TREPORT & TRUNKER...WHAT ARE THEY?

[SCPD]

Can someone explain what Treport and Trunker software are all about?

Thanks much.

 

[crayon]

Trunker decodes the control channel information transmitted by either a Moto system or an EDACS system.

Treport is a more in depth display of the Moto control channel and really is of no use to someone just getting familier with scanning trunked systems.

 

[RBerezowski]

Can someone explain what Treport and Trunker software are all about?

Thanks much.

Trunker is a software package that decodes the control channel information on a Motorola trunked system. There is also Etrunker for EDACS systems. Trunker displays active talkgroups, active radio ids, active individual radio calls, and active frequencies. This information is displayed in real time, allowing one to view system activity.

Trunker also shows some other trunked system information, such as noting the activation of emergency signals from user radios, patches and multiselects, affiliaitions, and some other information.

While the focus of Trunker is viewing active talkgroups and radios, Treport focuses much more in depth on the trunked system signalling protocols. Treport provides a very detailed view of trunked system operation, similar to what is reported by Motorola's System Watch software, used by trunked system operators and radio technicians that need this detailed information.

Another very good software package is DEMO88. It provides real time display of active radios and talkgroups, and provides quite detailed information on the trunked system signalling protocol.

All three software packages use a discriminator tap from the scanner and a data slicer to feed the serial port of a PC.

For most monitorists, the primary focus is using these software packages to view active radios and talkgroups. This allows a person to more closely follow the traffic on your scanner, and you can see other system activity that your scanner may not be following.

There is a Forum on this website, "Trunker/Etrunker/T4WIN Decoders", that is dedicated to these software packages. You can probably get much more information there.

Rob

 

[DaveH]

Treport is a more in depth display of the Moto control channel and really is of no use to someone just getting familier with scanning trunked systems.

I don't agree. Treport is no harder to set up than Trunker, and gives system infor that Trunker does not. Sure, you don't get the real-time full-system channel display. With some newer VHF systems, Trunker was unable to decode the CC, and could not handle multiple-base systems; Eric Cottrell introduced a modified Trunker to do this, but before that, Treport was the ONLY program that handled these sites correctly.

One recent Treport function is the "Site Alias" field. Some sites transmit a name (up to 6 characters) that identifies the site. The Province of Ontario VHF Astro system (Zone 2 only, so far) does this. I have positively IDed several sites this way, from a distance. I don't see any distinction between a newcomer and anyone else in being able to contribute to mapping out the system, and you will see these in the TRSDB (System ID 822f).

Dave

 

[SCPD]

Thanks

Thanks for your help!