Programming to monitor South Brunswick P25

[JB31387]

Since the South Brunswick changeover, I've been trying to update my scanners - a Grecom PSR-500 and two RadioShack units, a Pro-106 and a Pro-197. I have PSREdit500, which I have used successfully for as long as I've had the scanners. I found South Brunswick under Middlesex County and checked all of the police, fire and EMS talk groups. I also added the low band tone out frequency used for fire and EMS pagers. The displays on the units read "Middlesex County" and I can hear the paging on low band, but not a peep from the P25 system. Has anyone had any success monitoring this system since the migration? THANK YOU for any help you might provide. -Jeff

 

[Enjoi19]

All of the Middlesex County P25 system talkgroups utilize TDMA and therefore can only be monitored by a scanner capable of that. None of your scanners are P25 Phase 2 capable and can't receive these talkgroups - which is why it's likely seemingly dead for you.

It's also worth noting this is a simulcast system, so any scanner other than the Uniden SDS100/200 will have a 50/50 shot of working properly without simulcast distortion.

 

[kb2ear]

You can listen online here: ScannerXtreme - ScannerXtreme

 

[JB31387]

Thank you for the information. I have just received new Uniden base and handheld radios, so I'll get up to speed on how to program them. I was hoping I could continue to use my existing scanners as well, but they'll apparently join several others that are no longer up to the task. All the best.

 

[GM]

As a Middlesex County resident, I highly recommend the use of a Uniden SDS100/200 model types. I have the SDS100 handheld model, and it works great. I do not recommend any other P25 Phase 2 capable scanner, as it will not trunk track correctly 100% of the time due to this system using digital simulcast technology.

 

[JB31387]

Thank you GM and the others who have replied. I have new SDS100 and SDS200 scanners and I can now monitor South Brunswick through Zip Code programming. I wait until the unit stops on a transmission then lock it in. For years, I have practiced programming using the Sentinel software on my old 436HP...I think I've successfully added favorites lists, but every video on the topic ends with "and that's how you set up a favorites list." NOT ONE explains how to get the scanner to actually scan just the favorites list. Frustrating! I travel between Middlesex and Ocean Counties and I have my GRE set up so I just have to press a single button to turn a scan bank on or off. I was hoping to be able to do the same with a Uniden radio, but the complex programming baffles me.

 

[Enjoi19]

Thank you GM and the others who have replied. I have new SDS100 and SDS200 scanners and I can now monitor South Brunswick through Zip Code programming. I wait until the unit stops on a transmission then lock it in. For years, I have practiced programming using the Sentinel software on my old 436HP...I think I've successfully added favorites lists, but every video on the topic ends with "and that's how you set up a favorites list." NOT ONE explains how to get the scanner to actually scan just the favorites list. Frustrating! I travel between Middlesex and Ocean Counties and I have my GRE set up so I just have to press a single button to turn a scan bank on or off. I was hoping to be able to do the same with a Uniden radio, but the complex programming baffles me.

In the scanner menu under “set scan selection”, you would turn off “Full Database” and then turn on in that menu your favourite list, alternatively using the quick key you assigned to turn it on.

When uploading from Sentinel, make sure the “Download” and “Monitor” boxes are set to ON for the list you made.

I’m sure we’d be happy to help get this working for you. I’m always happier using lists over scanning the entire Database.

 

[JB31387]

Thank you again. I may return to this forum. I'll experiment a little more with the 436HP before I risk messing up the software on the two new scanners. I'm not new to this...I've owned scanners since the days when you had to buy a crystal for every frequency you wanted to monitor, but I don't find the latest technology to be very user-friendly. Maybe it's just the manual writers. I appreciate the responses...really.

 

[ajoseph29]

Hey guys,
Sorry I'm late to the party... do we know the NEW, active TGIDs for SB on the County system? Can't seem to find anything except for PD (21101). Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

 

[GM]

Yep, all of South Brunswick's Public Safety and services are using all of the talkgroups listed in the database. I have not heard the BOE ones active yet, but I am sure they will be when the virus situation subsides.

 

[ajoseph29]

Ah! There they are! At the time of posting, I hadn’t seen them up. Thanks, GM!