Freescan APCO 25 site setup questions

[snakecharmer]

I am trying to setup a couple of APCO 25 systems in Freescan for a Uniden BCD996T. Specifically the KS Highway Patrol and the Colorado DTRS that seems to encompass pretty much everything in the state. With CO, I am basically wanting all the HIPO as well as Denver. Not really concerned with the rest of the state other than HIPO.

My real confusion has to do with sites and band plans. Both systems look to have many sites. I think 39 for KS and quite a few more for CO. Then each site has anywhere from like 4 to 9 frequencies. Do I need to set up every site individually? If this is the case, would I then need to assign seperate system quick keys to groups of sites in the same general area and then group quick keys to things like the individual troops or can I assign a single quick key to the entire system and just use group quick keys to turn on/off individual troops?

And what exactly do I do with the band plan tab? I dont really see any reference to band plans in the database. Is that something that is required or is that an optional thing?

 

[GrayJeep]

Not familiar with Freescan or Bearcat so...

it might help to know that Colorado doesn't rotate control channels so each site only needs one freq.

However there are LOTS of sites on CO. so a region-based arrangement is how I would approach the problem.

 

[snakecharmer]

Not familiar with Freescan or Bearcat so...

it might help to know that Colorado doesn't rotate control channels so each site only needs one freq.

However there are LOTS of sites on CO. so a region-based arrangement is how I would approach the problem.

In freescan it is pretty much the same setting up a single channel as several channels. Its the sites that take the time to set up and like you said, there are LOTS. Same thing with Kansas. This is my first go round with digital so I dont have a great understanding of how the sites and talkgroups interact. What I am trying to accomplish is being able to say just turn on CO HIPO with a single key press and have the scanner just follow whatever is in range as I drive across the state.

 

[GrayJeep]

If only it were that easy....... welcome to digital ;-)

You'll have to look at sites and their coverage and you'll want to look at the patrol areas for CSP to know which talkgroups to load.
I recommend you start small then think about it awhile. You'll probably find some other ways to do it that might be better. (I'm advising a friend on how to program a roadtrip from CO to Louisiana.)

Edit: I mean to say that my friend is reconsidering his initial strategies about how to program the route.

In freescan it is pretty much the same setting up a single channel as several channels. Its the sites that take the time to set up and like you said, there are LOTS. Same thing with Kansas. This is my first go round with digital so I dont have a great understanding of how the sites and talkgroups interact. What I am trying to accomplish is being able to say just turn on CO HIPO with a single key press and have the scanner just follow whatever is in range as I drive across the state.