PRO-90 300-Channel Trunk Tracker Scanner
(200-0520) Trunk Tracking Faxback Doc. # 45397
Your scanner is designed to track transmission on Motorola Type I, Type II
and hybrid analog trunking systems, which are extensively used in 800 MHz
communications. Remember these important points when tracking transmissions:
Your scanner monitors Type II systems by default. However, you can change
this if the system in your area is different (see "Types of Trunking Sys-
tems" below and "Scanning Type I and Hybrid Trunked Systems" on Faxback
Doc. # 45398 for more information).
Your scanner cannot track transmissions on non-Motorola trunking systems.
Your scanner cannot track an 800 MHz trunked system and scan frequencies
in conventional mode at the same time.
The frequencies for many of the 800 MHz public safety systems are listed
in the separate "National Public Safety Trunked System Frequency Guide"
included with your PRO-90.
Types of Trunking Systems
Your trunk tracking scanner can monitor two basic types of systems - type I
and type II. Instead of selecting a specific frequency to transmit on, a
trunked system chooses one of several frequencies in a 2-way radio user's
talk group when that user presses PTT (push to talk). Thus trunking systems
allocate a few frequencies among many different users, but the way Type I
and Type II systems do this is slightly different. One important distinction
between these systems is the amount of data transmitted by each radio when
its push-to-talk button (PTT) is pressed. In a Type I system, the radio's ID
and its current affiliation (the trunk system it belongs to) are both trans-
mitted. In a Type II system, only the radio's ID is transmitted.
Why the difference? In Type I systems, each radio in the trunk group indi-
vidually transmits its own affiliation, while the trunk system maintains a
database that determines each radio's affiliation(s) in Type II systems.
Another difference between the systems is that Type I systems are arranged
in a fleet-subfleet hierarchy. For example, it is possible for a city using
a Type I system to designate 4 fleets, each with 8 subfleets.
The fleets might be the police department, the fire department, utilities
and city administration. The police might decide to further divide its fleet
into subfleets such as dispatch, tactical operations, detectives, north,
south, east and west side patrols and supervisors. All the available police
radios would then be assigned to one of the police subfleets, letting the
police centralize their communications and control the type of users on a
single system. Determining the exact fleet subfleet hierarchy for a par-
ticular area is referred to as fleet map programming.
The disadvantage of a Type I system is that the brief burst of data sent
when a user transmits must contain the radio's ID and its fleet and sub-
fleet. This is three times the amount of data a Type II system radio sends.
Since the data capacity of Type I systems is limited and the amount of data
increases with each user, Type I systems usually accommodate fewer users
than Type II systems. Nevertheless, Type I systems are still in use.
There are also hybrid systems which are a combination of both Type I and
Type II. Your scanner defaults to monitor Type II systems, but you can
change to Type I or a hybrid of Type I and Type II systems by selecting a
preprogrammed fleet map or creating a custom fleet map for your area (see
"Scanning Type I and Hybrid Trunked Systems" on Faxback Doc. # 45398.
You do not need to determine the fleet-subfleet hierarchy for Type II
systems unless you are tracking hybrid systems that contain both Type I
and Type II systems.
Setting The Scanner to The Trunk Tracking Mode
Repeatedly press TRUNK to switch between the scanner's conventional and
trunk tracking modes.
Setting Squelch For The Trunk Tracking Mode
Your scanner's squelch setting is automatically adjusted in the trunking
mode, which means it is not necessary to manually adjust squelch while
tracking trunked transmissions. However, the squelch setting can effect
how fast your scanner acquires the data channel, and in some instances, can
prevent your scanner from acquiring the data channel at all.
We recommend you set SQUELCH to this position before selecting a trunked
bank.
NOTE: You can change this setting, if necessary, to provide better perform-
ance in your area.
Programming Trunked Frequencies
Before you program your scanner to track a trunked system, consider the
following:
Valid trunked system frequencies range from 851.0125-868.9875 in 12.5 kHz
steps.
You can use any of your scanner's banks as either a trunk tracking bank or
conventional scanning bank, but you cannot mix the two.
The scanner only scans one trunked system at a time. Although you can store
frequencies for more than one trunked system in one of your scanner's banks,
the scanner only scans the frequencies associated with the first data
channel it finds.
Before scanning a trunked system's transmissions, you must store the
trunked system's frequencies in one of the banks in your scanner by
following these steps.
1. Hold down TRUNK until the scanner beeps twice. BANK, TRUNK and the
bank numbers flash.
2. Select the bank you want to store the trunked system's frequencies in
by pressing a number key. The scanner automatically selects the first
channel in the bank when you select the bank.
3. Use the number keys to enter the trunked system's frequencies, then
press E.
NOTE: If you entered an invalid frequency in Step 3, the scanner beeps,
the channel number flashes and Error appears. If this happens,
press . to clear the frequency, then repeat Steps 3.
4. Press either MANUAL or /\ to select the next channel in the bank.
5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 until all frequencies have been entered.
6. Press SRCH to begin searching for the trunk's data channel (the channel
that controls the trunk). SRCH flashes as the scanner searches for the
data channel.
While the scanner looks through the frequencies, you see them on the
display. When the scanner finds the data channel, it begins trunk
tracking.
Scanning A Trunked Bank
You can scan one trunked bank at a time. Once you have stored frequencies
for a trunked system in one or more of the 10 available banks and you are
scanning non-trunked frequencies, follow these steps to begin trunk
scanning.
1. Press TRUNK. The indicators for all banks flash.
2. Use the number keys to enter the number for the trunked bank you want
to scan, then press SRCH. The scanner searches for a data channel. When
the scanner finds it, it begins tracking.
If you entered all of the trunk's frequencies, you should be able to
follow conversations between broadcasters even when they change frequen-
cies. IDs which represent different service groups appear.
Note: To review the bank currently in use, press DATA while in the
trunk tracking mode. The bar for the selected bank flashes at
the top of the display for about 5 seconds.
3. To return to non-trunked scanning, press TRUNK again.
Hint: While scanning, you will not know exactly who the ID's are assigned
to until you listen awhile or until you locate ID lists in frequency
guides or on Internet sites such as www.trunkscanner.com. Within a
few minutes, you can usually figure out if what you are listening to
is a police, fire or emergency medical 2-way radio user. Other IDs
might take some time, but determining who each ID represents is half
the fun of trunk tracking!
Monitoring an Active ID
When the scanner stops on a transmission, you can hold the scanner on that
transmission.
1. Press HOLD. HOLD appears and the scanner stays on the current ID.
2. If you want to listen to a different ID, use the number keys to enter
the ID you want to hold.
3. Press HOLD again within about 3-1/2 minutes. HOLD flashes and the
scanner monitors that ID.
Note: If you do not press HOLD again within about 3-1/2 minutes, HOLD
stops flashing and the scanner searches for a transmission.
4. When you want to stop the hold and resume searching for a data channel
so you can continue trunk tracking, press SRCH.
NOTE: You can also follow these steps to hold on an ID while scanning a
scan list. See "Scan Lists" below.
Locking Out IDs
As with conventional scanning, it is possible to lock out unwanted traffic.
This is particularly important in trunked systems because signals you cannot
listen to (such as water meters, door alarms, traffic signals, and encrypted
signals) are assigned IDs just like other users. You can have up to 100 IDs
locked out at one time.
Note: If you lock out an ID while searching, it is also locked out of the
scan list(s). See "Scan Lists" below.
To lock out an ID, press L/O, when the ID appears.
Unlocking a Single ID
1. Hold down L/O until you hear two short beeps.
2. Repeatedly press \/ or /\ to select the ID you want to unlock.
3. Press L/O.
The ID is unlocked and the next locked ID or -- --- (if there are no
other locked IDs) appears.
4. Press SRCH to continue the scanner's previous function.
Unlocking All IDs
Hold down L/O until you hear two short beeps. Then press E to unlock all
the IDs at once. The scanner beeps twice.
Note: When you unlock all the IDs, the scan list mode appears. Press SCAN
to scan the IDs stored in your scan list or press SRCH to continue
the scanner's previous function. For more information about scan
lists, see "Scan Lists" below.
Using Trunk Tracking Scan Delay
Many trunked systems have a period of 2 or more seconds between a query and
a reply. You can program a 5-second delay to hold on an ID for 5 seconds to
wait for a reply. The scanner continues to monitor the frequency for 5
seconds after the transmission stops before resuming scanning.
Press DLY to turn trunk tracking scan delay on or off. DLY appears when
trunk tracking scan delay is set.
Note: If you consistently miss responses even with trunk tracking scan
delay set, you might need to change the default system type or the
fleet map you are using. See "Scanning Type 1 and Hybrid Trunked
Systems" on Faxback Doc. # 45398.
Monitoring IDs
You can use your scanner's display to monitor the frequencies in a trunked
system for activity. You cannot hear conversations in this mode, but this
is an excellent way to determine which talk groups are the most active. To
set the scanner to monitor IDs, hold down SRCH until the scanner beeps
twice. SRCH flashes, and all active talk group IDs appear in succession. To
stop monitoring IDs, press SRCH again.
NOTE: When you monitor IDs, locked-out IDs also appear.
Channel Activity Indicators
Your scanner has 20 channel activity indicators (bars) which show the activ-
ity taking place on a trunked system. You see how many frequencies are being
used and generally monitor how much communication traffic is occurring.
Each frequency you store in a trunking bank has a corresponding activity
indicator. However, since there are only 20 indicators, but you can store
up to 30 frequencies, some indicators might indicate more than one frequency
if the trunked system you are scanning has more than 20 channels.
The indicator that remains on steadily even when there are no current
transmissions represents the frequency being used as the data channel.
The indicator that flashes when an ID appears represents the frequency
being used by the radio you are currently hearing.
If an indicator turns on but you do not hear a conversation, the channel
is probably being used for a telephone interconnect call or a private
call, or the indicator might be a locked-out ID. Your scanner does not
monitor these types of calls.
If the scanner is holding on an ID which is not active, the other activity
indicators turn on and off as other groups use the system.
Scan Lists
When you program trunked frequencies into a bank (see "Programming Trunked
Frequencies" above), your scanner sets up 5 scan lists into which you can
store your favorite IDs. Each list can contain up to 10 IDs, so you can
store a total of 50 IDs for each trunk tracking bank (500 IDs if you use
all banks as trunking banks!). Scan lists help you organize trunking sys-
tem users into categories. For example, you might use List 1 for police
IDs, List 2 for fire department IDs, List 3 for emergency medical service
IDs, and so on. Once IDs are stored in lists, you can scan them like you
scan conventional channels. You can program IDs into scan lists manually,
during a search, or automatically.
Manually Storing IDs into Scan Lists
1. Select the trunking bank you want (See "Scanning a Trunked Bank" above).
2. After the scanner begins trunk tracking, press MANUAL. A bar appears at
the top of the display, showing the current scan list.
3. Repeatedly press /\ or \/ to select the scan list location (shown at the
top of the display) you want to program.
4. Enter the Type II ID you want to store, then press E.
Or, to enter a Type I ID:
a. Use the number keys to enter the block number and the fleet number,
then press (dot).
b. Enter the subfleet number, then press E.
Note: To clear a mistake while entering an ID, press (dot) twice, then
start over at Step 1.
5. Repeatedly press MANUAL or /\ to select the next scan list location you
want to program. Then repeat Step 4 to enter another ID.
Storing IDs Into Scan Lists While Searching
Follow these steps to select a scan list location and store an ID during a
search.
1. When your scanner stops on an ID you want to store, press PRI. The
currently selected scan list memory location flashes.
2. Press E to store the ID in the selected scan list memory location. Or,
repeatedly press /\ or \/ to select the scan list memory location you
want, then press E.
3. Press SRCH to resume searching.
Automatically Storing an ID in a Scan List Location
Follow these steps to store an ID in the first empty scan list location
during a search.
1. When your scanner stops on an ID you want to store, press E. The
scanner stores the ID in the displayed scan list location.
2. Press SRCH to resume searching.
Deleting a Stored ID
1. Repeatedly press /\ or \/ to select the scan list location (shown at
the top of the display) you want to delete.
2. Press O then E.
Scanning The Scan Lists
Press SCAN to begin scanning the lists you have programmed.
Note: If you haven't programmed any IDs, SCAN scrolls on the display but
your scanner does not stop on an active conversation.
To remove a scan list from active scanning, use the number keys to enter the
scan list's number. The scan list indicator turns off, and the IDs in that
list are not scanned.
Note: One scan list must always be active. If you try to remove all the
scan lists, the first scan list will stay active.
To restore a scan list to active scanning, use the number keys to enter its
number again.
Press SRCH to return to the scanner's previous function.
To alternate the display between the channel activity indicators and the
scan list indicators, press PRI.
(LB/EB 11/14/97)
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