SC230: CTCSS/DCS Search

[VinceL]

I have owned a couple of SC230 scanners for several years and use them at NASCAR races.

In the past the race teams tended to use the same tone codes on their frequencies throughout the year. Recently, the teams have started switching tone codes fairly frequently. So, when you get to the track, you have to set the CTCSS/DCS menu option to SEARCH. When you catch a transmission, the display shows the tone code. Then, you have to go through several menu choices to program the correct tone code for that frequency. With most drivers using 2 frequencies and wanting to listen to several drivers, it is very time consuming to capture and program all the tone codes.

I have tried several key combinations unsuccessfully to see if there is a shortcut to program the tone code for the frequency. It would be so great if something like Func + some other key would just store the tone code with the frequency.

I'm hoping that there is a way to do this, and I just haven't been smart enough to figure out how to do this.

Does anyone on the forum know if what I want to do is possible?

 

[pb_lonny]

You should only need to program the tones if more than one driver is on each frequency.

 

[VinceL]

While there is only one driver per frequency, the amount of radio traffic around a NASCAR race track is enormous. You have the drivers, speedway security, television, radio, etc. The airwaves are completely saturated. So, even with a modern scanner with good rejection, you still get bleedover if you don't have the tone code programmed in to the scanner.

 

[UPMan]

It has been a few years since I did anything w/the SC230, but IIRC if the found tone is flashing on the display, you should be able to press E to save the found tone to the current channel.

 

[racingfan360]

Agree with both of the two responses.....I'm not familiar with NASCAR, but other with other racing series it's quite common to find that the crew channel and the driver channel share the same frequency but with different CTCSS/DCS tones. My recommendation would be to program in the frequencies and have the CTCSS/DCS just set to SEARCH. If there is local interference try enabling the ATTenuator instead of assigning a set CTCSS/DCS tone. And if that doesn't work, then I'd try Paul's advice of pressing Enter on the found tone (but again watch out if there are multiple tones on the same frequency).

 

[VinceL]

It has been a few years since I did anything w/the SC230, but IIRC if the found tone is flashing on the display, you should be able to press E to save the found tone to the current channel.

I never even thought to try something that simple.I sure hope it works.

Thanks for the reply UPMan.

If I couldn't find a shortcut with programming the tone code, my next step was to try using the Attenuate function. Thanks for that suggestion, jhampton2000.

 

[wtp]

for bleedover

try a race antenna.
https://racingelectronics.com/colle...ucts/antenna-high-performance-scanner-antenna
it might say high performance but it is low performance that you want.
it beats having to set attenuation if you have it.
i have even taken my antenna out at some events.

 

[phask]

You could always experiement on some local system before the race.

I never even thought to try something that simple.I sure hope it works.

Thanks for the reply UPMan.

If I couldn't find a shortcut with programming the tone code, my next step was to try using the Attenuate function. Thanks for that suggestion, jhampton2000.