I got my BCD436HP today and have a scanning question...

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AndrewGS

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I picked up my new 436 today and rushed home for play time. I'm not the most experienced scanning enthusiast but I know a little and previously had a GRE PSR-800. I'm getting accompanied with the unit and how to program it, but I have a question on it's operation.

I set up a few favorites lists, one of them is the local PD/FD/ISDPD which is on the old analog TxWARN system and I set it up to only use the local system site. There's not much traffic here but when something is said it works great, except for that pesky but sporadic squelch tail.

The other lists are on the new PII TxWARN system, North Harris County LE as well as Houston PD and FD. I set up the list to include all the sites for this system as I will be traveling around the area while listening to these agencies. The problem is it seems to scan every site repeatedly instead of finding the closest site and using it. This seems like it would waste lots of time looking for out-of-range sites instead of scanning the desired talkgroups on a local site.

If I recall my PSR-800 would find the local site and scan the desired talkgroups. Am I correct on this?
 

troymail

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I picked up my new 436 today and rushed home for play time. I'm not the most experienced scanning enthusiast but I know a little and previously had a GRE PSR-800. I'm getting accompanied with the unit and how to program it, but I have a question on it's operation.

I set up a few favorites lists, one of them is the local PD/FD/ISDPD which is on the old analog TxWARN system and I set it up to only use the local system site. There's not much traffic here but when something is said it works great, except for that pesky but sporadic squelch tail.

The other lists are on the new PII TxWARN system, North Harris County LE as well as Houston PD and FD. I set up the list to include all the sites for this system as I will be traveling around the area while listening to these agencies. The problem is it seems to scan every site repeatedly instead of finding the closest site and using it. This seems like it would waste lots of time looking for out-of-range sites instead of scanning the desired talkgroups on a local site.

If I recall my PSR-800 would find the local site and scan the desired talkgroups. Am I correct on this?

I believe you are correct... the 800 would find an "acceptable" signal from one of the sites programmed and hold on that site until it dropped below acceptable levels... and then it would search again for an acceptable site.

The x36 appears to scan all sites for activity - so you must trim the sites for a given system back to only those close to you (and this was even suggested/recommended by UPMan). He also stated that each system/site would take 1.5-2 seconds to scan so for a system with 10 sites (or ten different systems) it can take 15-20 seconds to loop back around.
 

AndrewGS

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I believe you are correct... the 800 would find an "acceptable" signal from one of the sites programmed and hold on that site until it dropped below acceptable levels... and then it would search again for an acceptable site.

The x36 appears to scan all sites for activity - so you must trim the sites for a given system back to only those close to you (and this was even suggested/recommended by UPMan). He also stated that each system/site would take 1.5-2 seconds to scan so for a system with 10 sites (or ten different systems) it can take 15-20 seconds to loop back around.

Being that there are 57 sites for the PII system that kinda sucks. I guess I'll have to set up different favorites lists for different parts of town.
 

UPMan

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Or set the location for each site (this has already been done if you moved the system over from the Main database), enter your location, and make sure the FL is set to pay attention to your location when making selections. Then, it will only scan those sites that meet the location criteria.
 

troymail

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Or set the location for each site (this has already been done if you moved the system over from the Main database), enter your location, and make sure the FL is set to pay attention to your location when making selections. Then, it will only scan those sites that meet the location criteria.

Does this really work? I'm still trying to determine why I'm getting programming from other states when entering a zip code and a tiny range value....
 

phask

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It WILL scan all sites. Make 2 favorites, 1 for mobile with all, one for home with 1. Or get a GPS and use location control.
 

AndrewGS

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I've implemented the location control, set it for 0 miles and it still searches too many sites or sites that don't host the desired talkgroups, so I'm just going to make a few repetitive favorite groups with the appropriate site(s) for where I'm likely to be scanning. The location-based stuff is a little inadequate I think as I prefer a scanner that finds the best site and uses it until it has to search for another one. I'm sure it works a little better with GPS though.
 

KevinC

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I've implemented the location control, set it for 0 miles and it still searches too many sites or sites that don't host the desired talkgroups, so I'm just going to make a few repetitive favorite groups with the appropriate site(s) for where I'm likely to be scanning. The location-based stuff is a little inadequate I think as I prefer a scanner that finds the best site and uses it until it has to search for another one. I'm sure it works a little better with GPS though.

One issue is that all the zone 3 sites (RFSS 3 in RR database) only carry City of Houston traffic, the scanner has no way of knowing that. So while your scanner is on a zone 3 site you'll hear ONLY CoH traffic. Conversely, while it's on a zone 1/2 site you WON'T hear any CoH traffic.

I would customize your FL to reflect this.
 

AndrewGS

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One issue is that all the zone 3 sites (RFSS 3 in RR database) only carry City of Houston traffic, the scanner has no way of knowing that. So while your scanner is on a zone 3 site you'll hear ONLY CoH traffic. Conversely, while it's on a zone 1/2 site you WON'T hear any CoH traffic.

I would customize your FL to reflect this.

Thanks for the info. I'm about to start a thread in the appropriate subforum asking about these kinds of things.
 

KevinC

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Thanks for the info. I'm about to start a thread in the appropriate subforum asking about these kinds of things.

Not trying to steer you away from RR, but if you want some "local" assistance you might want to join the "HoustonScan" Yahoo Group...pretty knowledgeable bunch of people there...and me. :D
 

AndrewGS

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Not trying to steer you away from RR, but if you want some "local" assistance you might want to join the "HoustonScan" Yahoo Group...pretty knowledgeable bunch of people there...and me. :D

I forgot about that group. I'm not sure if I'm still a member, but I'll check it out and copy my post about the local stuff over there too.
 

sf340b

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I "think" I have a similar issue with the 536 in that when I select Harris County - Bellaire in a FL, numerous other items (sites?) are presented.

I will see if you HOU guys at Yahoo would mind offering some suggestions.
 
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