AstroTac receiver priority scan

[adlertom]

I'm setting up an AstroTac receiver for an agency that is migrating from its current repeater input frequency to a new input frequency. During a transition period, they would like both inputs to work i.e. some field units would be programmed to talk in on frequency X and others on frequency Y. Both inputs would key the same repeater with the same output freq. Eventually everyone would be migrated to input Y and input X will be abandoned.

I set up the AstroTac for the two channels and enabled the scan function. I tested it and both input freqs are received fine.

When I tried to make one of the freqs priority however, that didn't work. An input on X would not interrupt/override an input on Y. I also noticed that there is no detectable audio hole for priority sampling when I monitor the wireline.

The RSS manual explains the priority feature as inserting extra occurrences of the priority channel in the scan sequence i.e 1,1,1,2,1,3,1,4,1,5 for a hypothetical 5 channel scan list. So, it seems that, on the AstroTac, priority scan really is just adding extra sampling in the scan list. It doesn't actually interrupt any non-priority traffic.

Can anyone confirm my findings? I can live without the priority as the input X and input Y users will all be listening to the same output, and shouldn't try to talk over each other. I just mostly curious about why this would differ than, for example, priority scan on a mobile or portable, which WOULD interrupt non priority traffic with priority.

Thanks,

Tom