[TrunkCom] Fwd: Bc780 alpha Tags - tip

[thepolishdude]

--- In 4phun-scan@y..., "Vic Healey" <vic_healey@y...> wrote:

 BC780 Alpha Tags -  Tip

I also own a BC780 as most of you do. I use it mainly mobile while 
driving in the SE USA.
The problem I have noted is that I have a hard time seeing which bank 
I am in as the numbers are so small. My vision 
requires bio-focals at 57 years of age. There is no problem when I am 
parked but while trying to keep an eye on the road while
making selections is rough. I pretty much guess which bank it is by 
hitting a known number key and looking at the display to see if 
another small number toggles on and off. From that I work out which 
other banks are active by looking at the position of their display in 
the row.

Do you notice this problem also? Here is the solution I worked out 
for myself. 
I decided that the bottom alpha tag for each bank would have a number 
from one to ten on the left side to indicate which bank was active 
when the scanner stopped on a signal. I placed a space after the 
number and then added my alpha tag. 
Now my banks display like this on the bottom line.

  1 Cobb County
  2 Dekalb County
  3 Atlanta
  ...
  8 GA State Wide
  9 Alabama
  10 S Carolina

I can instantly tell by the much more readable large number on the 
bottom left side of the screen what bank I am scanning.

Now I figured we have a hundred scan lists to keep track off with a 
similar problem. I decided that since that also displays on the 
bottom line there had to be a way to differentiate between a scan 
list tag and a bank tag. So I merely moved the scan list number to 
the other side of the line. If I see a alpha tag with a number to the 
right I know it is from a trunking system  and it indicates which of 
the scan lists the talkgroup is in.

  Cobb Fire      1
  Firegrounds   2
  Cobb Police     3
  Cobb Sheriff  4

  ...
  Medic - Hosp. 10

Since this worked so well I also extend it to the talkgroups. I place 
the talkgroup list position on the right side also for each talkgroup 
tag. What this does is lets me relate what I am hearing with the scan 
lists and talkgroups in my BC245. It takes up less room then 
displaying the talkgroup itself in numeric form as well as an alpha 
tag. It gives me the exact position to goto when switching between 
scanners in a hurry. It also allows me to have more information than 
what is available in normal CC only scanning.

Fire Dispatch 1
Cobb Fire      1

When updating the scanner while not connected to a computer I have 
one or two shortcuts.
To change an alpha tag can be a bear especially when scrolling down 
from an old alpha entry to a space or a number. The solution is to 
hit one of the number keys to instantly enter any number. Hit the 
period for a period hit it again for a blank space.

What do you think? If this helps one old set of eyes other than mine 
then it was worth the time making this short post.


BTW I have found that by moving the BC780 up to the dash level with 
my eyes with a slight tilt added so I am looking dead on into it 
makes for a safer driving environment and much easier to read the 
display at a glance. I use tight bungee straps to hold the radio in 
place so it will not move. The audio is fed to a Radio Shack 
amplified speaker.

Vic Healey  

 PS has any one noticed that the ENRON logo with the tilted E looks 
like the sinking Titanic?

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--- End forwarded message ---