Newbie here. Programming from PC.

[Trizzle345]

I have downloaded the PSR500. I want to download and program my scanner. I live in Glendale and would like to program for the Police Dept. (P25) to start with. I have tried to import digital P25 for DPS, and nothing happens. I get "nothing enabled" on my scanner., so I know I failed the process.

I figure someone knows the process, I can learn that, and I am on my way. If someone could point me in the right direction to learn this stuff, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

 

[cfsimmont]

Not familiar with the PSR software but I am sure someone else here that is will be able to offer some assistance with that. Glendale PD is on the Phoenix RWC, mostly heard on Simulcast G. You will only be able to hear the North and South Dispatch / Ops channels + a couple of the channels used for the sports facilities in Westgate everything else is encrypted. DPS is still conventional UHF, in your area that would be District 14. DPS does have some channels on AZ WINS but they aren't always simulcasted so your best bet is the UHF. Frequencies for Simulcast G and DPS Dist 14 are in the database. The PSR500 scanner is an earlier digital trunking scanner and you may or not have issues monitoring Glendale PD of the simulcast system.

 

[Trizzle345]

Not familiar with the PSR software but I am sure someone else here that is will be able to offer some assistance with that. Glendale PD is on the Phoenix RWC, mostly heard on Simulcast G. You will only be able to hear the North and South Dispatch / Ops channels + a couple of the channels used for the sports facilities in Westgate everything else is encrypted. DPS is still conventional UHF, in your area that would be District 14. DPS does have some channels on AZ WINS but they aren't always simulcasted so your best bet is the UHF. Frequencies for Simulcast G and DPS Dist 14 are in the database. The PSR500 scanner is an earlier digital trunking scanner and you may or not have issues monitoring Glendale PD of the simulcast system.

What

I have downloaded the PSR500. I want to download and program my scanner. I live in Glendale and would like to program for the Police Dept. (P25) to start with. I have tried to import digital P25 for DPS, and nothing happens. I get "nothing enabled" on my scanner., so I know I failed the process.

I figure someone knows the process, I can learn that, and I am on my way. If someone could point me in the right direction to learn this stuff, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

One other thing I forgot to mention is I have the WS 1040 scanner.

 

[hiegtx]

What


One other thing I forgot to mention is I have the WS 1040 scanner.

Make sure that, when you import (download) the talkgroups you want for the system, that you are also importing the site frequencies. As you are getting "nothing to scan", either you did not download all the needed parts of the system you want o monitor, or you do not have the associated scanlist enabled.

You may want to attach your programming file to a post, so that someone can take a look and see what might be incorrect, or omitted.
Attaching a PSREdit500 file to a post:

PSREdit500 uses the file extension *.bin, which cannot be directly attached to a post. What you’ll need to do is one of these two ways:
Compress your file into a *.zip file, which can be attached. This can be done with a file utility such as WinZip, or the free 7Zip. If your original file was named “MyFile.bin”, the compressed file would be “MyFile.zip”.

The other method is to rename your file, using Windows Explorer. Again, for illustration, if your original file was named “MyFile.bin”, find the file on your PC and rename it. <Right><Click> on the file and select ‘Rename’ from the pop-up menu. Rename your file to either “MyFile.txt” or “MyFile.bin.txt”.
The zipped or renamed file can now be attached to a post. Whoever is going to take a look, to see anything missing or incorrect, can then download the file from your post, rename or unzip it, and open with PSREdit500 to view.

 

[Trizzle345]

I have used a Help enter FAQ from the Whistler website that has helped walk me through uploading the talk groups to my scanner successfully. It is now scanning. I have not heard any communications yet. The signal strength shows strong, but no communication as of yet. There is probably something I need to do to the radio, any ideas?

 

[kd7ckq]

Are you scanning Simulcast G West Valley? Also, maybe Glendale TG's are P25 P2.

 

[hiegtx]

Are you scanning Simulcast G West Valley? Also, maybe Glendale TG's are P25 P2.

Glendale shows to be still Phase I in the database, but the PD is mostly encrypted. Fire is not, at least according to the database

However, that specific system, RWC, is one that is often refereed to as being hard to monitor due to simulcast issues.

I have used a Help enter FAQ from the Whistler website that has helped walk me through uploading the talk groups to my scanner successfully. It is now scanning. I have not heard any communications yet. The signal strength shows strong, but no communication as of yet. There is probably something I need to do to the radio, any ideas?

I would still suggest posting your file, as I indicated above. That way, someone else with the same software can see if they spot something that needs to be added or changed.

 

[rwier]

Hi Trizzle,
Save any of your PSREdit files. Unzip the attachment. Load the unzipped file into PSREdit. Upload to your scanner. Press 1, 2, 3, and/or 4 on the keyboard to,activate ScanLists 1, 2, 3, and/or 4. 4 is the Glendale PD. If this doesn't help/work, simply upload your previously saved files to your scanner, and forget about this attempt.
Good Luck,

 

[Trizzle345]

Make sure that, when you import (download) the talkgroups you want for the system, that you are also importing the site frequencies. As you are getting "nothing to scan", either you did not download all the needed parts of the system you want o monitor, or you do not have the associated scanlist enabled.

You may want to attach your programming file to a post, so that someone can take a look and see what might be incorrect, or omitted.
Attaching a PSREdit500 file to a post:

PSREdit500 uses the file extension *.bin, which cannot be directly attached to a post. What you’ll need to do is one of these two ways:
Compress your file into a *.zip file, which can be attached. This can be done with a file utility such as WinZip, or the free 7Zip. If your original file was named “MyFile.bin”, the compressed file would be “MyFile.zip”.

The other method is to rename your file, using Windows Explorer. Again, for illustration, if your original file was named “MyFile.bin”, find the file on your PC and rename it. <Right><Click> on the file and select ‘Rename’ from the pop-up menu. Rename your file to either “MyFile.txt” or “MyFile.bin.txt”.
The zipped or renamed file can now be attached to a post. Whoever is going to take a look, to see anything missing or incorrect, can then download the file from your post, rename or unzip it, and open with PSREdit500 to view.

Are you scanning Simulcast G West Valley? Also, maybe Glendale TG's are P25 P2.

I am working on it. Starting to figure out the PRSEdit500. I found the Glendale PD on RWS under digital trunking. I also found the Sherrif Dept under another digital lable. I am trying to

Hi Trizzle,
Save any of your PSREdit files. Unzip the attachment. Load the unzipped file into PSREdit. Upload to your scanner. Press 1, 2, 3, and/or 4 on the keyboard to,activate ScanLists 1, 2, 3, and/or 4. 4 is the Glendale PD. If this doesn't help/work, simply upload your previously saved files to your scanner, and forget about this attempt.
Good Luck,

Make sure that, when you import (download) the talkgroups you want for the system, that you are also importing the site frequencies. As you are getting "nothing to scan", either you did not download all the needed parts of the system you want o monitor, or you do not have the associated scanlist enabled.

You may want to attach your programming file to a post, so that someone can take a look and see what might be incorrect, or omitted.
Attaching a PSREdit500 file to a post:

PSREdit500 uses the file extension *.bin, which cannot be directly attached to a post. What you’ll need to do is one of these two ways:
Compress your file into a *.zip file, which can be attached. This can be done with a file utility such as WinZip, or the free 7Zip. If your original file was named “MyFile.bin”, the compressed file would be “MyFile.zip”.

The other method is to rename your file, using Windows Explorer. Again, for illustration, if your original file was named “MyFile.bin”, find the file on your PC and rename it. <Right><Click> on the file and select ‘Rename’ from the pop-up menu. Rename your file to either “MyFile.txt” or “MyFile.bin.txt”.
The zipped or renamed file can now be attached to a post. Whoever is going to take a look, to see anything missing or incorrect, can then download the file from your post, rename or unzip it, and open with PSREdit500 to view.

 

[Trizzle345]

Hi Trizzle,
Save any of your PSREdit files. Unzip the attachment. Load the unzipped file into PSREdit. Upload to your scanner. Press 1, 2, 3, and/or 4 on the keyboard to,activate ScanLists 1, 2, 3, and/or 4. 4 is the Glendale PD. If this doesn't help/work, simply upload your previously saved files to your scanner, and forget about this attempt.
Good Luck,

Thank you so much for files. I appreciate it. It has helped. I have probably programmed this device at least a half a dozen times today. I am learning from the comments from this thread and practicing programming with the PRSEdit500.
Now on the help FAQ from Whistler/PRSEdit500, It says to choose a transmitter. Is it possible to choose the wrong one? I tend to believe the talk groups on the third tab would have to be paired with their respective transmitter.

 

[Trizzle345]

Glendale shows to be still Phase I in the database, but the PD is mostly encrypted. Fire is not, at least according to the database

However, that specific system, RWC, is one that is often refereed to as being hard to monitor due to simulcast issues.


I would still suggest posting your file, as I indicated above. That way, someone else with the same software can see if they spot something that needs to be added or changed.

I have tried to rename as you have suggested, then attempted to attach to the reply and it stated the file type was not supported. I will keep trying as I go here. By the way, when you mentioned being hard to monitor due to simulcast issues, I saw on the Transmitter (2nd) tab, there was a west valley simulcast G transmitter for my area, so I clicked all the transmitters that appear to match up with the different talk group frequencies of agencies I wanted. It helped. I could pick up Suprise and Peoria PD, but not Glendale. I am going to figure this out.

 

[Trizzle345]

Are you scanning Simulcast G West Valley? Also, maybe Glendale TG's are P25 P2.

Great info. This has helped me. I noticed on the 2nd tab transmitters Simulcast G West Valley which cover my area. Then I chose the agency frequencies from the Talk groups tab. When I first started to use PRSEdit 500, I assumed just pick one or two transmitters and you're covered for any talk group. I am still only picking up Suprise and Peoria PD, which is further away than Glendale. Thanks.

 

[Trizzle345]

What


One other thing I forgot to mention is I have the WS 1040 scanner.

Not familiar with the PSR software but I am sure someone else here that is will be able to offer some assistance with that. Glendale PD is on the Phoenix RWC, mostly heard on Simulcast G. You will only be able to hear the North and South Dispatch / Ops channels + a couple of the channels used for the sports facilities in Westgate everything else is encrypted. DPS is still conventional UHF, in your area that would be District 14. DPS does have some channels on AZ WINS but they aren't always simulcasted so your best bet is the UHF. Frequencies for Simulcast G and DPS Dist 14 are in the database. The PSR500 scanner is an earlier digital trunking scanner and you may or not have issues monitoring Glendale PD of the simulcast system.

Thank you for the information, I am now beginning to understand what you are conveying to me. LOL. It makes sense why I can't pick up Glendale. I haven't even attempted to any conventional programming yet. My main focus was to get Glendale PD. Thanks.

 

[hiegtx]

Hi Trizzle,
Save any of your PSREdit files. Unzip the attachment. Load the unzipped file into PSREdit. Upload to your scanner. Press 1, 2, 3, and/or 4 on the keyboard to,activate ScanLists 1, 2, 3, and/or 4. 4 is the Glendale PD. If this doesn't help/work, simply upload your previously saved files to your scanner, and forget about this attempt.
Good Luck,

Thanks Rob
You're a great deal closer to the OP's location than I am, and I'm sure you know much more about the systems in that area that I would.

 

[hiegtx]

I have tried to rename as you have suggested, then attempted to attach to the reply and it stated the file type was not supported. I will keep trying as I go here. By the way, when you mentioned being hard to monitor due to simulcast issues, I saw on the Transmitter (2nd) tab, there was a west valley simulcast G transmitter for my area, so I clicked all the transmitters that appear to match up with the different talk group frequencies of agencies I wanted. It helped. I could pick up Suprise and Peoria PD, but not Glendale. I am going to figure this out.

The part you need to rename is the extension on the file. For PSREdit500, the default file extension is *.bin. So, if your file, from PSREdit500, was named Glendale.bin, you'd either change the file extension to *.txt (that's a text file, which is allowed on the forums), or zip (compress) the file as I noted previously. To attach your file, other than zipping it, you would change it from "Glendale.bin" (without the quote marks) to either Glendale.txt or Glendale.bin.txt. If you don't either zip it, or change the file extension name, then that's why you are getting the "file type not supported" error. You first save your file from PSREdit, then change the file name. You can change the name by using Windows Explorer. Right-click on your saved file, and one of the options in the pop-up menu is "rename".

Note that programming files for your WS1040 are exactly the same as used for the PSR-600, PSR-500, Pro-106, Pro-197, WS1065, and a couple more.

The site you want for Glendale is the one that covers your area.
You can find those by using the database page.
On the page, look at the heading just above the list of sites for the system.

You see where I highlighted RR Locations?
Click on that.
That gets you a map, showing the location for each site. (For Simulcast sites, that balloon marker is roughly at the center of the simucast' coverage area.)


Click in one if the markers, and it will give you the name of the site it represents. The site just to the left of Glendale and Peoria is Simulcast G.
Back at the database page for the system, click on Simulcast G.

That shows you the area that the site is designed to cover. As you can see, it's centered just west of Glendale.
If you want to look more closely at the site locations (for the actual towers). click on that small icon (highlighted) just off the lower left corner of the map.


Read the Wiki page on Simulcast for a more complete description. What happens is that all these tansmit sites are using the same frequencies, transmitting the same thing from each one. Those signals arive at your scanner with just enough time differential to confuse the scanner to the point that it cannot decode the transmissions. But that can be unpredictable. Sometimes, you may have no problem at all. Or maybe you do, but your buddy nearby does not. In some cases, you can improve your reception by using a smaller antenna (at times, a paperclip works better). Or maybe, if you move yuor scanner a few feet in one direction or another, you can get better reception. You won't know if you have a problem until the scanner is correctly programmed.

 

[Trizzle345]

The part you need to rename is the extension on the file. For PSREdit500, the default file extension is *.bin. So, if your file, from PSREdit500, was named Glendale.bin, you'd either change the file extension to *.txt (that's a text file, which is allowed on the forums), or zip (compress) the file as I noted previously. To attach your file, other than zipping it, you would change it from "Glendale.bin" (without the quote marks) to either Glendale.txt or Glendale.bin.txt. If you don't either zip it, or change the file extension name, then that's why you are getting the "file type not supported" error. You first save your file from PSREdit, then change the file name. You can change the name by using Windows Explorer. Right-click on your saved file, and one of the options in the pop-up menu is "rename".

Note that programming files for your WS1040 are exactly the same as used for the PSR-600, PSR-500, Pro-106, Pro-197, WS1065, and a couple more.

The site you want for Glendale is the one that covers your area.
You can find those by using the database page.
On the page, look at the heading just above the list of sites for the system.
View attachment 71991
You see where I highlighted RR Locations?
Click on that.
That gets you a map, showing the location for each site. (For Simulcast sites, that balloon marker is roughly at the center of the simucast' coverage area.)
View attachment 71992

Click in one if the markers, and it will give you the name of the site it represents. The site just to the left of Glendale and Peoria is Simulcast G.
Back at the database page for the system, click on Simulcast G.
View attachment 71993
That shows you the area that the site is designed to cover. As you can see, it's centered just west of Glendale.
If you want to look more closely at the site locations (for the actual towers). click on that small icon (highlighted) just off the lower left corner of the map.
View attachment 71994

Read the Wiki page on Simulcast for a more complete description. What happens is that all these tansmit sites are using the same frequencies, transmitting the same thing from each one. Those signals arive at your scanner with just enough time differential to confuse the scanner to the point that it cannot decode the transmissions. But that can be unpredictable. Sometimes, you may have no problem at all. Or maybe you do, but your buddy nearby does not. In some cases, you can improve your reception by using a smaller antenna (at times, a paperclip works better). Or maybe, if you move yuor scanner a few feet in one direction or another, you can get better reception. You won't know if you have a problem until the scanner is correctly programmed.

Steve, thanks! I am zeroing in on this now thanks to your walkthrough. I am planning to get an antenna soon.

 

[KB7MIB]

Glendale PD A-1 and A-4 can be heard on Simulcast G. (Simulcast issues notwithstanding.) One of those can also be heard on Simulcast B, in Phoenix, but I don't recall which one off the top of my head.

If you're hearing Peoria and Surprise, but not Glendale, you're listening to the White Tanks IR site. The IR sites are easy to hear, since it's a single, non-simulcast site.

I have a PSR-500 myself, which I have programmed by hand, not by computer, so far. (I do have ARC500 software for it, but have not yet played with it.) Because the PSR-500 does not work well with any of the simulcast sites, I now have a Uniden SDS-100. I am not optimistic that you will have any luck hearing Glendale, even with proper programming. A 700 MHz directional antenna, pointed in the right direction, may help with the simulcast issues, but since I don't have one myself, I can't say that it will or won't.

A friend of mine has the Radio Shack equivalent, the PRO-106, and has said that he has no problems receiving Simulcast G. The 500 and the 106 are essentially the same, and both are essentially the same as the WS-1040, but his 106 can receive Simulcast G, and my 500 cannot. I don't know if your 1040 is more like my 500, or more like his 106.

John
Peoria

 

[kd7ckq]

Just another file to try. A cleaned up version of rwier file.
Bank 1 is Glendale ALL
Bank 2 is Glendale Police
Bank 3 is Glendale Fire
Bank 4 is Phx Fire A deck

 

[rwier]

Yes

Just another file to try. A cleaned up version of rwier file.
Bank 1 is Glendale ALL
Bank 2 is Glendale Police
Bank 3 is Glendale Fire
Bank 4 is Phx Fire A deck

Yes, super bloated, a poor attempt by me. However, I too cleaned up and set up a West Valley only. I noticed when importing from RR with the PSREdit software, it showed the RWC as P25 Phase II. I searched around for my 600 scanner to test my new Scanlist. After five or so hours, I haven't heard a peep. Shows the Big S with 1 to 4 bars of signal strength varying wildly. Not a peep heard.

ps: My 436HP and 536HP stay in my vehicle. Except when the cross roads dip under I-17, I pretty much hear about 98% of anything from a transmitter near my location. Also, I have a 996XT sitting under the 600. On the same West Valley PDs plus FDs, DPS and MCSO, the chatter is almost continuous. Whatever I'm doing wrong today (with the 600) may be what's messing with Trizzle.

 

[rwier]

Found my 500 scanner. Loaded the same setup as before with the 600. Too lazy to hook up my rooftop antenna feed and just used the telescoping antenna that was on the scanner. It was obvious that the little antenna was doing a better job of pulling in the G: signal than my rooftop setup. After some searching, I found a short (core to braid) in the rooftop setup. After repair, G: West Valley stations coming in, but not quite acceptable, lol. The short problem didn't show up with the A: and B: TGs, as my location for them is near ideal (just lucky). I'm guessing that to get really good results with G:, one would need a solid 5 bars steady. I'm near I-17 and Greenway. A: and B: showing 20% 4 bars and 80% 5 bars. The big T flickers once a second, otherwise steady on when scanning. This results in about 95%+ reception of A: and B: TGs. G: showing about 70% 3 and 4 bars, with 30% 5 bars. The big T is on only about 30% of the time while scanning. Reception no better than 40% of transmissions from West Valley TGs. It appears, that for my scanners, signal strength is pretty much everything.