What Is Close Call?

[Cofresi59]

My sds100 has a feature called close call. I didn't find much information about what it does on the manual except on how to turn it on or off. What does this feature do and are there any benefits of having the feature on? Thanks.

 

[RadioSc]

Uniden Close Call - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

 

[Cofresi59]

Thank you so much, this was very helpful!

 

[RadioSc]

The Advantage of having Close Call on. Is when you scanning a site or system. That you don't have TGID (Talk Group Identification) programmed in your scanner. Say you get a hit off a TGID you don't know who it is. Close Call when on Captures it and stores. And then you will have to look up the TGID to put Identification behind that Close Call TGID. It's useless having that on when you have a SDS 100. because you get the whole data base loaded by default.

 

[simpilo]

I have the Uniden BC75XLT. It's manual tells me

Close Call® RF Capture Your scanner’s Close Call feature lets you set the scanner to detect then display the frequency of a nearby strong radio transmission such as mobile and handheld two-way radios in areas with no other strong transmission sources. However, if you are in an area with many transmission sources (such as pager radio transmitters, multi-use radio towers, traffic control devices, etc.), Close Call mode might not find the transmission you are searching for, or it might find a transmission other than the one you are searching for. Close Call mode works well for finding frequencies at venues such as malls and sporting events. You can set the scanner so that Close Call detection works “in the background” while you are scanning other frequencies. You can turn off the Close Call feature and scan normally as well as turn off the scanning function and look for Close Call transmissions only.

Looks like it constantly scans for nearby strong signals to discover strong transmissions like at Walmart or a mall. Good for if you want to figure out what frequency security uses. Save the frequency into a memory bank. You have to be in the proximity of the near field of the transmitting radio to pick it up. Something like 100 ft

It uses a frequency spectrum analyzer to do this. Press and hold "Hold 4 and POWER" simultaneously until the scanner powers on (Uniden BC75XLT). Then you see the frequency spectrum analyzer it uses for Close Call RF. Don't try these key combos on your SDS because it is different...way different.

 

[Cofresi59]

Cool, in that case, I should turn on the "Full Database" to be scanned too?

 

[RadioSc]

The Advantage of having Close Call on. Is when you scanning a site or system. That you don't have Identification behind that system, site or Frequency programmed in your scanner. Say you get a hit off a Frequency you don't know who it is. Close Call when on Captures it and stores. And then you will have to look up the Frequency to put Identification behind that Close Call. It's useless having that on when you have a SDS 100. because you get the whole data base loaded by default.

Here's the correct paragraph I meant to say

 

[RadioSc]

Cool, in that case, I should turn on the "Full Database" to be scanned too?

Turning on full data base is only good. If you don't have your Area you want to listen to programmed in your scanner to your favorite list.

Full data base scanning slows your scanning down tremendously. Only do it if you dont know the area. Or made a Favorites list

 

[Cofresi59]

Thank you, it's a good feature when you go shopping with your wife and you have to wait for her in the car.

 

[simpilo]

Remember Close Call is verbatim. you have to be relatively close for that technology to hear it. I can leave it sit on Close Call only mode and never hear active transmissions above a signal level threshold the scanner is factory programmed. The reason is so you have absolute proof of who because you see who and where you are. Just like sitting at a McDonald's eating a burger and your scanner picks up new frequency and you look up and see uniformed security. Just don't get excited and ask them. I wouldn't.

 

[bravo14]

DMR doesn’t work with close call. Saw a few forums about people asking that question.

 

[Ubbe]

Any signal that transmits in short bursts, something like less than 1 sec, can't be closecalled. DMR basestations transmits continuosly in a conversation so if you get close to a transmit site, and there's no other equally strong transmissions in the same frequency band, then you could get a closecall hit. Mobile/portables that transmit DMR or P25 phase2 use only one timeslot that makes it transmit in someting like 50mS bursts.

/Ubbe