Trunked Priority Question

[KevinC]

It is 100% about when the scanner goes to the control channel. We are talking about a different type of priority than preemptive priority. Priority Monitor grants do not come into play.

Once you get over the fact we are not talking about preemptive priority, all the "flaws" you cite go away.

Yes, I agree that preemptive priority would be nice, but the scanner does not have that.
It is not a bug, but is the design, and that is what you say is wrong without knowing how it was intended.

Are you sure about it not being a bug? The below announcement from Paul about the SDS200 clearly indicates "Preemptive Trunking Priority"...

Introducing the SDS200

Introducing the SDS200, Uniden's latest and most advanced base/mobile digital trunking scanner. The SDS200 incorporates the latest True I/Q receiver technology, which provides the best digital decode performance in the industry, even in challenging receive environments. The SDS200's other...

forums.radioreference.com

 

[ofd8001]

Are you sure about it not being a bug? The below announcement from Paul about the SDS200 clearly indicates "Preemptive Trunking Priority"...

Introducing the SDS200

Introducing the SDS200, Uniden's latest and most advanced base/mobile digital trunking scanner. The SDS200 incorporates the latest True I/Q receiver technology, which provides the best digital decode performance in the industry, even in challenging receive environments. The SDS200's other...

forums.radioreference.com

First, I totally agree that preemptive priority "whatever" would be a blessing on P25 TRS scanning. That said, the SDS line (along with other Uniden models) will do Preemptive on Motorola systems (with conditions), so the release info is technically correct. It might get folks thinking there is more than there really is. (This is mentioned in the user manual).

Even "real" system radios aren't perfect when it comes to scanning trunked systems. My fire department portable and mobile radios are set up for scanning. However they sometimes take time to "latch on to" talkgroups other than what is selected by the channel knob. So I miss short transmissions, or the first part of long ones.

One thing I have discovered with P25 TRS scanning, is that I can hold on a talkgroup and the scanner will only "scan"/"open-up" for only those talkgroups I have set as Priority Channels. So this is an easy way of scanning just the important channels.

And another thing Joe Bearcat to consider please: If I'm holding on a TRS talkgroup and I also have conventional frequencies set for priority scanning, the scanner will "jump off" the trunked system to check for activity on the priority conventional frequencies. However if I'm holding on a conventional frequency, the scanner does not "jump off" conventional to check for priority on the TRS. So if there is any re-engineering, it might be nice to look into this too.

 

[KevinC]

First, I totally agree that preemptive priority "whatever" would be a blessing on P25 TRS scanning. That said, the SDS line (along with other Uniden models) will do Preemptive on Motorola systems (with conditions), so the release info is technically correct. It might get folks thinking there is more than there really is. (This is mentioned in the user manual).

Even "real" system radios aren't perfect when it comes to scanning trunked systems. My fire department portable and mobile radios are set up for scanning. However they sometimes take time to "latch on to" talkgroups other than what is selected by the channel knob. So I miss short transmissions, or the first part of long ones.

One thing I have discovered with P25 TRS scanning, is that I can hold on a talkgroup and the scanner will only "scan"/"open-up" for only those talkgroups I have set as Priority Channels. So this is an easy way of scanning just the important channels.

And another thing Joe Bearcat to consider please: If I'm holding on a TRS talkgroup and I also have conventional frequencies set for priority scanning, the scanner will "jump off" the trunked system to check for activity on the priority conventional frequencies. However if I'm holding on a conventional frequency, the scanner does not "jump off" conventional to check for priority on the TRS. So if there is any re-engineering, it might be nice to look into this too.

Then Uniden should state that the feature isn't applicable to P25 trunked systems. If for no other reason than to squash this topic from repeatedly coming up.

It's sort of like advertising a backlit keyboard, but omitting that only the 1, 4 and 7 keys light up.

 

[ofd8001]

Yeah it’s that classic “well they ain’t lying, but they ain’t truthing either”.

 

[donc13]

The only "true" way to get priority is with a 2nd receiver in the radio that sits on the priority channel or control channel if it's a trunked system.

Period.

The way it is currently done either conventional or trunked is pseudo priority.

 

[KevinC]

The only "true" way to get priority is with a 2nd receiver in the radio that sits on the priority channel or control channel if it's a trunked system.

Period.

The way it is currently done either conventional or trunked is pseudo priority.

Negative. Preemptive priority on P25 trunking (Priority Monitor) works just fine on my APX. The information is in the VC data.

And it supposedly works as expected on a 3600 Motorola system.

 

[donc13]

Yes, IF the system has designated priority channels and "pushes" the information on all in-use channels out over all active frequencies and the receiver and the receiver is designed to listen and switch to it... Sure.

But how's it do if the user wants to select the priority ID? Say, you and your spouse work for the same agency (or different agencies on the same P25 system) but different shifts and you each want to set their radio to priority listen for their spouses calls and replies?

 

[KevinC]

Yes, IF the system has designated priority channels and "pushes" the information on all in-use channels out over all active frequencies and the receiver and the receiver is designed to listen and switch to it... Sure.

But how's it do if the user wants to select the priority ID? Say, you and your spouse work for the same agency (or different agencies on the same P25 system) but different shifts and you each want to set their radio to priority listen for their spouses calls and replies?

That's all good and well, but the SDD200 lists Preemptive Trunking Priority as a feature.

If it doesn't work on Uniden scanners that's fine, then remove that listing from the features. Or if it only works on 3600 systems then state that.

But I guess even Uniden is confused since @JoeBearcat stated it doesn't have Preemptive Trunking Priority at all.

 

[donc13]

That wasn't your reply to my post that true priority required 2 receivers. You said your APX does it and I asked if it was user settable.

 

[KevinC]

That wasn't your reply to my post that true priority required 2 receivers. You said your APX does it and I asked if it was user settable.

Yes it is (via CPS).

 

[KevinC]

But we're getting off-topic. Bottom line is Preemptive Trunking Priority is advertised on the SDS200 but only works on 3600 Motorola systems (I can neither confirm nor deny that though). No need to argue about, it just doesn't work on P25 trunked systems (I can confirm that)...at all.

 

[JoeBearcat]

But I guess even Uniden is confused since @JoeBearcat stated it doesn't have Preemptive Trunking Priority at all.

My comments were strictly with respect to P25 systems.

I would rather "fix" it by adding it.

And yes I will check to see if it was part of the original spec.