Test Driving Software

[USAPatriot]

I'm test driving quite a few different programs to use with my 796D. ScanControl, ARC250, UniTrunker plus the native Uniden program. All seem to have their shortcomings and all the shortcomings are different. Am I expecting too much?

I honestly don't know much about these new digital systems and that's likely part of the problem. When searching a range in a non-trunked system, should I be picking up ID tags or no? At the moment I'm running ScanControl and it's racking up hundreds of hits - with no way to weed out dupes that I can see. It just dumps all hits into the list. Given that I'm in L.A. and currently searching 483-486, is there an area trunk system I can put on this program to see how it behaves? Lastly, in running through the 796D in trunk mode at one point in the menu it asks for plan 1/2/3 - I'm clueless and of course the manual is silent. Thx!

 

[ka3jjz]

Your questions are good ones, but I would seperate and distribute them as needed.

No way to weed out dupes? Nope, I won't agree there. At least with Scan Control, you can export your hits to a csv file and import it into Excel. A couple of clicks and you'll have all the duplicate hits isolated. Piece of cake. I'm not sure if ARC250 has the same capaibility, but I'm betting that it does.

Yes, the IDTags should be showing up in Scan Control if you have them set up.

If you want the dupes tallied up into an aggregate total, Excel can do that too. On the other hand, Radio Manager 2004 does this automatically. However, it requires a seperate purchase for Trunk Manager for some of its functions, and at least in my not-so-humble opinion, its data editor is the worst I've seen in many years.

By the way, both Scan Control and the ARC programs have Yahoo groups where the developers can be contacted; and Gommert is a frequent visitor here.

I don't have a 796 (yet) so I can't help about the plans - that comment should go over to the Uniden forum where I'm sure lots of folks can help. As for the question about LA trunk systems, go visit the database and see what's there; then if that doesn't help, jump to the California forum.

73s Mike

 

[USAPatriot]

Thanks Mike
Unfortunately I haven't had a copy of Excel since I had Win95 and buying a copy would be more luxury than I can deal with. I guess for now I'll keep playing with these programs until I get it figured out. Thx.

 

[loumaag]

If you are looking for software to log and ID new things, then use something written to do that. I would recommend you try the freeware product called ID Tracker. It will work quite well the 796. It will log and record audio on whatever you set it up to do (like unidentified things). It works with both trunked and conventional.

If you are looking for software to program the radio, then you have looked at all the players. I am not a fan of wasting my computer's time (or mine) with it sitting there controlling the radio, so any computer contol that has to be done can be done by ID Tracker, which can run in the background. ID Tracker can be downloaded from this site (see the Home page).

 

[USAPatriot]

Loumagg,

I've got that one as well It gathers the info ok but gives no options to do anything with it. There's no docs but as far as I can tell there's no way to get the info gathered from the radio back to the radio. Like I said in my initial post, all the programs seem to have shortcomings and all of them are different. Another interesting one is UniTrunker. I run it and just scratch my head. ARC250 is good but doesn't go quite far enough and seems to have a problem with comm errors, at least with my radio/computer setup.

Got to watch LAFD (or forestry?) choppers practicing water drops this afternoon. The choice was to watch or listen...I did get some pics. Thx

 

[Al42]

Given that I'm in L.A. and currently searching 483-486, is there an area trunk system I can put on this program to see how it behaves? Lastly, in running through the 796D in trunk mode at one point in the menu it asks for plan 1/2/3 - I'm clueless and of course the manual is silent. Thx!

http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=TRSDB&sid=341
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=TRSDB&sid=2573

Or look here http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&mid=8 and pick one.

I don't know how the 796 classifies "plans", but the system "type" is listed on the page in the database.

 

[loumaag]

...Lastly, in running through the 796D in trunk mode at one point in the menu it asks for plan 1/2/3 - I'm clueless and of course the manual is silent.

Look on page 45 of the manual. Plan's deal only with 800 MHz Control Channel trunking. And thank goodness Uniden did away with them in newer models.

 

[USAPatriot]

Yeah, there's that, but it's typical of manuals like this. It says, "do this", but some of us (me) like to know the how's and why's of it. That's gotten me into trouble for 50 years Thx.

 

[USAPatriot]

http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=TRSDB&sid=341
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=TRSDB&sid=2573

Or look here http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&mid=8 and pick one.

I don't know how the 796 classifies "plans", but the system "type" is listed on the page in the database.

Good info, two thumbs up. I'd been trying to find the top level of that section as I'd not found it before. grassy-ask senor!

 

[mandlair]

hi usa patriot i use and like trunk manager i think the best program out there there is a link from downloads page of this site thanks mike

 

[loumaag]

Yeah, there's that, but it's typical of manuals like this. It says, "do this", but some of us (me) like to know the how's and why's of it. That's gotten me into trouble for 50 years Thx.

If you mean you want to know why Uniden offers 4 ways of setting something that only has 2 real choices (regular and splinter), then you are not alone. If you ever figure it out or can get a real answer, lots of serious scanner hobbiest (and professionals in the industry) would be happy to hear the answer.

 

[USAPatriot]

hi usa patriot i use and like trunk manager i think the best program out there there is a link from downloads page of this site thanks mike

Thanks, but the description doesn't seem to mention the 796D.

Description: Support for the 780 and 895. Recently added upload/download support for the 245 and PRO-2052

 

[ka3jjz]

Anything that works with the 785 will very likely work just as well with the 796 - virtually the same radio (difference is the 785's digital card is optional, it's included on the 796) and the same protocols. Otherwise ARC250, SC and others that support both radios would have a hard time of it.....73s Mike

 

[USAPatriot]

Mike,

I dunno about 99.9% of the radios out there, but the 'scription says 780 or 895. 785 not mentioned. It's not a big deal, just unsure about whether or not trying to read/write with wrong software might damage the radidio.

I've got time to experiment in any case. Scantenna ordered and it probably won't arrive til next Monday (22nd) and it'll likely take another 4-5 days to get it put up.

 

[Al42]

I dunno about 99.9% of the radios out there, but the 'scription says 780 or 895. 785 not mentioned. It's not a big deal, just unsure about whether or not trying to read/write with wrong software might damage the radidio.

Most likely not - the radio will just ignore the command that it doesn't have. (You can download the protocol for most Uniden scanners and check for yourself.)

 

[mandlair]

hi works well for both the 250 d and the 796 ive used it on both works very well and alot of features are not on other software try it youll like it actually it does list both radios thanks mike http://www.bensware.com/rm2002.htm