Double-checking equip needed for multi- Unitrunker+SDR#

[DarrelH]

I have Unitrunker & SDR# running great for the local Smartnet II system here.

Unless I'm missing something, I don't see an easy way to change between 'favorite' talkgroups in Uni. Like, sometimes I want to listen to Fire/EMS. Sometimes Sheriff. Sometimes different districts of each, etc. So I find myself locking out channel-by-channel, which is a bit annoying. Also, I don't know of any way to remotely make these adjustments, aside from remote-accessing my server.

So I figured I could get more NooElec SDR dongles/antennae and a good powered USB hub, and use something like ScannerLive (are there any alternatives?) to easily switch among talkgroups I want to hear.

Today I'm using one dongle for the control channel, and one for tuning the audio. This is the best-case scenario right?

That said, for each additional talkgroup I'd like to always have running so I could switch to quick & easy, would I need one more dongle or two? I'm sure multiple instances of SDR# have to run, one per audio/talkgroup. But I'm having trouble theorizing the setup for the front-end... (It would help if I wasn't rebuilding this PC today and could test on it)

Can I piggyback the audio from ONE dongle on the control channel, to multiple Unitrunker instances, and set those each to control different SDR#'s? This would mean I'd only need to buy one USB dongle per group I wanted active, instead of two.

And feel free to offer any other suggestions... I've jumped in head-first and had a rocketship start with all this, but I'm by no means an expert... yet.

Thanks
Darrel

 

[DaveNF2G]

This is really a question about using Unitrunker software and probably would get a more useful response in the appropriate forum for trunktracking software discussions.

Your hardware is not really relevant. What you propose is akin to running multiple scanners instead of using frequency and group selection features on the scanner itself to control what you hear.

 

[SCPD]

Unitrunker was designed to support an unlimited number of voice and signal receivers.

That said. I don't think the software that bridges SDR# to Unitrunker currently handles more than one voice receiver. The problem - IIRC - is it uses a text file to communicate the voice calls to SDR#. The bridge could be altered so that two or more receivers could be controlled (by using different folders for the each receiver) so that one receiver doesn't step on another.

If you want multiple SDR# voice receivers controlled by one instance of Unitrunker, as of right now - you're stuck.

What you propose will work but is a bit of a pain to manage. Try this ...

1. create a shortcut to Uniform.exe in Program Files\UniTrunker (or Program Files (x86)\Uniturnker). Set the working directory to something different from the default installation.
2. repeat #1 with different working folders for each additional voice receiver.
3. Pair each SDR# installation to each Unitrunker working directory so that you don't have one Unitrunker session controlling multiple SDR# sessions.
4. On the receiver window - use the Folder button to see where your files are stored (actually it's one folder up).

Good luck.

Perhaps someone can "fix" the bridge software so as to avoid all this.