Sites

[cuelc001]

I have a BCD 436HP scanner. I didn't see a forum for this question...so here it goes.

This is concerning the Sites that the BCD 436HP scrolls through while scanning.

My question is...Do all of the Sites need to be active in the scanner? The reason I ask this is because when I scan my favorites list (which is a specific department), there is only 1 Site that the department continuously
uses.

Is it true that scanning a favorites list with un-necessary sites, will cause you to miss out on the action because the scanner is trying to work through all of the sites?

I'm doing some trial and error with my scanner and using only 1 site for a "Favorite" channel of mine and it seems like i'm getting more radio traffic using 1 site than using several.

 

[w5rah]

I'm also in the Houston area and just picked up a 436HP this weekend, so I'm new to the programming of the 436. However, I saw you can scan your favorites list and have all the sites in the system loaded, but if you select what I believe is location based scanning, it will only scan the sites in your area based on range, which is also user adjustable. Now if you only need to scan one site for the items in the favorite list, then you can have it monitor just one site. Essentially, the more it has to scan, the more likely you my miss some traffic. The Whistler scanners will lock into the strongest site and monitor just it, but that has some drawbacks and workarounds as well. So in short you can just scan the one site and will hear more

 

[ofd8001]

Generally speaking:

In the example you mention, only the site on which you hear the desired Department, should be active. The "other" sites can be Avoided or otherwise kept from being scanned. Thus you would maximize efficiency by having just that one site active.

Here is why:

If an "other" site is in range, meaning the scanner is receiving control channel data, it will dwell on that site for about 2 seconds. It spends those 2 seconds listening for channel grants for those talkgroups in your list. But since those talkgroups may not be active/affiliated/programmed/associated with that site, those 2 seconds are lost.

If "other" sites are not in range, meaning the scanner is not receiving control channel data, less time is spent on the site, but it is still "wasted" time (however brief).

 

[HogDriver]

Read up on Location Enables scanning.


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[marksmith]

Either that, or limit your favorites list system to the sites you are interested in.

536/436/ws1095/996p2/996xt/325p2/396xt/psr800/396t/HP-1/HP-2 & others

 

[cuelc001]

Thank you! Can you tell me how to enable location based scanning? Thank you! - Chris

 

[cuelc001]

Thank you guys so much for your help on this!

 

[Dbubs]

Thank you guys so much for your help on this!

My local has 5 sites and the sheriff, fire, city PD I listen to is all on the same site. In sentinel I just only bring in the site I need with each favorite list and deleted the non used sites that auto come in before syncing. That way I don't need to scan all based on zip code location and I don't need to program site keys.


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[ofd8001]

Thank you! Can you tell me how to enable location based scanning? Thank you! - Chris

1. Set your location by entering your zip code. This establishes where your scanner is.
2. Using Sentinel, edit the applicable Favorites List. With the Favorites List name highlighted in the left pane, go over to the right pane in hte Options tab. You'll see a drop down box "Location Control"; change that to Yes.

With you limiting your scanning list to one Department, it's possible you may not achieve what you desire. A site that does not carry the traffic for the Department may be turned on because it is in Range. Then you'll be where you don't want to be: spending unnecessary time on a site.