Is it possible some of the site frequencies you programmed in the trunked system are voice frequencies rather than control channels? Any digital transmission on a freq programmed conventional may be received as "static", even if it's a voice transmission. It depends on whether the scanner realizes it's hearing a digital signal and attempts to decode it.
Do you have all the frequencies for each site programmed, or just the control channel? If you only program the control channel, and the site switches the control channel to another frequency, you will lose the ability to monitor that site.
The best way to distinguish control channel and voice data is control channels are broadcast continuously, and voice is only broadcast when a user keys the mic.
Of course some are voice frequencies -- we were looking to see if (a) the control channel was present in the set of frequencies programmed and of good quality (we don't know for sure about the latter part of that question) and (b) if voice activity is present such that if the CC was being clearly received and processed properly, think should work correctly (i.e. the site is active).
The static could also be just noise or some interference that is affecting the quality of the signal to the point that the radio cannot decode it.
Makes sense. I'll move to a different antenna at this point. Thanks again!
...or, just go outside.... it's VHF and - as far as I know, not simulcast.... so it should work fairly well unless you're just too far away or getting some type of interference (which a better antenna will just make worse). Still, some of these STARS sites are hard to receive - particularly at distances... I have the same problem here in NC with some VIPER sites.
BTW - looking again at your PM - this statement says alot:
"Your suggestion to add the VSP frequencies as conventional seemed to work. I'm able to hear some control channel static and some VSP Division 2 conversations with about 4-5 bars. .... It's a little choppy at times, but that may be a distance/location problem."
Sounds like even the voice in conventional mode is not great... chances are that the CC isn't of good enough quality to receive the system without some type of boost (assuming it isn't an interference issue).
Again - this sounds like a distance or interference issue.... The signal bars on a scanner are not always providing a good indication of signal quality... just that power (signal of some type) is present.
Many systems like this are designed for highway patrol use - the farther you get off the highway, the worse they are....