TACN Sites

[wrshamblinjr]

Hi folks,

I am new to trunk scanners like my SDS100. I love the way it works but I am still trying to get up to speed on how to program it. I have a question on the sites I am receiving. I live in Lenoir City. The "analyze" function shows that I am receiving about 13 different TACN sites. Some are close by, like Lenoir City and Knox County Simulcast. But I am also picking up traffic on frequencies assigned to UT Martin, a site clear on the other side of the state. Why is the scanner showing that I am picking up sites that are nowhere near my location? Also, given my location, which sites should I program into the scanner to get the most out of the TACN network? Thanks in advance.

 

[W4EMS]

Skip? Just kidding. someone with a UTM radio which has a primary affiliation with the system near Weakley county was in the area of the site you were hearing it on. That allows that unit to remain in contact with the home base. Similarly if a Smyrna PD unit was in Knoxville that unit could still talk to Smyrna dispatch and you would hear the unit on the site it was linked to in Knoxville at that time.

 

[davewhall29]

I live in Loudon County. I have the Lenoir City, Centerville, Oral, Madisonville, and the sites in Knox and Blount Counties programmed for my local reception. Most Loudon County is heard on the Lenoir City, Centerville, Madisonville and Oral sites, but I sometimes hear them on a few surrounding sites. I also travel East TN area frequently so I have a few other sites programmed to hear some of the surrounding agencies, but if you're just wanting to listen to Loudon County ( well what's not encrypted) then those are your best sites to program.

 

[wrshamblinjr]

Thanks guys. Now it makes sense. Like I say. I love this scanner. Coming from the old "fill a bank with channels and scan one at a time" kind of scanners, it absolutely blows my mind the things this thing is capable of doing! The only drawback is that, for an old guy like me, it has a learning curve the size of Mount Everest!!

 

[W4EMS]

It's a learning curve for all of us. The fun is that all it takes is a tweak in the programming software to see what changes.
Here is a fairly well done primer that many of us use.

Easier to Read SDS100/200 Digital Scanner Manual

 

[surfacemount]

. But I am also picking up traffic on frequencies assigned to UT Martin,

Sorry to butt in

Frequencies, or talkgroups?

If it is talkgroups, it might make sense if they are in town for a conference or something. Or, someone not geofenced decided to monitor UT-M locally for whatever reason.

If it is frequencies, and it is TACN frequencies - Could it not be possible there is frequency reuse or something similar? It's been awhile since I really looked at TACN (that I notice several people are still calling TVRCS).
If it is conventional frequencies (not assigned to the TACN system), that might be interesting.

Cool scanner nonetheless!

 

[buddrousa]

The TACN Sites reuse some of the same frequencies. You are not hearing UT MARTIN in East Tennessee you are hearing a site that is using the same frequency.
Unless you are going to travel with the scanner you would be better suited only loading sites 30 to 40 miles from your location you are wasting scan time.

 

[wrshamblinjr]

It is the frequencies for the sites that I am picking up. I am hearing Tennessee Highway Patrol District 1 Dispatch come in on the Knox County Simulcast site. Then the next time it will show up on UT Martin. After that, it will come up on Lone Oak. I figured that some of the sites were probably reusing frequencies assigned to other sites in other parts of the state. Like buddrousa said, I will cut my site list down in my favorite for TACN to just the locals. Thanks guys. Good information.

 

[buddrousa]

You are not hearing MARTIN TN you are hearing a site near you that shares the same frequency as UT MARTIN and the scanner sees UT Martin in your list with that frequency. You SDS100 scanner will list site number as well as LCN number all off of the control channel data.