NEWBIE IN NEED OF SOME HELP

[Gaga2921]

OP informed me via PM they're from Gridley, Butte County, CA. I'm seeing a trunked system here with various sheriff talkgroups and sites are simulcast. There are also analog channels here though not being from the area I'm not sure if they're still in use. The OP wouldn't be able to monitor the Butte County TRS without a scanner that tracks P25 Phase-II, which the Whistler 1040 does NOT. They'd need one of the below scanners. Preferably a Uniden SDS100 or 200 to properly deal with simulcast distortion which notoriously locks up Whistler scanners

View attachment 90374

Gridley's PD and Fire (as last reported to the DB) are a mixture of analog & P25. If programmed correctly and the reported info hasn't changed I wouldn't anticipate any issues receiving these with a Whistler 1040
View attachment 90376

I'm also seeing a thread on the California forum here about a future statewide interop system being built, possibly near complete. Perhaps they'll eventually migrate here?

Thank you
For the PD I have the frequency entered, should I be using the input instead? And what should the squelch be set at.

I also have an analog in for the sheriff.
My daughter had an older scanner 10 plus yrs, analog only and she picks up the local PD and Sheriff and Cal Fire so I think the analog channels still work.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Thank you
For the PD I have the frequency entered, should I be using the input instead? And what should the squelch be set at.

No. You most likely won't be able to pick anything up on an input channel unless you are in close proximity (yards at best) to a transmitting unit. Setting squelch depends on how strong or weak the signal is. The lower you set it, it'll pick up more distant signals

 

[gmclam]

Your scanner will monitor Cal Fire, Butte Sheriff (VHF conventional), Gridley PD, CHP; no problems. I can hear them from here in Sacramento county. Your scanner will NOT be able to monitor the new Butte County P25 trunked system. At least for the moment, that is not an issue.

In order to use software to program your scanner, you must have a programming cable. The cable will connect USB on your PC to the scanner's PC/IF connection. The software will be able to read what is programmed, provide a means you can edit the data, and (re)program the scanner. If you're a member of RR, the software can also download directly from the site, so you don't even have to edit anything (unless you want to).

The G on the screen means the Attenuator is set to ON. To turn if off, press FUNC ATT. Now, if your global attenuator is actually on; that can keep you from receiving anything except the strongest signals (something very close).

The S means the squelch is off. Ideally for scanning it should be on. Turn the squelch knob clockwise until it just extinguishes. In the old days, when the squelch was off you'd hear rushing come out of the speaker. But now there are trunked systems and tone decoding, to name 2 reasons; where the squelch alone does not control the audio to the speaker. EXAMPLE: Let's say you have CHP programmed with a CT of 203.5. If the scanner detects a signal on the CHP frequency, it will stop (with the audio muted) and determine if a CT value is present. ONLY when 203.5Hz (in this example) is present will the audio unmute. However, the squelch will be open and the display shows an S. Even if not using tone values, there are other things that can keep the audio from unmuting.

The only "input" channel you might want is CHP BROWN, also known as CHP MOBILE. If you receive something here it will come directly from the mobile. Being able to do so usually means having an outdoor antenna suitable for VHF low band. I have them programmed because you never know when there is a cruiser "down the street", but expect to pick up 99% of the traffic on CHP BROWN BASE.

 

[sallen07]

The G on the screen means the Attenuator is set to ON. To turn if off, press FUNC ATT. Now, if your global attenuator is actually on; that can keep you from receiving anything except the strongest signals (something very close).

"G" means "Global attentuation mode", where attentuation is on or off for everything being scanned. But unless the display shows "GA", attenuation is OFF. Hitting the "ATT" toggles attenuation on and off; hitting "FUNC ATT" just turns global mode on and off.

 

[gmclam]

Here's what I am monitoring from Butte County on my WS1040 equivalent

ALPHA ----------          FREQUENCY     MODE    SQUELCH TONE
BUTTE SHERIFF 1           154.725000    NFM     CTCSS   107.2
BUTTE SHERIFF 1S          151.490000    NFM     CTCSS   114.8
BUTTE SHERIFF 1S          151.490000    NFM      NAC    47C
BUTTE SHERIFF 2           155.910000    NFM     CTCSS   100.0
BUTTE SHERIF d2d           45.920000     FM     CTCSS   100.0
CLERS NORTH               453.875000     FM     CTCSS   110.9
CALFIRE Oroville          151.400000    NFM     CTCSS   110.9
BUTTE FIRE CMD            154.415000    NFM     CTCSS   123.0
BUTTE CO MED 1            463.000000    NFM     CTCSS   162.2
SP Lk Oro/Marin           857.937500    NFM       DCS   125
SP Lk Oro DISP            770.181250     FM       NAC   111
SP Lk Oro ADMIN           770.681250     FM       NAC   111
SP Lk Oro TAC             773.043750     FM       NAC   222
CHICO PD 1                154.875000    NFM       DCS   411
CHICO PD 2 TAC            158.955000    NFM     CTCSS   114.8
CHICO PD3/PUBWRK          154.040000    NFM     CTCSS   77.0
CHICO FIRE BLUE           453.750000    NFM     CTCSS   131.8
CHICO FIRE RED            453.400000    NFM     CTCSS   131.8
CHICO FIRE GREEN          453.450000    NFM     CTCSS   131.8
CHICO FIRE YELLW          453.550000    NFM     CTCSS   131.8
CHICO FIRE BROWN          453.700000    NFM     CTCSS   131.8
CSU CHICO                 153.740000    NFM     CTCSS   186.2
GRIDLEY-BIGGS PD          155.040000    NFM      NAC    714
GRIDLEY-BIGGS PD          155.040000    NFM      DCS    411
OROVILLE PD 1             154.785000    NFM      NAC    411
OROVILLE PD 1             154.785000    NFM      DCS    411
OROVILL FIRE 1            153.815000    NFM     CTCSS   123.0
PARADISE PD 1             155.715000    NFM     CTCSS   100.0
PARADISE PD LINK          453.362500    NFM     CTCSS   Search
PARADISE FIRE 1           153.950000    NFM     CTCSS   100.0
CHP SAC BLUE2 BS           44.840000     FM     CTCSS   173.8
CHP SAC BLUE2 MO           42.360000     FM     CTCSS   173.8
CHP SAC BROWN3 B           44.700000     FM     CTCSS   136.5
CHP SAC BROWN3 M           42.260000     FM     CTCSS   136.5

 

[cjwb801]

why do i get a Heap Error when i try this....any thots?

 

[tvengr]

A heap error on a 1040 or 1065 usually means that a talkgroup does not have a system on a trunked system..

 

[ka3jjz]

This article from our wiki has a discussion of the infamous heap error message...

GRE/RS Object Oriented Scanners FAQ - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

Mike

 

[GregOH]

Could the OP press Tune, enter a conventional frequency and press the Enter key? If he gets coms from an agency that he's already programmed manually that would be an indication that there's a setting issue or what he's programmed needs edited?