User:C5corvette

Overview

Location-based scanning is a patented function of certain Uniden scanners.

• RR Wiki: Uniden_Scanner_GPS_Features
• Uniden TWiki: Location Based Scanning

According to Uniden, location-based scanning allows you to control which systems/sites and channel groups are scanned based on your exact location. This frees you from having to manually enable and disable systems or channel groups as you change location. Specifically, location-based scanning uses the scanners lockout function to control what is scanned based on your location. It unlocks systems, sites, or channel groups when you are inside an element's radius. When you exit the radius, the element is temporarily locked out.

Uniden scanners BCD996T, BCT15, BCT15X and all XT models (BC346XT, BCD396XT, BCD996XT) support user controlled location-based scanning. The term ‘user controlled’ refers to programming locations into the scanner. This can be done manually or imported from the Radio Reference database (RRDB) using a third party software.

The Uniden HomePatrol-1 (HP-1) also supports location-based scanning, but user control is somewhat limited to the HP-1 data. In addition to location based scanning, the HP-1 was designed for regional or Zip-Code based scanning.

• HomePatrol Blog: Location, Location, Location

Zip-Code based scanning is prevalent in scanners that come pre-loaded with the nationwide database. Users enter a Zip-Code, a range in miles, and the types of services they want to hear. Within seconds users can be listening to all Police Dispatch calls within a 5 miles range of downtown Indianapolis, etc.

The scanners do not have a GPS receiver built-in, you must purchase an aftermarket GPS device compatible with your scanner. Details for connecting a GPS receiver vary by scanner. The GPS devices described above all use the common DB9 serial type connection. For the mobile (996) scanners you can connect directly to the rear port of the scanner. For the portable scanners (346XT and 396XT) you can use the data cable that was supplied with the scanner. Some installations may require a gender changer to mate DB-9 connections. A ‘null modem adapter’ is required if using the data cable that came with the scanner. A null modem adapter is not required if you purchase the GPS cable adapter designed for use with the HP-1.

• RR Wiki Compatible GPS Receivers
• Uniden TWiki: Connecting A GPS Receiver

The GPS function of your scanner can be used for more than just controlling what you listen to. In addition to the basic GPS functions, for every entry you want to monitor with your scanner, you can program a set of criteria using GPS coordinates and a range. To better understand how this works, you should become familiar with how to program your scanner with third party software. You can program manually, but it can be more difficult and time consuming.

• RR Wiki: Non-Radio Location Based GPS Features
• Uniden TWiki: GPS Mode
• Uniden TWiki: Programming Locations

How it works with radio calls

In addition to knowing how to program your scanner and an understanding of programming locations (described above) you should have a general understanding of where RadioReference stores location data with its radio data that can be downloaded by third party software.

The RadioReference database is by no means complete, but it has the capability to store all of the info necessary for Location-based Scanning and Zip-Code based Scanning. You can cut and paste the info from the database for free, but to download this information directly into your scanner you will need a third party software that is capable of connecting to RadioReference and you will need a paid subscription to RadioRefernce.com website for access.

• RR Wiki: Popular Software for Uniden Scanners

(For HP-1 users, you do not access RadioReference directly. Uniden provides HP-1 owners with weekly updates for no charge via the Sentinel software. Uniden extracts data from RadioReference and tweaks it for the HP-1 radio.)

While it is not necessary to know the specific names of data fields, currently the RadioReference database stores location and zip code data in several database fields that are not used for Location-based scanning, such as: Zip-Code info and FCC location, etc. As use case example, when you review any agency info in the database if you click on the FCC license call sign the GPS coordinates registered with the FCC will sometimes be shown. This data is not what is used for location based scanning.

Most importantly you will simply want to understand the capabilities of the scanners and the fields that are used by the RadioReference Web Service to interface with third party software that connects to the database and extracts useable data.

The XT model scanners are capable of storing coordinates with each Trunked Radio Site within a system (this can be single site systems or milti-site systems) and within each set or “GROUP” of Talk Group ID’s (TGID) within a system. The XT models also can store coordinates for a set or “GROUP” of frequencies within a conventional system. The non-XT models handle coordinates differently and do not store GPS coordinates at the TGID level, you can only segment by trunk site. For the conventional entries on the non-XT models the GPS data is stored at the conventional system level, not the group level – which may or may not be the say depending on what you have programmed. In either cases data is retrieved from RadioReference the same for both scanner types. (For the Home Patrol, this is transparent to the user since it is translated to the Home Patrol database by Uniden on a weekly basis.)

Understanding GPS data in the RadioReference database

It is very helpful to be aware of the RadioReference database fields that match up to what can be used in the scanners. Each description below is followed by a link where RadioReference users can view the specific data online. The following fields correspond directly to the data used in the scanners.

Trunked System site – a trunking site can have specific location data assigned to it. If none is specified, then it inherits the location data based on the county that it is located in. If no county is defined for the site, the site inherits the trunked system default location data. The name of the field used by the third party software is called TrsSite

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?rpt=7&sid=XXXX

Trunked System Talkgroup category – a talkgroup category can have specific location data assigned to it. If none is specified, it inherits the trunked system default location data. The name of the field used by the third party software is called TalkgroupCat

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?rpt=8&sid=XXXX

Frequency Subcategory - a conventional frequency subcategory can have specific location data assigned to it. If no location data is specified for the frequency subcategory, then it inherits location data from the parent agency or county. The name of the field used by the third party software is called subcat

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?rpt=6&sid=XXXX

NEW paragrpah.