OK, what am I doing wrong? ARC-XT & 396XT

[sefrischling]

Hi,

Long time lurker, first time poster. I just added the 396XT scanner to my kit, having used Radio Shack & GRE scanners since the 90s for work, and am running into some issues.

I have no problem programming the Trunked Systems, my problem is this ... how the heck to do I select what system goes in what bank? I loaded two trunked systems and two conventional systems, yes they are separate, used no quick keys and the only bank that shows up is bank 3.

Having wiped the scanner with ARC-XT before loading it it is also constantly scanning the frequencies I wiped and I can't seem to get rid of them.

At the moment I want it to simply scan Bank 1 - CSP Shore East ; Bank 2 - CT ShoreEast LAW ; Bank 3 Waterford PD/FD ; Bank 4 - CT ShoreWest Fire

Ideally I'd like Bank 1 & Bank 2 to scan as one , with only Waterford PD from that system ... but for the moment I just need the darn thing to load. The RadioShack/GRE software is so much easier to understand.

Thanks for the help folks.

 

[davidmc36]

If you want to organize your systems so they seem like banks, which do not actually exist in the 396, then you need to assign quick keys to the sites. If you want two things to scan at the same time you could give them both the same quick key. But based on you only wanting four things, just give them each their own quick key since it is not a lot to remember.

You can give your trunk system site and the conventional system the same quick key so they are both turned on and off together

 

[737mech]

Try Freescan, doesn't cost anything and easy to understand.

 

[sefrischling]

737

Thanks, my radio programming laptop runs Win2k, Freescan doesn't work. I tried it. I kept this computer for the primary purpose of programming RS/GRE radios For what I need to monitor I now need to listen to digital and digital trunked system and its driving me because of the change of scanners,

 

[sefrischling]

Thanks David, I'll try that. I am still trying to figure QuickKeys out. It is a whole different concept to me.

 

[davidmc36]

These manuals have a different approach that may help:

Mark's Scanners

 

[sefrischling]

Thank you David. I'll give them a read after I tuck the kids in

 

[sefrischling]

OK, I think I got some things figured out ... but how do I turn off the ID Scan/ID Search? I keep hearing two CSP Troops no where near me and can't seem to get these 16 busy talkgroups to shut up.

Oh ... and the idiotic question, I assigned groups QuickKeys, how do I see if they are on or off or am I missing something?

 

[ofd8001]

The quick answer to your question on "shutting up" the undesired troops is to hit the lockout (L/O) button when the scanner stops on that talkgroup. One press shuts them up for the time being, two presses shuts them up for good. More details below.

With the 396XT, you have to choose either ID Scan or ID Search, you cannot lock this out. As a refresher, ID Search will "receive" all Talkgroup IDs except those which you have locked out. ID Scan will scan only those talkgroup IDs that you have programmed into your scanner.

You have two choices when locking things out (be they frequencies in conventional systems or talkgroups in trunked system). Pressing the L/O button once puts them in a temporary lock out status. When you power down your scanner and turn it back on, the power up cycle clears all temporary lockouts to unlocked. Pressing the L/O button twice locks the frequencies/talkgroups out (for lack of a better word) permanently. To restore these "permanently" locked out frequencies/talkgroups, you have to do that via programming (either by hand or by software).

For group quick keys, look at the very bottom line of the scanner's display. You will see "GRP:". That indicates the status for the groups of the system on which the scanner stops. A flashing number indicates the active group. An asterisk indicates the group is locked out (either due to it being programmed as locked out or the group quick key being toggled off (disabled).

 

[UPMan]

To toggle a system between ID SCAN and ID SEARCH, press F+SCAN while on that system.

For Quick Key info:
QuickKeys < UnidenMan4 < TWiki

 

[sefrischling]

Thanks UPMan