ICOM IC-R30 - Scan Question

[payj]

Hello,

I am new to radios in general and decided to get myself the R30 and SDS100.

With the SDS100 I am able to turn it on and scan all trunked systems in my area right out the gate. How do I activate a "quick" startup with the R30? Or is it more designed to be programed right away? I was looking for just a general scan button so it could scan all trunked systems (that it has) along with all the other frequencies at one time.

Can someone please give me a few pointers on how to do that? The manual did not offer to much in this regard.

Thank you!

 

[CQ]

You probably don't want to enter 2,000 memories manually so you may start off with programming software that's $25 bucks and see if that works for you. You won't be able to trunk track with the R30. You can copy/paste from the SDS100 config as well. Their software has a RR import feature but haven't used that myself. Others may be able to chime in on how good it works on this receiver. Unfortunately Uniden spoiled you.

WCS-R30 Programming Software

 

[payj]

Got it. Sort of what I thought when I read reviews. The Uniden specialized in trunking and was very user friendly. The Icom, while does do limited trunking is more known for covering all traditional bands (wide band) and was a bit more universal or "open". This meant that you specifically had to know more or less what you were looking for in terms of channels. is that correct? Which is why I purchased both.

With that said, I thought it might have a scan feature for all of its channels that you could utilize but would not know what channel it was per say.

Are there any good software(s) available for Mac? I can probably get access to a PC, but Mac would be easier.

Any pointers on how to get started would be very helpful. To say I am in over my head a bit would be an understatement! I guess I am jumping in with both feet here ha.

Thank you very much for the help!

 

[tumegpc]

Hello,
I am new to radios in general and decided to get myself the R30 and SDS100.
With the SDS100 I am able to turn it on and scan all trunked systems in my area right out the gate. How do I activate a "quick" startup with the R30? Or is it more designed to be programed right away? I was looking for just a general scan button so it could scan all trunked systems (that it has) along with all the other frequencies at one time.
Can someone please give me a few pointers on how to do that? The manual did not offer to much in this regard.
Thank you!

Using the R30, if you press MENU-Manage Memory - you will see 00(Blank), 01(Blank) up to 99(Blank). Each one these are a group of 100 channels that can be programmed. Once you have these programmed select the SCAN key . This will take you to MR Scan options. Scroll down to GROUP LINK and select enter. Now you will be able to select which groups you would like to scan. Press the VFO/MR - make sure you are in MR mode to scan memory channels. Press SCAN

Another way that you might want to try. Press SCAN key - and select MODE - The R30 will start scanning, while scanning press the 3 MODE key. This will bring up a page of MODES, just select P25 and the R30 will now only scan P25 channels. This will work for FM, FM-N, AM, AM-N and any of the digital modes. I use this a lot for NXDN.

The R30 is by far one of the quickest to start scanning. Power on to visual scanning is about 4 seconds and power on to actually receiving audio is about 2 seconds before the boot screen completes.

 

[bearcatrp]

Download the advanced manual from icom web site, the read both manuals a couple of times to get a handle on the R30. Plenty of options to scan. I made a scan group based on the P25 system. Look up your state P25 system on RR database. Find the lowest and highest frequency used. Make a scan group with lowest and highest freq, select P25, save. What ever you listen to last, will scan that on next start up. Use the scan button to select if you have more than one scan group. You can link multiple scan groups. I haven’t decided which software to get/use yet. But not hard to create your on scan lists. Again, read your both manuals and have them handy as you learn. Don’t hesitate to ask questions here. Enjoy your R30. I already have a 436 so decided to get the R30 over the new SDS200.

 

[payj]

Thank you for the replies. I will read both manuals and ask questions here.

Question bearcatrp, when you mention lowest and highest frequency on p25 and input them, does the R30 fill in the gap, which is why it’s only necessary to find the highest and lowest?

Also, I am in WA (Seattle) so if anyone is looking at this thread and is from this area cares to share some of their groups that would be great!

Since I have the SDS100 I might try to start filling the gaps with what that unit does not do.

I am a bit lost lol. Thank you for the help and patience.

 

[bearcatrp]

Forgot to mention. One thing that helped me was have the manual next to me and start opening menus on the R30 to see for yourself what they do. Then start programming what you want it to do. A lot of options compared to a scanner but that’s what makes the R30 so good.

 

[bearcatrp]

Thank you for the replies. I will read both manuals and ask questions here.

Question bearcatrp, when you mention lowest and highest frequency on p25 and input them, does the R30 fill in the gap, which is why it’s only necessary to find the highest and lowest?

Also, I am in WA (Seattle) so if anyone is looking at this thread and is from this area cares to share some of their groups that would be great!

Since I have the SDS100 I might try to start filling the gaps with what that unit does not do.

I am a bit lost lol. Thank you for the help and patience.

I will scan fast between the lowest to highest frequencies you put in it. If you have P25, make sure you set that, which is one of the next two areas you fill in (forgot which one). Remember, R30 will not trunk track. It will just scan between what you input. As fast as it scans, I get almost both ends of the folks talking unless it locks onto another frequency. There is a band option to scan P25 instead of creating your own. Seems larger for my area so that’s why I created my own.

 

[payj]

So it does fill the gap...cool. Question, so trunk tracking would be what separates the Uniden from the R30 as well. The Uniden being able to follow the conversation where the Icom can only grab the initial contact, correct?

If you were in my shoes and owned both radios, what would be the first thing you would program the R30 to do?

 

[bearcatrp]

Well, figure out what you want to listen to. Since you already have the SD100, your police etc. should be covered for now. Maybe later program police to do a comparison. If it’s air or mil air, program those. Just depends on your interests. On my Uniden 436, I use the zip code location and selected services which should be similar to yours. The R30 is a broad range receiver that until you narrow down what you want to listen to, then program it, then the R30 may not be what you thought it was going to be. So, besides police, what are your interests that you would like to hear on the R30? Then figure out if your going to be able to listen by seeing what is in your area that you could listen to. Have a airport close by? Any military bases by you? Railroads? If all your wanting to listen to is police, then consider selling the R30. If I had a choice between my 436 and my R30 and had to bug out, the R30 will be the choice. The R30 will listen to just about anything, minus encryption. Just need to know the frequencies to the agency’s you want to listen to.

 

[payj]

Thank you for the well thought out response....

I bought the R30 precisely because it cannot (it actually can to some degree - I get it) listen to PD. The mistep I had was thinking I could hit the “go” button and it would automatically scan from its lowest frequency to highest stopping at all places communication was happening and tell me what it was. I knew that the SDS100 was missing many frequency ranges and was more designed around trucked PD systems and had the ability to follow them. I bought them to compliment each other.

It appears to make the R30 work will require “work” on my end, which I am happy to do and am very thankful for your help and anyone else.

I am in Seattle, there are plenty of things I could likely key into. There are railroads and a mil base south about 15 miles. I am just not sure what frequencies these folks operate in. I can supposedly find that here correct?

 

[bearcatrp]

Research is key. Allot of reading. Civ air, mil air, and more. I envy you. You have allot to listen to. Once you have programmed your different areas, just a few buttons to push to get to them. Best part is while you listening, the options to change things on a frequency is allot better than a scanner. First thing to do is go to the database on RR, select your state, the look at all you can listen to. Then start programming. Break it down by air, mil air, RR, etc when programming. Did you get a micro sd card yet? Max is 32 gb which are cheap. If not, get one so you can save your programming to it. Would suck if you put in all those frequencies and need to do a reset or something else that would require you to start over.
Do this to start. Make an air group. Then learn to get to it from off. Then when it locks on conversation, press scan once. Stops scanning. Now press the different buttons to see what you can change.