Alachua County and 396T?

dgoodson · #1 (**permalink**) 08-06-2009, 09:03 PM

Can Alachua County TRS be received with the Uniden 396T? If so, any tips? I tried, but programmign the system as a Moto P25, entered the four control channels, but no luck at all. I tried to follow the instructions in the RR db. I am using the UASD software, and the band plan set up does not have nearly all the functions to program that are listed in the data base.

TIA for any help.

whooey · #2 (**permalink**) 08-07-2009, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dgoodson

Can Alachua County TRS be received with the Uniden 396T? If so, any tips? I tried, but programmign the system as a Moto P25, entered the four control channels, but no luck at all. I tried to follow the instructions in the RR db. I am using the UASD software, and the band plan set up does not have nearly all the functions to program that are listed in the data base.

TIA for any help.

Hi, have you done the latest firmware? If not you need to do that.

It may be fixed by now, but when I did my 396T, the UASD wasnt compatible with the firmware.

I had to program by hand, it was a P.I.T.A.

kayleesdad · #3 (**permalink**) 08-07-2009, 06:44 PM

With ARC396T programming, the 396T worked fine last football season. Did some tweaking with the p25 waittime, I think. Just a regular download from RR. Not sure about programming with the UASD software, though.

dgoodson · #4 (**permalink**) 08-07-2009, 08:48 PM

I did NOT have the latest firmware... but I do now.

I updated the radio firmware to version 1.20.13, and I downloaded the latest UASD version 1.4.1.1; however, it did not change anything. When (using UASD) I go to the menu under the Moto/P25 system, and look at the "band plan" options, I can still only enter "Base" frequency and "Spacing". I went directly into the radio menus (without UASD) and "by hand" created a new Moto P25 system and when I got to the system options/band plan, I can still only enter "Base" and "Spacing"... so I am still stuck with no success.

n4yek · #5 (**permalink**) 08-07-2009, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dgoodson

I did NOT have the latest firmware... but I do now.

I updated the radio firmware to version 1.20.13, and I downloaded the latest UASD version 1.4.1.1.......

Wow, you need to check this link out, you are not up-to-date on your firmware. Make sure you follow the instructions exactly:
BCD396TFirmwareUpdate < UnidenMan4 < TWiki
The last version made was v3.02.02.

dgoodson · #6 (**permalink**) 08-08-2009, 08:40 AM

Thanks to all, but I am not sure I am making progress or not...

I went through the firmware upgrade again this morning, now the radio has firmware version 3.02.02.

(I guess my previous "upgrade" only added the ESN thing)

But still the menu's for "Band Plan" (both in UASD and directly from the radio interface) only show parameters for Base and Spacing. I created a "new" P25 system from scratch, thinking maybe the "old" settings were being retained from the existing system file, but even with a new system created after the new firmware upgrade, the Band Plan options are the same...

I will not be back in Alachua county til tomorrow afternoon, so perhaps the new firmware with the subset of Band Plan settings I am using will actually work. I suppose I should withhold judgment until I find out! Perhaps it now IS configured correctly....

ka3jjz · #7 (**permalink**) 08-08-2009, 12:26 PM

There are a few other things you should do. I'm not in Florida, but I did look up the Alachua county TRS in the database - assuming this entry is correct...

Scanner Frequencies: Gainesville / Alachua County Trunking System, Gainesville, Florida

This indicates that the system has rebanded. As such, you would need to delete your current entry, and put a new system in. The details seem to be a little different in the wiki collaboration article - and if this is correct, then the DB and wiki details should be merged...

Gainesville / Alachua County - The RadioReference Wiki

In any event, the way to adjust the 396 for rebanding is to change the system type to Mot Custom/Reband then enter the custom table values as shown here...

Software Support for Uniden Rebanding - The RadioReference Wiki

The UASD won't do this - it does not support rebanding. However, as shown on the article above, FreeScan does - and adds something else; if the rebanding flag is active in the database, the software will populate the tables for you, assuming you use the RR Trunk import functions. The User Guide for FreeScan is also linked in that article. Note that FreeScan will also delete and reallocate a new system for you in a single step.

Florida scannists will be the ones better suited to answer questions about that trunk - but from the 396 standpoint, this would work.

dgoodson · #8 (**permalink**) 08-08-2009, 06:14 PM

"...change the system type to Mot Custom/Reband...".

Can this be done using the radio controls (if UASD won't do it)? I don't find such an option.

I have downloaded and built a file with FreeScan, we'll which of the four files I have work!

Thanks for all the tips

ka3jjz · #9 (**permalink**) 08-08-2009, 07:42 PM

As stated here...

BCD396TFirmwareUpdate < UnidenMan4 < TWiki

You cannot change the site type via the UASD - This new type is not supported. The section entitled ''Motorola Custom 800 Band Plan (Rebanding)' should give you the info on how to do this via the keypad. If you have 3.02.02 firmware, the new system type should be there for you to select.

However, it really isn't necessary. As mentioned before, if you build a new system using FreeScan's RR Trunk import (and being an audio provider you should automatically have premium status) FreeScan will set this all up for you. Then during the upload process, as shown here...

Image:FS upload queued v8.JPG - The RadioReference Wiki

you have the option of erasing all systems first, or replacing ones with the exact same name. If it were me, I'd start fresh and not use the previous file(s) which may, or may not, contain errors.

However there is an outstanding question that only Alachua scannists can answer. If the wiki is correct, there appears to be 3 sites in the system. If that's true, I would only program the site(s) that are physically closest to you, to insure you get a good quality signal on the control channel.

73 Mike

dgoodson · #10 (**permalink**) 08-08-2009, 08:37 PM

OK, I did the FreeScan thing with a file import from RRef db.

Also, my bad on the radio menus... I guess I did not "scroll" far enough... Yes, now I see the Motorola "Custom" system type option.... Weird the UASD from the radio mfg hasn't been updated to be current with the firmware... oh well.

Thanks, I would have never sorted this all out on my own. I'll know tomorrow if this works!

dg

dgoodson · #11 (**permalink**) 08-09-2009, 06:54 PM

It works!!

The Alachua County TRS BCD 396T system file made by FreeScan (imported "as is" from RR database) worked just fine. All I did was delete the talkgroups I didn't want, but otherwise, I did not change any settings.

(The other files I had tinkered with (and left in the radio just for kicks) did not work... but that isn't surprising.)

Thanks again to all the breadcrumbs that were thrown my way.

dg

Trixter · #12 (**permalink**) 10-12-2009, 06:58 PM

is there anyway you can upload the Freescan file or can you email it to me.

email me at: mvp at tampabay dot rr dot com

Thanks
Michael

kayleesdad · #13 (**permalink**) 10-14-2009, 06:31 PM

used this file on a 396T last weekend. worked fine. this file was uploaded from the 396T into freescan, but the 396T was programmed with another program. may be useful, may need adjustments. the alachua sytem is added twice, once using one system with several groups, and once using separate systems.

kayleesdad · #14 (**permalink**) 10-14-2009, 06:57 PM

freescan download to 396T - untested