Radio Id's

[gcopter1]

On the x36HP's, exactly how does the scanner, works with radio ID's? In Sentinel, I programmed a couple of them and ticked off the box to make them Priority. Would it work the same way as talkgroups, where you have to hold onto a channel and if there is activity, the scanner jumps to them? This is in a P25 TRS.

 

[ofd8001]

I've done a little bit of "stuff" with Unit IDs. I have not seen anything to make a Unit ID as a priority.

Need a little more information to understand what you are talking about.

 

[gcopter1]

Ok. In Sentinel I have a FL. When I click to edit it, I'm again presented with the FL, beneath that, department, channels and sites. When you select Departments (to edit) I'm presented with 5 tabs; Departments, Sites, Unit ID's, Options and Dept/Site Quick Keys Status.

I've programmed 3 unit id's, gave them a name, and entered the ID numbers...and ...you're correct, there's no way to make them Priority. I've could have sworn that at some point there was an option for that.

However, I'd still like to know how the scanner scans them. Can I avoid the TG's and just have the scanner listen to them? Thinking it thru, this doesn't seem right because the ID's are just that a radio with a number, they would still need a TG to be listened to, correct? I did assign these ID's with alert tones and colored lights to let me know when the scanner hits upon them.

 

[W8RMH]

Scanners don't scan TGs or IDs. They monitor the control channel and it tells them which frequency/TG to select. It then checks the alpha list, both TG and IDs, and if one is stored for the current one being received it will display the alpha tag. You can hold on a talk group but not an ID.

 

[ofd8001]

When you are scanning a trunked radio system, you will see on the display something like "UID: 123456". That "123456" is the internal identification number programmed into the radio transmitting. This is along the lines of the telephone number for a cell phone programmed in the SIM card of the phone.

When you program Unit IDs with assigning an alpha tag to an ID, that tag replaces the "UID: xxxxxx" with the alpha tag. Thus if you program Unit ID 123456 to be "Smallville Fire Engine 1", you'll see "Smallvilee Fire Engine 1" on the scanner display when that radio transmits.

A similar thing happens with your smart phone. If someone calls you and you do not have their phone number in your contacts, you see the calling telephone number (xxx-xxx-xxxx). But if that number is programmed in your contacts, you see the name that you have associated with that number ("Elmer Fudd" for example).

 

[gcopter1]

Thank you for the reply.