Question regarding Los Angeles County ICI programming / Questions regarding general options w/ freescan

[batt14firebuff]

Hey there,

Being new, I have a few questions. I own a Uniden BCD325P2 and I'm currently trying to program LA County's ICI radio system to my scanner. I use freescan to program, and I'm unsure if "Project 25 Phase I" corresponds with the "P25 Standard (Digital XT) option on freescan.

Furthermore, in "general options" in the system on freescan, there are several boxes marked:
Use Motorola Status Bit (recommended Off)
Use Motorola End Code
Use Motorola Digital End Code
Enable I-call

What do these mean?

Link to ICI: Interagency Communications Interoperability (ICI) Trunking System, Los Angeles County, California - Scanner Frequencies

 

[hiegtx]

Hey there,

Being new, I have a few questions. I own a Uniden BCD325P2 and I'm currently trying to program LA County's ICI radio system to my scanner. I use freescan to program, and I'm unsure if "Project 25 Phase I" corresponds with the "P25 Standard (Digital XT) option on freescan.

Furthermore, in "general options" in the system on freescan, there are several boxes marked:
Use Motorola Status Bit (recommended Off)
Use Motorola End Code
Use Motorola Digital End Code
Enable I-call

What do these mean?

Link to ICI: Interagency Communications Interoperability (ICI) Trunking System, Los Angeles County, California - Scanner Frequencies

Use Motorola Status Bit (recommended Off)
This does not apply to the system you are programming.
Status bits on older Motorola Type II systems were added to the base talkgroup ID. The talkgroup you see in the database listings is the base TGID. But if one of the status bits was in use,, and you did not have that setting turned off, then the scanner might not recognize the TGID you programmed. See this Wiki page:

Motorola Type II Smartnet - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

Use Motorola End Code
Use Motorola Digital End Code
The Motorola End Code is for the older systems, not your current P25 system.
The Digital End Code tells the scanner the transmission is over, and it can move on (after any delay that you have set).
Again, check the Wiki: Digital End Code detection - The RadioReference Wiki
(That Wiki page refers to the older 396 Uniden scanners, but still applies to your current model.)

Enable I-call
I-calls are calls between two specific radios, not on a talkgroup. Basically a conversation between two units that the rest of the radios in use do not hear. Instead of a talkgroup with it's text tag, you'd see the two UIDs (radio IDs) displayed.

I-Call - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

Some systems use I-calls a lot. some rarely, some not at all. It does not hurt to have it enabled.

 

[batt14firebuff]

Use Motorola Status Bit (recommended Off)
This does not apply to the system you are programming.
Status bits on older Motorola Type II systems were added to the base talkgroup ID. The talkgroup you see in the database listings is the base TGID. But if one of the status bits was in use,, and you did not have that setting turned off, then the scanner might not recognize the TGID you programmed. See this Wiki page:

Motorola Type II Smartnet - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

Use Motorola End Code
Use Motorola Digital End Code
The Motorola End Code is for the older systems, not your current P25 system.
The Digital End Code tells the scanner the transmission is over, and it can move on (after any delay that you have set).
Again, check the Wiki: Digital End Code detection - The RadioReference Wiki
(That Wiki page refers to the older 396 Uniden scanners, but still applies to your current model.)

Enable I-call
I-calls are calls between two specific radios, not on a talkgroup. Basically a conversation between two units that the rest of the radios in use do not hear. Instead of a talkgroup with it's text tag, you'd see the two UIDs (radio IDs) displayed.

I-Call - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

Some systems use I-calls a lot. some rarely, some not at all. It does not hurt to have it enabled.

Gotcha, thanks. Is the system type that I set it to the correct system for ICI?

 

[hiegtx]

Gotcha, thanks. Is the system type that I set it to the correct system for ICI?

Yes
On your 325P2, that is correct for the system you’re programming.

 

[batt14firebuff]

Thanks! Really appreciate it.

 

[batt14firebuff]

Alright, I set up the system however the ICI radio reference page has no APCO band plan, unless I'm blind. Can anyone help me locate it?

 

[hiegtx]

Alright, I set up the system however the ICI radio reference page has no APCO band plan, unless I'm blind. Can anyone help me locate it?

For a P25 system, such as the one you are programming, there is no need to add a band plan. The scanner gets that information directly from the control channel's data stream. As long as you have the correct control channel frequencies (primary & alternate), you have no need to search out a band plan.

For the older, Motorola Type II systems, if a band plan is required (that's not always the case), then, yes, you would have needed to include it in your programming.

 

[batt14firebuff]

For a P25 system, such as the one you are programming, there is no need to add a band plan. The scanner gets that information directly from the control channel's data stream. As long as you have the correct control channel frequencies (primary & alternate), you have no need to search out a band plan.

For the older, Motorola Type II systems, if a band plan is required (that's not always the case), then, yes, you would have needed to include it in your programming.

Gotcha. When I go to a specific channel it says it’s finding a control channel as if I’m not in range of the site, when my home is within the range of the site I’m scanning. Any idea what could be the issue?

 

[WA0CBW]

Maybe you have the wrong control channel frequency.
BB

 

[Enjoi19]

Gotcha. When I go to a specific channel it says it’s finding a control channel as if I’m not in range of the site, when my home is within the range of the site I’m scanning. Any idea what could be the issue?

Do you see signal bars, but it's hunting for the control channel still?

Even though it doesn't list them in the site names, some of these sites may be simulcast by the looks of things.

 

[batt14firebuff]

Do you see signal bars, but it's hunting for the control channel still?

Even though it doesn't list them in the site names, some of these sites may be simulcast by the looks of things.

I changed the system type to P25 One Freq Trunk (Digital XT) to see if it would work then, and now it's not saying finding control channel. There are bars, however, is it really the right type? Is it not saying finding control ch. because it's not on the right type?

 

[tvengr]

System type should be P25 Standard (Digital XT). Please see your PM.