ID Scan vs ID Search (PT/HP Models)
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ID Scan and ID Search only applies to Talk Groups ID’s (TGIDS) in a Trunking System.
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This example is for a P25 digital system as used by the
NSW GRN - SA GRN and the Victorian CFA RMR and MMR.
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Although the principle can be applied to other trunking systems that use a mixture of analogue and digital. (Motorolla Type II - EDACS etc)
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It cannot be used with a conventional analogue system as these do not contain TGID’s.
For example, UHF CB radio is purely frequencies/channels - no TGID’s.
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If your Scanner is set to ID Scan, it will only monitor the actual Talk Group ID’s entered in the Scanners memory, for the particular system you are monitoring.
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By default, the micro SD Cards installed in the PT range of Scanners have ‘some’ of the CFA Talk Groups installed in each ‘Favorite’.
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This means that when you activate a particular Favorite to listen to - for example District 4, you will only hear the Talk Groups that the default setting ‘wants you to hear’.
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This is because the Scanner is set to ID Scan and is only letting you hear what has actually been programmed into the Scanner.
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To see if you’re missing any Talk Groups not entered in the memory, you can switch between ID Scan to ID Search.
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ID Search not only lets you hear what’s already installed, but will also find new Talk Groups being used, if any, in your location.
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To switch between ID Scan and ID Search is easy. (Page 53 of the Manual)
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Select the Favorite you wish to monitor.
While in Scan mode it will display ID Scanning on the screen.
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This means that the Scanner is waiting for someone to talk and match it up with the installed Talk Group, when there is activity, the voice will be heard and the relevant Talk Group Id for the party talking will be displayed.
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To swap from ID Scan to ID Search, push the FUNC Button and then the E.Yes button. This will change the Scan mode from ID Scan to ID Search.
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This change will only apply to the current Favorite you selected - Selecting ID Search does not cover ALL Favorites.
You must apply the changes to ALL favorites if required.
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If there are Talk Groups in your location that are active - it should only be a matter of a few minutes and you may hear different users.
These users will not have an ‘alpha tag’ associated with them and will only show the Talk Group ID number on the screen.
(Alpha Tag will only be visible if prior naming of the TGID has been done.)
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The Scanner will still use the information it has in its memory to display the name of current Talk Groups, but as new ones have not been allocated a name - these will appear as TGID Numbers on the screen.
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What you do have to consider is that encrypted Talk Group ID’s will also appear and even though you won’t be able to hear them, they will be displayed on the screen.
Problem with this is that the user may chat for a few seconds or more and even though you can’t hear it, this idle chatter will stop the Scanner and you could possibly miss a reply or conversation on a Talk Group that can be heard.
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Imagine you have a fishing net that is designed to catch a particular type of fish.. all is going well but it’s a slow day, so you change the net to a generic type and throw it overboard... you're catching a lot more fish, but a lot more rubbish as well.
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So while ID Search is a great way to check if there are any new Talk Groups out there, it must also be taken into consideration that you might pull in some encrypted Talk Groups that may annoy you.
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You can avoid these encrypted Talk Groups - Wait until you see the TGID number on the screen.
Then push Channel HOLD.
While the TGID number is displayed - push the AVOID button then push the Channel HOLD button to resume scanning.
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The Scanner will temporarily lock out the offending TGID and continue its ID Searching.
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These encrypted TGID’s will be available again by turning the Scanner off and on again.
To revert back to ID Scan - push the FUNC button and then the E.Yes button