Import Etrunker Data into Unitrunker rel 27

[SCPD]

Ok .. I am trying Unitrunker rel 27.

So far looks pretty good. I like it .. nice job Rick. But, this is a ? for the Unitrunker users.

Can you import data from Etrunker ? (yes really old school here). Might just be time to move on so checking out what Unitrunker does.

I have setup my system .. and my PSR500 via USB cable and it is working. This part I love ... so much nice than a slicer etc.

I see the import data option .. but I can navigate to my Etrunker data files .. but no files show up so I cannot select them. (I know it says .. trunker, but I assume that means Etrunker too as I believe the file format is identical in both programs)

So .. I have 6404 radios in my Edacs system and do not want to create / edit them manually. Looking for suggestions.

Someone please help me .. so far I do like what I see in Unitrunker. But Etrunker uses simple csv files .. so it is not hard.

Maybe Rick or someone can help me here ? I know that this has probably been answered before .. but no time to look that up today. That will be tomorrow's task if I do not get an answer here.

Thanks ..
Kevin

 

[SCPD]

Hi Kevin;

Create a blank EDACS system and use the Import tool button.

Set the type to "Trunker" and select the working folder from the list below.

This feature is rarely used these days.

 

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Ok .. thank you Rick. It is much appreciated. Just need to find my power adapter for my PSR500 .. as the batteries will eventually die.

Re the feature .. I totally understand that. I only know of 2 people that still run Etrunker .. myself being one of them.

I will try it tomorrow.

 

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Rick .. maybe I am just dumb. I am sure that is the case here.

I did try to create a new system first .. but no luck. Nothing imported.

I will give it a further try tomorrow when I have more time.

I tried selecting the folder .. as you described and nothing happens. Maybe you can provide me more info.

I can create the system .. with LCN info etc. That is fine and that will take me a few minutes .. it is only the group and id data I want to import.

Or do I leave it all blank .. and let the program import it all ? Or do I have to create a fully completed system ?

Also .. is there a particular mode that the PSR500 should be at when monitoring the system ? I see that sitting on a talkgroup works but is it designed to sit on the control channel ? Just when there is a transmission the decode level drops off.

I will have to look at the manual for the PSR500 to see how to sit on the control channel if that is needed. I don't use that scanner much .. so not that familiar with it.

Sorry for the dumb questions .. but I will be fine once I dig into it a bit more. And .. I will check out the forums as well as needed. But for now .. just want to import the data. I will work on the rest as time allows.


Also .. on the bottom part of the screen, the scroll option. Is there a way to have the most current data show from the top rather than the bottom ?

EDIT .. I did make a link to the users guide. I will read it tomorrow. But I have figured out 99% of it already I think.

Thanks
- Kevin -

 

[SCPD]

Ok .. figured out the scroll reversal thing. Simple. Like that was easy. I feel really stupid now.

And .. I can sit the PSR500 on the control channel .. using F2 / Analyze. But will it follow the control channel ? Or .. how can I do that, as I want to just leave the scanner / Unitrunker running unattended.

But .. mostly I just need to import my data. That is still a mystery to me.

If anyone could help that would be great. But so far, like the program.

EDIT ... The other thing .. whenever I launch the program it makes me a new system. i want it to use the same system. This I don't understand cause the control channel hasn't changed and the site always remains the same.

I also cannot get the main window to show ... no matter what I try ?

 

[SCPD]

Well .. here is the situation. But I will do more testing later today.

I need to blow away my Unitrunker installation files to get the main window to show up. That is a show stopper for me obviously. I cannot see this as a Unitrunker issue but more a Windows 8.1 issue. But I will try installing under Windows 7 and see if it fixes it.

The import I can fix ... I can programmatically write my own import function to get the data into Unitrunker .. so that is ok. It is more the id file as there are over 6000 radios I need to import. The 437 groups I have are not too bad.

But the multiple system thing is a huge issue. I see there are some settings under the radio section, but they do not seem to make a difference. Again .. Windows 8 again.

Also .. the program does not always like to start my PSR500 radio .. you can click on Start and nothing happens. You likewise have to restart the program and maybe it will start. You have to blow away your files .. and then it will start. Another show stopper.

So .. hope that Rick reads this, as I cannot believe that these issues are Unitrunker related. I blame Windows 8.1 .. and why I will be installing it under Windows 7 to see if these problems go away.

These problems are sufficient to make the program unusable at the moment.

Kevin

 

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Ok ... well progress. I have managed to do some things. I have it using one system file .. set it to dedicated. That is working well. The radio is also working much much better .. no more problems with the PSR500.

But the big issue is the import of the ID file.

I can handle changing the GROUPS manually. The program gives a pretty good interface for that.

But .. entering in 6000+ radios manually. I don't know. You would think that the import would be simple. But .. nothing.

I will just wait I guess til Rick can respond to this part .. as I really do need help on the import. I will also hope that it will set the colors as that would be a lot of work resetting all the colors.

So .. anyways, lots of progress and I am happy that this is happening.

But .. sleep, I have been up most of the night due to relatives traveling.

I will look at this later. If I have to write my own import I will .. but it would not be fun. I would prefer if I did not have to do it.

Kevin

 

[SCPD]

The PSR500's analyze feature doesn't follow the control channel. Program the PSR500 to follow one talk group. The trick is to use a talk group that doesn't actually exist on that system.

You will get a new site window each time you start the program. That is by design. The program can't distinguish system identity based upon the contents of the EDACS control channel. EDACS gives you a site number, but no system ID. However, knowing the control channel frequency gives a high enough correlation to distinguish one system from another - for a given area.

You don't need to "blow away" your data or installation. Delete the unwanted EDACS systems. On the one system that has your data, make sure the site's control channels are marked as such (Control box is checked) and that all channels have frequencies entered.

When you re-start the program (or re-start the decoding receiver) - a new site window will appear. Next to the control channel, you should see "Frequency needed!". You can either (a) manually enter the frequency or (b) wait for the program to poll the PSR500 for the frequency.

After a few seconds that site window should disappear - replaced by the site window with the matching control channel.

Once the correct site window is up - go to your signal receiver window and change the lock mode to "Dedicated". This will pin the receiver to that specific site. The next time you re-start the program or receiver - it should stick to the same site.

If you ever want to monitor a different site or system, you'll need to unlock the signal receiver.

Forgot to add - I'll play with the import feature this weekend. Again, I haven't touched it in ages.

 

[SCPD]

Don't worry about the import Rick ... I wrote my own import and did my Id file and Group File. I will send you a PM .. just so you do not spend anytime on it. Honestly as you probably know .. I am one of a handful of people probably using Etrunker so don't know if it is worth looking at. Maybe something for the future if you get really really bored.

I will adjust things .. re the following of the control channel etc.

I did find out about the Dedicated part .. and it works much much better now. That is how I expected it to work.

So a bit of tweaking .. to get things how I like. But it is running quite well ... considering how I am flying by the seat of my pants. But I did read the documentation this am .. and all my problems I think are now solved.

Thanks for your help.