Unit ID question

[bama9999]

On the MSWIN system that I monitor, I have noticed something that is unusual, at least to me. Sometimes the same officer shows up with a different unit ID. For example, say that the unit ID is 107999, other times that same officer's radio will show up as 108999. The third number is the only one that changes. Would that be because maybe on one transmission they are using a mobile radio, and on the other they are using a handheld? Not sure what would cause it, other than that, so I wasn't sure if it was a bug with the 536, or some other reason.

The department I'm referring to is phase 1 P25, and other than the previously mentioned item, unit ID's work great on Phase 1... they don't switch correctly on phase 2 though.

 

[ofd8001]

It's probably the handheld and mobile radio thing.

Back during my "fire chiefing" years, I had a mobile radio and a portable radio. My call number was "8001". The radio ID for my mobile was "180010" and the portable was "180011". If I had a second portable radio (a spare) it's ID number would be "180012".

Also if there was a long incident and my portable battery died, I might have grabbed a portable off the fire truck.

So I don't think anything is wrong with your scanner.

 

[Jay911]

Could also be a mobile repeater or something similar. One agency I know of, rather than have one two-headed radio in its command bus, has two separate radios - so you could see one ID from the front of the bus and another ID from the back.

 

[bama9999]

Thanks, appreciate the info, guys. It had me scratching my head for a bit. lol

 

[Hit_Factor]

It could change from day to day as well. Around here some PDs keep the same car and prep, others use different equipment each shift.

 

[bama9999]

MHP apparently keep the same radios, as it's one of the same two ID's every time.