I'm not having any luck logging into the WiKi. It doesn't accept my user name. SO...Let's have a go at it here. Maybe one day I can get it over to the WiKi.
THESE INSTRUCTIONS ARE FOR THE TRX-2 (and probably TRX-1) WITH NXDN. That being said, you could omit all references to the NXDN features and probably get it to work on the older model EZ-Scanners.
First...some example files (all had to be zipped, so you need to unzip them).
The "Format Examples" file goes through every example of all usable functions.
The other files are what I created for those ham bands that could have P25, DMR and NXDN.
NOTE: these are working files, and not import files. What is the difference? Calculations and formatting has to be done in Excel, and can't be done once "Saved As" CSV format. So do all the work in Excel first. When it is finished, highlight row 1 (the heading up top for guidance) and right click to "Delete" it. Then do a "Save As" and choose "Save as type" to be "CSV (Comma delimited)" to make it ready for "Text Import" on EZ-Scan.
Some rules to follow:
The FREQUENCY column cells should be formatted as a "Number" and set to 6 places after the decimal point. Click on top to hightlight columm "A". Right click to select "Format Cells". Select "Number" and set accordingly.
The "Tone" column cells need to be formatted as "Text" to be able to handle PL tones with a decimal point value, as well as DPL tones without a decimal point value. Same procedure as above but using column "P" and selecting "Text".
The "Scanlist" column cells also need to be formatted at Text to allow the semi-colon between list numbers.
You could put the column headings in a different order, but every time you import it you will have to set each column in EZ-Scan Import to match those headings IN ORDER. I found the easiest way is to follow the order EZ-Scan lists them in from the top down. Each time you add the next heading type it will remove it from the list. You simply go down the list in order and select the next one. FREQUENCY is recognized, and most of the time MODE is as well, but be careful to check and see that EZ-Scan hasn't automatically selected the wrong heading. Choose "None" to set it back to (example) "Column 17".
If you are building a scan search file because you want to step through all the known channels, you can save TONS of time by letting Excel do the work for you. In the example attached picture, notice I have a formula written up top to advance 0.0125 MHz (12.5 kHz). We are working in groups of 4 channels to cover all modes when we scan, so we need to write out the first 4 channels first (out to column Q). Once written, select cell "A6" and put the calculation (as pictured) in the top line. This takes cell "A2" and adds the step increment. Now do the same exact entry to cell A7, A8 and A9. This sets the pattern to advance the frequency step in groups of four channels.
Next, to start entire list copy and paste advancement, you will copy cells B2, B3, B4 and B5 out to Q2, Q3, Q4 and Q5. Then paste this into cell B6. That fills the same data for the next frequency you will be scan searching. NOW you can really rock and roll on the expansion of the datafill. Copy cells A6, A7, A8 and A9 out to Q6, Q7, Q8 and Q9. Right click and select A10 through Q10 and while holding down the mouse pull it down the page as far as you want to go. Be sure to stay in the A through Q boundaries and release the mouse button. Scroll back up (without disturbing you highlighted selection) to cell A10, put the mouse over it and RIGHT CLICK to select "Paste". Presto! All the data, including the frequency calculations in groups of four, will be advanced down the page. If you need to add more, select THE LAST FOUR rows from A to Q, copy them, and then paste them like you did with the first major paste operation. Now Excel is doing the work for you!
EZ-SCAN ITEMS NOT COVERED BY IMPORT:
The "Scan Delay" time, "Alert" tone(s) and "LED" colors and flash patterns are not covered by Import. You have to edit those in EZ-Scan. I select a whole list of channels and do them all at one time...then wait for the very slow process of EZ-Scan to finish updating them all. For my "Ham Search" files I like 4 seconds of scan delay. YMMV, but that works to get a little more than one side of a conversation without locking up on one frequency all day long. And I use magenta as my "ham" color. That is the second color selection from the top all the way on the right side of the color pallet.
One other note...I discovered there is a selection for "RADIO ID" in the scanner that is not addressable in EZ-Scan. You have to go in manually and check the box for that channel. By doing so, instead of the scanner opening the squelch on the "Talkgroup Group Call ID" number, it will open on a "Radio ID" number, which can be entered in the "Talkgroup" field. I guess if you want to track a radio ID, you have that ability. Too bad there is no reference to it in EZ-Scan.
I might think of more on this topic, but that is enough for now. If anyone has ideas to expand on this, let us have it. I know I didn't cover trunking...yet. I'll see what can be done with that. It may get a bit more complex with all the different types. That will be for another day!
Phil
