Hickory EDACS clarification

[fyrboy]

Hey guys,

Newbie here, & I'm waaay ignorant about terminology, trunked programming, computer interface . . . most all of it.

In trying to program Hickory into my 396XT, the RR terminology on the Hickory Public Safety page is the same as for Motorola systems -- "Red (c) are primary control channels . . .", etc., but instead of a "c" indicating the control channel, I see "01", "02", etc. Is "01" the same as "c"? After I installed "01", it asked to "Input LCN." I don't know what that is.

When programming a trunked system, should the alternate channel be installed in addition to the control channel?

I worked for Asheville & Skyland FD & am now retired, living in Fletcher (Henderson County). I saw the post asking for a Win500 file for Asheville/Buncombe/HP. Is that a program that allows download from RR to a scanner? How is it obtained?

Is it possible to program so the scanner will activate when my local fd's tones are activated?

What is "rebanding"?

What is "locution?"

As you can see, my learning curve pretty much exceeds the earth's natural curvature. Thanks for the help.

 

[C138NC]

If you have a programming cable you can hook it up to the computer and your scanner to program everything into it in a flash.

scanner activation? scanners are not equipped with Quick Call, if you want that feature you would have to buy an actual radio that supports Quick Calling, like a GP300, HT750 or get yourself a nice minitor II - IV etc.. youll only need the A and B frequency unless central plays alot of em.

Rebanding... errr its something to do with the VIPER System, i think there was a discussion on this earlier in another forum.

Locution? you have me there friend, i thought someone meant by location but i guess locution is a word.

Programming Your Scanner With the Web service

Thats for the programming info if you want to look there.

 

[FireCop]

fyrboy the Radio Reference Wiki is your friend. Go to the top of the page and click on the "Wiki" link. Once in the Wiki, go into the area for trunked radio systems. Read, read, and read some more.

From your original post, it sounds like you are confusing Hickory's system to be a Motorola when it is not. It is actually EDACS, which runs an entirely different setup. Unfortunately, their system will eventually move to the Open Sky platform, which is not monitorable by any current scanner.

The numbers you refer to are LCN's (Logical Channel Number). These have to be programmed into the scanner in the specific order listed in the database. Again, the Wiki is your friend. Read up on the different trunked systems and come back with your questions.

 

[MOTORHEAD3902]

Locution, as it pertains to dispatching, refers to the automated computer voices dispatching calls.

 

[RMPDCOP]

If you have a programming cable you can hook it up to the computer and your scanner to program everything into it in a flash.

scanner activation? scanners are not equipped with Quick Call, if you want that feature you would have to buy an actual radio that supports Quick Calling, like a GP300, HT750 or get yourself a nice minitor II - IV etc.. youll only need the A and B frequency unless central plays alot of em.

Rebanding... errr its something to do with the VIPER System, i think there was a discussion on this earlier in another forum.

Locution? you have me there friend, i thought someone meant by location but i guess locution is a word.

Programming Your Scanner With the Web service

Thats for the programming info if you want to look there.

Rebanding does not have anything to do with VIPER.
800 MHz rebanding is a FCC mandated process by which Public Safety land mobile radio frequencies (NPSPAC channels) are being relocated within the 800 MHz spectrum. The reason for the relocation is to alleviate interference issues on Public Safety networks. However, before the Public Safety Agencies can be relocated, additional space in the 800 MHz spectrum must first be cleared. Please refer to www.800ta.org for additional information on rebanding of the 800MHz band.

 

[fyrboy]

Here's what I'm talking about with regard to "c" for control channels & "a" for alternate channels. This is a cut-&-paste from Hickory's page. The information is as if it were for a Motorola system, but "01", "02", etc. seem to take the place of "c" & "a". Am I to consider EDACS "01" the same as Motorola's "c"?

Red (c) are primary control channels | Blue (a) are alternate control channels | Site Map(s): FCC Callsigns RR Locations

Site Hex Name
001 1 Primary 01 856.93750 02 857.93750 03 858.93750 04 859.93750 05 860.93750
002 2 Southwest 01 856.43750 02 857.43750 03 858.43750

Thanks for the help, guys. Looks like my WIKI reading load just increased.

 

[FireCop]

The 01, 02, 03, etc. before the frequency is the LCN (logical channel number). You must use the LCN in the current trunk trackers to be able to properly follow an EDACS system. Most of the older trunktrackers that were EDACS capable required you to put one EDACS system in a bank. In that bank, you would enter frequency with LCN 01 in the spot for let's say 701(7 would be the bank and 01 would be the channel/slot to put the frequency into. While Hickory's LCN tends to stay in numeric order, some other EDACS systems do not. They may skip LCN around such as 03, 04, 11, 12, 13, 20.

The control channel on a trunked radio system such as Motorola or EDACS is used to relay system information to the two way radios on the system. Trunked scanners use the control channel info to follow specific talkgroups, etc.

Concerning control channels, the red and blue basically indicate how they are listed in the Radio Reference Database. The red could be the channel used a majority of time while the blue is a backup control channel. In other systems, the control channel could rotate between the two on a regular basis. Some systems use or rotate between several control channels.

Good luck with your continued Wiki reading.

 

[C138NC]

Rebanding does not have anything to do with VIPER.
800 MHz rebanding is a FCC mandated process by which Public Safety land mobile radio frequencies (NPSPAC channels) are being relocated within the 800 MHz spectrum. The reason for the relocation is to alleviate interference issues on Public Safety networks. However, before the Public Safety Agencies can be relocated, additional space in the 800 MHz spectrum must first be cleared. Please refer to www.800ta.org for additional information on rebanding of the 800MHz band.

Oh yeah thats right... checking

 

[KE4ZNR]

FireCop nailed it on the head.
fyrboy- Welcome to RR.com! We hope you will quickly call this a second home.
Do not worry about Primary/Secondary Control Channels as that info really only is useful for Motorola Systems. As others have said Hickory uses an Edacs System.
To program Hickory's system you need to select Program New System then when it asks for system type select "EDCS" for EDACS.
As you have found out once you enter a frequency the scanner will ask you "Input LCN". This is where you enter the Logical Channel Number the others were referring to. So if you enter 856.9375 then you enter "01" for the LCN. Enter 857.9375 then enter "02" for the LCN.
For an EDACS system you do need to enter all frequencies and all LCNs for each site. Since you have a Uniden BCD396xt you can also enter both sites under the one system name of "Hickory". Just give each site a quick key so you can easily pull them back up.
Hopefully between MOTORHEAD3902, RMPDCop, FireCop and myself we have gotten you on the right path.
Happy Monitoring
Marshall KE4ZNR

 

[kendrik578]

In January 2009 Hickory decided to "upgrade" their MA/COM EDACS system to the MA/COM Opensky Platform.

Doesn't this mean he needs to listen to it while he still can?

 

[FireCop]

Doesn't this mean he needs to listen to it while he still can?

That is precisely what it means! Or maybe I should show for the Open Sky issue!

 

[KE4ZNR]

That is precisely what it means! Or maybe I should show for the Open Sky issue!

I want to see what the odds are on M/A Com being able to accomplish a successful wide area buildout of the OpenSky platform.

Then again politics plays a major component in what type of radio system is chosen. Seems like I have the feeling some in power over that way are choosing Opensky solely on the basis that is "anything but Motorola".
Does not matter if M/A Com can provide a system that works reliably
or that Public Safety has a system that is safe for the men & women that "walk the blue line" everyday.
All that matters is that the batwing logo does not show up on the radios.
But then again what do I know?
Marshall KE4ZNR

 

[FireCop]

Then again politics plays a major component in what type of radio system is chosen.

Remembering back to Pboy's thread on the switch, me thinks the powers that be in Hickoryland drank some special Kool Aid! :twisted:

In all seriousness, it will be interesting to see what happens with the buildout. It is a two site system, so that means your theory will be put to the test. From what reading I have done on the Open Sky platform, I suspect there will be some issues. Yes, I am not techno-saavy enough to recall all the terminology. :wink:

It does mean our OP for this thread will have some limited time to monitor the "old" way before the "new" is ushered in.

 

[pboy]

Here's what I'm talking about with regard to "c" for control channels & "a" for alternate channels. This is a cut-&-paste from Hickory's page. The information is as if it were for a Motorola system, but "01", "02", etc. seem to take the place of "c" & "a". Am I to consider EDACS "01" the same as Motorola's "c"?

Red (c) are primary control channels | Blue (a) are alternate control channels | Site Map(s): FCC Callsigns RR Locations

Site Hex Name
001 1 Primary 01 856.93750 02 857.93750 03 858.93750 04 859.93750 05 860.93750
002 2 Southwest 01 856.43750 02 857.43750 03 858.43750

Thanks for the help, guys. Looks like my WIKI reading load just increased.

You ever get up and running on the Hickory EDACS system?

 

[fyrboy]

I won't know until I pass through in July. I'm programming all the fire frequencies I'll encounter on I-40 between Asheville & Warsaw, then from there to Emerald Isle. Thanks for your interest. I'm slowly learning the process, but I'm a long way from understanding most of it. Doesn't help that I'm not "terminology savy." What's UASD?

 

[FireCop]

UASD is short for Uniden's software files such as the ones you come up with using the programming software included with the Uniden trunktrackers.

 

[KE4ZNR]

UASD is short for Uniden's software files such as the ones you come up with using the programming software included with the Uniden trunktrackers.

Yep. It stands for Uniden Advanced Scanner Director.
It is the Uniden made software for their dynamic memory
scanners.
Marshall KE4ZNR

 

[fyrboy]

. . . programming software included with the Uniden trunktrackers.

The only software I received includes instructions.

 

[pboy]

I won't know until I pass through in July. I'm programming all the fire frequencies I'll encounter on I-40 between Asheville & Warsaw, then from there to Emerald Isle. Thanks for your interest. I'm slowly learning the process, but I'm a long way from understanding most of it. Doesn't help that I'm not "terminology savy." What's UASD?

The only other programming matter is that this is an EDACS wideband system (may be referred to as standard in scanner) not narrow. Just different control channel protocol. Setting the scanner wrong won't allow tracking at all. I don't think this has been mentioned.

Also, site 1 is the primary, tall tower one with the wide coverage. Site 2 is a fill-in only, up on a water tank in the southwest corner of the city. 2 only carries PD talkgroups, no public works.

 

[fyrboy]

Well now that's what I'm talking about when somebody goes out of their way to post such a reply. Thank you, kind pboy, for taking the time to add those comments. How frustrating it is to have folks talk "around" an issue, or engage their typing skills before they've finished using their reading skills. I finally feel somewhat vindicated in my ability to adequately express what I need . . . and have someone understand it! Thanks again!