Newbie - Help Please (PRO-433)

[Phenax]

Hi guys, I'm a total newbie to all of this.

I just wanted to monitor my police department and a few other things as there has been a lot of activity lately (city is growing!). I went to RadioShack and got a PRO-433.

Unfortunately, I am clueless on how to operate this. I can "Scan" or "Search" and find some random frequencies that I don't even know what they are. But I see this:
http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=199

Can someone give me the low-down on how I can get my PRO-433 to tune into

City of Orange City Talkgroup
689   	05-061   	A   	Police

I'm kind of clueless? For the frequency, I'd put System 1 frequency in red? How do I input the DEC or AFS? I have no software or plugs for computer, only a PRO-433 box

I've been reading around, and I'm understanding all of this more and more, but it'd be nice to accomplish this (simple?) objective for now.

 

[SCPD]

are frequencies in LCN order starting in 001 not 000, BAnk & each channel in ED (edacs mode??) do that correctly. ID's will come up as they become used/active

 

[SCPD]

MASSIVE ERROR SOrrY!!.. its the system NOT me lol

 

[Phenax]

I'm not 100% catching on.

Given, I'm totally new.. so I'm not very good at anything.

I went to a blank channel, went to program mode.. set ed, frequency 855.2125, and it's now entered in with bank and everything. How do I find the "IDs" or search them, or get to my PD specifically?

Also, how can I easily go to my channel (I set it as channel 301, and right now i keep hitting up arrow to get there!)

Are there any easier to understand guides for using PRO-433? The guide that came with it is somewhat cryptic to me

 

[n2mdk]

I'm not 100% catching on.

Given, I'm totally new.. so I'm not very good at anything.

I went to a blank channel, went to program mode.. set ed, frequency 855.2125, and it's now entered in with bank and everything. How do I find the "IDs" or search them, or get to my PD specifically?

Also, how can I easily go to my channel (I set it as channel 301, and right now i keep hitting up arrow to get there!)

Are there any easier to understand guides for using PRO-433? The guide that came with it is somewhat cryptic to me

Yes there are join this Yahoo group http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/PRO-433_scanners/ and in the files section there are step by step instructions on setting up different systems.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/PRO-433_scanners/files/TRUNKING STEP-BY-STEP/

 

[af5rn]

You'll die of old age before you get that thing programmed manually. In fact, they shouldn't even sell them without software and a programming cable included. That's borderline false advertising. Seriously, if you intend to get it programmed in this century and maintain any bit of sanity, you're going to have to break down and get the stuff to do it by computer.

 

[Phenax]

Here's what I've done

Go to channel 301. Press "PGM" button. Press "Trunk" button. Press "4" button (for POL). I then selected ED, went to "Pro9 id" and entered 05-061 (Police Station) for "1--1". I then hit "Resume" and went to "Pro9 F" and hit "PGM" to finish.

I don't hear anything What did I do wrong or miss?

 

[Phenax]

If I skip the Pro9 id part I hear something but I can't tell what it is.. don't think it's the PD..

 

[n2mdk]

Here's how to program a system. Let's choose Bank 1.
1. Push MANUAL, push E, push TRUNK, push #1 (that's Bank 1).
2. Push an arrow until you see Ed, Push E.
3. You'll see 1 Pro9 F. Push E. You will see 1ch 000.0000
4. Enter the first freq., push E. (Example 856.7375)
(Now, you may need to step to the right channel per the LCN)
5. Enter the next freq., push E.
6. After entering the last Freq., push E, then SRCH.

You have to program in all the frequencies listed in the link you posted, each site needs to go into a seperate bank if you want all 3 sites.

 

[Phenax]

Here's how to program a system. Let's choose Bank 1.
1. Push MANUAL, push E, push TRUNK, push #1 (that's Bank 1).
2. Push an arrow until you see Ed, Push E.
3. You'll see 1 Pro9 F. Push E. You will see 1ch 000.0000
4. Enter the first freq., push E. (Example 856.7375)
(Now, you may need to step to the right channel per the LCN)
5. Enter the next freq., push E.
6. After entering the last Freq., push E, then SRCH.

You have to program in all the frequencies listed in the link you posted, each site needs to go into a seperate bank if you want all 3 sites.

Thank-you for the explanatory post! But I'm still lost in a few areas.

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=199

Right there, it lists many frequencies. Should I enter all of the frequencies? I just want Orange City for the most part, so should I just enter the 05 ones (cuz orange city PD is 05-061?).. Also, what is the LCN and how do I input it?

 

[n2mdk]

These are the frequencies don't worry for now what it below these frequencies, which are the TGIDs.
If you look at the frequencies you will see a small number before each frequency those are the LCN. There are 3 sites listed here. Don't know which site you need so you might want to enter all 3 sites. It's going to take work if you do it manually.

 

[Phenax]

So, for the majority of Orange City Public Safety I'd enter..

858.76250
859.71250
860.21250

Because Orange City is majority 05, and these frequencies all have an LCN of 05 ?

When I enter them, do I stick them all in 1ch, or do I switch to 2ch and 3ch - if i enter them all in 1ch I think it only uses the last one I entered? Also, how do I "switch" in-between the TalkGroups or whatever - switch between fire station and police department or something.

 

[n2mdk]

No you must enter all the frequencies, don't confuse the frequencies and their LCN order for the Talk Group IDs for now forget about the TGIDs. Just get the frequencies programmed for each site there are 14 frequencies for site 1 going into channels 101 to 114 and so on.
Do yourself a favor read this so you get a better understanding of how a trunked system works http://www.uniden.com/products/ButIjustwanttolistentothePolice.pdf

 

[Phenax]

OK I entered them all in and on a channel or two I can hear people talking (one seems to be a PD). Can I tell what PD it is, or exactly what it's coming from? It would seem from that document that the TGID would be how I'd obtain that.. but I know nothing of actually using a TGID with this box.

 

[n2mdk]

The PD your interested in can be on any of the 14 channels you entered in at any one time. I'm not even sure Site 1 is what you need.
I don't own the radio you do I helped you as much as I can for now. Join that Yahoo group go into the regional forum for FL and see if you can get more help.
If I was you I'd buy the programming cable from RS the software from BuTel http://www.butel.nl/ get the subscription to this website and let the software do the work.

 

[WayneH]

Moved to the RadioShack forum...

 

[loumaag]

Attn: Phenax

I think the problem is that you don't have a good grasp on how a trunking system works. The TG's that you want to listen to share the frequencies (all of them) with all the other TG's on the system. Take a look at this Wiki article, I think things will be a lot clearer after reading that.