Pretty Dumb Questions

[Laptop-Lizard]

This is just the first of what I am sure will be more questions, but hopefully not too many, this first one is kinda dumb but I have done all I can to figure it out.

For some background;
I received my PSR-500 a couple days ago, I have the manual and have been using the "easier to read" manual also. I also have the ARC500 software and have been reading some here on the site.

Since I paid to have my area programed for me I can at least listen to my local stuff which really was the main goal. Costly, but at the moment I am very glad that I did it.

What I have been trying to figure out is how to set the LED light so that it will light up Blue for our local PD, Green for the Sheriff and Red for EMS. (see I told ya it was kinda dumb)

I tried following the instructions in the online manual but have had no luck. For a moment I thought I had really messed up as the thing went silent and was only showing our PD dispatch as being scanned, I then pushed the "scan" button and it all went back to what it had been.:roll:

I have not felt so dumb in quite some time, years ago I could program my Bearcat manually in the dark but that has been over 10 years ago and even with all the resources I have mentioned I cant even figure out how to turn on a simple colored light.

Honestly, I am afraid of doing something wrong and wiping the whole thing out. Being a disabled Vet the cost for this thing was a major expense for me, and while I am happy enough to listen locally I would like to eventually learn how to use all the features that I paid for.

I did install the ARC software, was able to find the WIN-7 drivers and then uploaded from the scanner to the software. I thought I had saved that info but it seems that all I actually saved was the trunked system stuff and it does not even show up when I open the software but rather as a document on my computer?

I have also noticed that there is more than just my county showing up as being scanned although I am not hearing any others and that there is a whole lot more stuff already in the scanner than I expected.

So I have to wonder if my scanner would pick up these areas if I was within range? I did notice that Scanner Master stated that they put in the main systems in everything that they send out. I assume that is what I am seeing as some of these areas are hundreds of miles away.

I really need to be able to upload all of that into the software and save it properly so that if I do accidentally wipe the thing out I can recover it.

Another thing that I would love to accomplish but do not even know if it is possible is that our EMS has a very annoying beeping tone before their dispatches, it annoys me enough that I will simply turn off the EMS stuff completely if I have to in order to stop that tone. Of course I do not know just how to do that either.:roll:

I have been looking at the "easier to read" manual for a week and just can not seem to get a grasp of it all.

I apologize for rambling but I have had a lot of trouble with concentration and comprehension since going to Iraq. I have nerve damage in my neck and a slight TBI injury. Trying to learn about this scanner is the first time I have realized jsut how different things are for me. That is also the reason the beeping that I spoke of is so annoying, the tone actually hurts my head.

I am really only wanting to make some simple minor adjustments to my scanner and I am frustrated to no end that I simply can not figure out how to do it myself, I did all that I could before posting this. Thinking that I had messed it up somehow was the last straw.

Thanks in advance to anyone who tries to help. The LED lights are as I said pretty dumb but I would like to make them work if I can.

Most important I really need to get the info saved that is already in the scanner into the software before it is too late and I do mess it up somehow. Although I have no intention of messing with it until I can understand better what I am doing.

Someone will be able to explain in a way that I can understand or I will just have to be happy listening to it the way that it is.

Again I apologize for being so stupid and asking questions that should be simple enough for me to figure out on my own.

 

[grumpy_hermit]

These scanners can be somewhat overwhelming in the beginning so they aren't stupid questions.

To set the LED for a frequency/talkgroup:

1. Stop the scanner (enter manual mode) on the frequency/TG that you wish to work with

2. Depress PGM (Program)

3. Depress F2 two times

4. Depress the down arrow until the cursor is blinking on "LED Color"

5. Depress the right or left arrow until the desired color lights up

6. Depress F1 and then SCAN

Repeat for each frequency/TG that you wish to light up.

I don't use ARC so I can't comment on it or how to use it to save your configuration.

 

[fmon]

Much easier in ARC. In Talkgroups section under LED Color double click in 1st desired cell of a group and select a color. Then click in the same cell, holding left button and drag down through the groups of same kind (highlighting all of kind) then right click and select filldown. E.g. firegroups might be 1 for red.

Do same for CONV freqs.

 

[Laptop-Lizard]

Thanks guys, I did it the manual way and did get a few of the colors I wanted to work.

I simply have to lose my fear of pushing the buttons on this thing. I can just remember years ago wiping out my scanner accidentaly several times and what a PITA it was to re-program and that was when I knew how to do it.

Later when the kids calm down I will fire up the software again and try to get all that to work properly.

Thanks again.

 

[N1BHH]

The only dumb question is one that is never posed.

 

[grumpy_hermit]

Since you are concerned about losing your setup, look into the V-Scanner feature. It will allow you to save your configuration within the scanner and then restore it if needed.

 

[Laptop-Lizard]

This question is again about the software. ARC500

I have uploaded what freqs came with the scanner into the software and tried saving them every way I can think of.

Yet when I open the software everything is blank and I have to go find and open the files on my computer and at that time the Freqs show up in the software. Is this how it is supposed to work?

I am going on a short trip in a week or so and would like to add some areas that I will be passing through into the scanner.

So do I simply open all the files that I have and then upload the new ones from here into the software and then transfer all of the info to the scanner?

It seems to me that they should be saving so that when I open the program I see them. Should the freqs be showing up as soon as I open the software program?

As I have said I have tried every way I can to "save" the freqs within the software but rather than save within the software they save into files on my computer and when I open the program it is always just empty.

I am rather confused...Am I doing something wrong or is that how it is supposed to work?

One other thing,

I did pay ScannerMaster to program my county but I have noticed a lot of places that are already programed in that are well over a 100 miles away, Does this mean that if I travel to these areas that the scanner will pick those transmissions up?

There sure is a whole lot of these areas showing as being scanned that are a long way from me.

Edit: Oh and Grumpy.....I have not progressed far enough to even know how to work with the V-Scanner stuff, I have been pretty busy and have not had the time to try and figure all of this stuff out. It would be nice to know that everthing was some how saved within the scanner.

 

[fmon]

Yet when I open the software everything is blank and I have to go find and open the files on my computer and at that time the Freqs show up in the software. Is this how it is supposed to work?

In Global Settings, Software tab insure "Auto load Last used file" is checked.

I am going on a short trip in a week or so and would like to add some areas that I will be passing through into the scanner.

So do I simply open all the files that I have and then upload the new ones from here into the software and then transfer all of the info to the scanner?

Insure you have a Wildcard mapped to each TSYS. Set each with unused Alarm which should alert you to press F3 (STOR) when object is active. When you return, Download from scanner. This will overwrite everything in software but save the file as whatever was in scanner prior to trip. This will update the previous file. You can edit new STORed data then save again ready to load for next trip.

It seems to me that they should be saving so that when I open the program I see them. Should the freqs be showing up as soon as I open the software program?

Frequencies are in either Conventional section or Trunking section of Object Browser. Double click the trunking freqs adjacent to System Type

One other thing,

I did pay ScannerMaster to program my county but I have noticed a lot of places that are already programed in that are well over a 100 miles away, Does this mean that if I travel to these areas that the scanner will pick those transmissions up?

Yes if you have that file loaded into scanner.

 

[grumpy_hermit]

Edit: Oh and Grumpy.....I have not progressed far enough to even know how to work with the V-Scanner stuff, I have been pretty busy and have not had the time to try and figure all of this stuff out. It would be nice to know that everthing was some how saved within the scanner.

Quick and dirty instructions to save your current configuration to a V-Scanner folder (slot 00 <empty>):

Press FUNC and then PGM

Press F2 (Stor)

Press F3 (Stor) and then F1 (YES)

If you wish to rename the folder, do so now. Otherwise, press F1 (OK).

You have now saved your current configuration to slot 00. Press SCAN to return to normal operating mode.