Programming, faulty vs effective

[N7YUO]

First, I want to say this thread is not about criticizing anyone.
What I am going to show in these posts, is programming from a p500 file.
The owner does not live around here. I won't mention any names.
When someone requests help and information, I think we need to offer them actual programming that is effective in receiving public safety communications.

First, look at the Hit Count next to the TGID numbers. Notice how many TGs have zero hits. Now, look at the site frequencies. Do you notice what is missing? There are no simulcast sites. Point of the Mtn is programmed in. My experience with that site is that it is 99% Prison and 1% other. Not worth my time unless they have a riot.

Also, notice the UHP C2C Davis, UHP C2C Weber, etc. They are out of range of these sites. There is also a certain amount of "Junk" like UtCo Roads and UDOT that could tie up the scanner with boring comms while exciting comms are being missed.
Also missing are TGs for Landing Zones, SLCo Sheriff, VECC Fire, Events 1-16, SLCo Ops, or Regionals. A lot of good action would be missed.
A lot of other agencies from SL County are missing.

Now look at the Custom Trunking Tables. The first two lines are what I use. Since UCAN does not use frequencies beyond a certain range, I would think that lines 3, 4, 5, & 6 are unnecessary.

Point of Mtn 852.8875
West Mtn 851.4250
West Mtn 853.8875
Teat Pk 851.6375
Levan Pk 856.4875
Levan Pk 857.4875
Barton Pk 856.4375
Barton Pk 857.4375
StGeorge 852.6625
StGeorge 852.0375

Lo Hi Offs Base
440 559 440 851.0250
0 719 0 851.0125
720 759 0 848.0000
815 831 0 846.6250
958 958 958 868.9750
961 1022 0 843.0000


(I removed some listings to reduce the size of this message)
UCAN I-80 Grp Wild 82
UCAN I-80 Prv Wild 0
SLKCO ROADS Grp 4160 0
COTTNWOOD HT PD Grp 22944 0
MIDVALE PD DISP Grp 23040 8
MIDVALE PD DIGIT Grp 58144 0
SANDY SANDY 1 Grp 23776 0
SJORDAN CAR2CAR Grp 21728 0
SJORDAN EVENTS Grp 22528 0
SJORDAN PD Grp 26144 5
DRAPER CAR2CAR Grp 26368 0
DRAPER PD 4 Grp 26400 0
SLK PD DISP. Grp 23200 0
WJORDAN PD WEST Grp 23072 0
UTAH CO CAR2CAR Grp 42280 0
UTAH CO TAC 1 Grp 42976 0
UTAH CO TAC 2 Grp 43008 42
LONE PK FD Grp 43424 0
ELK RIDGE FD Grp 43584 0
UTAH CO SO NORTH Grp 46112 28
UTAH CO SO SOUTH Grp 46144 9
UTAH CO SO CAR2C Grp 46176 0
UTAH CO SO Grp 46208 0
UTAH CO FIRE Grp 46240 0
UTAH CO FD 1 Grp 46272 0
UTAH FD 2 Grp 46304 6
UTAH CO SAR Grp 46336 0
UtahCo Roads Grp 46560 0
DOT Strawbry Grp 46752 0
UHP WeberCar Grp 4384 0
UHP DavisCar Grp 4416 0
UHP SLCo Car Grp 4448 0
UHP Utah Car Grp 4512 0
UHP Sumt Car Grp 4544 0
UHP TooelCar Grp 4576 0
UHP SpeOps 1 Grp 4608 0
UHP SpeOps 2 Grp 4640 0
UHP CapSecur Grp 4672 0
UHP Inspectn Grp 4736 0
UHP InspeCar Grp 4768 0
UHP MC Car Grp 4832 0
UHP SpeOps 3 Grp 11968 0
UTP PubSafety Grp 17536 0
UHP SLCoDisp Grp 19712 17
UHP Utah Co S. Grp 19744 2
UHP TRUCK ENF. Grp 4832 0
UHP TRAFFIC ENF. Grp 4864 0
EAGLE MTN FD Grp 41664 0
SARATOGA SP FD Grp 41696 0
ALPINE HLAND FD Grp 43328 0
AMERFORK PD 3 Grp 43456 0
PLEASGRV PD Grp 43808 0
LINDON PD DISP Grp 43904 0
PlesGrove Grp 44224 3
SARATOGA PD Grp 48992 0
SARATOGA Grp 49056 0
OREM PD 1 Grp 44608 12
OREM-LINDON PD Grp 44640 3
OREM FD EMS1 Grp 44736 3
OREM-PROVO PDS Grp 45088 0
Orem PW 2B Grp 45632 0
PROVO SWAT Grp 42784 0
PROVO PD 1 Grp 45120 10
PROVO PD 2 Grp 45152 5
PAYSON PD Grp 42848 1
SPANFORK FD Grp 44384 0
SALEM FD EMS Grp 45664 0
SPRINGVIL PD1 Grp 45696 0
MAPLETON PD Grp 45952 4
SPRINGVIL FD Grp 45984 0
MAPLETON PD CAR Grp 46080 0
*ID: 1792 Grp 1792 2

 

[N7YUO]

Effective programming

Changes I would suggest:
1. Keep those IR sites, except Point of the Mtn and Nelson Pk.
2. For those sites program in the landing zone TGs and a Group Wildcard.

3. Program one TSYS and scanlist with Utah Co Simul and Utah Co TGRPs.
4. Program one TSYS and scanlist with SL Co Simul and SL Co TGRPs.
5. No TGRPs for roads, UDOT, etc.

 

[N7YUO]

Duplicates and Triplicates

OK, Nearly all of the TGRPs are from the Wasatch Back, but he programmed Wendover and one freq with no CC.
He has the same unusual Custom Trunking Tables, and uses the same frequencies for both TSYS.
He programmed the two TSYS nearly identical. Each TSYS has TGRPs that have duplicates & triplicates. Scanlist 8 show no hits, so he probably did not scan it.
When TGRPs are programmed in duplicate and triplicate it uses up memory that could be used for something else. In other words, some memory has been wasted. For any TSYS, Any TGRP needs to be programmed only once.
If you program counties as separate UCAN TSYS: Utah, Salt Lake, Summit, etc, you might duplicate some TGRPs.

no cc---------851.7375
Wendover---851.7875
Parleys------853.6375
Parleys------851.7500
Lewis---------852.9125
Lewis---------853.2250
Wasatch----852.4625
Wasatch----851.9375
Echo---------851.3625
Echo---------851.8500
Humpy------851.3375
Humpy------851.0500
Med Butte 856.4375
Med Butte 857.4375

440 559 440 851.0250
---0 719 ----0 851.0125
720 759 ----0 848.0000
815 831 ----0 846.6250
958 958 958 868.9750
961 1022 --0 843.0000

TSYS 0802 Scanlist 8------------------TSYS 0901 Scanlist 9
UCAN I-80---------------Grp -Wild 0 UCAN I-80---------------Grp -Wild 22
UCAN I-80---------------Prv -Wild 0 UCAN I-80---------------Prv -Wild 0
UHP SALT LAKE CO @@Grp 19712 0 UHP SALT LAKE CO @@Grp 19712 0
UHP 4 Salt Lake---------Grp 19776 0 UHP 4 Salt Lake---------Grp 19776 0
UHP UTAH CO.------------Grp 19744 0 UHP UTAH CO.------------Grp 19744 2
UHP SALT LAKE CO--------Grp 04448 0 UHP SALT LAKE CO--------Grp 04448 0
UHP CAR TO CAR----------Grp 04512 0 UHP CAR TO CAR----------Grp 04512 0
UHP SALT LAKE CO @@Grp 19712 0 UHP SALT LAKE CO @@Grp 19712 0
UHP INSP. CAR-----------Grp 04768 0 UHP INSP. CAR-----------Grp 04768 0
UHP MTR CARRIERS--------Grp 04832 0 UHP MTR CARRIERS--------Grp 04832 0
UHP TRAFFIC CTRL--------Grp 04864 0 UHP TRAFFIC CTRL--------Grp 04864 0
UHP VEHICLE ADMI--------Grp 04896 0 UHP VEHICLE ADMI--------Grp 04896 0
WASATCH CoSO------------Grp 46944 0 WASATCH CoSO------------Grp 46944 0
WASATCH CoSO SO---------Grp 47072 0 WASATCH CoSO SO---------Grp 47072 0
WASATCH CoSO N----------Grp 47104 0 WASATCH CoSO N----------Grp 47104 0
WASATCH Co FDEMS--------Grp 47136 0 WASATCH Co FDEMS--------Grp 47136 0
WASATCH CoSO------------Grp 47200 0 WASATCH CoSO------------Grp 47200 0
WASATCH CoSO------------Grp 47264 0 WASATCH CoSO------------Grp 47264 0
Wasatch County P--------Grp 47328 0 Wasatch County P--------Grp 47328 0
Wasatch Summit C--------Grp 47392 0 Wasatch Summit C--------Grp 47392 0
Wasatch County S--------Grp 47488 0 Wasatch County S--------Grp 47488 46
UHP SUMMIT C2CAR--------Grp 04544 0 UHP SUMMIT C2CAR--------Grp 04544 0
SUMMIT CoSO C2C *******Grp 47776 0 SUMMIT CoSO C2C *******Grp 47776 0
SUMMIT CoSO C2C ###Grp 47840 0 SUMMIT CoSO C2C ###Grp 47840 0
SUMMIT Co FD $$$$$$$Grp 47904 0 SUMMIT Co FD $$$$$$Grp 47904 0
SUMMIT CoSO %%%%Grp 47968 0 SUMMIT CoSO %%%%Grp 47968 0
UHP SUMMIT--------------Grp 48000 0 UHP SUMMIT--------------Grp 48000 40
SUMMIT CoFD TAC1--------Grp 48160 0 SUMMIT CoFD TAC1--------Grp 48160 0
SUMMIT CoFD TAC2--------Grp 48192 0 SUMMIT CoFD TAC2--------Grp 48192 0
PARK CITY PD------------Grp 48032 0 PARK CITY PD------------Grp 48032 8
PARK CITH PD------------Grp 48672 0 PARK CITH PD------------Grp 48672 0
PARK CITY PD------------Grp 48800 0 PARK CITY PD------------Grp 48800 0
SUMMIT CoSO *********Grp 47776 0 SUMMIT CoSO *********Grp 47776 0
SUMMIT CoSO ######Grp 47840 0 SUMMIT CoSO ######Grp 47840 0
SUMMIT Co FD $$$$$$Grp 47904 0 SUMMIT Co FD $$$$$$Grp 47904 0
SUMMIT CoSO %%%%Grp 47968 0 SUMMIT CoSO %%%%Grp 47968 0
SUMMIT Co UHP-----------Grp 48000 0 SUMMIT Co UHP-----------Grp 48000 0
SUMMIT CoFD TAC1--------Grp 48160 0 SUMMIT CoFD TAC1--------Grp 48160 0
SUMMIT Co FD TAC--------Grp 48192 0 SUMMIT Co FD TAC--------Grp 48192 0
PARK CITY PD------------Grp 48032 0 PARK CITY PD------------Grp 48032 0
PARK CITY PD------------Grp 48672 0 PARK CITY PD------------Grp 48672 0
PARK CITY PD------------Grp 48800 0 PARK CITY PD------------Grp 48800 0
SUMMIT CoSO ********Grp 47776 0 SUMMIT CoSO ********Grp 47776 0
SUMMIT CoSO #####Grp 47840 0 SUMMIT CoSO #####Grp 47840 0
SUMMIT Co EMS ----------Grp 47872 0 SUMMIT Co EMS ----------Grp 47872 0
SUMMIT CoFD DISP $$Grp 47904 0 SUMMIT CoFD DISP $$Grp 47904 0
Summit SO Sr %%%%Grp 47968 0 Summit SO Sr %%%%Grp 47968 0
Summit FD T1 -----------Grp 48160 0 Summit FD T1 -----------Grp 48160 0
Summit FD T2 -----------Grp 48192 0 Summit FD T2 -----------Grp 48192 0
DOT R 1 Disp -----------Grp 18944 0 Utah Motor Vehic--------Grp 04896 0
DOT ParleysC -----------Grp 19040 0 *ID:--------6016--------Grp 06016 12
DOT SlvSumit -----------Grp 19072 0
DOT WsJordan -----------Grp 19424 0
DOT LoganSmt -----------Grp 20224 0
DOT R 3 Disp -----------Grp 20576 0
Talkgroup --------------Grp Wildc 0

 

[N7YUO]

Conventional Wisdom

Conventional frequency programming seems to be the least understood.
Scanners with Scan Banks need certain frequencies programmed into each bank.
The GRE PSR-500 has dynamic memory. You only need to program ANY frequency
one time. Any frequency can be added to any or all scan lists.

Here is a sample of some of the duplicated frequencies. He had 434 conventional frequencies,
and 237 of them were duplicates. That is a lot of wasted memory.

JUAB UHP 151.2200 FM CTCSS 203.5 0
JUAB CO LEVAN 151.2200 FM Search 0
MORGAN COUNTY 151.2200 FM Search 1
MORGAN COUNTY 151.2200 FM Search 2

GRN RIVER FD DIS 154.0550 Auto Search 0
RSPRINGS FD DISP 154.0550 NFM Search 0

WASAKIE CO FIRE 154.1300 FM CTCSS 107.2 0
RSPRINGS FD DISP 154.1300 FM Search 1
WORLAND FD 154.1300 Auto Search 1

DISTR. 1 DISP 154.4300 FM CTCSS 100 0
FIRE WEST 154.4300 FM CTCSS 114.8 0
RIVERTON FD 154.4300 Auto Search 0

Just because you have PL, DPL, CTCSS, does not mean you have to use it!.
Keep the CTCSS in Search, and you only need to program the frequency once.
PARK CO SO TAC 158.9700 FM CTCSS 100 0
PARK CO SO TAC 158.9700 FM CTCSS 100 0
ENTERPRISE S/W 158.9700 FM CTCSS 173.8 4
Beacon Hill Iro 158.9700 FM CTCSS 203.5 4
Beacon Hill Iro 158.9700 FM CTCSS 203.5 0
CEDAR CITY PD 158.9700 FM CTCSS 203.5 3
CEDAR CITY PD 158.9700 FM CTCSS 203.5 1
IRON CO UHP 158.9700 FM CTCSS 203.5 3

Pay attenetion! Gillies Hill and UHP Beaver Co are one and the same!
Gillies Hill Be 159.0300 FM CTCSS 151.4 0
UHP BEAVER CO 159.0300 FM CTCSS 151.4 0

I program each conventional freq only once. If it is used by more than one agency,
I put both of them in the alpha tag:
Brig - W Wend PD 154.740000 FM Search 0

He (thought he) programmed (CB Channel 19) 23 times! Take a second look:
CB TRUCKERS *27.1850 FM Search 53
CB Radio is AM, not FM. With a legal power of only five watts and a wavelength of 11 meters, you don't get much reception using the rubber duckie antenna. I can only receive them on the scanner if they are within a half mile of me. Still, he could have programmed it once, in AM, and added it to every scan list. He didn't need to do it 23 times.

 

[N7YUO]

Wavelength and reception: I own an AOR 1000 that can tune the AM Broadcast band. When I tune KSL AM 1160, I get no reception even though they are transmitting with 50,000 watts! I didn't have enough antenna! I removed the rubber duckie antenna and connected a ten foot wire and I finally had reception. Similar results are experienced when scanning CB Channels.

 

[LGLHOOK]

Man, thats alot of info. I have a headache now

 

[Utah_Viper]

Looks like a Radio Shack programming job to me.

 

[N7YUO]

Information overload

Man, thats alot of info. I have a headache now

When I opened the p500 file, I got a headache! Someone said it looks like a Radio Shack job. Well, as far as I know, it isn't a RS scanner or RS job.

Lessons to be learned from this:
1. The PSR 500 (and others) use "Dynamic Memory" and you can use it all up quickly. Every entry you make in the programming uses some memory.
Every frequency, Talk Group, PL tone, Alpha Tag, Beep, and Flash.
Don't squander your scanner's memory with unnecessary duplications.
If you don't need PL tones, don't use them.

2. Know where the acton is and tune into it. Simulcast sites will give you the best reception (at least here in Utah) Avoid sites like Point of the Mtn and ADC. Your scanner could get locked onto those control channels.
A fire could be happening right down the street from you and you may not hear it. BTW, for the uninformed: Pt of the Mtn covers Utah State Prison.
ADC site covers Adult Detention Center (Euphemism for County Jail)