The best trunking decoder for MARCS?

[subclavius]

I just got a tapped scanner and was wondering, what is the preferred trunking decoder used in Ohio for the MARCS system?

 

[wa8pyr]

I just got a tapped scanner and was wondering, what is the preferred trunking decoder used in Ohio for the MARCS system?

Either Trunker (DOS) or Unitrunker (Windoze) will do fine.

Trunker requires use of a data slicer, while Unitrunker works with the sound card.

 

[subclavius]

Thanks wa8pyr. I set up Unitrunker this afternoon, it was really pretty easy. Works like a charm except for one thing, none of the labels display. I'll get everything else, group IDs, etc, just no labels in any of the view modes. All in all I'm happy with it the first day out and I'll try to troubleshoot it tomorrow.

Would the data splicer make much of a difference for MARCS or anything else of interest? dataslicers.com has them pretty cheap...

 

[SCPD]

none of the labels display. I'll get everything else, group IDs, etc, just no labels in any of the view modes.

Did you add any labels or try to download labels from the RR DB?

 

[subclavius]

Did you add any labels or try to download labels from the RR DB?

No, I just assumed it was part of the packets being broadcast. I haven't had any trouble figuring out how to download RR data with ARC396, but how is it done with unitrunker?

 

[mtindor]

No, I just assumed it was part of the packets being broadcast. I haven't had any trouble figuring out how to download RR data with ARC396, but how is it done with unitrunker?

Find / System / Download
- enter in the SID for the trunked system
- enter in RR username/password

As for determining the SID to enter - Open a web browser and go into the RRDB and find the trunked system you are wanting to import. When you are there (where you will see talk groups and such), look up at the top of the browser bar - You'll see something like this:

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=658

The above URL is specific to Jefferson County Ohio trunked radio system. The sid=658 on the end is what will change for your particular system. Get the number after sid= . Enter that into UT.

If it's a big system it may take a little while to bring it all in and make it display. not too long, but not necessarily instanteous.

Mike