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UFEMTFF

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I am interested in scanning my departments Tactical channels, but I have a question as to whether or not something is possible. We have Tac channels 1 through 6 set up in this way. I've used X to substitue for a VHF frequency that I don't have written down right in front of me.


Code:
Channel    Input    Output    PL    Repeater

Tac 1        X      153.92    241.8   Yes
Tac 2      153.92   153.92    No      No
Tac 3        X         X      No      No
Tac 4      159.345  151.325   203.5   Yes
Tac 5      151.325  151.325   No      No
Tac 6      159.345  159.345   No      No
Can a scanner distiguish between units talking on Tac 2 and Tac 1 (if I use the PL)? The idea is that units use tac 2 and 5 as talk-around channels, since dispatch can't hear them, and they aren't repeated.

EDIT: Sorry for the poor thread title, I forgot to change it once I made my post!
 

hiegtx

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UFEMTFF said:
I am interested in scanning my departments Tactical channels, but I have a question as to whether or not something is possible. We have Tac channels 1 through 6 set up in this way. I've used X to substitue for a VHF frequency that I don't have written down right in front of me.


Code:
Channel    Input    Output    PL    Repeater

Tac 1        X      153.92    241.8   Yes
Tac 2      153.92   153.92    No      No
Tac 3        X         X      No      No
Tac 4      159.345  151.325   203.5   Yes
Tac 5      151.325  151.325   No      No
Tac 6      159.345  159.345   No      No
Can a scanner distiguish between units talking on Tac 2 and Tac 1 (if I use the PL)? The idea is that units use tac 2 and 5 as talk-around channels, since dispatch can't hear them, and they aren't repeated.

EDIT: Sorry for the poor thread title, I forgot to change it once I made my post!
How you set that up would depend on your scanner. Which one are you using?
 

UFEMTFF

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hiegtx said:
How you set that up would depend on your scanner. Which one are you using?
I actually don't have a scanner yet, but was looking at a BCT-15. Let me ask you this, which scanners WOULD be capable of doing this?
 

hiegtx

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With the Uniden BCD396T, BR330T, & BC246T, you can set a channel for "tone lock-out".

Frequency 153.92 with pl 241.8, would be entered & text tagged as 'Tac 1"

Same frequency, 153.92 entered & text tagged as "Tac 2", with 'Tone Lock Out" set on pl 241.8 the scanner will ignore transmissions with that PL tone. In effect, it would only hear Tac 2 comms. Note that it would still hear other transmissions on the same frequency, using any other PL tone or DCS code. These could be from another agency within range several counties away, or, under certain atmospheric conditions, from quite a distance away. It's also possible they use a different, unlisted, PL or DCS when using "Ch 2". The scanners listed will identify any tone or code being used.

I don't have a BCT-15, but dowloaded the demo software & took a quick look. Tone lock-out is included in it as well.
 

UFEMTFF

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hiegtx said:
With the Uniden BCD396T, BR330T, & BC246T, you can set a channel for "tone lock-out".

Frequency 153.92 with pl 241.8, would be entered & text tagged as 'Tac 1"

Same frequency, 153.92 entered & text tagged as "Tac 2", with 'Tone Lock Out" set on pl 241.8 the scanner will ignore transmissions with that PL tone. In effect, it would only hear Tac 2 comms. Note that it would still hear other transmissions on the same frequency, using any other PL tone or DCS code. These could be from another agency within range several counties away, or, under certain atmospheric conditions, from quite a distance away. It's also possible they use a different, unlisted, PL or DCS when using "Ch 2". The scanners listed will identify any tone or code being used.

I don't have a BCT-15, but dowloaded the demo software & took a quick look. Tone lock-out is included in it as well.
Thanks very much for the info., this is just what I needed to know. I have the entire radio info. from dispatch printed out at home, and I know for a fact that the only channels listed with a PL are "tac 1 & 4".

Thanks!
 

Al42

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Unless you only want to hear the unit-to-unit transmissions (listing a repeater output as talk-around-channel [TAC] is an oxymoron :) ), what difference would it make? You program the scanner for the frequency and you'll hear everything on it - repeater output or talk-around.
 

UFEMTFF

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Al42 said:
Unless you only want to hear the unit-to-unit transmissions (listing a repeater output as talk-around-channel [TAC] is an oxymoron :) ), what difference would it make? You program the scanner for the frequency and you'll hear everything on it - repeater output or talk-around.
I understand how it works, but I would like - just for personal reasons - to know when units are on Tac 2 or 5 as opposed to 1 and 4.
 

kb2vxa

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Hi U and all,

Let me state it simply. Older radio systems often use the repeater as channel 1 and simplex on the output as channel 2. Alternately if there is more than one repeater channel 2 is the second repeater and the outputs become channels 3 and 4 respectively. More repeaters simply follow the plan, the inputs are listed consecutively and so are the outputs beginning with the one following the last repeater input.

As for the access codes (PL, DPL) usually only one is used throughout the system to make it easier on the techs who have to service it but there can be variations. It's highly unlikely different codes will be used on simplex than the repeater(s) because the units couldn't hear the dispatcher while operating on the output, a really bad scene in an emergency situation. Then too it would only add confusion, the repeater would block thier transmissions and leave them clueless as to why signals drop out unexpectedly, another bad scene.

Don't take that for gospel, some systems are mysterious. I would simply program the outputs in order without the codes until they're confirmed and if there's no serious problems with more distant stations I'd leave it that way. The reason being that distant stations would block the car to car simplex and leave me as clueless as the afore mentioned units, with codes programmed the receiver simply goes dead and leaves you wondering what happened.

Now that you know the plan you won't need to confuse yourself by programming more memory slots than you need, just use your noodle.

Yes, I DID keep it simple, verbose but simple. (;->)
 

traumacop

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Your answer

Now that we all know how "plans" work, let me answer your question.

If you have one of the radios mentioned above, and program the frequency as a tone search, you will see those that talk listed as follows;

tac 1 as pl 241.8
tac 2 as pl (nothing in the display)

and so on.

So with the same radio you could program each frequency with the correct pl tone or to lockout a specific pl tone and label each channel programmed with your tac assignments.

The BCT-15 will do Tone Lock Out.

Also, I looked up Bradford County in the database and the only other frequency I find for them is 153.815. That may be the frequency you are missing.

Good Luck
 

n4voxgill

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There is one variable. When the radios were set up, TAC 2 could have the PL of 241.8 programed in for the mobile/portable transmit as it makes no difference since their receive is set for no PL. The mobile and portable will receive on TAC 2 whether there is a PL tone or not. If you set it up as suggested above and you are not hearing some or all of the mobile/portable then this will be the reason why.
 

UFEMTFF

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traumacop said:
Now that we all know how "plans" work, let me answer your question.

If you have one of the radios mentioned above, and program the frequency as a tone search, you will see those that talk listed as follows;

tac 1 as pl 241.8
tac 2 as pl (nothing in the display)

and so on.

So with the same radio you could program each frequency with the correct pl tone or to lockout a specific pl tone and label each channel programmed with your tac assignments.

The BCT-15 will do Tone Lock Out.

Also, I looked up Bradford County in the database and the only other frequency I find for them is 153.815. That may be the frequency you are missing.

Good Luck
Cool, I'll check that out. I'm actually on vacation now, but I have the radio frequency plan at home. P.S. How'd you know it was Bradford?
 
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