Recommendations for Organizing Systems and Groups

[mistatecj]

Good Afternoon,

I have finally decided to sit down and update my scanner with agencies that I would like to listen to. I have a Uniden BCD396T and am using the UASD software. The issue I am running into is the mix of conventional and StarCom systems. For example, I work in Oak Brook and would like to listen to their PD, but live in McHenry. McHenry County is encrypted, but I can still listen to the local PD and Fire. But, I am at a loss for a convenient and easy to organize my systems so I can easily manage and turn off certain systems when I am in a different location. I have assigned the systems with quick keys, but not the groups. Right now I have:

IL Dupage Starcom
IL Dupage Conv.
IL Lake Conv.
IL McH Conv.
IL McH Starcom

Within these systems I have various groups for example, in the Dupage system, I have four groups(local PD’s), but have now found some conventional frequencies that I would like to add, so it looks like I need to make a new group and break it out like I did McHenry? I am just looking to see how others do this to try and simplify things.

Thank you very much for the assistance.
David

 

[WX9RLT]

I mainly use the Pro-197

But I set mine up like:

Police analog
Police trucking
Fire analog
Fire trunking
Aircraft
etc,,,

I never mix the analog and digital.

I don't know how it affects each other, but I figured its best to keep them separate. Figured I have many banks, so it don't hurt. Better safe than sorry

 

[MikeyC]

The way I have my XTs setup is -

- ISP by district with each tower in that district a system quick key
- Each county a system quick key
- Within each county, groups like Fire Dept, EMS, SO, Police Depts, etc setup as group quick keys

I lay out the SQKs so that the ISP districts are first, then any local trunked systems, then by county in that district.

I setup my 396T/996Ts basically the same way but it was a little more challenging keeping talkgroups updated with the same ones being spread across multiple systems.

 

[mistatecj]

Very good, thank you guys for the ideas. I like the idea of using the SQK's and then the GQK's, so much easier to turn on an off. I did go and rename my counties by Digital and Analog for each. I don't believe there is a way to combine both systems on my device. For example, this weekend I went to MI and was listening, but needed both digital and conventional systems for Livingston County, so I just turned on two SQK's and let it go. While I was there, I deleted all my frequencies under that system and added all the new CC's and Alt. CC's for the entire state, as they just rebanded. Now I need to do the same for IL so I have the most current.

Thank you both again, it is nice hearing what others have found to work best for them.