how to program BCD436 to receive East Bay Regional Communications System (EBRCS)

[dangrass]

Just upgraded from the analog age to the digital age and am learning how to use this new scanner. For the most part it's been straight forward, but I am having difficulty programming the most relevant system for me. While I've had success with Sentinel programming everything else (including the San Francisco P25 system), for some reason when I try to program EBRCS using Sentinel it appears to be loading everything other than the frequencies and band plan.

To remedy this I've resorted to manually creating a system and wearing out my index finger entering the frequencies and band plan. While it's kinda working, it's not working well. I find that the iPhone app is picking up all sorts of Oakland PD traffic that the scanner is missing.

Questions:

1. Has anyone else had success in loading EBRCS from Sentinel? If so, what am I doing wrong?

2. If it's truly necessary to manually load this system, what are the steps to make it work?

3. Where does one see frequency and band plan information on Sentinel. According to the documentation I was able to find online there should be tabs for these items in the app, but I can't find them.

Appreciate any help the community can offer.

Dan

 

[sparklehorse]

That looks like a pretty straight-forward p25 system. Have you created a Favorites List in Sentinel, then selected the EBRCS system from the database and then appended it to your Fav List? One thing though, it looks like there's eight different 'sites' for that system, most of them simulcast. I would want to lock out all but the one or two sites that are closest to me, otherwise the radio is going to constantly check each site for activity even though most may be out of range. This means the radio will waste a lot of time on each scan cycle checking those distant sites.
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[sparklehorse]

There are a number of good instructional videos on YouTube for Sentinel. Spending some time with those might help you get past the initial steep learning curve with programming your 436.
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[dangrass]

hello Sparklehorse. There are indeed a bunch of great videos out there and I've watched them I'm only having issues with this one system for some reason. I can try locking out the sites that aren't near. Anyhow, if I attempt to program as suggested this system won't scan. When I compare it to other P25 systems I've programmed this way, this one is missing any frequency and band plan information. I've found that I can create a P25 system manually on the scanner and it kinda works....but it's missing a lot of transmissions. Assuming that there is some reason why it's not possible to program this system via Sentinel, what information do I need to put in for band plan?

Appreciate your assistance.

Dan

 

[hiegtx]

Hi Dan

3. Where does one see frequency and band plan information on Sentinel. According to the documentation I was able to find online there should be tabs for these items in the app, but I can't find them.

For the EBRCS system, you do not need to enter a band plan. It's a P25 Phase I system. The band plan information will be carried on the control channel data stream. The scanner will automatically fill in the information it needs without the need to manually program.

Your best way to add that system to a Favorites list is to append it from the main database. First, do the database update for Sentinel, to make sure you have the latest settings in the database for frequencies & talkgroups. The current database version is dated 11/03/2019.

In the main database section (above the Favorites lists), click on the USA to expand the list of states.

Now, click on California, to expand the list of counties in your state.
Select the county you want to access & click on it to expand the categories.

I've selected Alameda, since it will include the EBRCS system.
Click on County Systems to expand the listings in it.


You'll find EBRCS there. Click on it to select.

In the right side window, you'll see all the various departments, as well as the sites, for EBRCS,
Hold down the <Control> key & select the departments (City & county agencies, and other users) that you want. I picked a few just for illustration.



<Right><Click> on one of the selected items, and you'll get a pop-up menu that includes 'Append to Favorites List"


You can then choose to add these to an existing list, or create a new list.
I added these to a new list, EBRCS.


Besides the agencies you chose, the append will also include all of the sites for the system. As Sparklehorse noted, most of these are Simulcast, You can either delete the ones you don't want to use, or set them to Avoided, so that you don't waste time scanning all of them.

You would be more likely to connect with someone local to your area if you have your post moved to the San Francisco Bay Area Discussion sub-form under the California Regional Forum. There is an EBRCS specific thread there as well. To do that, do not create a new thread. Instead, click on the Report in the lower left corner of one of your posts, and request that a moderator move your thread to the SF Bay forum. Someone in the area would be more likely to see it there.

 

[dangrass]

Hi Dan



For the EBRCS system, you do not need to enter a band plan. It's a P25 Phase I system. The band plan information will be carried on the control channel data stream. The scanner will automatically fill in the information it needs without the need to manually program.

Your best way to add that system to a Favorites list is to append it from the main database. First, do the database update for Sentinel, to make sure you have the latest settings in the database for frequencies & talkgroups. The current database version is dated 11/03/2019.

In the main database section (above the Favorites lists), click on the USA to expand the list of states.
View attachment 76742
Now, click on California, to expand the list of counties in your state.
Select the county you want to access & click on it to expand the categories.
View attachment 76743
I've selected Alameda, since it will include the EBRCS system.
Click on County Systems to expand the listings in it.
View attachment 76744

You'll find EBRCS there. Click on it to select.

In the right side window, you'll see all the various departments, as well as the sites, for EBRCS,
Hold down the <Control> key & select the departments (City & county agencies, and other users) that you want. I picked a few just for illustration.

View attachment 76745

<Right><Click> on one of the selected items, and you'll get a pop-up menu that includes 'Append to Favorites List"
View attachment 76746

You can then choose to add these to an existing list, or create a new list.
I added these to a new list, EBRCS.
View attachment 76748

Besides the agencies you chose, the append will also include all of the sites for the system. As Sparklehorse noted, most of these are Simulcast, You can either delete the ones you don't want to use, or set them to Avoided, so that you don't waste time scanning all of them.

You would be more likely to connect with someone local to your area if you have your post moved to the San Francisco Bay Area Discussion sub-form under the California Regional Forum. There is an EBRCS specific thread there as well. To do that, do not create a new thread. Instead, click on the Report in the lower left corner of one of your posts, and request that a moderator move your thread to the SF Bay forum. Someone in the area would be more likely to see it there.

Hello Steve and thanks so much for your able assistance. I think I understand the problem. That is, I had added the items BUT NOT THE SITES. While I'm able to add the items with no problem, when I try to add the sites, the "append to favorites" is grayed out. I can click a button to see the band plan, which has nothing in it. So, the final challenge here is, how do I add the sites? Thanks again for your wisdom!

 

[hiegtx]

Hello Steve and thanks so much for your able assistance. I think I understand the problem. That is, I had added the items BUT NOT THE SITES. While I'm able to add the items with no problem, when I try to add the sites, the "append to favorites" is grayed out. I can click a button to see the band plan, which has nothing in it. So, the final challenge here is, how do I add the sites? Thanks again for your wisdom!

Where you are seeing the "append" grayed out may be in the left side pane, trying to append a single site. That you can't do. But appending selected departments (the ones you actually care to listen to), using the right side window as in the screenshots above, the sites are added along with your selected departments. As I noted, it will add all the sites of the system, so you would probably want to either remove the ones that are out of range, or set them to "avoid" so as not to bog down scanning with unnecessary sites.

As I also stated above, you can ignore the band plan. It's not in the database, but the scanner will get all the information it needs from the control channel data. That's the case with the digital (P25) systems. For the older analog systems, including those that have been rebanded, the band plan data is in the database, and would be populated by the append process.

 

[jonwienke]

Hello Steve and thanks so much for your able assistance. I think I understand the problem. That is, I had added the items BUT NOT THE SITES. While I'm able to add the items with no problem, when I try to add the sites, the "append to favorites" is grayed out. I can click a button to see the band plan, which has nothing in it. So, the final challenge here is, how do I add the sites? Thanks again for your wisdom!

Append the entire system, enable Location Control in your Favorite List, make sure your location is set correctly, and adjust Range to control how many sites you scan. Having all the system talkgroups will not slow down scanning. Scan speed is determined by how many sites you scan.

If you don't have a GPS, the best way to set your location is with Google maps. When you scroll around, the latitude and longitude are part of the URL. For example:

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

In this example, 37.7777096 is your latitude, and -122.276008 is the longitude. Enter them in the Location tab in Sentinel Profile editor. You'll have to set the coordinate format to Decimal. Setting location by ZIP code can be off by quite a bit if you don't live near the geographical center of your ZIP code, and entering one automatically sets Range to 20 miles.

 

[dangrass]

Hello. Was able to figure out how to load the site data via Sentinel, however while site frequency data is now there, band plan data is still missing. I found the correct coordinates for my location, entered them and 50 mile range, and turned on location. (on the scanner) Initially I scanned with all the sites active with no luck and have since avoided all the simulcast ones, keeping just the "primes". Still hearing nothing.

Based on my experience with manually creating this system, I had some success with entering a couple of frequencies in the band plan for this system. When I look at the SF 25 system, which I can receive, band plan frequencies are there.

My current hypothesis is that this system needs the band plan frequencies in order to work. Are these frequencies available on Radio Reference?

You've been a great help. Any other suggestions? Avoids are off, scan types are checked, location is on, range is extensive. Other ideas?

thx,

Dan

 

[dangrass]

oh, the full database was turned on when I set the location but I turned it off after the location was set.

 

[jonwienke]

Turn off favorites, and scan from the database with range set to 5-10 miles in the scanner menu. Does that work?
What service types do you have turned on?

 

[dangrass]

yes, it does. In fact I was able to pick up a transmission on the EBRCS system! Have lots of services turned on....most

 

[dangrass]

seems that there is a problem with how the favorites are configured as the same stuff when scanned not as a favorite seems to work. What could be causing this?

 

[jonwienke]

Just copy the entire system to your favorite list, turn on location control, and make sure your location and range settings in the menu are good. Adjust range to scan more or fewer sites as desired.