Got ARC500 registered, new PRO 106... ?s

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jblave

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I now have registered version of ARC500, new PRO-106, and RR full membership. Now for the newb questions. I'm new to this all. The last scanner I had was in the 80's. Please go easy on me pros. I will be monitoring Clinton County, Illinois traffic. Fire, police, EMS. I live in a digital and analog mixed area. Basically my goal is to monitor dispatchers, officers, firemen, and EMTs while being able to follow the whole event. My areas's mixed modes has me confused on how to do this. I'm confused if the mode is FM it is analog, but some of the info in the RR databases show talk groups. Particularly New Baden, IL.(At least I think they are talk groups ex. TG7901 and TG8016.) The frequencies are not red or blue for control channels so I'm assuming they are analog. How is this so? How would I program my PRO 106 to follow these talk groups? Conventional or trunking?

Here is New Baden's info (scroll to new Baden):

Clinton County, Illinois (IL) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

Please help me understand. Wiki says talkgroups are for trunking!
 

jblave

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How do I set these up to hear them along with dispatcher? -
StarCom21 Statewide Illinois P25
Project 25 Phase I (FDMA) Police are dispatched by Clinton County Sheriff on TG 7901 (11/09) and use TG 8016 for local/car-to-car.

Dispatcher frequency:
154.04000 KYB919 RM 203.5 PL NBadn Police Police: Dispatch (DB: Clinton County) FM Law Dispatch
 

ka3jjz

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Let's start off with the concepts of trunking, since it kinda sounds like you may not understand this...read the first 2 links in the Overview section of (anything in blue is a link)

Trunked Radio Systems - The RadioReference Wiki

Note that the blue 'here' in the first line is really a PDF file, so you will need Adobe Acrobat or a reader like Foxit to view it.

Next we have the ARC500 user guide....

ARC500 User Guide - The RadioReference Wiki

best regards...Mike
 

jblave

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Thanks Mike. I'm getting it, but you are right trunking I'm not getting. I'll keep reading. I have already read thousands of pages here at RR. Anyway I have conventionals programmed in with ARC500. I'm hearing some complete events. If I can figure out trunking I'll be in there. ARC500 is so much easier than manual program even manual program from the 80's. Thanks again.
 

RomeRon

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Pm

Thanks Mike. I'm getting it, but you are right trunking I'm not getting. I'll keep reading. I have already read thousands of pages here at RR. Anyway I have conventionals programmed in with ARC500. I'm hearing some complete events. If I can figure out trunking I'll be in there. ARC500 is so much easier than manual program even manual program from the 80's. Thanks again.

I sent you a PM.
 

jblave

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I've found the info for the talkgroup IDs, but I'm having trouble finding the control channel frequencies for New Baden, Clinton County, IL. What would they be? I downloaded the organized PDF but there is only one set of frequencies in Clinton County (Junction City) Close to me but farther away than reception would allow. Would this be the control channel frequencies I use? Are repeaters increasing the broadcast range? If someone could give me this first example I think I have it. The info is not the same as other examples I have seen, not so straight forward.
 

RomeRon

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I've found the info for the talkgroup IDs, but I'm having trouble finding the control channel frequencies for New Baden, Clinton County, IL. What would they be? I downloaded the organized PDF but there is only one set of frequencies in Clinton County (Junction City) Close to me but farther away than reception would allow. Would this be the control channel frequencies I use? Are repeaters increasing the broadcast range? If someone could give me this first example I think I have it. The info is not the same as other examples I have seen, not so straight forward.

Unzip this file to your desktop, start ARC500 then File, Open, click on the clinton.gr5 file, then upload to scanner.
 

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RomeRon

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3 (3)

014 (E)

Junction City

Clinton

774.31875

774.53125c

774.83750a

775.28125

775.28125a

855.66250

860.81250
 

jblave

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RomeRON: I tried the zip file and have not recieved any transmissions for about two hours. I should have gotten something by now, at least a status informational or something. What do you think? I just want to hear the car to car and use digital tracking. In the ARC500 RR download pane what did you select on the left hand side?
 

RomeRon

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RomeRON: I tried the zip file and have not recieved any transmissions for about two hours. I should have gotten something by now, at least a status informational or something. What do you think? I just want to hear the car to car and use digital tracking. In the ARC500 RR download pane what did you select on the left hand side?

In ARC500 RR download I selected Junction City. Did you look at the map in one of the links that I posted, are you close enough to the tower, have you tried to take the scanner outdoors and try it?
 

RomeRon

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Lets give this file a try, I added conventional frequencies.
 

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jblave

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Romeron: you were right starcom21 is a big system. I decided to load tons of Control channels and use deductive reasoning to find the frequencies before you sent the second zipfile. The RR database upload for Arc500 listed the New Baden talkgroups I wanted. I have heard the Clinton county dispatcher and a Clinton County deputy(according to RR database they dispatch New Baden), but have yet to hear any of the New Baden talk groups. Maybe the officer is sleeping on the job haha! I'm also hearing chatter from all over the surrounding area. I probably have some unnecessary control channels as my scan list contains 1100 scanable objects. If I use all Illinois control channels it makes like 3500 scannable objects. I will try to upload Clinton2.zip to the scanner and let you know how it goes just out of curiosity. Digital is far more clear than conventional less hiss and static, but you get more garbled reception. At least I 'am.

Couple more questions:

1. In Arc500 when you click on the "scannable objects" folder what does the green bar and percentage represent? Scanner memory or maybe program memory? I thought the PRO 106 could hold 39000 scannable objects.

2. Can I make my digital reception on my scanner clearer and farther with a better antenna but still get conventional? (using stock rubberduckie)
 

jblave

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Romeron: By the way I really appreciate all your effort and help if I can ever repay you let me know. I owe you big!!
 

jaspence

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Pro 106

The reception problem may be caused by simulcast frequencies or some interference. A better antenna may or may not help. What is better for 800 mhz is not necessarily better for lower frequencies, so the conventional frequencies may be worse.

I haven't used my Pro 106 manual in quite a while, but the total number of objects may include those in V Scan folders, in which case they are only available one group or folder at a time. I am running 204 talk groups in my present configuration, and I still miss parts of conversations when traffic is heavy. Having 39000 would limit any meaningful listening.
 

RomeRon

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Romeron: you were right starcom21 is a big system. I decided to load tons of Control channels and use deductive reasoning to find the frequencies before you sent the second zipfile. The RR database upload for Arc500 listed the New Baden talkgroups I wanted. I have heard the Clinton county dispatcher and a Clinton County deputy(according to RR database they dispatch New Baden), but have yet to hear any of the New Baden talk groups. Maybe the officer is sleeping on the job haha! I'm also hearing chatter from all over the surrounding area. I probably have some unnecessary control channels as my scan list contains 1100 scanable objects. If I use all Illinois control channels it makes like 3500 scannable objects. I will try to upload Clinton2.zip to the scanner and let you know how it goes just out of curiosity. Digital is far more clear than conventional less hiss and static, but you get more garbled reception. At least I 'am.


Couple more questions:

1. In Arc500 when you click on the "scannable objects" folder what does the green bar and percentage represent? Scanner memory or maybe program memory? I thought the PRO 106 could hold 39000 scannable objects.

2. Can I make my digital reception on my scanner clearer and farther with a better antenna but still get conventional? (using stock rubberduckie)


The clinton2 file I did 2 starcom21's, 1 with rebanding, and 1 was splinter (heard somewhere 700/800 were splinter) and 1 with conventional. reason I tried this is you said you hadn't heard anything in a couple of hours on with the other file.

I am thinking now that the clinton.gr5 is the one you need, I will redo it and include the conventional freq's.

As for the garble it could be encription or signal strength, how many bars are showing on you s meter"?
An out side antenna should help.
The green bar I think is how much is programed in to the scanner.
 
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RomeRon

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Romeron: By the way I really appreciate all your effort and help if I can ever repay you let me know. I owe you big!!

You are welcome, I'm glad you got it working. you don't owe me anything, just pay it foward.
 
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jblave

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RomeRon: I'm 49 miles (driving distance almost straight shot) from Junction City, IL. According to the map out of range of Junction City. Do you see another location that would broadcast for New Baden, IL. S-meter is showing full bars for clear transmission and sometimes less for garbled communication. Is this a digital thing or, are the transmitters just far away from me? I still have not heard New Baden police talkgroup but have heard Clinton County deputy and dispatcher. It is making me wonder if I have the right talkgroup for New Baden or the right control frequencies?! I'm trying to to zero in on the control channels for New Baden, because if I upload the whole Clinton county database it uses 100% of my "green bar". Once again, thanks for everything and consider it payed forward!!
 

RomeRon

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RomeRon: I'm 49 miles (driving distance almost straight shot) from Junction City, IL. According to the map out of range of Junction City. Do you see another location that would broadcast for New Baden, IL. S-meter is showing full bars for clear transmission and sometimes less for garbled communication. Is this a digital thing or, are the transmitters just far away from me? I still have not heard New Baden police talkgroup but have heard Clinton County deputy and dispatcher. It is making me wonder if I have the right talkgroup for New Baden or the right control frequencies?! I'm trying to to zero in on the control channels for New Baden, because if I upload the whole Clinton county database it uses 100% of my "green bar". Once again, thanks for everything and consider it payed forward!!

Yes 49 miles is a bit to far.
Go to this link StarCom21 Statewide Illinois P25 Trunking System, Statewide, Illinois - Scanner Frequencies starting at System Frequencies, under name click on another county near where you live and it will show a map of the repeater.
 
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