Does scanning one site, multiple TGIDs slow things?

[CHHTX]

First of all, I want to apologize for such a (likely) stupid and (hopefully) simple question.

I'm currently in Donna TX and from what I have researched here on RR, it looks like pretty much all police traffic is now using LGVRRS. It's a little confusing though as on that page, Hidalgo County and the various towns are still listed. Does that mean that LGVRRS is the one in use but the others are still listed b/c they are still licensed, but no longer used? If someone is local and could confirm that to start, thanks a bunch! (I'm using an SDS100 with the remtronix 800mhz rubber duck)

Since I'm in Donna (specifically on the Donna/Weslaco border, south of I-2 in Victoria Palms), the Weslaco repeater is closest to me. So....for a listening plan, would a good plan be to program only the Weslaco repeater (since I'm not driving around) and then all of the possible TGIDs listed here? I could then set whatever town's TGIDs to "avoid", trying to narrow down the area that the repeater covers.

Also if there's anyone in the area that wants to share what they listen to & tips/hints then that would be a big help! Feel free to message me if you don't want to take up forum space. For example: "Donna police will be heard more here than there", "Texas DPS is highway patrol only", "the main place to listen to EMS is Xhere", etc....etc.

 

[hiegtx]

First of all, I want to apologize for such a (likely) stupid and (hopefully) simple question.

I'm currently in Donna TX and from what I have researched here on RR, it looks like pretty much all police traffic is now using LGVRRS. It's a little confusing though as on that page, Hidalgo County and the various towns are still listed. Does that mean that LGVRRS is the one in use but the others are still listed b/c they are still licensed, but no longer used? If someone is local and could confirm that to start, thanks a bunch! (I'm using an SDS100 with the remtronix 800mhz rubber duck)

Those conventional channels on the database page are still licensed. Unless someone in the area submits a change to the database that they are no longer used, they will continue to be listed. For a lot of agencies (cities, counties, and various public safety agencies), they keep the old frequencies licensed & technically available, in case some major issue takes down the trunked system. They would then dig the old radios out of storage & use the old channels until the trunk system is back up. If you have them programmed, but never hear anything other than an occasional automatic ID transmission (call sign & agency usage), then you might leave then programmed, but set the them to be avoided (ignored) unless & until something happens to the trunked system. If that occurs, then clear the Avoid & see if you hear any traffic on the old channels.

Since I'm in Donna (specifically on the Donna/Weslaco border, south of I-2 in Victoria Palms), the Weslaco repeater is closest to me. So....for a listening plan, would a good plan be to program only the Weslaco repeater (since I'm not driving around) and then all of the possible TGIDs listed here? I could then set whatever town's TGIDs to "avoid", trying to narrow down the area that the repeater covers.

The scanner does not actually "scan talkgroups", so the number of them that you have programmed is not really a factor. Instead, it receives the control channel & then checks the data stream to see if any of the talkgroups being used match those that you have programmed (and are not set as "Avoid"). It then would receive that talkgroup, and any others (programmed) that are active, before moving on to the next system or site. (If you were using ID Search, instead of ID Scan, you would hear any active talkgroup as long as it is not set as Avoid, and is not in a Department set as Avoid.)

The SDS scanners take a bit longer to actually acquire & analyze each site's control channel. I've seen figures posted anywhere from a half second, to a little over one second. So, adding additional sites will delay your scanning of other systems somewhat. But you do at least want the sites that carry the talkgroups of interest to you, as long as the site is in range. Obviously, you want the site closest to you. If a neighboring site on the system is also in range, you might check to see if you hear anything of interest. Not all talkgroups are carried on all sites. If there are other agencies in your county, that interest you, that are carried on sites other than Donna (and you can hear those sites), then you might want to include them.

 

[CHHTX]

Those conventional channels on the database page are still licensed. Unless someone in the area submits a change to the database that they are no longer used, they will continue to be listed. For a lot of agencies (cities, counties, and various public safety agencies), they keep the old frequencies licensed & technically available, in case some major issue takes down the trunked system. They would then dig the old radios out of storage & use the old channels until the trunk system is back up. If you have them programmed, but never hear anything other than an occasional automatic ID transmission (call sign & agency usage), then you might leave then programmed, but set the them to be avoided (ignored) unless & until something happens to the trunked system. If that occurs, then clear the Avoid & see if you hear any traffic on the old channels.



The scanner does not actually "scan talkgroups", so the number of them that you have programmed is not really a factor. Instead, it receives the control channel & then checks the data stream to see if any of the talkgroups being used match those that you have programmed (and are not set as "Avoid"). It then would receive that talkgroup, and any others (programmed) that are active, before moving on to the next system or site. (If you were using ID Search, instead of ID Scan, you would hear any active talkgroup as long as it is not set as Avoid, and is not in a Department set as Avoid.)

The SDS scanners take a bit longer to actually acquire & analyze each site's control channel. I've seen figures posted anywhere from a half second, to a little over one second. So, adding additional sites will delay your scanning of other systems somewhat. But you do at least want the sites that carry the talkgroups of interest to you, as long as the site is in range. Obviously, you want the site closest to you. If a neighboring site on the system is also in range, you might check to see if you hear anything of interest. Not all talkgroups are carried on all sites. If there are other agencies in your county, that interest you, that are carried on sites other than Donna (and you can hear those sites), then you might want to include them.

Thanks Steve! You always have a great explanation!!!