User's Manual

200018 User’s Guide Draft
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alkgroup is a part of a trunked radio system - a modern and complicated radio network that is
managed by sophisticated special purpose computers. Trunking technology allows many different
groups of radio users to share a relatively small number of radio channels. You’ll know you’ve browsed
to a talkgroup when you see the word “Talkgroups” on the top line of the display while you are browsing
the library. When browsing the PRO-18’s library, everything you find below the “Systems” level under
States or Counties/Cities will be trunked radio systems and associated sites and talkgroups. Unlike
conventional channels, trunking talkgroups have dependencies - at least one site from the system
must be selected in order for picked talkgroups to imported to Playlists.
There are many different manufacturers and flavors of trunked radio systems, each with their own
special programming nuances. Fortunately, the PRO-18 takes the guesswork out of programming
talkgroup objects. You simply browse the library to find what you want to hear, and regardless of
whether it’s a conventional channel or a trunking talkgroup, most of the time it’s as simple as picking
the objects you want and importing them to your desired Playlists.
There is one key difference between trunking talkgroups and conventional channels. A conventional
frequency typically operates from a single tower or building rooftop site. A few conventional systems
may have more than one site, but they still use the same frequency, so there are no special
considerations for programming these in the PRO-18.
On the other hand, trunked radio systems consist of one or more discrete sites strategically located
throughout the service area of the system to provide the desired level of coverage. Each site has its
own set of frequencies. One type of trunked radio system technology known as “simulcast” has
multiple radio sites that all operate on the same set of frequencies - to the trunked system, a simulcast
subsystem appears as a single site.
It’s important to understand that at least one Site for a system must be selected when you are
importing talkgroups from the Library to Playlists. Many of the talkgroups you pick will be a part of
systems that have only one site, and you need only ensure that this one site is also selected when you
import.
In cases where there is more than one site to choose, you have a few options.
In every case, the easiest way to bring in a system’s sites and talkgroups is to simply place a checkbox
next to the system’s name after you drill in from the Systems level of the library from either the States
or Counties/Cities level. This selects every site in the system, and every talkgroup as well. For
example:
. Access the Library from the Main Menu
. Scroll to Indiana and press 
. Scroll down to Systems and press 
At this level you will see the one system in Indiana with statewide coverage, the Indiana Project
Hoosier SAFE-T state public safety radio system. If you press ▶/II/SEL, a check will be placed next to
the system name, marking every site and talkgroup on the system for importing into the library (this will
take a few minutes due to the number of sites and talkgroups in this large statewide system).
However, you may not want to listen to every single talkgroup on the system, or you may want to
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