gtaman
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get yourself a cheap HP windows 10 laptop. I think they are 129 bucks. Come with A full version of Windows 10. 1080p 13 inch screen lan ports and WiFi. They are really nice.
Columbus City vs. Columbus MARCS vs. Franklin County
- Thread starter Bswartz95
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get yourself a cheap HP windows 10 laptop. I think they are 129 bucks. Come with A full version of Windows 10. 1080p 13 inch screen lan ports and WiFi. They are really nice.
I use Macs also; never had a problem programming my radios. Assuming you have an Intel MacBook and not one of the new M1-based models, all you need is a valid Windows install disk or image, and a virtualization program; I use VMWare but you can get Virtual Box free.
If your MacBook is a new M1 model, you'll be better off buying a cheap Windows laptop; Intel-based operating systems won't run virtually on the M1 line (I have an M1 Mac Mini at home and found out the hard way it won't work for this; fortunately I have a 2019 Intel MacBook Pro).
And I should qualify that; running an app called UTM allows you to run Intel-based operating systems, but as an emulator rather than virtualization. It works, but it's a tad slow.
A Site is the tower with the frequencies on it; within the scanner, sites are part of a system and once entered you really don't need to mess with them. A department is basically a scan list of talkgroups.
The hierarchy for Uniden scanners is Favorite>System>Department; sites just kind of lurk in the background.
Assuming you have a quick key assigned to your favorite list and a quick key assigned to each system, you would then assign a separate quick key to each department. Departments are enabled/disabled by pressing the numeric keys corresponding to the quick key numbers.
For example, assuming that your Columbus favorite list is Favorite QK1, the Columbus City system is System QK1, and you have CFD Battalion 7 set up as Department QK7, simply press 1.1.7/yes, and you'll toggle Department 7 off (or on).
Take a look at the Easier to Read Manual; very helpful. Easier to Read SDS100/200 Digital Scanner Manual
I have my Columbus favorite list with Departments 1-20 set up for the first 20 zones of the CFD radio template; Departments 21-25 correspond to CPD Zones 1-5, etc.
Department 1 - CFD Battalion 1
Department 2 - CFD Battalion 2
Department 3 - CFD Battalion 3
Department 4 - CFD Battalion 4
Department 5 - CFD Battalion 5
Department 6 - CFD Battalion 6
Department 7 - CFD Battalion 7
Department 8 - CFD Battalion 8
Department 9 - CFD EMS Zone 9
Department 10 - CFD Fire Zone 10
Department 11 - Hospitals
Department 12 - CFD Training
Department 13 - CFD Training
Department 14 - Emergency Fireground/Airports
Department 15 - Westerville FD
Department 16 - MEC Center
Department 17 - Misc
Department 18 - Southwest Fire
Department 19 - THE Ohio State University
Department 20 - CFD Emergency backup talkgroups
Department 21 - CPD Zone 1
Department 22 - CPD Zone 2
Department 23 - CPD Zone 3
Department 24 - CPD Zone 4
Department 25 - CPD Zone 5
Needless to say, putting all that stuff in the radio is way easier with a computer.
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My list looks very similar with CPD at the front end. I've figured out how to use 1.1.4 to mute zone 4. May need to make a cheat sheet. The CPD plain cars can get chatty. Haha.
And yes, twisting the knob to name all the individual talk groups is tedious! I have a MacBook a few years old, so I think I can should be able to run Sentinel with Virtual Box. Have you put any conventional frequencies as a second system in a favorites with a P25? I'll get to do this all again this weekend when the SDS100 arrives. At least I'll know what I'm doing, for the most part. thanks again!
Anytime
So if my goal is to listen to Columbus PD only?.....Is it best to use the City system or the Marc's system or both, and using the talkgroup ID's being the driver?
It's not the system delay, though that should help, it's just that the scanner takes 2 sec. or so to analyze the system and direct traffic. (per the late UPMAN).
Indeed they can....
Yes, I have a couple of systems set up with conventional frequencies, primarily fire paging for the neighboring counties. Works fine but it slows things down, so if I'm sitting in the shack at home I'll often have a separate scanner running the conventional stuff.
Remember, with Virtual Box you need to have a Windows install CD/DVD or image; it's not included with the basic download of VB. Basically, you're installing a whole operating system inside that virtual machine package. Fortunately they make the process fairly easy and straightforward, so you shouldn't have any problems. I use Win7Pro by personal preference (don't want my computer phoning home to the Micro$oft mother ship any more than necessary, and definitely don't want to be force-fed updates I don't need), but most folks seem to get by with Windoze 10. I thought about buying a Win10Pro DVD with license off eBay but then sanity returned.
Also, consider looking at other software packages like ProScan or ARC536; they're much more user-friendly. I never use Sentinel anymore unless I have to do a database or firmware update.
Columbus City site only. If I recall correctly, Columbus has all their radios programmed to always stay on the City site except under certain circumstances, so you'll rarely see Columbus talkgroups on other sites.
I bought myself a Toughbook CF-53 specifically for programming my Real Man radios (Moneyrola, Harris, Icom, etc), but often use it for programming scanners as well. While the scanners are all USB, some of the Real Man radios still use the DB9 port, and I found that USB-Serial converters were sometimes hit or miss on performance. Since I don't want to turn a kilobuck radio into a doorstop I spent the money on a laptop with a comm port.
The CF-53 only cost me $150 on eBay with power pack and hard drive caddy; I outfitted it with an SSD and bulked up the RAM to 16gb. It zings along nicely, but I still prefer using the virtual machine on my MacBook as much as possible so I don't have to hop back and forth.
I created a Google Doc cheat sheet until I get stuff memorized. It's a work in progress. I need to break down CFD into different departments so it's easier to mute certain groups. I'm open to critical evaluation and suggestions. Haha.
Also, one question. Any way to single out a specific unit within a talkgroup. For example, Columbus has 35 fire stations. Could I single out Station 35 as a priority? Or cruiser district 141 in CPD Zone 2 (14th precinct)?
docs.google.com
Also, one question. Any way to single out a specific unit within a talkgroup. For example, Columbus has 35 fire stations. Could I single out Station 35 as a priority? Or cruiser district 141 in CPD Zone 2 (14th precinct)?
Scanner Favorites
docs.google.com
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No, can't narrow it down that far. The way CFD and CPD work their run cards, if a run occurs in 35s running district but they're tied up, the next available companies would be dispatched (probably Station 5 if they're not tied up). Ditto CPD; if 141 isn't available another car would be dispatched.
In addition, Station 35 doesn't just take runs within their own running district; they could get dispatched as next due on an incident outside their primary running district. Ditto CPD.
And to complicate matters, Station 35 is within Battalion 6; normally a fire run would be assigned to BN6FG since Battalion 6 is the first-due chief. But if Battalion 6 is tied up on another run, the next-due battalion chief is placed on the run with 35s, and the run is assigned to that battalion fireground.
I used to joke with my counterparts at the City that they had so many talkgroups there was a "Cat in the Tree" talkgroup for every fire truck in the Columbus Fire Department. They didn't like that too much. However, if that were in fact the case, you would be able to narrow down your monitoring even more.
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I kind of thought that it wouldn't be possible. I'll just set an audible alert and priority for Battalion 6 Fire and priority for Zone 2 Dispatch. It won't cover EMS, but it's something. Haha.
With so many departments programmed, I assume it's normal to have 90% of them turned "off", otherwise you'd miss everything. I have everything "off" except, CPD Z2 groups, CFD groups, MECC groups, & Gahanna PD. Seem to catch most things.
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You Definitely have to filter, on my Unication since it only has 8 knob positions I combined each battalion into a zone most of the time unless it’s a big fire they only use the Battalions IC and Fireground, just depends on the command,
The busiest talkgroups for CFD I listen to are
10-FIRE (the automated dispatch volume to me is really low)
9-EMS-1
9-EXTRICATION
10-ALPHA
9-POLICE-FIRE
Another thing is after you listen for a while you will get a handle on how things work pretty well, it really just takes time
Just have fun with it
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Ok....I'm looking to program a radio for a friend, I do not live in the Columbus area, so if I wanted to monitor CPD only (Z1 thru Z5)? What system would give the best reception?. City Simul or MARC's Simul ? or should I program in the control frequencies of both? and just let the talk group ID's figure it out? lol?
CPD uses the "Columbus City" system. You won't hear them anywhere else. I programmed in the control channels and then selected the individual talkgroups that I wanted. I turn the ID search "off", but you could let it find all of them. Your friend could "avoid" the ones they don't want. I selected my own talkgroup IDs because I organized each CPD Zone as its own department in my scanner and I don't care for the traffic enforcement channels.
Many of the suburban police I have found on the MARCS (Gahanna, Bexley, New Albany, Whitehall, Pickerington).
My current format is a work in progress on this google doc. The talkgroups (DEC) are in separate departments according to who they are.
Scanner Favorites
docs.google.com
Attachments
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Thanks you !!CPD uses the "Columbus City" system. You won't hear them anywhere else. I programmed in the control channels and then selected the individual talkgroups that I wanted. I turn the ID search "off", but you could let it find all of them. Your friend could "avoid" the ones they don't want. I selected my own talkgroup IDs because I organized each CPD Zone as its own department in my scanner and I don't care for the traffic enforcement channels.
Many of the suburban police I have found on the MARCS (Gahanna, Bexley, New Albany, Whitehall, Pickerington).
My current format is a work in progress on this google doc. The talkgroups (DEC) are in separate departments according to who they are.
Scanner Favorites
SDS100 arrived. I programmed most of the Columbus City talk channels and some from Columbus MARCS (circa 2 hours manually). No simulcast issues. The BCD436 is being boxed up and sent back as we speak! Haha.
Remtronix REM-820S antenna arrives this week!
Remtronix REM-820S antenna arrives this week!
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Good call. The SDS100 will keep you busy tinkering; I spent some time playing with the display layout and colors on mine to make it visually distinctive and somewhat easier to read.
Outstanding
I have a setup in progress. I just thought of putting my "Favorites 2" as "System 2" under Favorites 1. Would there be an advantage to putting the suburbs as a 2nd system in Fav 1?
FAVORITES 1 - Columbus
SYSTEM 1 - Columbus City
DEPARTMENTS -
FAVORITES 2 - SUBURBS (EAST)
SYSTEM 1 - COLUMBUS MARCS
DEPARTMENTS -
FAVORITES 3 - LICKING COUNTY
SYSTEM 1 - Pataskala
DEPARTMENTS -
FAVORITES 1 - Columbus
SYSTEM 1 - Columbus City
DEPARTMENTS -
- CPD Zone 1 (N)
- CPD Zone 2 (SE)
- CPD Zone 3 (SW)
- CPD Zone 4 (N. Central)
- CPD Zone 5 (Central)
- CPD Traffic Enforcement
- CPD SWAT
- Helicopter & Canine
- Special Events
- Columbus Fire
- CFD Battalion 1
- CFD Battalion 2
- CFD Battalion 3
- CFD Battalion 4
- CFD Battalion 5
- CFD Battalion 6
- CFD Battalion 7
- CFD Battalion 8
- MECC Fire/EMS
FAVORITES 2 - SUBURBS (EAST)
SYSTEM 1 - COLUMBUS MARCS
DEPARTMENTS -
- Gahanna Police
- New Albany Police
- Whitehall Police
- Pickerington Police
- Bexley Police
- Hospitals
FAVORITES 3 - LICKING COUNTY
SYSTEM 1 - Pataskala
DEPARTMENTS -
- Licking County Fire
- Licking County Sheriff
- Pataskala PD
- Status
