Ohio MARCS Programming
Zeus:
I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out the best possible way to have MARCS set up in my 396. Since it came pre-programmed as a system in the 396, I have eliminated some of the control channels that are used by other trunked systems in my area. I have locked out the district TG's that arent near me, but I havent deleted them. When I first got it running, I kept it in the search mode to get a look at what activity was passing through the Dayton MARCS tower. If you do that for a while and do the research on what TG's are regularly hitting your local MARCS tower, you may be able to listen to more than just the OSP.
The main reason I have left all of the TG's in, but locked out is if I travel across Ohio, I can unlock the TG's along the route without having to reprogram the scanner. Some may argue that you could just travel across the state with it in the search mode, but you would still have to look up the Talk Group numbers when you heard something. This way, you still have the alpha tags to show you what you are hearing.
I still have most of the control channels unlocked in the 396. The scanner will receive control channel data from what ever the closest/strongest signal there is in the area you are in. So, if I leave my house in the South Dayton area and drive over to the Beavercreek area (15 miles east) the 396 will begin to lose the control channel from the Dayton site, but it continues to scan the control channels I have left in and very rapidly begins receiving the MARCS tower that is nearest to Beavercreek, or if I leave my house in Dayton and head south, the scanner will begin to receive data from the MARCS tower near Lebanon, Ohio.
So, in a way, the 396 with all of the control channels left in, kinda does the same thing the actual MARCS radios do.....it searches for the strongest control channel site and uses THAT site.
I was sooooo amazed at how great my scanner was receiving on MARCS........until I went to a local scanner club meeting and the members there schooled me on how a Motorola Smart Zone system actually worked........that brought me back down to earth quick since I learned that. I dont know how much the Motorola Trunking or Digital Trunking Forums explain the Smart Zone system here on RR, but once you get a decent understanding of how that works, it sure helps!!!
Enjoy your 396, I'm all of the time finding new things to do with it. Make sure you put in Talk Group 700000 for Private Calls!! You will really enjoy those. Also put TG 70000 in any Motorola Type II system- It will automatically receive private calls. Uniden is the only scanner that has the capability for that right now.
Have fun!!
