Picking up RCS North from Lakeside/El Cajon

[Gamefreak88]

If I have North, South and East control channels programmed in, and lets say Sheriff Rural is only on the East control channel. Since my scanner only has one "system" with all the control channels, and my scanner seems to always be using the South control channel... is it able to pick up Sheriff Rural? In other words, if my scanner finds the South control channel and is happy with it, will it ever check the other control channels (e.g. East)?

My point is, if (because South is strongest where I am at) my scanner always locks on to South, will I EVER hear North or East talkgroups? Can the scanner "listen in" on multiple control channels simultaneously, or does it just pick whichever one is strongest? Because if it does, it will always lock on to South and I'll never hear North or East.

In other words, do I need 3 scanners.. one for each zone?

If you use the roam setting, the threshold values are an important part of it. The stat mode with the check all CCs option is a little less complicated to set up.

Isn't STAT mode for stationary? I am rarely stationary. I just now tried STAT mode with "check all CC", and it seems to check all the control channels and it does indeed pick up channels from the North zone (e.g. Sheriff Vista Dispatch and Sheriff Escondido Dispatch), but it is nothing but static and I have to crank my squelch up. This is from home however. Perhaps if I try STAT mode while I'm driving, it will give me what I'm looking for. I'm just concerned that the time it takes to scan the North and East control channels, is signifigant and I will miss out on South radio traffic. Tonight I will do some heavy testing.

EDIT: Sheriff Rural comes in nice and clear on East control channel. I've pretty much only heard Sheriff Rural about a dozen times in two years, and it was usually when I was 40+ miles east of where I live. Interesting find. I will keep playing around.

EDIT (2): This below quote from the Easier to Read Pro-106 manual confuses me. Both sound like they say "hey, lets listen to control channel 1 and check for talkgroup ID's I know" then "hey, lets listen to control channel 2 and check for talkgroup ID's I know", etc.

"Off - the scanner will check a new control channel on each pass, starting with the next frequency in line after the previous pass. It will check only one control channel per pass.
The scanner will park on a different decent quality control channel each time it scans that system.
On - the scanner will park on each decent control channel in the list successively looking for programmed talk groups BEFORE leaving that system and moving on to other system's or conventional channels."

 

[W6KRU]

I suggest you try multi-site Stat mode and set the Check all CC option. That way the scanner will park on each decent control channel in the list successively looking for programmed talk groups BEFORE leaving that system and moving on to other system's or conventional channels.

I use this method to monitor north and south zones simultaneously.

 

[W6KRU]

The Roam setting is for mobile operation.

 

[W6KRU]

The difference between Check all CC off and on is how many CCs get checked on ech check of a system. Off checks 1 CC per pass and On checks all on each pass.

When you are mobile you want to use roam mode. The threshold setting effects when the scanner gives up on the current CC and looks for another CC with a better signal level.

 

[JoeyC]

I cannot stand multi-site mode. The scanner is always locked onto a site that I don't necessarily want to hear. I program EACH site as an individual separate site each with its own talkgroups. So when I turn my scanner to Oceanside PD from downtown San Diego OR Oceanside itself, I know I am going to get Oceanside PD as long as I am in range. Similar to your experience, I found the scanner constantly searching for a site when multi-site was on and usually locked onto a site that didn't have the traffic I was trying to get at the time. The way I am doing it eats up more memory as you have to duplicate some talkgroups, but at least I know POSITIVELY that I am going to hear what I want WHEN I want it.

 

[Gamefreak88]

Hey JoeyC,

I was thinking/wishing that would be possible, but am not sure how to program different sites to specific scanlists. Below is my current layout. Are you saying for, lets say Scanlist 12 (Oceanside PD), I can have the scanlist check only North Zone control channels? So if I don't have Scanlist 12 enabled, my scanner wont bother trying to "listen" to North Zone? That sounds like the ideal situation. But I don't know how to program control channels on a per-talkgroup basis. Only scanner-wide.

It may be a bit much to ask, but could someone upload a basic demo Win500 file showing such a layout?

1 PRIORITY (All important interop/swat/fire emergency/hostage/tac cmds/etc, always enabled no matter what)
2 SHERIFF
3 CHP
4 FIRE DISPATCH
5 FIRE TACTICAL
6 EL CAJON
7 LA MESA
8 NATIONAL CITY
9 CHULA VISTA
10 HARBOR/CORONADO
11 ESCONDIDO
12 OCEANSIDE
13 CHP CONVENTIONAL
14 CDF CONVENTIONAL COMMAND
15 CDF CONVENTIONAL TACTICAL
16 CARLSBAD PD
17 NORTHCOMM/NORTH COUNTY
18 SCHOOLS
19 EMPTY
20 TESTING (When I want to see "hey, what is this channel for?")

EDIT: I think I may have figured out the multiple system thing.

 

[JoeyC]

Gamefreak:
Make separate TSYS for North, South and East Zones each with ONLY the control channels for that site. I then copy all the talkgroups into each site separately, and I remove those that aren't necessary afterwards. For instance after copying all, I would remove the Oceanside talkgroups from the East and South TSYS and remove Chula Vista from the North and East. Then assign talkgroups to the lists as you normally would.

Generally when I am mobile I am not doing what you probably do, which is scanning the entire county. I am generally interested only in my immediate area. Scanning such a large area presents with problems no matter which way you program. But I like knowing for sure that when I hold on an Oceanside PD talkgroup, I want to be assured that the scanner isn't locked onto the south zone while doing so, and I don't want to fiddle with settings and lockouts to get it to hold on that particular TG.

 

[Gamefreak88]

So if I have a second TSYS, and (for example purposes only) I only have one scan list (e.g. Scanlist 12) on that TSYS, and I do NOT have Scanlist 12 "on", then my scanner should not be trying to "listen" to the control channels in that TSYS correct?

If that's true, then I can have my cake and eat it too. Have the North control channels programmed in a TSYS with a Oceanside PD scanlist, and my scanner will only try to pick up North if I have Oceanside's scanlist "on". Because having multiple TSYS's active seems to make me miss radio traffic on the South zone since it's busy checking the North and East zones.

 

[W6KRU]

Hey Joey, I agree with what you are saying but I don't see how to implement it yet. My problem is the lack of scan lists in my PSR-500 to do it. Making the TSYS's is a breeze. It's just the organization of the TGs that I have a problem with.

The Multisite mode with the check all CCs option works pretty well from home when I want to listen to the whole county, but that is an impossible mess anyway. :lol::lol:

My Unidens are more usable for monitoring a specific area. The systems that are broke into groups gives more organizational capabilities.

Gamefreak, It is as as easy to do as Joey makes it sound. Just add a TSYS for each zone and put the TGs under the correct TSYS. The scan list assignment is the only confusing part, for me anyway. You can also do this with V-scanner folders for each zone but then it takes more button pushing and some delay.

 

[W6KRU]

So if I have a second TSYS, and (for example purposes only) I only have one scan list (e.g. Scanlist 12) on that TSYS, and I do NOT have Scanlist 12 "on", then my scanner should not be trying to "listen" to the control channels in that TSYS correct?

If that's true, then I can have my cake and eat it too. Have the North control channels programmed in a TSYS with a Oceanside PD scanlist, and my scanner will only try to pick up North if I have Oceanside's scanlist "on". Because having multiple TSYS's active seems to make me miss radio traffic on the South zone since it's busy checking the North and East zones.

That's how it works. The more you listen to, the longer the delays.

 

[Gamefreak88]

I just did some in-depth testing with my desktop Pro-197 w/ rooftop antenna in Lakeside, with the COUNTY zones. My results essentially show that all the Alternate frequencies are useless. At least from my home, that is. So I have to ask the question: What is the purpose of the alternate frequencies? Are they for a "back up" system, and is never operating unless neccessary? Or is there an actual geographical location where scanners use those frequencies?

I will be doing the exact same test as below, but with one of my handheld scanners, near SDSU (closer to the San Diego city area) tonight to see if there is any difference. Specifically if I am able to pick up North Zone better. I am afraid to remove the alternate frequencies, for fear that they must serve a purpose.

Enabled were ALL Sheriff, CHP, Heartland Fire, El Cajon PD, La Mesa PD, National City PD, Chula Vista PD, Harbor PD, Coronado PD, Schools, Carlsbad, Escondido PD/FD, North County FD, Northcomm, Oceanside PD/FD/Lifeguards. For the control channel, I only had one programmed at a time, so I could verify the traffic I was hearing was from that control channel.

868.4125 (SOUTH PRIMARY CC)
-SHRF SANTEE DISP
-SHRF LG/SV DISP
-CHP ELC DISP
-CHP ELC DISP RES
-CHV DISP 6B
-CHV 6F CMD
-HLFD DISP 4M
-HLFD 3F CMD
-EL CAJON DISP 1
-EL CAJON TAC 1
-LA MESA DISP 1
-NAT CITY DISP 1
-CHV DISP 1
-HARBOR PD DISP 1
-HARBOR PD DISP 2
-CORONADO DISP 1
-(PRESUMIBLY ALL, I have yet to ever see my radio not operate on this control channel)


863.1500 (NORTH PRIMARY CC)
-COULD NOT PICK ANYTHING UP


868.9250 (EAST PRIMARY CC)
-SHRF RURAL (GOOD/GREAT)
-SHRF SANTEE
-SHRF IMB DISP (GOOD)
-CHP ELC DISP (GOOD/GREAT)
-CHP ELC DISP RES (GOOD/GREAT)
-CDF DISP 10A (OK/GOOD)


868.1875 (NORTHEAST PRIMARY CC)
-COULD NOT PICK ANYTHING UP


867.9125 (SOUTH ALT)
-COULD NOT PICK ANYTHING UP

868.0750 (SOUTH ALT)
-COULD NOT PICK ANYTHING UP

868.1375 (SOUTH ALT)
-COULD NOT PICK ANYTHING UP


861.2000 (NORTH ALT)
-COULD NOT PICK ANYTHING UP

862.1500 (NORTH ALT)
-COULD NOT PICK ANYTHING UP

862.2000 (NORTH ALT)
-COULD NOT PICK ANYTHING UP


867.9500 (EAST ALT)
-COULD NOT PICK ANYTHING UP

868.3750 (EAST ALT)
-COULD NOT PICK ANYTHING UP

868.5500 (EAST ALT)
-COULD NOT PICK ANYTHING UP


867.8375 (NORTHEAST ALT)
-COULD NOT PICK ANYTHING UP

868.1625 (NORTHEAST ALT)
-COULD NOT PICK ANYTHING UP

868.3375 (NORTHEAST ALT)
-COULD NOT PICK ANYTHING UP

 

[W6KRU]

Yes, the alternate CCs are backup for the normally used CCs. Most of the time the alternates aren't used but if a transmitter for the normal CC goes down, an alternate CC will come up and if you don't have it, you will be out of business.

Edit: BTW the dividing line for the north and south zones is roughly the 52 fwy.

 

[JoeyC]

Any site is only going to use ONE control channel at a time. As Dan said, the alternates are there because they pick up the work when the main control goes down and occasionally they do, if only for a minute or so. So you should always have them in the programming even if it appears they never come alive.

 

[JoeyC]

So if I have a second TSYS, and (for example purposes only) I only have one scan list (e.g. Scanlist 12) on that TSYS, and I do NOT have Scanlist 12 "on", then my scanner should not be trying to "listen" to the control channels in that TSYS correct?

If that's true, then I can have my cake and eat it too. Have the North control channels programmed in a TSYS with a Oceanside PD scanlist, and my scanner will only try to pick up North if I have Oceanside's scanlist "on". Because having multiple TSYS's active seems to make me miss radio traffic on the South zone since it's busy checking the North and East zones.

If everything in scanlist 12 is associated with the north zone in your programming then the scanner will not check the south zone when you have multi-site off.

You could also have one TG from the north and another from the south in the same scanlist and not miss traffic with multisite off.

As I said before, I've had nothing but lousy results with multisite because we do live within the reception areas of the north, east and south zones and there is quite a bit of overlap.