XTL2500 Scan List

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njscan
Posts: 86
Joined: Sun Aug 18, 2002 6:26 pm

XTL2500 Scan List

Post by njscan »

Just upgraded to an XTL2500. I created 1 scan list using the software - works OK. I want to create a second scan list for a few of the local PD's, but I can't figure out how to switch scan lists. What am I missing?
The only stupid questions are those we don't ask!
Jim202
Posts: 3609
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2001 4:00 pm

Re: XTL2500 Scan List

Post by Jim202 »

The XTL is a fine radio and is very flexible in the programming. One thing to keep in mind is that you can only have 15 channels (modes) in a scan list. I also like using the O5 control head.

With that said, you can set up zones in the radio to go to a different group of channels. This then allows you to have another group of 15 channels.

I set up a button on the control heads I have, one for zone. This then lets you use the channel knob to rotate to the mode you want and then hit the home button. The channel knob then selects the priority channel you want.

You can also program a button on the head for direct or simplex operation on a repeater channel. This then lets you talk on the repeater output frequency that the channel knob is set to. You can also have a button to go to low power. The low power will be radio wide for all channels.

Hope this gives you some ideas on how flexible the XTL radios cam be. In my case I use to travel from the New Orleans area all the way up to New Hampshire a couple of times a year. I would enter in the ham repeaters all the way along the way. The different zones would be used to cover different sections along the way that would cover a region until I ran out of channels along the way. You could also use the alpha numeric display to indicate the frequency and location on the display. I also had a different code plug for my trip to Fort Worth Texas. Couldn't fit it all in one code plug. So I would load a different code plug into the radio that would be for the region the trip would be in. The radio couldn't hold enough channels for both directions.

Hope this gives you some help in what you can do with this radio and the O5 control head.

Oh one more point. Motorola use to allow selection of PL tones from the control head. This went away with one of the software updates they made and never came back. It was called "Multi PL Select". You could create a table to select the PL tones. Now the selection is grayed out.

Jim
njscan
Posts: 86
Joined: Sun Aug 18, 2002 6:26 pm

Re: XTL2500 Scan List

Post by njscan »

Jim
Thanks for the explanation.
My confusion is, when I create a 2nd scan list (for another zone) how do I associate that list with the new zone?
When I select the 2nd zone, is the radio going to search all scan lists and see if any of the channels are included in the scan lists I created?
The only stupid questions are those we don't ask!
Jim202
Posts: 3609
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2001 4:00 pm

Re: XTL2500 Scan List

Post by Jim202 »

Bear with me as my memory doesn't work as well as it use to. Been playing with radios since I was in High School back in 62. Graduated in 64.

But my VHF XTL2500 and 5000 have like 50 zones in them. As such, there are 50 scan lists. To keep thing simple, my scan list matches the zone. So for say zone 4, my scan list is 4. For zone 28, my scan list is 28 and so on. One radio is in my truck and the other radio was in my wife's SUV.

As you are filling in the channel information for a zone, there is a box to indicate what scan list to use. I believe you have to create the zone channel information first and not select the scan list. Then go make the scan list and then go back to the zone and select the scan list. It would be a good idea to save the information as you go. This way you won't loose what you have already entered into the software. I labeled the file with the radio name and the date and time it was saved.

I found that it was kind of hard to keep track of what I was doing, so made up a spread sheet in Excel to keep track of all the information. Put down the channel RF information and the RX and TX PL tone information. Then you can use the spread sheet to keep track of how and what you want to scan.

Like put down the channel number, then the channel name, then the RX frequency, then the RX PL tone, then the TX frequency and then the TX PL Tone, then a check box if it needs to scan that channel. At the top of each page I label the zone number and name. I did make a zone just for the VHF weather channels so I could get the weather info if I needed it.

Your control head type will tell how many characters you have available for the zone name and the channel name. In my case I would use 2 numbers for the zone number and then a space and then the zone name.

I traveled from the north side of the big lake by New Orleans all the way up to New Hampshire. So my zone names might be like Home, then N MS. and so on as I traveled the Interstate route we would take. I also had a map program called Street Atlas that I would lay out all the repeaters with the output frequency and the needed PL tone on the input on the map. I would take a magic marker on the map to indicate where I needed to change zones and put the zone numbers on the map.

The Street Atlas program I use is no longer available. Think the last version I have is like 2015. The company got bought out by another company. But I use to use 11 x 17 paper to print it out on with a color printer. I included the gas stops and the motels we would always stop at with the exit numbers. Over the years I was able to refine the map as the information on line was not always accurate.

I have got long winded here, but thought I would pass along the way I have done my channels, zones and scan lists. As my wife's sister lives in Fort Worth, I had to create another code plug for when we went there. I had used up all the zones with the NH. trip. I just loaded which code plug I needed for what direction we were going to travel. Saved the code plug on a couple of my lap top computers. That way I could have my choice what got loaded into the radio dependent on travel destination.

Jim
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KE4ZNR
Posts: 34
Joined: Sat Nov 12, 2005 7:11 am
What radios do you own?: APX 8000XE, APX 6000, APX 7000

Re: XTL2500 Scan List

Post by KE4ZNR »

Here is another chance to use my "Motorola Triangle"

Image


I use this picture to illustrate how Motorola handles scanlists in their radios.
All 3 corners of the triangle have to match up and be the same.
--The Zone/Channel has to match the Scan List
--The Scan List has to match the Zone/Channel.
--The Scan List has to match the Personality.
--The Personality has to match the Scan List.
--The Personality has to match the the Zone Channel.
Etc.
Basically you:
1) Create your Conventional/Trunked Personality
2) Create your Zone/Channels from the Conventional/Trunked Personality above
3) Create a Scan List up to 15 members from the Zone/Channel Layout in step 2.
4) Attach that Scan List back to the Conventional/Trunked Personality in Step 1.
The Scan List members are automatically scanned when you have scan on and are parked on a Zone/Channel.
Depending on how the scan list is set up you may or may not be able to make modifications to the scan list (add/delete members, select priority channels).

Hope this helps!
Marshall KE4ZNR
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fineshot1
Posts: 1125
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2005 5:13 am

Re: XTL2500 Scan List

Post by fineshot1 »

njscan wrote:Jim
Thanks for the explanation.
My confusion is, when I create a 2nd scan list (for another zone) how do I associate that list with the new zone?
When I select the 2nd zone, is the radio going to search all scan lists and see if any of the channels are included in the scan lists I created?
The scan list numbers are per each conventional or trunk group personalities
fineshot1
NJ USA
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