PRO-164, Seattle feeds, which talkgroups? What else can I get?

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ronsonol

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Oct 10, 2011
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Hi - I have listened to the KOMO feed and this one (Seattle Police, Fire and EMS Live Scanner Audio Feed) for quite a while and decided to get my own scanner, a Pro-164, to see what else there is to listen to around here. I'm in North Seattle and so far I've gotten a lot of the SPD talkgroups, been able to lock out that obnoxious automated "aid response on channel 5" robot (worth the whole price right there!) and found some other stuff. I've done a lot of reading about the radio (not totally comfortable though) and the system, but still have a bunch of questions. I was hoping someone might be able to help me out with a few things:

1. Does anyone know what the actual talkgroups are on the KOMO feed, and on the RR #220 feed (above)?

2. Is there any way on this scanner to set up a bank/channel that has only a few specific talkgroups? So far I've had to allow the radio to find everything on the control channel, and lock out all the ones I don't want to hear, which is a lot of lockouts.

3. I started out by adding 851.41250a as a frequency, which is the blue one for 'seattle simulcast' - is there any reason I should add or use any of the other freqs listed in that list?

4. I tried adding 867.86250a which is listed as 'King County/ValleyCom Simulcast', but it doesn't seem to get any reception. Someone posted a thread from Shoreline which is just north of me and was told to start with that one, and he seemed to get it. Is my antenna maybe not good enough to get that, or should I try the other freqs in the list, or what could be going on there?

5. Does anyone know of anything else interesting to listen to around here that wouldn't be found on the seattle simulcast trunking system? Right now that is all I have scanning, but there must be other interesting signals.

Thanks a lot for a great forum - I remember reading this site way back when I was trying to figure out an old (IIRC) AR-1000. It's doing well and lots more info now! Congrats to the community.
 

ronsonol

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I can't edit the message, but I figured out:

#2 (closed vs. open bank).
#4 - didn't have the bank on motorola mode. Don't think I'm getting anything different with that though. Should I be?

I did find some WSP freqs and added those.

I've also found a couple of talkgroups that aren't in the list: 60272 (standard coptalk, didn't hear where), and 4528 which sounded like SPD running some sort of training scenarios. Didn't see how to add those into the list, but if someone wants to/knows what they are...
 

ronsonol

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Oct 10, 2011
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One more question: is there any way to 'browse' talkgroups by stepping up/down through them and listening? I found one that was interesting but there was a long break and scanning through kept missing it. When they are active you can pause, but I don't see how you can pause on one if there is no activity. Is there a way? Thanks.
 
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Don't you just hate talking to yourself?! :wink:

I don't have the Pro-164 so I can't help you there. I'm in Pierce County and don't follow the King County system that much.

Be patient someone may answer your questions.................................
 

SCPD

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RE: 5. Does anyone know of anything else interesting to listen to around here that wouldn't be found on the seattle simulcast trunking system? Right now that is all I have scanning, but there must be other interesting signals.

Use the RR database and you'll discover a lot of frequencies/systems to monitor.

The RS scanners are GRE clones and I personally find their memory logic confusing and hard to follow. The Uniden scanners tend to be more user-friendly, imho.

Post any scanner-specific questions to the GRE group and you'll probably get a faster response.
 

ronsonol

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Thanks for the responses. I'm figuring it out more as I play with it. Doing it manually means a lot of fiddling to enter freqs that often get nothing though, so it can be a little frustrating to just try random things from the dbase. I will probably end up getting the cable and software to do it more quickly.
 

charlieone

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Washington
2. Is there any way on this scanner to set up a bank/channel that has only a few specific talkgroups? So far I've had to allow the radio to find everything on the control channel, and lock out all the ones I don't want to hear, which is a lot of lockouts.

3. I started out by adding 851.41250a as a frequency, which is the blue one for 'seattle simulcast' - is there any reason I should add or use any of the other freqs listed in that list?

4. I tried adding 867.86250a which is listed as 'King County/ValleyCom Simulcast', but it doesn't seem to get any reception.

5. Does anyone know of anything else interesting to listen to around here that wouldn't be found on the seattle simulcast trunking system? Right now that is all I have scanning, but there must be other interesting signals.

I have the Pro-162 which is the Uniden version of your radio. I have multiple "systems" setup in mine each with individual banks of talkgroups. For example, system 1 is all NORCOM, bank 1 is fire, 2 is PD, I think 5 is Seattle Fire.

System 2 is SNOPAC (North Snohomish County), bank 1 is fire, 2 is PD, 3 or 4 is Everett PD, etc.

I'm not sure how your scanner's keypad is setup but with mine I just press a number button to turn on or off a bank. Makes it really easy to turn PD of FD on or off depending on where the action is.

Where you are geographically dictates what control channel you can use. I use EPSCA simulcast and can hear all of NORCOM, Seattle Fire most days, and ValleyCom's Fire 1-3, etc. I can barely get the Seattle Simulcast so I rarely use is. Depending on how you have your radio setup you either program in just the control channel or program in all the channels.

I'd say 99% of my listening is of the trunked systems in the area. They're easy to listen to and there's a lot of different stuff on them. But, for conventional, I occasionally listen to WSP or the frequencies for the news helicopters.
 

charlieone

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Thanks for the responses. I'm figuring it out more as I play with it. Doing it manually means a lot of fiddling to enter freqs that often get nothing though, so it can be a little frustrating to just try random things from the dbase. I will probably end up getting the cable and software to do it more quickly.

Just to add to my last post...

I had the Pro-164 and found it more difficult to understand than the 162, hence why I have the 162. I'm not saying your scanner isn't useful, just that I've always used Uniden scanners and found the 162 more intuitive.

I use a few software packages. BuTel makes some good programming software (GRE GRECOM RadioShack PSR300C PSR-300C PSR400C PSR-400C PSR-300 PSR-400 PSR300 PSR400 PRO-163 PRO163 PRO-164 PRO164 PSR 300 PSR400 PRO-97 PRO-2055 PRO97 PRO2055 Software). I was going to mention bcTool, but that only works with the Uniden scanners. It's pretty cool; let's you program the scanner and also records individual talkgroups.

If you really want to see what's going on in the trunking system get a copy of UniTrunker (Unitrunker). You connect your scanner's output, preferably a discrimnator out but the headphone can work, to the line-in on your computer's soundcard. Tune to the control channel. UniTrunker will show you all the talkgroups active on the system, all at the same time. I find it useful to figure out what I really can and can't hear.
 

SCPD

QRT
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Yeah Charlie, you're just going to confuse the lad. :p

The Uniden system is far better and easier to understand, imho.

The GRE system lets you mix and match. So you can have CONV and TRUNK "channels" (i.e. TGIDs) in the same bank. You can't do this with Uniden.

So, you could have like a "Police" bank -- with mixture of TGIDs (from diff systems) and CONV police (state police) in one group.

Some like this way of doing it -- especially the fire junkies... :D
 

ronsonol

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Oct 10, 2011
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Thanks guys. I'm less confused about the scanner now, but still trying to figure out what I can listen to that is worth bothering. I've made a bank for all Seattle (minus the boring ones :) )and one for just local (North) in case I hear something nearby. I think it will make it much easier and more fun if I just get the cable and dump a ton of stuff into a couple of other banks and see what I can get.
 

charlieone

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Jan 20, 2009
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Washington
Thanks guys. I'm less confused about the scanner now, but still trying to figure out what I can listen to that is worth bothering. I've made a bank for all Seattle (minus the boring ones :) )and one for just local (North) in case I hear something nearby. I think it will make it much easier and more fun if I just get the cable and dump a ton of stuff into a couple of other banks and see what I can get.

I've never used this guy's manuals before but you might want to check it out. He writes simplified manuals. Easier to Read Pro-164/163 PSR300/C/400/C Scanner Manual is for your scanner.
 

lowboy654

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Oct 29, 2005
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I have a PRO-164,97 and a 163 I use Win97 to program with, its free for 30 days. and works great, I also own the GRE-500 and 600 I use Win500 with them, and I do have a 96 and use Win96 for that. I don't work for Don Star or get any kind of payment from him or get a deal on his software I paid the full price and I believe that it was money well spent, it makes life simple for programing your scanner, I also own the HP-1 with the extreme upgrade this thing kick some butt right out of the box....
 

Stavro35

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Mar 23, 2003
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Bainbridge Island, WA
I have the Pro164. I use it for my scanner feed which is here at RR. If you need help,I'm here.We can skype if you have it .Or we can talk on the phone or e mail each other until you get everything set up. Feel free to message me in private here
 

ronsonol

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Oct 10, 2011
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I have the Pro164. I use it for my scanner feed which is here at RR. If you need help,I'm here.We can skype if you have it .Or we can talk on the phone or e mail each other until you get everything set up. Feel free to message me in private here
Thanks very much for the offer, I may take you up on that. Sorry for the late response, I just found this thread through a Google search and have stopped getting updates via email.
 

DickH

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Mar 12, 2004
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...The GRE system lets you mix and match. So you can have CONV and TRUNK "channels" (i.e. TGIDs) in the same bank. You can't do this with Uniden. ...

Which Uniden will not do trunked and conventional freqs. in the same bank?
 

SCPD

QRT
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Feb 24, 2001
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Location
Virginia
Which Uniden will not do trunked and conventional freqs. in the same bank?

Sorry I should have posted a correction. Someone PM'd me and it turned out it was a software programming glitch.

You can mix them in the Uniden scanners.
 
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