, once I figure out which site is closest and clearest, can I monitor unencrypted talk groups on the system from around the state?
Example: Can I listen to a distant shore town while the scanner is physically located in Denville? Can I listen to Cedar Grove and North Caldwell if the scanner is physically located at our summer home down in Lavalette?
Did that make sense?
4. Is there an easy way to identify the best “site” to my current location? (signal strength, etc.)
5. If I have hundreds/thousands of “departments“ entered into my primary favorites list but most (95%) are “permanently avoided“, does it slow down the scanning process?
6. The CG fire department is apparently still being paged out on their old UHF (T-Band) frequency. Is this just a temporary way of duplicating the QC2 paging for redundancy or back up? Are they being toned out on the TRS radio system?
7. I was able to monitor a few random transmissions on the ICS system while I was tinkering with it and the audio sounded very poor to me compared to analog etc. I know it sounds like I’m being very fussy and I guess I am. 🤔
How well does the 536hp decode P25 phase 1 or 2 compared to the SDS200 and/or an actual Motorola APX series portable radio?
If I purchase an APX8000, can I MONITOR (RX only) the ICS system? Or does it require system keys or anything similar? I would definitely consider purchasing a single radio to replace my 4 older XTS portabłes (VHF / UHF 1+2 / 800).
I was much more active on the ham bands when working out in Colorado, but rarely use them as of late now that I’m back in Jersey, so wouldn’t mind a single radio replacement for the 4 old beasts.
Thank you very much and 73.