Programming Broward Co TRS

[cbrookhart]

I am programming the Broward Co TRS into my BC 250D and am running into problems. I use a program called ScanControl to manage the radio memory. This program allows me to setup everything offline and then connect the radio and upload everything to the radio or retrieve everything from the radio.

The program for some reason setup the broward county system as a plan 1 system. This works fine for loading the fire and police talkgroups. When I try to load the broward sherriff talkgroups, I get an error message from the program that it can't find the control channel. The control channel would be present if I selected one of the 4 plan types.

Does the broward county system need to have a plan type associated with it?

I have put the plan 1 back in place, but I am not receiving hollywood fire/police or BSO in either ID scan or ID search mode. Please help. :!: :?

 

[W4KRR]

Can't help you with the software, I never herd of it. Who makes it?

Broward County is a type 2 system, not a type 1. You don't need a fleetmap, if that's what you're asking.

Hollywood PD and fire/rescue is no longer on the Broward main system. They are on their own system, which is actually site 3 of the Broward County main system. The Hollywood site uses the same frequencies it did when it was the old EDACS system, only now it's Motorola, and it's digital.

 

[cbrookhart]

I don't know if its a software problem. The software is made by 3D technologies and can be obtained at www.scannersoft.com

Based on the frequencies that are in use by Broward Co, the plan 1 type for the control channel according to the book is what should be used (all frequencies end in either 123, 375, 625, or 875). With the plan 1 control channel mode turned on, I can program talkgroups for the hollywood fire and police, but not BSO. I get an error message from the program that says it can't receive the control channel. If I turn off the plan 1 control channel then I can't program any talkgroups.

 

[W4KRR]

Disregard what I said about the type 2 system, you (and the software) are referring to something else.

Like I said, I don't have that software, so I really can't help you.

 

[cbrookhart]

Forget about the software program. All I want to know is if Broward County uses a control channel on their radios. I've entered all the primary frequencies and have entered all the talkgroups, but I don't hear anything.

Is there anyone that can help me with programming this system into my scanner? I was able to hear hollywood police and fire on their old system as well as when they first started sharing a frequency on the broward county system. Now that they have gone back to their own frequencies, I don't hear them anymore.

 

[W4KRR]

Yes, Broward County uses a control channel, like all Motorola systems do. Usually it's 860.2375. If you aren't hearing anything, it's usually for one of several reasons. Either you weren't in trunking mode when you entered the frequencies, or you are scanning without having entered any talkgroups, (try searching instead or entering some talkgroups) or the bank you are using for the Broward system isn't set to Motorola mode. Double check all these things.

 

[cbrookhart]

If I go to the search mode, I can pickup several talkgroups. I think that they are BSO however. In the id scan mode, I can occassionally pick up the parking and code enforcement groups. I did notice that the police and fire changed talkgroups after going back to site 3 on the broward system. I have the new groups entered, but i don't hear them. The parking and code enforcement are still using their original talkgroups, so maybe that's why I can only hear them. I guess I will have to program the broward system manually to get it to work correctly.

 

[W4KRR]

Do you have the digital card for your BC250? Because the Hollywood police and fire/rescue are all digital on site 3.

Did you check the RR database elsewhere on this web site? Hollywood information is listed under "Broward County".

 

[cbrookhart]

The digital card is installed and enabled. I have entered the 4 primary frequencies for broward, I entered the 3 primary frequencies for deerfield beach, and the 2 primary frequencies for hollywood. The primary frequencies I am referring to are the ones in red. The bank that the broward system is in is setup as a type 2 800. I set 860.2375 as the primary control channel, then used the control channel only setup and specified a plan type of 1. I don't know why I'm not hearing anything--maybe there isn't any radio traffic being transmitted, but then it seems odd to not received anything over a period of time in id scan mode.

 

[W4KRR]

You should be hearing plenty on the Broward County system. Either you have the scanner set up incorrectly, you have incorrect talkgroup I.D.'s programmed, or maybe no I.D.'s?

The most common problems in setting up a scanner for trunking are not having the scanner in trunking mode when entering the frequencies, failure to properly enter (or enter at all) talkgroup ID's., or scanning instead of searching if no ID's are entered.

Also, if you have entered only the control channels, you need to make sure that you're using the "Control Channel Only" mode, otherwise you're going to miss most traffic. Try entering all system frequencies to make sure, there's 28 on the Broward system main site.

 

[cbrookhart]

Well, I guess I could try to put in all the frequencies and see what happens. I do receive talkgroups in the search mode, just not the ones for hollywod police and fire. What other programs are there for programming the 250D via the computer?

 

[W4KRR]

Well, I guess I could try to put in all the frequencies and see what happens. I do receive talkgroups in the search mode, just not the ones for hollywod police and fire. What other programs are there for programming the 250D via the computer?

You do understand that Hollywood PD and FD are not on the Broward County system, right? They're on their own Motorola system, which is a digital system. Se the RR database.

For software, I use Butel's ARC250.
www.butel.nl

Lots of people use it, and like it.

 

[cbrookhart]

OK, what I am not understanding is how Hollywood is its own system. I guess I don't know how to program it so that it will work. Obviously the way I have it setup now is not working even though I have the correct talkgroups.

Do I simply put in the main control channel and then the two frequencies for Hollywood. What if I want to have Hollywod and BSO?

 

[n4voxgill]

put hollywood in bank 1 and get it working. then program the county in bank 2 and get it working, they are two different systems.

 

[ericcarlson]

Each site acts as its own "system" and must be programmed in a separate bank. The sites are networked together into one system which allows users to roam between sites. See this thread for information on monitoring SmartZone systems:
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=17059&highlight=
(Ignore the discussion of programming the base/step/offset.)

-Eric

 

[W4KRR]

Hollywood talkgroups must go with the Hollywood system and its frequencies. If you enter the Hollywood talkgroups with the Broward County main site, it won't work.

The Hollywood system has 9 frequencies, two of which rotate as the control channels.

The Broward County main site has 28 frequencies, four of which rotate as the control channel.

 

[cbrookhart]

I have now put BSO and Hollywood Police/Fire in 2 different banks, but the software program is telling me that it can't receive the control channels. The data entered in the program is correct as far as talkgroups and frequencies. Is it necessary to enter all the frequenices? I'm about ready to give up on this software program and try ARC 250.