How to use Unitrunker after setup

[Newbie_scanr]

Hi. Could somebody please explain to me what do I do next once I have loaded Unitrunker, connected my audio source from the disc tap to my computer. I am currently running the Unitrunker program and I am receiving something on the display. My screen is showing channel, PR, destination party, ID, T, ID, Calling party and CT. Under Channel I have about 19 visible channels. Under PR the number 50 is jumping around between the 19 channels, Destination Party, nothing. ID, strange numbers and letters I think is HEX eg, 1430, 13B0, A90, 2F0, etc. T, only the letter G shows here. ID, again 11AD, B67C, B2D, etc. And Calling Party has nothing and lastly CT has a dash (-). I live in Cape Town, South Africa. I am new to this so would like the help of anybody. THNAK YOU IN ADVANCE.

 

[SCPD]

Hi.

Welcome to Radio Reference.

Could somebody please explain to me what do I do next once I have loaded Unitrunker, connected my audio source from the disc tap to my computer. I am currently running the Unitrunker program and I am receiving something on the display. My screen is showing channel, PR, destination party, ID, T, ID, Calling party and CT.

From your description, you are looking at the Calls tab of the active Site window.

Under Channel I have about 19 visible channels.

One of the first things you'll want to do is confirm the frequencies associated with each channel. One channel should appear in the red. That is the active control channel. Does the channel have a frequency? If so, does it match the frequency of your "signal source" receiver? If not - I suggest filling that bit of information into the program. Click on the frequency, press "F2" to allow editing. Type in the frequency. Press "F2" again to leave edit mode.

Under PR the number 50 is jumping around between the 19 channels, Destination Party, nothing. ID, strange numbers and letters I think is HEX eg, 1430, 13B0, A90, 2F0, etc. T, only the letter G shows here. ID, again 11AD, B67C, B2D, etc. And Calling Party has nothing and lastly CT has a dash (-). I live in Cape Town, South Africa. I am new to this so would like the help of anybody. THNAK YOU IN ADVANCE.

Each row that appears with numbers under the "ID" columns is an active call. The ID on the left is the listening audience. The letter under the "T" column tells you whether the ID number is a talkgroup ID or a radio ID. The ID column on the right is always a radio ID.

If you go to the main window and select the Options tab, you can choose the numeric display format for IDs (eg. hex or decimal).

The "Destination Party" and "Calling Party" columns are blank because these are text labels associated with the two ID columns. You must provide these labels (or download them when available). With a second radio tracking the system - you can identify the purpose of a particular takgroup by listening to their conversations. While a call is active - you can double-click on the ID column (or destination party column) to edit the text label associated with that ID. Future call activity will display your text label.

You can also apply labels to radio IDs. For example, after listening for some time ... you've identified the radio ID commonly used by a dispatcher; you can label the radio ID as such.

I've left a lot of details out ... but this should get you started.

 

[Newbie_scanr]

Hi Unitrunker.

Thank you for the reply and the info. Yes I do see one of the channels is in red. Under the PR column there is two dashes (--). On the left of the channel number there is a #. Unfortunately I don't see any frequency. Even if I press F2 it does nothing.
Just to give you some insight on my setup here I am using a Yupiteru MVT7100 handheld scanner for disc tap input (which is giving me the same info as my BCD996t in Unitrunker so i guess that is working the way it should be). Then my BCD996t I am not sure where or how I am suppose to connect it to my computer. When I connect the BCD996t to the pc com port my display on the scanner says "remote mode" but no audio. This might sound dumb but I am not sure how unitrunker is suppose to help me. I don't understand completely what i am looking for using this software.

I have been struggling with the BCD996t for about 3 months now. I can listen to the cops in conventional mode but only just by using my bank scan with the Yupiteru. I know it is a Motorola system APCO25 (100% sure about it) but still cannot listen to complete conversations using the BCD996t. I have four control channels I am sure about and have programmed them to the radio as specified in the manual. Some guys have been telling me to use ARC996PRO software, some BCD996T software, some say FREESCAN but I am still getting no results (I think i am the problem. I don't really understand this thing). I really appreciate all the help and I am willing to try anything.

Thanks again.

 

[SCPD]

I do see one of the channels is in red. Under the PR column there is two dashes (--). On the left of the channel number there is a #. Unfortunately I don't see any frequency. Even if I press F2 it does nothing.

Try this; click on the cell where the frequency should appear; press F2 - the cell should now be editable. Type in the frequency and press enter/return. Press F2 again to leave edit mode.

Then my BCD996t I am not sure where or how I am suppose to connect it to my computer. When I connect the BCD996t to the pc com port my display on the scanner says "remote mode" but no audio. This might sound dumb but I am not sure how unitrunker is suppose to help me. I don't understand completely what i am looking for using this software.

You would want to use the '996 as "voice" radio. Unitrunker would display the voice calls on screen and optionally control the '996 to follow the conversations you've chosen. Your Yupiterm would stay parked on the control channel. In the current release of Unitrunker - this feature is broken (should be fixed soon) so don't worry about '996 working with Unitrunker just now. However, Unitrunker should be able to gather enough information to help you program your '996 to follow the system.

I have been struggling with the BCD996t for about 3 months now. I can listen to the cops in conventional mode but only just by using my bank scan with the Yupiteru.

The '996 may need you to provide additional information - such as a map of channel numbers to frequencies called a band plan or the system sub-type.

I know it is a Motorola system APCO25 (100% sure about it) but still cannot listen to complete conversations using the BCD996t. I have four control channels I am sure about and have programmed them to the radio as specified in the manual.

If I remember correctly - the '996 considers APCO P25 systems to be a variant of Motorola systems. In other words - you program the system as Motorola - but with a sub-type of APCO P25.

Let's confirm the basic information for system you are trying to monitor; system type; system ID, active site number and control channels.

How does Unitrunker describe the system? There are also Motorola systems that use APCO P25 signalling for the voice channels but the control channel is not APCO P25. Does Unitrunker say "Motorola" or "APCO P25"?

What is the site number (Unitrunker displays this in the caption bar of the Site window) ?

What are the control channel frequencies? What are the channel numbers displayed in red or brown in Unitrunker (the active control and alternate control channels) ?

One more question - does the program display a band plan for this system?

Once you've confirmed the system information - you can move on to more advanced stuff.