Hey everyone.. Im a newb.. heres my dilemma.. I purchased a BC346XT couple years back at least... never learned how to program it.. finally got it out now, and I've learned how to program frequencies in... problem is I'm reading everything about this new P25 system with Talk Groups, and how this is not compatible with my BC346XT .. it seems as though I can program them into the scanner tho, i just can't find how to listen to them once they are programmed in. very confused..i am interested in listening only to the Toronto Police.. so can I still do this? it seems as though a lot of freqs are still working, but would like to be able to isolate Divisions.. ex.. 14 division, 52 division... pls help me.. can i use the new P25 system with this scanner? pls give advice, I really don't wanna go out and have to buy new scanner...thanks!!
new Toronto P25 system with BC346XT
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EJB
20 + year membership
A 346XT will not be able to monitor the new TPS system. If this new system is encrypted then no scanner will be able to monitor it.
If the police don't encrypt you can use one of the newer P25 capable scanners to use it, like a Home Patrol, 396/996XT. If any of the users are using phase 2 P25 you will need one of the newer scanners capable of this like either the new Uniden 436/536, or the GRE PSR800. I think there is a new company that is selling and re-branding GRE scanners, the actual name of this company escapes me but there is information that you need on this site in the appropriate forum.
You can take your 346XT and use it to raise $ to offset some of the costs to buy a new scanner if need be. It's too bad but over the last 3 years you have lost the ability to use this scanner to monitor Peel, Halton, Hamilton, York. It will still allow you to monitor the analogue users on Fleetnet so EMS outside the 416 and MTO Patrols are analogue.
EJB
20 + year membership
I have one question if I may:
Many many years ago I joined a Yahoo scanner group that was once very influential and popular and I did some reserach with help from the group to buy a scanner that allowed me to scan the Motorola system like the TPS that you entered in recently.
Did you join this site back in 2012 when you bought a 346XT or did you buy first and now realize that your scanner is not an option anymore?
Did you join that Yahoo scanner group? Honestly, I don't know if it is even active anymore.
I ask this because there aren't a great many options to buying scanners in Toronto. You can purchase scanners at Radio World or Durham Radio, and maybe Lakeshore or buy from a dealer in the states.
There is a gentleman on this site that sells scanners you can either PM me or if he is active here maybe he will pipe in.
There has been a good deal of chat on these forums about when the TPS were going to update to a P25 system. Did you realize this when you bought your scanner?
The good thing about your 346xt, It's a darn good scanner, someone will buy it off you and/or it does have some current use.
EJB- the company you are thinking of is Whistler. The GRE800 is now the Whistler WS1080.
Hey thanks for the replies everyone. I purchased the bc346xt bout 3 or so years ago, thought I would try programming it myself but only got around to it now, hence my problem . Thing is I have noticed I am able to listen to a lot of toronto police freqs still.. Have they not upgraded yet? Can anyone tell me what the correct frequencies for the seperate Divisions downtown are? I've tried what is posted here, but they all seem to overlap with other divisions.. Can someone maybe be kind enough to explain if this is intentional, (it doesn't seem that they are merely overlapping with neighbouring Divisions, seems random) also is there a way to listen to just one downtown Division at a time? Also.. Since they do seem to be working still on frequencies, can someone tell me when it will stop working, ? Also any interesting frequencies would be much appreciated, I.e. Drug squad, specific TAVIS only channels.. Etc.. Thanks everyone!
Strange that the TGIDs don't work with the BC346XT because it does allow me to input them.. I can enter either DEC or HEX.. Why would it allow me to input them if the scanner does not support this feature? From everything I have read it seems as though this scanner should allow me to listen to TGIDs.. Any ideas? Can I maybe update the firmware? Also why are the Toronto Police freqs still working, and how can I program scanner to pick up specific Divisions? It seems as though the freq for 14 Division for example has broadcast traffic from random Divisions from all over the city.. Not just downtown neighbouring Divisions.. Are all of those Investigative , Surveillance, Intelligence, and TPS MSS freqs still valid? They seem awfully quiet.. But I do hear the odd broadcast on the Intelligence freqs.. Any new updated interesting freqs would be appreciated.. Also anyone in Toronto area that has new scanner that will work with the P25 system and is willing to either trade for a BC346XT or just sell it, pls let me know! Thanks everyone, pls excuse the newb questions but for someone who just turned scanner on for first time last night with no software assistance I think I'm doing alright! Haha .
EJB
20 + year membership
The database can answer all your questions regarding talkgroups and such.
Are you aware that the police have a bunch of divisions patched together? For example: 11+12 D are patched, 22/23, 51/53, 54/55 are almost always patched together. 13D is patched with the highway talkgroup. Only 14, 31 and 52 are on stand alone talkgroups.
Your scanner as a trade in is not going to get you a new Uniden or Whistler (thank you to the poster here who answered by question1).
While your scanner is a real good one I don't see you getting $200 bucks for it unless you are able to sell it to someone in Boston or NYC or Montreal, cities that are still using analogue systems.
PM me and I can put you in contact with a person who sells scanners here for fair prices. Perhaps he would accept your 346XT and knock off a few bucks off a scanner that you want.
As for when the new system will be online and the old one shut down, soon is the best answer.
Call or email your councillor, he/she can probably give you a set date. It's election time, they need your vote.
Are you aware that the police have a bunch of divisions patched together? For example: 11+12 D are patched, 22/23, 51/53, 54/55 are almost always patched together. 13D is patched with the highway talkgroup. Only 14, 31 and 52 are on stand alone talkgroups.
Your scanner as a trade in is not going to get you a new Uniden or Whistler (thank you to the poster here who answered by question1).
While your scanner is a real good one I don't see you getting $200 bucks for it unless you are able to sell it to someone in Boston or NYC or Montreal, cities that are still using analogue systems.
PM me and I can put you in contact with a person who sells scanners here for fair prices. Perhaps he would accept your 346XT and knock off a few bucks off a scanner that you want.
As for when the new system will be online and the old one shut down, soon is the best answer.
Call or email your councillor, he/she can probably give you a set date. It's election time, they need your vote.
EJB
20 + year membership
The Drug Squad, Surveillance, MSS are generally pretty quiet, esp on a long weekend. Whatever you hear on them, keep what you hear to yourself please.
People here frown on others who announce on this forum, the world's best and biggest scanner forum, that you heard some UC officers targeting some gangbangers in Regent Parrk or the Bridle Path.
Finally: it is darn hard to program these scanners by hand, they are designed to be programmed with software. Kuodos to you if you managed to do it by hand.
Standalone freqs
Hey thanks for the reply EJB. I am becoming aware of the etiquette surrounding this forum, and I would never divulge any information that I heard on the scanner. I do realize that by doing things like that , is what motivates them to shut it down even quicker.
I tried to PM you but it won't let me, says I don't have permission to use that feature lol. I would like to talk with you though. I was not aware that some Divisions were patched together, I was suprised to hear u say that 14 is on it's own though, because I definitely cannot find a freq for only 14, or any Division for that matter. Would u mind perhaps emailing me? I am more interested in finding the correct freqs than troubling you for new scanner info . My email is entropy00@hotmail.com
Thanks, it's much appreciated.
Hey thanks for the reply EJB. I am becoming aware of the etiquette surrounding this forum, and I would never divulge any information that I heard on the scanner. I do realize that by doing things like that , is what motivates them to shut it down even quicker.
I tried to PM you but it won't let me, says I don't have permission to use that feature lol. I would like to talk with you though. I was not aware that some Divisions were patched together, I was suprised to hear u say that 14 is on it's own though, because I definitely cannot find a freq for only 14, or any Division for that matter. Would u mind perhaps emailing me? I am more interested in finding the correct freqs than troubling you for new scanner info . My email is entropy00@hotmail.com
Thanks, it's much appreciated.
bigcam406
Member
you cant monitor the new P25 TPS system with your scanner.its an analogue only scanner.you can input the old 800 mhz system and still listen until the switchover.its still operational.
moonbounce
Member
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- Nov 5, 2002
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- 1,405
Buy a $20 USB dongle and download free DSDplus and SDR Sharp and VB Cable.
moonbounce
Member
- Joined
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Sorry it should have been DSDplus, (I should only type when I have my reading glasses on). And yes you will be able to listen to P25. There is lots of info in RR, you don't need to go anywhere else.
Visit these two sites that pertain to the software and dongle. To learn about SDR Sharp and the dongle go to the Scanners and Receivers forum, then go to Software Defined Radio. For DSDplus go to the Software forum and then to Digital Voice Decoding Software.
Moonbounce
EJB
20 + year membership
Not to get off topic but 14div has no exact frequency. They use trunking. You have to program in the "sites" (south tower) frequencies in a trunking scanner and then the trunking ID you want to listen to (4160) etc... or scan all the sites frequencies (but it wont hold on 14div).
https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=738
This should still work with your 346XT
https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=738
This should still work with your 346XT
Hey thanks for the reply.. So I'll explain what I have done.. I used the "TPS SOUTH" frequencies and programmed them all in under their own category. I'll just stick to the TPS SOUTH to avoid confusion. The only frequency that does not work, just gives static, is the one that was highlighted in Red listed as the control frequency. The one highlighted in Blue works. The rest of the frequencies work. From what I can tell I'm listening to many Divisions including 11,12,13,14,52,51,31,22,23 maybe more.
I cross references these frequencies that were grouped as SOUTH , and found the majority of the freqs are all "trunked" . No other identification for individual freqs besides being listed as "trunked" ..
My question is why does the highlighted red "control" frequency just give static while the rest work fine?
Another question: how can I isolate Divisions as narrow as possible, I understand a couple are "patched" .. That's fine, but it everyone is saying 14 has it's own freq, but I can't isolate it.
I'm really sorry everyone, I'm super new to this, but equally passionate and super fascinated by all of this. I am very willing to learn, I learned how to manually program the freqs in in just a few hours, I'm not expecting anyone to do it for me, it seems I've just hit a wall here, and because I'm so new a lot of the terminology is confusing me.. My ultimate goal is to be able to access as many isolated frequencies for the Toronto Police as possible.. Investigative, Intelligence, MSS, Surveillance, Drug Squad. I have all those freqs programmed in except for Drug Squad, can't seem to find that one. They are all pretty quiet except for like 2 Intelligence channels.. 5, and 6, 863.48750, and 863.66250 respectively.
Are those 2 Intelligence freqs correct?
Why are the rest dead quiet for days now?
Hope I have explained myself correctly. Thanks again everyone.
lukaradio
Member
Is it just me or does it sound like the OP hasn't got his scanner programmed correctly to properly follow a trunked system, it seems like he is just manually scanning some of the frequencies as if it was a analogue system especially if it keeps "hearing" the control channel and not getting any TGID's.
I haven't tried listening to TPS for a long while so I'm not sure how far they are along with the switch over and/or if everything is still in the clear?
I haven't tried listening to TPS for a long while so I'm not sure how far they are along with the switch over and/or if everything is still in the clear?
slicerwizard
Member
Yes, it's obvious that he didn't program the system as a Type II trunking system. It's ok though - he's Eric's problem now. 
Instructions below (sorry for the caps)
PRESS MENU (BOTTOM SIDE BUTTON)
(USE VOLUME BUTTON TO SCROLL UP/DOWN - AND PRESS DOWN ON VOLUME BUTTON TO ACCEPT
SCROLL TO PROGRAM SYSTEM
SCROLL TO NEW SYSTEM
MOT (if your radio asks then type 2 800mhz - my 396xt only asks for MOT)
PRESS E/YES TO CONFIRM (BESIDE 0 OR PRESS VOLUME BUTTON)
SCROLL TO EDIT SYSTEM OPTION
SCROLL TO ID SCAN/SEARCH
CHANGE TO ID SCAN
PRESS MENU
SCROLL TO EDIT SITE
NEW SITE
SET FREQUENCIES
NEW FREQUENCY
863.2125
PRESS ENTER
PRESS MENU
PRESS MENU
SCROLL TO SET QUICK KEY
CHANGE THE . TO ANOTHER NUMBER YOU WANT (SAY 1 OR 4 ETC TO TURN ON OFF EASIER - YOU CAN DO 14 BUT IT WILL BE MORE CONFUSING FOR YOU TO HIT .14)
PRESS ENTER
MENU
MENU
SCROLL TO EDIT GROUP
NEW GROUP
EDIT CHANNEL
NEW CHANNEL
WHEN ASKED FOR TGID ENTER 4160
ENTER
HIT MENU ABOUT 7 TIMES TILL IT GETS BACK TO SCANNING.
YOU SHOULD SEE YOUR Site 1-1 MOT and ID SCAN SHOWING at the top
AS WELL AS 863.2125 on the 3rd line (line below the ID SCAN)
If you see any other systems on other then your new system
TURN OFF ANY OTHER ITEMS YOU HAVE ON SO THAT ONLY THE ONE WE DID ABOVE IS ON.
If you do not see 863.2125 then you are not getting a good signal of the control channel.
A better antenna or location maybe needed.
PRESS MENU (BOTTOM SIDE BUTTON)
(USE VOLUME BUTTON TO SCROLL UP/DOWN - AND PRESS DOWN ON VOLUME BUTTON TO ACCEPT
SCROLL TO PROGRAM SYSTEM
SCROLL TO NEW SYSTEM
MOT (if your radio asks then type 2 800mhz - my 396xt only asks for MOT)
PRESS E/YES TO CONFIRM (BESIDE 0 OR PRESS VOLUME BUTTON)
SCROLL TO EDIT SYSTEM OPTION
SCROLL TO ID SCAN/SEARCH
CHANGE TO ID SCAN
PRESS MENU
SCROLL TO EDIT SITE
NEW SITE
SET FREQUENCIES
NEW FREQUENCY
863.2125
PRESS ENTER
PRESS MENU
PRESS MENU
SCROLL TO SET QUICK KEY
CHANGE THE . TO ANOTHER NUMBER YOU WANT (SAY 1 OR 4 ETC TO TURN ON OFF EASIER - YOU CAN DO 14 BUT IT WILL BE MORE CONFUSING FOR YOU TO HIT .14)
PRESS ENTER
MENU
MENU
SCROLL TO EDIT GROUP
NEW GROUP
EDIT CHANNEL
NEW CHANNEL
WHEN ASKED FOR TGID ENTER 4160
ENTER
HIT MENU ABOUT 7 TIMES TILL IT GETS BACK TO SCANNING.
YOU SHOULD SEE YOUR Site 1-1 MOT and ID SCAN SHOWING at the top
AS WELL AS 863.2125 on the 3rd line (line below the ID SCAN)
If you see any other systems on other then your new system
TURN OFF ANY OTHER ITEMS YOU HAVE ON SO THAT ONLY THE ONE WE DID ABOVE IS ON.
If you do not see 863.2125 then you are not getting a good signal of the control channel.
A better antenna or location maybe needed.
Last edited:
Oh my god thank you so much!!! This worked! You are the best! This was so simple!! No offence to anyone else but this was all it took! Thank you.. I get it now.. I'm programming in all the seperate TGIDs...
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