Is it possible to scan trnk talkgroups and conv ch's in same scanlist.
Also i have seen some info about adding more than 10 ch's to scan list. Is that hard to do?
Frank
xts2500 scan conv/trunk same scanlist
Moderator: Queue Moderator
Re: xts2500 scan conv/trunk same scanlist
In theory, you can create a "talkgroup" type scan list that conflates trunked talkgroups and conventional channels in the same list. While I haven't yet done this with an XTS2500, that is how the Motorola SmartNet trunked radios I've worked on all work.
That said, this is a very bad idea. "Scanning" vis-a-vis a trunked system bears no relation to scanning as we've all grown up used to it. While the radio is "scanning" in trunked mode, it is doing nothing other than watching the control channel for a group channel grant OSW for one of the TG IDs that is in its scan list. Indeed, the only difference between scanning and not scanning while in trunked mode is what OSWs the radio will respond to (put aside trunked scan priority, which is a whole 'nuther ball game).
However, while the radio is watching the trunked control channel, it cannot sample any non-trunked channels that might be in the scan list. This means that the radio will miss all traffic on the conventionals for whatever is the trunked mode dwell time, whether or not there is any active traffic on the trunked system. (It also means that you cannot have any priority, trunked or conventional.) In practice, this potentially huge audio hole is unacceptable for public safety work.
That said, this is a very bad idea. "Scanning" vis-a-vis a trunked system bears no relation to scanning as we've all grown up used to it. While the radio is "scanning" in trunked mode, it is doing nothing other than watching the control channel for a group channel grant OSW for one of the TG IDs that is in its scan list. Indeed, the only difference between scanning and not scanning while in trunked mode is what OSWs the radio will respond to (put aside trunked scan priority, which is a whole 'nuther ball game).
However, while the radio is watching the trunked control channel, it cannot sample any non-trunked channels that might be in the scan list. This means that the radio will miss all traffic on the conventionals for whatever is the trunked mode dwell time, whether or not there is any active traffic on the trunked system. (It also means that you cannot have any priority, trunked or conventional.) In practice, this potentially huge audio hole is unacceptable for public safety work.
Re: xts2500 scan conv/trunk same scanlist
You could scan one conventional channel and a complete trunked list at the same time if this helps.
For example lets assume that you have zone 1 ch 1 set for 856 Mhz rx as a conventional channel.
If you enable auto scan on this zone 1 channel 1 personality and set the scan list to scan list 1 for example.
Now lets assume that scan list 1 is set up as a trunking scan list that has the maximum of 10 trunking talkgroups that are all from trunking personality 1.
If you set trunking personality 1 to auto scan mode on scan list 1 then when you set the radios channel selector switch to zone 1 channel 1 it will automatically start scanning the trunking personalities along with the single conventional zone 1 channel 1 personality.
In fact this is how the hidden trunking method of not affiliating on a P25 trunking system works.
In your radios zone and channel assignments You would build up 16 conventional channels in a zone then all channels from 17 and above in this same zone are where you would place your hidden trunking talkgroups/channels, with this method you never have a channel access feature directly to any of your trunking personalities.
The negative aspect to this is that whatever channel, conv or trunking talkgroup, the scanner lands on with a valid signal first will be what you hear and of course this methods sets this auto scan list effectively as a receive only list, but if you just want it for scanning this method works nicely.
Also most of what RKG applies in reference to how we think scanning works is true, but if you want to listen to a single conv channel and some trunking talkgroups this will work.
Also as RKG points out, you have no priority so as I said whatever signal comes thru first is where the receiver will land.
Mike
For example lets assume that you have zone 1 ch 1 set for 856 Mhz rx as a conventional channel.
If you enable auto scan on this zone 1 channel 1 personality and set the scan list to scan list 1 for example.
Now lets assume that scan list 1 is set up as a trunking scan list that has the maximum of 10 trunking talkgroups that are all from trunking personality 1.
If you set trunking personality 1 to auto scan mode on scan list 1 then when you set the radios channel selector switch to zone 1 channel 1 it will automatically start scanning the trunking personalities along with the single conventional zone 1 channel 1 personality.
In fact this is how the hidden trunking method of not affiliating on a P25 trunking system works.
In your radios zone and channel assignments You would build up 16 conventional channels in a zone then all channels from 17 and above in this same zone are where you would place your hidden trunking talkgroups/channels, with this method you never have a channel access feature directly to any of your trunking personalities.
The negative aspect to this is that whatever channel, conv or trunking talkgroup, the scanner lands on with a valid signal first will be what you hear and of course this methods sets this auto scan list effectively as a receive only list, but if you just want it for scanning this method works nicely.
Also most of what RKG applies in reference to how we think scanning works is true, but if you want to listen to a single conv channel and some trunking talkgroups this will work.
Also as RKG points out, you have no priority so as I said whatever signal comes thru first is where the receiver will land.
Mike
Re: xts2500 scan conv/trunk same scanlist
Not quite. Presuming you can define a scan list type as "talkgroup" (which means that it will accept both trunked talkgroups and conventional channels as members), and you define a scan list with both as members, while the radio is listening to the trunked control channel, it will not revert to the conventional channel even though the trunked system is idle, until the trunked system dwell timer runs out. This is the vice of such mixed scan lists.mike m wrote:
Also as RKG points out, you have no priority so as I said whatever signal comes thru first is where the receiver will land.
Mike
They may have a place for hobbyist experimentation; they are not acceptable for working pubic safety radios.
Re: xts2500 scan conv/trunk same scanlist
Since I don't have a xts2500 to play with, I'm presently using XTS3000 and xts5000 800 meg radios set up as I mentioned above and both are auto scanning a local smartzone system and 852.000 conv at the same time.
I have my R2670 set to 852 meg and a talkgroup just stopped tx'ing on the smartzone system the radio immediately reverted to the conventional pers when I turned the 2670 Rf on.
If I drop the 852 meg signal radiated from the R2670 the receiver reverts immediately back to the smartzone system and the same occurs when I enable the 852 Meg radiated signal.
I don't have to wait for the smartzone dwell time or anything, when one signal drops and the other comes in, conv or trunking, the radio locks to whatever mode signal is present.
M
I have my R2670 set to 852 meg and a talkgroup just stopped tx'ing on the smartzone system the radio immediately reverted to the conventional pers when I turned the 2670 Rf on.
If I drop the 852 meg signal radiated from the R2670 the receiver reverts immediately back to the smartzone system and the same occurs when I enable the 852 Meg radiated signal.
I don't have to wait for the smartzone dwell time or anything, when one signal drops and the other comes in, conv or trunking, the radio locks to whatever mode signal is present.
M