Batboard

i wanted to get a 800mhz portable (prob a xts5000) and i wanted to set it up to scan but not transmit.

I wanted some basic ideas on which is the best way to get it setup

ie.. do i get a scanner and get the correct freqs, then setup the radio with the freqs and set it up for non tx inhibited.


I know some of you have done it and wanted a heads up on how to do it right.

pm me with answers if you dont wanna post.

since i moved to dfw they have multiple trunked systems

What you want to do cannot be done with the XTS5000

Better get an XTS3000 instead.

-Josh

so a xts 3000 or maybe even a 3500 can do it?

what stops the 5000 from doing it?

and is cps or dos the way to go?

Basically, only a:

Astro Saber
Astro Spectra
XTS3000

Without the ASTRO25 trunking will work. As long as these have smartnet or better flash in them, you can monitor without the radio affliating to the system, if programmed properly. If you select Smartzone for the trunking system, it will auto-affiate. All Astro Spectra Plus, XTL5000's, XTS anything but 3000 will auto affliate and there is no option in RSS/CPS to prevent it. The option isn't there as it is in the older radios.

A couple of additional thoughts; please pardon if you know this already:

To program the radios, you are going to need a "system key." The system key is a small binary file into which the SysID has been bit hashed. Without it, the RSS/CPS won't allow you to change any trunking parameters.

The only frequencies that are programmed in the radio are the control channels; the radio gets all of its voice channel information via the data stream over the control channel. In some systems, the control channel changes periodically in order to give the control channel transmitter a rest.

The other data you need is the trunking format (i.e., transmission trunking, message trunking or PTT trunking), the SysID, the talkgroup IDs, the connect tone (you want to program an INCORRECT connect tone, to prevent inadvertant affiliation), and, hopefully, the alpha designations used by the system in question (so that you'll understand channel change orders). (I'm assuming a Type II system.)

When you program the radio, program "wide area" for "none," and programming "affiliation" for "on PTT" (which defeats auto-affiliation). Most trunked radios do not have an RXO or TxInhibit function, so it is a good idea to physically disable the PTT.

i know about the system key and such along with how to.

i just havent tried to do one yet.