EDACS Trunked Systems

Please note that these pages are meant as general instructions. While most of the information here applies to all scanners, some options may not be available on certain scanner models. Model-specific options are indicated in the text.

This section deals with EDACS Wide or standard systems. Click here for information on EDACS SCAT systems. This includes EDACS systems that use ESK. No special setting is needed to enable ESK tracking on an EDACS system. Note that the scanner cannot decode EDACS ProVoice. Below is an example of an EDACS trunked system from RadioReference:

• Here is a conceptual layout diagram of a basic EDACS Wide system. (Click here for a legend of the diagram.)
• You can download a planning worksheet for EDACS systems as a pdf file or an Excel spreadsheet file.

Programming an EDACS System

To program an EDACS system, you'll need to program the required elements in following order (click here for information on using the menu):

Create a system

1. Go to the Program System menu and choose New System .
2. The scanner will prompt you for the System Type. Select EDCS .
3. The scanner will prompt you for the sub-type. Select Wide/Narrow .
4. When the scanner prompts you confirm, tap YES .
5. The scanner creates the system with a default name. Select Edit Name if you want to change it.
6. If you need to change any of the system properties, you can do that now. Unless a property is Required , you can operate the system without changing the default settings.

System properties

All of these options can be found under your scanner's Program System menu. If necessary, the sub-menu and option name on each scanner are listed beside the property.

Property	Option name
Required
None
Recommended
Name	Edit Name
Number tag	Set Number Tag
Optional
Automatic Gain Control (AGC)	BCD396XT and BCD996XT: Set Audio AGC BC346XT, BC346XTC, and BCT15X: Not available
Record	BCD996XT and BCT15X: Set Record BCD396XT, BC346XT, and BC346XTC: Not available
Delay time	Set Delay Time
Emergency alert	Emergency Alert
ID format	Set ID Format (AFS) or (DEC)
ID scan/search	ID Scan/Search
Priority ID scan	Priority ID scan
Available operations
Copy a system	Copy System
Delete a system	Delete System
Review locked-out IDs	Rvw ID:Srch L/O
Clear all locked-out IDs	Clr All L/O IDs

Create at least 1 site

Each EDACS system can contain up to 256 sites, and all systems must contain at least 1 site.

1. On the Program System menu, select the system you just created.
2. Go to the Edit Site menu and select New Site .
3. If you need to change any of the site properties, you can do that now. Unless a property is Required , you can operate the system without changing the default settings.

Site properties

All of these options can be found under your scanner's Edit Site menu. If necessary, the sub-menu and option name on each scanner are listed beside the property.

Property	Option name
Required
Site type	Set Site Type
Recommended
Name	Edit Name
Quick key	Set Quick Key
Optional
Attenuator	Set Attenuator
Hold time	Set Hold Time
Location information	Set Location Info
State	BCT15X: Set State Other Models: Not available
Lockout	Set Lockout
Modulation	Set Modulation
Startup key	Set Startup Key
Available operations
Delete a site	Delete Site

Create at least 1 frequency in each site

Each trunked system can contain up to 30 frequencies in each site, and all sites must contain at least 1 frequency.

1. On the Edit Site menu, select the site you just created.
2. Go to the Set Frequencies sub-menu and select New Frequency .
3. Enter all frequencies for this site. (Note: Enter any numbers outlined in GREEN. See example image above.)
4. When you enter a new frequency, the scanner will prompt you for the logical channel number or LCN for that frequency. Enter a number from 1 through 30. (Note: Enter the number outlined in RED that's located before the number outlined in GREEN. See example image above.)
5. If you need to change any of the frequency properties, you can do that now. Unless a property is Required , you can operate the system without changing the default settings.

Frequency properties

All of these options can be found by selecting the frequency under the Set Frequencies sub-menu. If necessary, the sub-menu and option name on each scanner are listed beside the property.

Property	Option name
Required
Logical channel number	Input LCN
Recommended
None
Optional
Lockout	Set Lockout
Available operations
Delete a frequency	Delete Frequency

Programming a system for Scanning

Once you create the system and at least 1 site, you can Search the system with no problems. However, if you want to Scan the system, you'll need to program the required elements in following order (click here for information on using the menu):

Create at least 1 channel group

Each EDACS system can contain up to 20 channel groups, and any system you want to scan must contain at least 1 channel group.

1. On the Program System menu, select the system you just created.
2. Go to the Edit Group menu and select New Group .
3. If you need to change any of the channel group properties, you can do that now. Unless a property is Required , you can operate the system without changing the default settings.

Channel group properties

All of these options can be found by selecting the group name under your scanner's Edit Group menu. If necessary, the sub-menu and option name on each scanner are listed beside the property.

Property	Option name
Required
None
Recommended
Name	Edit Name
Quick key	Set Quick Key
Optional
Location information	Set Location Info
Lockout	Set Lockout
Available operations
Delete a group	Delete Group

Create at least 1 channel in each group

Each trunked system can contain up to 500 channels.

1. On the Edit Group menu, select the channel group you just created.
2. Go to the Edit Channel menu and select New Channel .
3. Input the Talk Group ID (TGID) for this channel. (Note: You will enter the required DEC numbers (outlined in ORANGE) that apply to the agencies that you wish to monitor. See example image below.)
4. If you need to change any of the channel properties, you can do that now. Unless a property is Required , you can operate the system without changing the default settings.

EDACS Wide System

Channel properties

All of these options can be found by selecting the channel name your scanner's Edit Channel menu. If necessary, the sub-menu and option name on each scanner are listed beside the property.

Property	Option name
Required
TGID	Edit Talk Group ID
Recommended
Name	Edit Name
Number tag	Set Number Tag
Optional
Record	BCD996XT and BCT15X: Set Record BCD396XT, BC346XT, and BC346XTC: Not available.
Alert	Set Alert
Lockout	Set Lockout
Priority	Set Priority
Volume Offset	Volume Offset
Available operations
Copy a channel	Copy Channel
Delete a channel	Delete Channel

This page applies to the following scanner(s): BCD996XT BCT15X BCD396XT BC346XT BC346XTC UsersGuide