newbi in need of hel with BC898T configing

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geowil

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We recently got a police scanner from Frys electronics.

and after all the hidden costs (usb to serial cable + software to program it) of it we finally have everything we need to start programing it.


I loaded up the ARC program and have been grappling with it for a good 5 hours.

If anyone could point me to some detailed guides on fully configuring a frequancy and trunk the said frequency that would be awesome.

i am not getting the whole truncated thing. On one hand I have seen in a few wikis from this site that you dont have to program the trunks, just the control.

yet in the extremely crappy manual for the ARC program it says that you have to for the scanner to trunk the signals correctly.

I have tried a few different things, but nothing seems to work.


this is what the trunk page looks like:

trunkidwindow.jpg



and i entered in the DEC id (as was suggested in the trunk programming FAQ) from this list:

Phoenix Fire Talkgroups

DEC HEX Mode Alpha Tag Description Tag
1741 6cd D PHXFDPATCH4 VHF-Patched Ch 4 Fire-Tac
1742 6ce D PHXFDPATCH3 VHF-Patched Ch 3 Fire-Tac
1743 6cf D PHXFDPATCH2 VHF-Patched Ch 2 Fire-Tac
1771 6eb D PHXFDPATCH10 VHF-Patched Ch 10 Fire-Tac
1773 6ed D PHXFDPATCH9 VHF-Patched Ch 9 Fire-Tac
1774 6ee D PHXFDPATCH8 VHF-Patched Ch 8 Fire-Tac
1775 6ef D PHXFDPATCH7 VHF-Patched Ch 7 Fire-Tac
1776 6f0 D PHXFDPATCH6 VHF-Patched Ch 6 Fire-Tac
1777 6f1 D PHXFDPATCH5 VHF-Patched Ch 5 Fire-Tac
1794 702 D PHXFDPATCH1 VHF-Patched Ch 1 Alarm Fire Dispatch
1795 703 D PHXFDPATCH1a VHF-Patched Ch 1 Alarm Fire Dispatch

could really use some help! thanks.
 

LordJ

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well, I don't have that particular radio, but here goes.... The screenshot you gave shows the talkgroup ID's you have programmed, and not the actual trunking frequencies..You have to make sure you have the trunk frequencies and the bandplan correct. A screenshot of these would help me see what may be wrong, also what system you are trying to setup...(I'm assuming it's Phoenix FD, but I don't know for sure) Does this version of the ARC software allow you to download from the RR site if you have a premium subscription? I know, more cost, but it could make it easier for you.. Anyway,
 

geowil

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herein lies the problem.

where can i find these truck frequencies? i did not see them listed on the Phx fire dept. frequency page nor talk group page. page (and yes that is the test system i am trying to get working).
 

n2mdk

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geowil said:
herein lies the problem.

where can i find these truck frequencies? i did not see them listed on the Phx fire dept. frequency page nor talk group page. page (and yes that is the test system i am trying to get working).

The frequencies are listed just above the talkgroup IDs.
But this really isn't going to help you, the Phoenix system http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=2508 is P-25 Digital System and the BC898T simply can't handle it. You need a digital capable scanner fot it.View attachment 14793
 
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geowil

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n2mdk said:
The frequencies are listed just above the talkgroup IDs.
But this really isn't going to help you, the Phoenix system is P-25 Digital System and the BC898T simply can't handle it. You need a digital capable scanner fot it.View attachment 14793

ok, so what about the maricopa county system?

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=848



also, the program i have exports to csv but i dont think it imports. or at least i dont see the option anywhere.
 

n2mdk

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Maricopa is a mixed Moto Type II System, if you look at the database the TGIDs marked as A can be received without a problem those marked with D are digital and can't.
 

geowil

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ok, thanks.

as for the CSV files, i did find out how to import them to my data tables, but it seems there isnt one for trunk id's so i will have to do those manually i guess.


now, let me see if i have this straight now.


both the regular frequencies and the trunk frequencies go into the bank table correct?

so like I would put in

460.35000 for the main Scottsdale frequency

then these for the trunk frequencies?

001 Thompson Peak (Scottsdale) 851.33750 853.36250 853.56250 853.76250 854.33750 854.58750 855.98750 857.26250 857.86250
859.26250* 860.23750 860.26250* 860.76250 860.96250

and then these would go into the trunk ids?

"
Scottsdale Police Talkgroups

DEC HEX Mode Alpha Tag Description Tag
4208 107 A SPD/SPTLD1 A South Patrol Dist 1 Law Dispatch
4272 10b A SPD/NPTLD2&3 C North Patrol Dist 2 & 3 Law Dispatch
4304 10d A SPD/ALT/PWKS F Alternate (+Public Works Contact ) Law Tac
4336 10f A SPD/EVENT1 Event 1 Law Tac
4368 111 A SPD/TAC-1 Tac-1 Law Tac
4400 113 A SPD/TAC-2 Tac-2 Law Tac
4432 115 A SPD/C2C E car to car Law Talk
4464 117 A SPD/INFO D Info/ Records Law Tac
4496 119 A SPD/ALTERNAT G Alternate Law Tac
4528 11b A SPD/ALTC2C Alternate- car to car Law Talk
4560 11d A SPD/ALTC2C2 Alternate- car to car Law Talk
4592 11f A SPD/SUPERVIS J Supervisors Law Tac
4624 121 A SPD/DET OPS Detective Operations Law Dispatch
4656 123 A SPD/INV OPS Investigations-Operations Law Dispatch
4688 125 A SPD/INV NARC Investigations-Narcotics Law Tac
4720 127 A SPD/INV INFO Investigations-Information Law Tac
4752 129 A SPD/SAU-SWAT SAU (SWAT) Law Tac
4816 12d A SPD/EVENT2 Event 2 Law Tac
4848 12f A SPD/EVENT3 Event 3 Law Tac
4880 131 A SPD/EVENT4 Event 4 Law Tac
4912 133 A SPD/EVENT5 Event 5 Law Tac
5104 13f A SPD/CRT OPS Court Security/Operations Law Dispatch
5264 149 A SPD/TRAINING Training Law Tac
5328 14d A SPD/SURV PRI Surveillance - Primary Law Tac
5360 14f A SPD/SURV ALT Surveillance - Alternate Law Tac
6640 19f A SPD/HOT TFC B Hot Traffic Law Tac
43056 a83 D SPD/TESTING Coverage Testing Law Tac
43088 a85 D SPD/HEAT-1 Heat 1 Special Enforcement Law Tac



and if all of that is correct, how will i know if the scanner is trunking? will there be anything on the display that will let me know that its working? or will the frequency change or something?
 

n2mdk

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You need to set up the bank for trunking, I don't know if you can mix trunked and conventional on the BC898T or not. It's an 800MKZ system, you need to read the manual and see how to set if to trunk correctly.
 

eahuntley

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n2mdk said:
You need to set up the bank for trunking, I don't know if you can mix trunked and conventional on the BC898T or not. It's an 800MKZ system, you need to read the manual and see how to set if to trunk correctly.

Yes, it Is possible on the BC898t to mix trunked frequencies with conventional frequencies..

I've got a BC898t, and while some people have told me I only need to program the control channels for Motorola type II systems, I seem to get much more activity when I program all the channels. Has anyone had this experience?
 

n2mdk

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eahuntley said:
Yes, it Is possible on the BC898t to mix trunked frequencies with conventional frequencies..

I've got a BC898t, and while some people have told me I only need to program the control channels for Motorola type II systems, I seem to get much more activity when I program all the channels. Has anyone had this experience?

If the radio is programmed correctly it will make no difference in how much activity you will receive whether set up as CC only or all the frequencies. If it is getting more activity then there is something wrong with the way it's programmed for trunking.
 

eahuntley

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n2mdk said:
If the radio is programmed correctly it will make no difference in how much activity you will receive whether set up as CC only or all the frequencies. If it is getting more activity then there is something wrong with the way it's programmed for trunking.

Thanks, I guess I'll have to pull out the manual and try and figure out what I've done wrong..
 

SCPD

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Geo.... I have posted info about the 898T a few times here. Like setting it to C/C only and which of the four plans to use. Also setting the status bit and end code. The 898 manual does NOT have this info. I found it on page 46 and 47 of the BCT-8 manual. Also number 4 on the menu of 8 shows OFF/ON I have no idea what it is for but the radio will not trunk in the off position.

Mark
 

SCPD

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Geo.... Hope this helps you. After you pick which bank you want to put the trunk system in and what type. Make sure the VFO knob is on. You can turn the know and see the 8 settings...

1 Prog F
2 Prog ID
3 Scanlist
4 off on
5 S-bit
6 Eot
7 CC only Pl 1,2,3,4
8 ID Lout

**** After you set one of them hit the DATA button to get back to the menu****

Also after I programmed the trunk system with the 4 control channels I went into convent mode and put State Police (159.135) in channel 5 and it works GREAT

Mark
 
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