Digital Trunk programming question.

[DigitalMDX]

I have a Digital Trunking programming question.
When programming a scanner with ProScan using the RadioReference Database there are 3 sites listed. One for N Thurston, One for SW Thurston and one for Yelm, a city to the south (All within my county and all having radio transmissions I would be interested in).

In the download process I have the option to select one, two or all of these locations. I live in the "N Thurston" area, so that is the only one I've selected. I would like to pick up as much traffic as possible and am wondering if I should check (include) the other two locations or if that would be detrimental. I'm not sure if those sites are just for coverage and everything is relayed though each site anyway, or if I would need to have all 3 sites selected.

Thank you

 

[icom1020]

" N County" does pretty good on its own. I can recieve it all the way down to Chehalis. Maybe place Yelm in another function button with the different county law and fire TGs. I'll listen to that site to hear what affiliates

 

[DigitalMDX]

Maybe I'll setup another scanner with just Yelm and compare the two side by side off of the same outside antenna. It's good to know the "N Thurston" is reaching Chehalis so perhaps the other two sites are to cover dead areas for portables in those areas. Thanks!

 

[jtwalker]

It is a trade-off on scan speed versus possibly missing traffic that is on the other two sites but not on the one site you pick. I would listen to them all for a while, logging in ProScan to see what TGs come through and on which site(s) and decide after reviewing the results.

 

[DigitalMDX]

That's the part I'm not understanding. The top 'tree' is "Thurston County" (12 frequencies and 74 talk groups). Then under "Thurston County" are the three sites with only 4 frequencies each, making up the 12 total frequencies (No talk groups listed, just frequencies). ALL of the talk groups are under "Thurston County" (See graphic in original post), so by selecting one of the other 'sites' I'm only gaining 4 frequencies and no talk groups as they are all under "Thurston County". That's what leads me to believe these are just radio sites to pick up the portable radios in previously poor reception areas. If that is true, then is that traffic from "Yelm" relayed to the "N Thurston" site?

 

[icom1020]

I only heard Law OPS 1 and Fire OPS 1-4 on "Yelm" The S County site wasn't all that strong in the S.end, which i took out, so I'm thinking N Thurston is the primary simulcasting.

 

[devicelab]

That's what leads me to believe these are just radio sites to pick up the portable radios in previously poor reception areas. If that is true, then is that traffic from "Yelm" relayed to the "N Thurston" site?

It depends on how the system is designed. RR doesn't give you enough info to draw any conclusions. You'd have to listen to the system to know for certain.

It's possible the Yelm site only lets specific users in and broadcasts only Yelm-specific TGIDs. Until someone verifies (either way) then we can't know for certain. I'd guess that every Tier 1 agency is simulcasted on every site. Smaller agencies/entities may be restricted to certain sites.

For example, if Yelm School District were to join the system then those users would likely be confined to the Yelm site only.

 

[buddrousa]

It could be that if no Talkgroup is Affiliated with one of those Sites then they will not Transmit any Traffic.

 

[jtwalker]

That's the part I'm not understanding. The top 'tree' is "Thurston County" (12 frequencies and 74 talk groups). Then under "Thurston County" are the three sites with only 4 frequencies each, making up the 12 total frequencies (No talk groups listed, just frequencies). ALL of the talk groups are under "Thurston County" (See graphic in original post), so by selecting one of the other 'sites' I'm only gaining 4 frequencies and no talk groups as they are all under "Thurston County". That's what leads me to believe these are just radio sites to pick up the portable radios in previously poor reception areas. If that is true, then is that traffic from "Yelm" relayed to the "N Thurston" site?

This is how a trunked system shows up. The sites and talkgroups are not subordinate to the other, just both exist as part of the system setup.