P25 Phase II Trunking system - automatically bypass sites ?

[xilix]

I monitor a large P25 Phase II trunking system that has at least 100 different sites across mid/southern California (SoCal Edison).

Here's my tale of woe:

If I simply do an import from RR into my scanner software, I get ALL 100+ sites when in reality, based on my current location, I may only need to monitor 1 - 3 sites. The scanner wastes time scanning the other 97 or so control channels.
I know i can go thru the list of sites and "AVOID" them, but some of the sites don't have names and this becomes tedious when traveling.

If there a way to have the scanner automatically avoid sites when no control channel is detected after the first few passes ? I'm thinking of a temporary avoid that gets reset with a new power-on.

On a related note, if I load the SoCal Edison system from Sentinel using my current zip code, I wonder if it will "localize" the site list ?
I'll need to try this.

 

[jtwalker]

What you describe is what a GPS connected to scanner and having location control enabled on your favorites list does for you.

 

[donc13]

I monitor a large P25 Phase II trunking system that has at least 100 different sites across mid/southern California (SoCal Edison).

Here's my tale of woe:

If I simply do an import from RR into my scanner software, I get ALL 100+ sites when in reality, based on my current location, I may only need to monitor 1 - 3 sites. The scanner wastes time scanning the other 97 or so control channels.
I know i can go thru the list of sites and "AVOID" them, but some of the sites don't have names and this becomes tedious when traveling.

If there a way to have the scanner automatically avoid sites when no control channel is detected after the first few passes ? I'm thinking of a temporary avoid that gets reset with a new power-on.

On a related note, if I load the SoCal Edison system from Sentinel using my current zip code, I wonder if it will "localize" the site list ?
I'll need to try this.

Very simple, use Zip Code location and limit range to 10 miles.

 

[Randyk4661]

I monitor Edison as well.
With Edison it is a roll of the dice with the numbered sites in the database. Some of the named sites I don't believe are correct either.
You may want go one by one through the sites one at a time and pick out the strongest sites near where you are going to be.
I used close call when they were doing work on my street and that's how I figured out the site they were using.
I can tell you that the one site I listen to, I can hear talkgroups from Santa Barbra to the inland empire and I'm in Orange County.

 

[hiegtx]

I monitor a large P25 Phase II trunking system that has at least 100 different sites across mid/southern California (SoCal Edison).

Here's my tale of woe:

If I simply do an import from RR into my scanner software, I get ALL 100+ sites when in reality, based on my current location, I may only need to monitor 1 - 3 sites. The scanner wastes time scanning the other 97 or so control channels.
I know i can go thru the list of sites and "AVOID" them, but some of the sites don't have names and this becomes tedious when traveling.

If there a way to have the scanner automatically avoid sites when no control channel is detected after the first few passes ? I'm thinking of a temporary avoid that gets reset with a new power-on.

On a related note, if I load the SoCal Edison system from Sentinel using my current zip code, I wonder if it will "localize" the site list ?
I'll need to try this.

What software are you using? If you are importing the system via ProScan, yes it will initially show all the sites. (ARC536 should also do the same.) But, before you complete the import, you can deselect (unchecked) the sites you do not want. That should also be an option in ARC536 (I don't have that software, but it also should give you that option.)


In ProScan, you can use the 'Uncheck All Sites' and 'Uncheck All Talkgroups', then go back & specifically select (with the check box) only the sites & Departments you want.

In Sentinel, if you append the system from the main database, that will also pull all the sites, though if you are careful, you can select the specific departments of interest.

As jt and donc noted, you can use location & range to limit which sites & departments are scanned.

Generally, I deal with these as Randy has noted (if I appended the system via Sentinel, instead of a specific import in ProScan),. I delete the sites and departments that are well out of range, or of no interest. Should I need them later, I can always pull them out of the main database.

On a related note, if I load the SoCal Edison system from Sentinel using my current zip code, I wonder if it will "localize" the site list ?
I'll need to try this.

In Sentinel, set your correct location, & specify a range. Verify that you have your service types of interest enabled. Remember that range, when used in location control scanning, is actually the sum of the range of the Site or Department, plus the range you set when entering your location. See this page for a more complete explanation.

After verifying that your range & location are set as you want, and you've verified that your specific service types are also enabled, then click on the drop-down Edit menu & select 'Add Channels in Range".

You'll get a pop-up box to verify your location, range, & service type settings. Select OK on that pop-up. Sentinel with then pop-up a box for you to select which Favorites list to add these to, or create a new list. That newly created list will be the systems, sites, and departments that fit your location & range settings. You can then open the Favorites list editor to tweak that list if needed, before you send it to the scanner.

 

[ofd8001]

For the simplest way, when editing the Favorites List, set Location Control to On. (And as noted above, be sure you set the zip code and select a lower Range Value.)

If you do not set Location Control to On, the scanner will scan "everything" regardless of your location. Location Control On means you want the scanner to be selective on Sites and Departments based on location.

 

[nessnet]

Or..... manually enter your lat/long - and yes, set your range appropriately