Questions about EDACS programming and hoosier safe t tower range

[hoosiers70]

I have a BCD996T scanner and have the hoosier safe t programmed. I live in Wabash County. How far away should I be able to pick up a tower on the safe t? I have programmed several and I am getting traffic on the lake County tower, I was wondering if the frequency in the database for that tower is incorrect.

Also, I was wanting to program the EDACS into my scanner and I am not sure how to do it. Can I pick up Howard County if it was in my scanner?

I know I have asked several questions, but I am just trying to get things figured out so I can better utilize my scanner.

Thank you for your help

Dwayne

 

[hoosiers70]

One more question

Should I program every frequency from a tower into the site or only the primary and secondary?

Thanks

Dwayne

 

[jerk]

I have a BCD996T scanner and have the hoosier safe t programmed. I live in Wabash County. How far away should I be able to pick up a tower on the safe t? I have programmed several and I am getting traffic on the lake County tower, I was wondering if the frequency in the database for that tower is incorrect.
Also, I was wanting to program the EDACS into my scanner and I am not sure how to do it. Can I pick up Howard County if it was in my scanner?

I know I have asked several questions, but I am just trying to get things figured out so I can better utilize my scanner.

Thank you for your help
Dwayne

The database here is correct. However, frequencies are reused throughout the state because radio transmission range is limited. I would say once for each zone 1xx, 2xx, 3xx,
301 is Floyd County (868.9000) and 302 Henryville (868.4250) are the Control Channels in use here, but are also used in "distant" places, why because the radio waves don't carry that far, and there is a limit on the number of control channels that can be programmed into the radio.

I would not expect over 15-20 miles reception range for a Safe-T or 800 MHz tower with the antenna that comes with the radio, an external one will provide a little more range.

Read the wiki here on trunking, especially smartzone/smartnet systems Type II trunking

 

[jerk]

Should I program every frequency from a tower into the site or only the primary and secondary?

Thanks

Dwayne

It is up to you and what you prefer. Plus the memory limitations of your scanner.
All the newer scanners only need 1 control channel per site programmed, (the current active one), then the secondary in case there is a problem with the first, the site will switch automatically to the secondary, but if not programmed you scanner will not receive that site until it switches back.

Some like to program all the frequencies per a site. Me I only have the primary and on some the secondary.

 

[jerk]

Also, I was wanting to program the EDACS into my scanner and I am not sure how to do it. Can I pick up Howard County if it was in my scanner?
Dwayne

EDACS must be in (Logical Channel Order) LCN order, the small number next to the frequency in most EDACS databases here on RR

When you program EDACS, you do the frequency then it will ask for the LCN, or vice-versa.
And if a channel is skipped, you skip it as well.

I don't know if you can pick up Howard County, best way to find out is to try, and also try several different locations for the scanner before giving up. My experience though with EDACS systems, is they don't carry far range-wise and don't work well with a weak signal.

P.S. I recommend a getting a software program and subscription to RR, it makes programming much easier. Freescan is well, free, others have a trial period.

 

[djbrane]

Depending on where you live in Wabash Co, you might want to put in other towers besides Wabash. They are in the process of getting one active in Somerset and you might be able to pick up one of the surrounding counties towers. Wabash Co Shf talkgroup comes off the Marion tower a lot. Depending on radio affiliation with a tower, you would be able to hear it off one tower but maybe not another.

As for Howard Co EDACS, I really doubt you would be able to pick it up from Wabash Co.

 

[hoosiers70]

Thanks for the Information. I have the ARC996PRO software for programming my scanner. I live in the city of Wabash. I do have Somerset programmed and it is working. I also receive the following towers as of now, Somerset, Wabash, Huntington, Claypool, Indianapolis 101 and Lake County. I will check the frequencies on the Indy and Lake towers to see which ones close to me have the same.

Note to all, I am still in the learning stages of programming in the digital era and this scanner and I am trying to get the most out of its capabilities. I'm used to a Bearcat handheld with only conventional programming.

I do appreciate all the help.

Dwayne

 

[djbrane]

The Marion Tower has the same CC as the Indy Tower. If programmed in or if the scanner is in search mode, you'll be able to hear all of the Grant Co talkgroups, Wabash, some Huntington, Wells, Miami, sometimes Tipton, rare but sometimes Delaware too off that tower.

What CC are you showing for Somerset? It's not in the RR DB. The admin can add it once they know for sure.

 

[hoosiers70]

The channel I am getting off of Somerset is 868.8625.

 

[hoosiers70]

I am now getting traffic off of two different frequencies on the somerset tower and one of them i don't even have programmed on my scanner, Why is this?

 

[hoosiers70]

Now that i check the frequencies on the wabash tower, the ones i am getting are different than the ones they have listed as the primary and secondary.

Dwayne

 

[djbrane]

It will show different frequencies when stopped on a Talkgroup. On a trunked system, the voice it not always on the same frequency with every transmission.
The way to tell which is the CC is to press the Hold/Resume button when it is scanning the Somerset tower, or any tower.
When the frequency comes up with a "buzzing" sound, that's the CC (Control Channel)

 

[jerk]

Busy tonight, so I'm not going to fix the icons...
Editing a Custom Search Range
You can edit up to 10 custom search ranges. The names of the custom search
ranges appear on the display. The default custom search range names appear as
Custom 1, Custom 2, and so on.
[MENU] Search for ... F
Edit Custom F
Custom 1, Custom 2 to Custom 10. F
Another approach is
F + [SCAN/SEARCH]
Quick Search? Yes=”E” / No=”.”
Press [.No] then to Edit Custom F
At this point you can edit each of the settings that comprise a custom search.
Edit Name — lets you edit the custom search range’s name.
Edit Srch Limit — lets you view and select the frequency ranges to search.
The scanner prompts you to enter the upper and lower search limits.

Set a range from 861.000 to 868.9875 and enable the
Set C-Ch Only — lets you search for a Motorola control channel. If it finds one,
the scanner scans the system.

When it stops on Motorola systems it will flash xxxh-000 and that is the id in Hex and site number.

This is found on Page 95 of the PDF manual.

 

[djbrane]

It will show different frequencies when stopped on a Talkgroup. On a trunked system, the voice it not always on the same frequency with every transmission.
The way to tell which is the CC is to press the Hold/Resume button when it is scanning the Somerset tower, or any tower.
When the frequency comes up with a "buzzing" sound, that's the CC (Control Channel)

Just checked, CC for the Somerset tower is active. It is 868.5375.

 

[hoosiers70]

Thank you for all the help and info