Since I'm the one that made the post on this topic in the other thread, I'll attempt to explain my understanding of patches/multi-selectcs as they relate to scanner listening.
Patches (or multi-selects, which for scanner users can be considered the same) are used to combine talkgroups so that to the dispatcher they are treated as a single channel. This allows one dispatcher to manage traffic on multiple talkgroups in an easier fashion, as if they are a single channel.
When a patch is created, the "first" talkgroup to be selected in the patch will become the "super group", sort of the lead talkgroup for the patch. For scanner listeners, this is the talkgroup that will show "normal" talkgroup traffic. Scanners won't generally stop on or show traffic on the other members of the patch if the super group is in the active scan list.
On scanners that support patches (not all do), if the super group is not in the active scan list (it's either not programmed or disabled or locked out, however you'd like to consider it), but one of the other talkgroups in the patch IS in the active scan list, the scanner will play the radio traffic on that talkgroup, and some indication of "patch" will show in the display. On the Whistler WS-1065 family (PSR and PRO equivalents), you'll see "ptch" instead of "TGRP". On the PSR-1080, you'll see "patch".
You'll never know which talkgroup in a patch is going to be the super group whenever the patch is established. For scanners that support patches, that's okay because they'll play the audio all talkgroups included in the patch. But, in your example with NCSHP Troop F, if you have all 5 District talkgroups programmed and in your active scan list, you're going to hear (and see) the audio from the super group talkgroup. You won't know (without listening closely to call locations, or unit identifiers, or some other clue) that the patch is in use. So if you're hoping to hear traffic on Dist 2 talkgroup 52190, and it's part of an active patch that uses Dist 5 52192 as the super group, and you have both of those talkgroups in the active scan list, you're always going to hear traffic from 52190 and it be shown as coming from 52192. If they tear the patch down and some point, and re-establish it with the super group as 52190, then you'll hear traffic from 52190 and all of the other talkgroups in the patch and it will show as all coming from 52190.
I hope that helps explain. Others with more familiarity with NC SHP and the technical details of patching, please jump in and correct anything I have mis-stated.
