I was wondering what the addition of a GPS receiver to my BCD996P would do? What functions will the scanner be able to do that it does not do now?
Thanks
Mike
Thanks
Mike
BCD325P2/BCD996P2: Why a GPS?
- Thread starter Ishmole
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It will automatically turn sites/channel groups on and off based on your location (assuming you've geotagged all your sites/channel groups).
Only if you take it mobile, and with some additional programming possibly, it will turn on and off systems as you travel.
Mark
WS1095/536/436/996P2/HP1e/HP2e/996XT/325P2/396XT/PRO668/PSR800/PRO652
Mark
WS1095/536/436/996P2/HP1e/HP2e/996XT/325P2/396XT/PRO668/PSR800/PRO652
I really like the GPS capability when I'm traveling away from my home area (more than 50 miles). Because it will do as Upman described, it is a lot more efficient on scanning - attempting to hear only those things in the area I am and turning off the "stuff" that isn't close enough to monitor.
Yes it requires a little bit more initial set-up when programming the systems, but I think its well worth it.
Yes it requires a little bit more initial set-up when programming the systems, but I think its well worth it.
Well it got it set up today. It came super fast as I only ordered it yesterday from Amazon! Haven't done alot of driving, but I see that it also displays my compass heading and speed in MPH. It does say OFF when in that mode. Does that mean it is not setting up the scanning in that mode?
Mike
Mike
Started with GPS on my 996P2. As I understand it all systems/sites/groups that are Geotagged will be searched within the mile range set. What I'm not sure of is; do these systems have to be on prior to plugging in the GPS, or once it is active will it find ,turn on ,and turn off anything that comes in range. So why not just program the whole state system on a channel and let the GPS do it's thing. If you can do that how would you lockout all the local programs, (used when in my home area), so they are not duplicated by the GPS in a state system? Thanks in advance, Rich.
jonwienke
More Info Coming Soon!
That is exactly what GPS is good for, within the memory limits of the scanner. Program in everything within your normal travel area, tag it all with GPS coordinates and reasonable service radius, and the scanner will toggle things on and off as you travel around so that you are always monitoring local stuff within range.
I have a GPS but I've almost quit using it. It works fine, but, as I travel, I find that I hear locations I'm not familiar with and dispatch codes that are meaningless to me. When I travel, I usually travel alone. Looking at the screen to see who's talking can be dangerous. Given a choice between the radio or the road, I choose the road. Call me "crazy."
As noted above, you might have some memory limit issues with programming a statewide system in a 996. The way around that is to break the state system down by regions into smaller systems.
The GPS will turn on or off systems/sites/groups based on location unless you have "told" the scanner you want to ignore them. This can happen two different ways: one is a permanent lock-out (done by programming) of the system/site/groups. The other is disabling the quick keys assigned to the system/site/groups.
My recommendation is to set up a method of using System Quick Keys. In this your "home stuff" would be assigned to System Quick Key X and your "travel stuff" (the statewide system beyond your home area) is assigned to System Quick Key Y. While at home, enable System Quick Key X and disable System Quick Key Y. Then when away from home, enable System Quick Key Y, turning on the "other stuff" (your home area will turn itself off as you get away from your area).
To clarify a bit, GPS does not affect QK status. It affects the Lockout status. When in range, it unlocks, when out of range, it locks. In order to be scanned, QK (if assigned) would also need to be enabled.
Thanks for the information: ofd8001 and UpMan
Is there a common practice wiki/guide re: GPS and Quick Keys?
I'm just thinking - if I set up Quick Keys in a sense of geographic location and system type..
i.e.
1 - Massachusetts Trunking
2 - Massachusetts Conventional
3 - New Hampshire Trunking
4 - New Hampshire Conventional
5 - Connecticut... so on...
Does that make sense? If I break down the QK to states - so if I'm on the border, but I'm in MA, I won't hear NH and vice versa (but shutting of the QK)? I'm not sure if breaking out Trunking vs Conventional is beneficial, or if it hurts.
jonwienke
More Info Coming Soon!
I have separate FLs for each state in my area, and give each FL the name of its respective state and a QK. I manually control what I hear by toggling FLs and Service Types on and off, and let the GPS do the rest of the work.
Gillham I'm presuming you are talking about the 996P2 as this thread started off on that model. . .
Before my 536, I used a 996XT, the older sibling to the 996P2 and would set up my states in a similar fashion. However I would use one System Quick Key per state. So using your example, Massachusetts trunked would be System Quick Key 1 (actually each site would have SQK 1) and Massachuestts conventional would also have SQK 1.
As I entered a given state I would enable (turn on) the System Quick Key for that state, disabling (turning off) the System Quick Key for the state I just left.
I found this to be the most efficient. There is some time spent by the scanner processing which "things" should be on or off depending on location reported by the GPS device. If there are many systems involved, the scanner can take several minutes to do this processing.
Before my 536, I used a 996XT, the older sibling to the 996P2 and would set up my states in a similar fashion. However I would use one System Quick Key per state. So using your example, Massachusetts trunked would be System Quick Key 1 (actually each site would have SQK 1) and Massachuestts conventional would also have SQK 1.
As I entered a given state I would enable (turn on) the System Quick Key for that state, disabling (turning off) the System Quick Key for the state I just left.
I found this to be the most efficient. There is some time spent by the scanner processing which "things" should be on or off depending on location reported by the GPS device. If there are many systems involved, the scanner can take several minutes to do this processing.
I have every thing in my 996P2 assigned to a QK. I will test the GPS this weekend as I go to Indy for the Brickyard race. Before leaving I will turn on the QKs for IL.State PD, and In.State PD, and County PDs along the way. The GPS should turn on and off the appropriate towers as travel. Let you all know how it goes when I get back.
If this will be your first "road trip experience" and you have time, a shorter "experimental" road trip might be a good thing, just to confirm things should go as you expect.
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