TrunkTracking Control Channel programing and software confusion 996P2

[KK6VLV]

I have a BCD996P2.
The trunk tracking programming is very confusing and complicated to me.

Conventional programming is quite easy to deal with, but the trunk tracking is far more complex.
So far, I have tried Freescan and I have just downloaded the trial version of ProScan and tried it for a few hours but have the same questions for both.

Guessing from what I have read here, somewhere, somehow, the "control channel" has to be programmed into the scanner for the trunk tracking to work properly.

An explanation that would answer my following question may be stashed somewhere in this thread, but reading through hundreds of posts is too onerous for me to deal with, particularly when I'm not even sure I would find the answer to my specific questions in the 1st place.

Yes, I did through to some small extent; the ProScan user manual. I could not find an answer to my question there either. It's very possible. I have missed it, if so, if somebody could tell me what page or indexed title. It is under I would gladly look it up and see if I can figure it out.

My premise is based on my very short experience with Freescan and reading in RR about (that) Freescan does not completely deal with the control channel programming issue, and that I would have to somehow do some manual programming to place the control channel frequency in a particular system, P 25, for example.

ProScan (15.1) does not seem to show any discernible difference from Freescan when I look at the details that I have so far been able to locate within the program.

After downloading a trunked system from RR, (Project 25 Phase I), (Edwards AFB (United States Air Force (157)), it does not appear to me that there is a way to look up within either program if any of the control channels, either c or a control channels, are programmed as control channels at all as imported from RR.

What am I missing? Does the scanner automatically sense which channel (frequency) is currently being used as a control channel within a particular system as it scans through a particular system?... ...I do not think it can, but?

How can I use the software; either program, particularly ProScan, to program trunking with the control channels being designated as such?

It seems like something that should be somewhat easy to figure out intuitively in the program, but it isn't.
Also, there are so many long drawn-out explanations regarding "trunk tracking" in general, that it becomes very confusing.

Unless I missed some explanations somewhere along the line, that says the BCD99P2 scanner automatically recognizes and adjusts to the current control channel based on the kind of information that is digitally coming through a particular frequency within the particular system and I just flat missed it (?)... ... However, I don't think the scanner is capable of that.

Anyway, it seems to me that I am either abnormally confused about it, or there is a lack of specific information other than the obvious within RR.
I know; for example, that the control frequency shown in red (c) designating the primary control frequency and the "alternate" control frequency/s shown in blue (a).

It is, of course, necessary to have the control channel frequency designated as such in the programming of the scanner for the functionality of TrunkTracking, but I am lost with how to actually program control channels (frequencies) into the scanner, either manually or knowing that it is automatic either from the program that connects to RR with the paid premium subscriber membership or is automatically, digitally programmed in the the scanner itself... ... Which I am 90+% sure digitally programmed in the scanner itself is not capable of doing.

 

[buddrousa]

 

[W6KRU]

You are overanalyzing the problem. A long as you put the control channels in a site, everything will work. The frequencies do not have to be designated as control channels. The scanner will scan all of the frequencies in a site looking for a control channel. When it finds one it will analyze the data it sees on the control channel.

I only put the control channels in a site but other people will enter all of the frequencies into the site. I also try to put the primary control channel at the top of the list but this is not necessary.

 

[doctordialtone]

It is, of course, necessary to have the control channel frequency designated as such in the programming of the scanner for the functionality of TrunkTracking,

Just put the frequencies in - the scanner will know it's a control channel and handle the rest.

 

[ProScan]

I have a BCD996P2.
The trunk tracking programming is very confusing and complicated to me.

Conventional programming is quite easy to deal with, but the trunk tracking is far more complex.
So far, I have tried Freescan and I have just downloaded the trial version of ProScan and tried it for a few hours but have the same questions for both.

Guessing from what I have read here, somewhere, somehow, the "control channel" has to be programmed into the scanner for the trunk tracking to work properly.

An explanation that would answer my following question may be stashed somewhere in this thread, but reading through hundreds of posts is too onerous for me to deal with, particularly when I'm not even sure I would find the answer to my specific questions in the 1st place.

Yes, I did through to some small extent; the ProScan user manual. I could not find an answer to my question there either. It's very possible. I have missed it, if so, if somebody could tell me what page or indexed title. It is under I would gladly look it up and see if I can figure it out.

My premise is based on my very short experience with Freescan and reading in RR about (that) Freescan does not completely deal with the control channel programming issue, and that I would have to somehow do some manual programming to place the control channel frequency in a particular system, P 25, for example.

ProScan (15.1) does not seem to show any discernible difference from Freescan when I look at the details that I have so far been able to locate within the program.

After downloading a trunked system from RR, (Project 25 Phase I), (Edwards AFB (United States Air Force (157)), it does not appear to me that there is a way to look up within either program if any of the control channels, either c or a control channels, are programmed as control channels at all as imported from RR.

What am I missing? Does the scanner automatically sense which channel (frequency) is currently being used as a control channel within a particular system as it scans through a particular system?... ...I do not think it can, but?

How can I use the software; either program, particularly ProScan, to program trunking with the control channels being designated as such?

It seems like something that should be somewhat easy to figure out intuitively in the program, but it isn't.
Also, there are so many long drawn-out explanations regarding "trunk tracking" in general, that it becomes very confusing.

Unless I missed some explanations somewhere along the line, that says the BCD99P2 scanner automatically recognizes and adjusts to the current control channel based on the kind of information that is digitally coming through a particular frequency within the particular system and I just flat missed it (?)... ... However, I don't think the scanner is capable of that.

Anyway, it seems to me that I am either abnormally confused about it, or there is a lack of specific information other than the obvious within RR.
I know; for example, that the control frequency shown in red (c) designating the primary control frequency and the "alternate" control frequency/s shown in blue (a).

It is, of course, necessary to have the control channel frequency designated as such in the programming of the scanner for the functionality of TrunkTracking, but I am lost with how to actually program control channels (frequencies) into the scanner, either manually or knowing that it is automatic either from the program that connects to RR with the paid premium subscriber membership or is automatically, digitally programmed in the the scanner itself... ... Which I am 90+% sure digitally programmed in the scanner itself is not capable of doing.

The scanner needs the control channels programmed in at a minimum. It's advisable to put in all the frequencies in case the CC goes down or are changed. The scanner will detect the CC. My ProScan or Freescan doesn't show the CC in the database because the scanner protocol doesn't have a field specifying CC.

 

[KK6VLV]

Thanks everybody for all your help and suggestions.

buddrousa, thanks for the video links, I have already seen several of those videos and a few more too.

You are overanalyzing the problem. A long as you put the control channels in a site, everything will work. The frequencies do not have to be designated as control channels. The scanner will scan all of the frequencies in a site looking for a control channel. When it finds one it will analyze the data it sees on the control channel.

W6KRU you are correct; I do sometimes 'over-analyze' things, this thread showing one example.

It's advisable to put in all the frequencies in case the CC goes down or are changed. The scanner will detect the CC. My ProScan or Freescan doesn't show the CC in the database because the scanner protocol doesn't have a field specifying CC.

OK; ProScan, thanks for that clarification, it is an exact answer to one of my primary questions.

Just put the frequencies in - the scanner will know it's a control channel and handle the rest.

Also; doctordialtone, Thanks to you too for the short but accurate info.

I will upload the all the trunked systems and their frequencies etc. that I want to have programed into the scanner from the RR database.
I will be using ProScan for the time being.

Side-note:
I like the interface ability of the ProScan, particularly the visual of the actual scanner model on the computer because it helps me to familiarize to the manual programing if/when I will need to do that when the computer is unfeasible or unavailable... ...Another thumbs-up

 

[KK6VLV]

I am still a bit lost here.



This is a partial from a private conversation:
...I can not find where to input the 'Control Channel' (Frequency) in either program. It is like it is hidden in plain-sight, or, the programs are not clear enough to me that I can find how to program the scanner with the Control Channel/s using either one of the 2 programs.

It seems like I may be able to go through the menu on the scanner, However, as of yet, I have not had any success finding anything about that part of trunk programing in either of the 3 manuals, IE: the paper one that came in the box with the scanner, the searchable pdf of same, or the so-called Easier to Read BCD996P2_XT Digital Scanner Manual.

Another thing is: On the RR page, for Air Force. I am interested in only United States Air Force (157) right now, https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=3593 I do not know which of the choices in the drop-down menu of either FreeScan or Proscan to choose.

I can't tell if it is automatically done from RR or what because I don't see it anywhere on the screen where there is a specified control channel.

It is somewhat frustrating to not know.

I am still not sure what I should do here.
Any specific info regarding actually programing for Edwards AFB system with the control channel/s identified as such that is shown in either one of the programs or the scanner itself would be quite helpful.

Thanks.

FreeScan Screenshot
View attachment 72358

ProScan Screenshot
View attachment 72359​

 

[KK6VLV]

Update:
FWIW, I had to reprogram the system because, apparently, for some reason or another, the TGID part of the system was not in the system at all!

At least the scanner does receive the transmissions with audio now .

System is P25 Standard (Digital XT). Sometimes the audio is a bit broken and cuts short, but at least there is mostly understandable audio.