System Programming Questions

[cschurman]

I am trying to re-build my programming for my BCD325P2 scanner. The scanner only allows me to have 20 Talkgroups in a system. I don't like when groups get combined together, it gets confusing when I look at the screen during a transmission to figure out what it is. To be able to have talk groups structures the way they are listed on the database, do I need to create the system twice and split the groups up between the two systems? If so, do I need to have all sites programmed in the two systems to pick everything up correctly?

Thanks for your help!

 

[cschurman]

The system I am programming is the SARA Network in Iowa.

 

[iMONITOR]

 

[cschurman]

Okay so I thought groups and talk groups were the same thing...if I can have 20 groups and 500 talk groups, what is the difference between the two?

 

[hiegtx]

Okay so I thought groups and talk groups were the same thing...if I can have 20 groups and 500 talk groups, what is the difference between the two?

Talkgroups are the things you actually listen to. A talkgroup is basically a 'channel' on a trunked system, used for a specific purpose like dispatch, for Police Fire, or EMS. You can have up to 500 of these in one system.

Groups are a subdivision of the System. These are the 'folders' or containers where Talkgroups are stored. You can have up to 20 Groups in a system. These are usually divided out as the Departments used by the system. One Group might be Police, with all the law enforcement talkgroups inside it. Others may be specified as Fire, EMS, or Public Works, with the talkgroups related to each category sorted between them. For a statewide, or large regional system, you might, instead, use the Groups to sort out the various jurisdictions using the system, such as separate groups for each city or county, instead of splitting them out by type (Law Enforcement, Fire, EMS). For a Conventional System (non-trunked), your Groups are the destination for the conventional frequencies used. While you can have up to 1000 channels in a Conventional System, you still can have no more than 20 Groups.

See this Wiki page for more details, and also check out some of the links on the page to other articles when you have time.
https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Program_your_DMA_Scanner

 

[cschurman]

Okay, so in my OP I spoke incorrectly, I was saying TalkGroups, when in reality, I need to say Groups... Where i live is dispatched through the county. I am trying to set my scanner up so it is easier for me to tell when my city pd is dispatched. I have re-done the programming multiple different times. I am hoping I can talk through it with somebody enough that I will start to understand the way i need to be programming it.

And matter its just a matter of the system limitations, and the way it programs when imorting from the RR database into Freescan. But that is when I run into the issue with more than 20 Groups. Not sure how to work around this...

 

[hiegtx]

Okay, so in my OP I spoke incorrectly, I was saying TalkGroups, when in reality, I need to say Groups... Where i live is dispatched through the county. I am trying to set my scanner up so it is easier for me to tell when my city pd is dispatched. I have re-done the programming multiple different times. I am hoping I can talk through it with somebody enough that I will start to understand the way i need to be programming it.

And matter its just a matter of the system limitations, and the way it programs when imorting from the RR database into Freescan. But that is when I run into the issue with more than 20 Groups. Not sure how to work around this...

Is this the system you are trying to set up?
https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=6673

Looking at how the system is shown in the database, there are 32 'groups', each group being an agency, city, county, or category. And when you try to import, you are seeing something like this:

Is this where you are getting the 'too many groups'?

By default, FreeSCAN presumes you want to import the entire system, so it's selected all of the various departments/divisions of talkgroups as indicated in the database, as well as all of the sites. But realistically, you don't necessarily want the entire system. There is no single location where you would hear all the radio traffic, for the entire 14 counties covered, over any of the 13 listed sites. Use the "None" button for both the sites (left side pane) and 'groups' on the right side, then select only the ones that you want to hear at yout location. I suspect that will be considerably less than 20 groups (certainly less than 32). For your home city, use a separate group, copying them over from a larger group (say for your county).

Your 325P2's display (depending on your settings) will alternate the system name and the group name on the top line. The second line will be the text tag for the talkgroup you are hearing. Does that help address your concerns?

 

[cschurman]

That definitely helps! As I was looking at things before your reply i realized there is no reason I would need all of the 32 groups. For the reason you stated, I will not be able to pick them all up in any one location. Also, there are multiple TGID's in that system that are listed as encrypted, and people I know in those areas have confirmed them as encrypted. I am pretty sure I have got it sorted out now!

I have listed everything in my own TalkGroups though. Instead of the way FreeScan imports them, I have made a Police, Fire, and Public Works Talk Group. That way they are all batched together, and its easier to tell what I am listening to right away. Can you confirm that this will work on the system okay?

I really appreciate your help.

 

[hiegtx]

That definitely helps! As I was looking at things before your reply i realized there is no reason I would need all of the 32 groups. For the reason you stated, I will not be able to pick them all up in any one location. Also, there are multiple TGID's in that system that are listed as encrypted, and people I know in those areas have confirmed them as encrypted. I am pretty sure I have got it sorted out now!

I have listed everything in my own TalkGroups though. Instead of the way FreeScan imports them, I have made a Police, Fire, and Public Works Talk Group. That way they are all batched together, and its easier to tell what I am listening to right away. Can you confirm that this will work on the system okay?

I really appreciate your help.

Sure, that would work. As long as you have the correct site programmed, and are entering the correct talkgroup ID's, the scanner could care less what you name the group you put them in. Call it Police, Fire, or Bubba, makes no difference, it'll scan anyway.

I had mentioned the following in a conversation that I was having with another member. Take a look at this depreciated system (no longer in use)
https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=4
The talkgroups for each city are grouped together by the city name.

But now, these cities are on a new system, FWRRS. Look about two thirds down the pages for talkgroups. All of those cities are lumped in one large 'group', Northeast Tarrant. I went in & split those out by individual cities so that I see a clearer display of what I'm hearing.