Priority Channels

[Kc2hro]

How do I set up priority channels? I have them checked in FreeScan and up loaded to the scanner. When I go to the priority mode on the scanner it says the are no channels found. I would like to set 2 P25 trunk and 1 P25 conventional freqs. as a priority.

 

[RoninJoliet]

I only know how to do "PRI" by hand only, you go to the "System" in question, in the menu of the system scroll to "Edit System Options, scroll to SET PRI and change it to "ON", then go to the "TGroup and go into its "menu' and turn to "ON", works great....Hope this would help !

 

[ofd8001]

It's been a while since I've set up priority "stuff" on this version of scanner, so with that said. . .

Setting priority scanning for conventional systems is different than trunking systems. They also act differently. With conventional, the scanner will interrupt an on-going transmission to check for activity on a priority frequency. With trunked, this does not happen. Only when the control channel is active will any type of priority be "active". So if a conversation is happening on a non-priority talkgroup, you will not hear a transmission on a priority talkgroup. Not my choice, but that's the way it is. (And to keep the purists happy, there is one kind of trunked system, where the pre-emption happens, but they are rare).

 

[UPMan]

Trunked priority is handled differently than conventional priority. For trunked, you set the priority flag on the channel (talk group) and set system's "Priority ID Scan" setting to On. The scanner will treat the flagged channels as priority while scanning that system. When it receives a set of channel grants, it will prioritize going to a priority channel over non-priority channels. If the system administrator has also flagged that talk group as a system priority channel, then the scanner can pre-empt a comm in progress on that system and jump to the priority channel when it goes active. It does not have anything to do with the scanner's priority mode.

Conventional channels are controlled by setting the channel to priority and then turning on the scanner's global "priority mode" function. These channels will be checked every 2 seconds (default, can be changed) while scanning, resulting in a break in reception during the priority check. If you have not programmed any priority conventional channels (or if programmed channels are not being scanned...i.e. locked out or in a system that is disabled, locked out, or that has its QK disabled) you'll see the no channels error message.

 

[ofd8001]

For conventional priority, you'll need to mark a frequency as priority. Next you'll need to get in the scanner setup options, general tab and choose either Priority On or Priority On+. (As in two things have to be set.)

Also, the scanner has to "see" a priority frequency. If it does not, because the priority channel is locked out, etc., you'll get an error message. The scanner has been told to look for a priority frequency, but can't find one.

On trunked priority, called Priority ID scanning, it also requires two steps. When editing the system, you'll need to check the "Priority ID Scan" box for the trunked system setup pane. Next for each talkgroup you wish to be a priority, you need to check the PRI box beside the channel information. Next to L/O, which is beside TGID.

 

[ofd8001]

Guess Upman and I were typing at the same time.

The only question, since he kinda raised it, does the pre-emption work on P25 too, I thought it was only for those Moto II ones with the priority stuff setup by the system admin.

 

[Kc2hro]

Thanks for the help. I think I have it.

 

[palmerjrusa]

This is driving me crazy, I can't get priority scanning to work for a P25 trunk system in either my SDS100 or 436 scanners.

I have both "ID: Search" and the "Priority ID Scanning" set to "on"and have priority channels programmed but every time I try to start priority scanning I get a "Priority Scan, No channel" message on the display.

Am I missing something obvious here?

 

[UPMan]

Priority Scan only controls conventional priority. If you do not have any conventional channels in your current selection flagged as priority, you will get that message.

 

[palmerjrusa]

Priority Scan only controls conventional priority. If you do not have any conventional channels in your current selection flagged as priority, you will get that message.

Ah, my misunderstanding. I went to that FL and selected a priority channel in a conventional system and stopped getting that message.

So to activate priority scanning in a P25 system you just have to make sure you turn on "Priority ID Scanning" for that system and have one or more channels in the system flagged as priority channels (P-Ch), is that right?

 

[UPMan]

That is right.

 

[palmerjrusa]

That is right.

Thanks for your help, much appreciated!