Talkgroups in multiple scan lists...

[W2SJW]

Guys,

I've been having a blast the last few months with my 500, but I'm still a little confused about talkgroups being assigned to multiple scan lists. From what I gather, you cannot have a talkgroup independently affiliate to two or more scan lists that are set up across two different trunk systems, right?

I tried to do the NJSP MedEvac talkgroups that way, but when I had the scanner on Troop C in central jersey & the helos talked, I could clearly see that the scanner was doing a total revert to the home system that had the talkgroup first (Troop B in north jersey, by way of watching the 'S' meter)

I guess there really isn't a way to do that with a 500, right?

 

[Mike_G_D]

Scan Lists

W2SJW,

I am not entirely sure I understand your question completely but will try to help.

Firstly, a talkgroup or conventional frequency can belong to as many scan lists as you wish. The number of objects (TG's or conventional frequencies) belonging to a scanlist is limited only up to the maximum of the scanner's available memory.

Secondly, a talkgroup can ONLY belong to ONE TSYS. If you want to program a multisite system into the unit you could make one large TSYS with all of the control channels and all of the TG's programmed in. Except for smaller multisite systems that might not be practical. Another way is to make specific TSYS's each with only the control channels for a specific site in the system. If you do this, unfortunately, because of the limitation noted above (TG's can only belong to one TSYS), you will have to duplicate common TG's across all associated TSYS's. In my opinion, this is a major flaw in the scanner's design but one we have to deal with.

What I do, with the system I monitor (San Diego County RCS) is neither of the above (well, actually, I do have one V-Folder setup like the first choice above but only use that in special circumstances). I use the TSYS's to divide up the County into sections (coastal, inland, and east) and assign TG's to each TSYS that are roughly specific to those areas. I then also have a COMMON TSYS which has wide area TG's and non-area specific TG's programmed in. That way I do not have to duplicate those TG's across all those other TSYS's. This works very well as the scanner can have unlimited number of TSYS's up to the maximum of the available memory. I then use the 20 scanlists to divide up the objects in terms of agency/user. For example, I have scan list 1 set for COUNTY FIRE, scan list 2 set for COUNTY LAW, scan list 7 set for STATE FIRE, scan list 8 set for STATE LAW, etc. This way, I make the most of the limited number of scan lists and the unlimited number of TSYS's. I just wish there were a "CSYS" choice as someone else suggested as I could then separate my conventional objects geographically as I do using the trunking objects!

I am not sure if the above clarifies anything for you as I am not sure I completely understand your question. I'll try to help as best I can though.

-Mike

 

[W2SJW]

W2SJW,

Secondly, a talkgroup can ONLY belong to ONE TSYS.

Yep, you got what I was getting at, and I understood your explanations perfectly!

Thanks for the fast reply!