PRO-90 300-Channel Trunk Tracker Scanner
(200-0520A) Trunk Tracking Faxback Doc. # 60724
Your scanner is designed to track transmissions 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 Systems" and "Scanning Type I and Hybrid Trunked Systems" below
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 transmitted. 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
individually 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 sub
fleets, letting the police centralize their communications and control the
type of users on a single system. Determining the exact fleet subfleet
hierarchy for a particular 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" below.
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
The squelch setting can affect 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
performance 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 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 Step 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 trunk tracking.
If you entered all of the trunk's frequencies, you should be able to
follow conversations between broadcasters even when they change
frequencies. 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, and
the channel number changes.
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. HOLD flashes and the scanner monitors that ID.
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.
The ID is locked out, and the next active 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" below.
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
activity 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
system 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 (.) 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 have stored less than two IDs, Error flashes twice and the
scanner sounds error tones, then the scan list numbers appear at
the top of the display and SCAN does not scroll. You must store
more than one ID.
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.
Scanning Type I and Hybrid Trunked Systems
Your PRO-90 is set to scan Type II user IDs by default. When you scan
trunked frequencies, each Type II user ID you see appears as an even
number without a dash (such as 2160). Your PRO-90 can also scan Type I
trunked systems. Each Type I ID appears as a three or four digit number,
followed by a hyphen, followed by a one or two digit number (such as 200-
14). If you notice a mix of odd and even user IDs (such as 6477, 2160,
6481, 6144, and 1167), then you are probably monitoring either a Type I or
hybrid (a combination of Type I and Type II user IDs) system (see "Types
of Trunked Systems" above).
You might also notice that you are missing responses when you hold on an
active ID. Unlike Type II systems, Type I and hybrid systems require a
fleet map that sets specific fleet-subfleet parameters. It is easy to
select a fleet map to scan; what is not always easy is selecting or
programming a map that is being used in your particular area.
When a Type I system is designed, the address information for all its user
IDs is divided into 8 equal size blocks, numbered 0-7, and each block is
assigned a size code. When you set up your scanner to track a Type I
system, you must choose a size code for each block. When you have chosen
a size code for all 8 blocks, you will have duplicated the fleet map for
the system you are tracking. If you have chosen correctly, you will be
able to track transmissions in that system.
Each size code defines the number of fleets, subfleets, and IDs each block
has. For example, you can see in the following table that a size code of
S-4 has one fleet, which is divided into 16 separate subfleets, and it has
a total of 512 individual IDs.
Block
Size Fleets Subfleets IDs Used
S-0 ---- Reserved block for Type II IDs ----
S-1 128 4 16 1
S-2 16 8 64 1
S-3 8 8 128 1
S-4 1 16 512 1
S-5 64 4 32 1
S-6 32 8 32 1
S-7 32 4 64 1
S-8 16 4 128 1
S-9 8 4 256 1
S-10 4 8 256 1
S-11 2 16 265 1
S-12 1 16 1024 2
S-13 1 16 2048 4
S-14 1 16 4096 8
Each ID in the block is unique. The left most digit is the block number
in the ID. The next two digits identify which fleet is active, and the
last digit(s) (after the hyphen) identifies the subfleet.
The size code selected by a Type I system designer depends on the specific
needs of the system's users. Some organizations might want many subfleets
with only a few radios each, while another organization might want only a
few subfleets, with many radios each. To scan Type I systems, you must
select or program a fleet map with the same size code assignments as the
trunked system. If you do this accurately, you will track all the fleet
and subfleet combinations used by the system. In other words, you will
hear complete communications while monitoring a trunked system.
Note: Preset fleet maps might be available at www.trunkscanner.com.
If you do not already know the size codes used, you will have to guess
them. But since you do not have to figure out all the blocks at once,
this is not as hard as it seems. Select a size code for a block, then
press SRCH. Now listen to the communications. If you decide you are
receiving most of the replies to the conversations with IDs assigned to
the block you just programmed, then you have probably selected the right
size code and can work on the next block of the map.
There are 16 preset fleet maps to choose from, and it is best to start
with these when setting up a Type I or hybrid trunk tracking bank. If
none of the following preset fleet maps allow you to follow complete
conversations, then you probably need to program your own fleet map (see
"Programming a Fleet Map" below).
E1P1 E1P2 E1P3 E1P4 E1P5 E1P6
Size Size Size Size Size Size
Block Code Block Code Block Code Block Code Block Code Block Code
0 S11 0 S4 0 S4 0 S12 0 S4 0 S3
1 S11 1 S4 1 S4 1 --- 1 S4 1 S10
2 S11 2 S4 2 S4 2 S4 2 S12 2 S4
3 S11 3 S4 3 S4 3 S4 3 --- 3 S4
4 S11 4 S4 4 S4 4 S4 4 S4 4 S12
5 S11 5 S4 5 S4 5 S4 5 S4 5 ---
6 S11 6 S4 6 S12 6 S4 6 S4 6 S12
7 S11 7 S4 7 --- 7 S4 7 S4 7 ---
E1P7 E1P8 E1P9 E1P10 E1P11 E1P12
Size Size Size Size Size Size
Block Code Block Code Block Code Block Code Block Code Block Code
0 S10 0 S1 0 S4 0 S0 0 S4 0 S0
1 S10 1 S1 1 S4 1 S0 1 S0 1 S0
2 S11 2 S2 2 S0 2 S0 2 S0 2 S0
3 S4 3 S2 3 S0 3 S0 3 S0 3 S0
4 S4 4 S3 4 S0 4 S0 4 S0 4 S0
5 S4 5 S3 5 S0 5 S0 5 S0 5 S0
6 S4 6 S4 6 S0 6 S4 6 S0 6 S0
7 S4 7 S4 7 S0 7 S4 7 S0 7 S4
E1P13 E1P14 E1P15 E1P16
Size Size Size Size
Block Code Block Code Block Code Block Code
0 S3 0 S4 0 S4 0 S3
1 S3 1 S3 1 S4 1 S10
2 S11 2 S10 2 S4 2 S10
3 S4 3 S4 3 S11 3 S11
4 S4 4 S4 4 S11 4 S0
5 S0 5 S4 5 S0 5 S0
6 S0 6 S12 6 S12 6 S12
7 S0 7 --- 7 --- 7 ---
Selecting a Preset Fleet Map
1. Select the bank where you want to store the preset fleet map by
pressing a number key.
2. Press DATA.
3. Repeatedly press /\ or \/ to select E1, then press DATA again.
4. Repeatedly press /\ or \/ to select the name of the map you want (such
as P7), then press E.
The scanner then searches for transmissions using the preset map you
chose.
Note: When the scanner searches for transmissions, you see Type I fleet
and subfleet IDs such as 100-12, 100-9, 000-12, or 400-8.
How do you know if the preset map you selected is correct? Listen to see
if you are following complete conversations. If not, try another preset
map.
Programming a Fleet Map
1. Select the bank where you want to program the fleet map by pressing a
number key.
2. Press DATA.
3. Repeatedly press /\ or \/ until E1 appears, then press DATA.
4. Repeatedly press /\ or \/ until USr appears.
5. Press DATA.
6. Repeatedly press /\ or \/ to select the size code for the first block,
then press E. The next available block appears.
7. Repeat Step 6 until you have selected a size code for each block you
want to work with.
8. Press SRCH. The scanner exits the trunking programming mode, tunes
the data channel, then begins to search using the map you programmed.
Note: If you select size code S-12, S-13, or S-14, these restrictions
apply:
S-12 can only be assigned to Blocks 0, 2, 4, or 6.
S-13 can only be assigned to Blocks 0 and 4.
S-14 can only be assigned to Block 0.
Since these size codes require multiple blocks, you will be prompted for
the next available block when programming a fleet map. For example, if
you assign Block 0 as an S-12, the scanner prompts you for b2, the next
block available, instead of b1. And if you assign Block 0 as an S-14, you
would not see another prompt because it uses all available blocks.
Programming a Hybrid System
A hybrid system is simply a Type I system with some of its blocks
designated as Type II blocks. To program a hybrid system, follow the
steps listed in "Programming a Fleet Map" above. However, if you want a
block to be Type II, select size code S-0 in Step 6.
Turning ON/OFF the Disconnect Tone Detect Function
While trunk tracking, your scanner automatically tunes to the data channel
when it detects a disconnect tone (a code that tells the trunking system
that the transmitter has finished sending) on the voice channel. However,
you can manually turn off this function so the scanner does not tune to
the data channel when it receives a disconnect tone on the voice channel.
Notes: You can also manually set the scanner so it always stays on the
voice channel (even when a disconnect tone is transmitted on that
channel or there is no signal at all) by setting SQUELCH so you
hear a hissing sound.
You cannot use the disconnect tone detect function if you are
programming a trunking frequency or a fleet map.
To turn the disconnect tone detect function on or off, set the scanner to
trunk track then press SVC. The scanner beets and DATA flashes for about
5 seconds.
To set your scanner so it again automatically tunes the data channel when
it detects a disconnect tone, press SVC.
(GLW EB 8/7/00)
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