Constant problem with Anne Arundel County system, any idea whats wrong?

[CapitalPunishment]

Ok for quite some time now (many months) every once in a while when radio goes to give out a priority call i dont recieve it. Ill receive up to the point of the call and immediately after. Itll go like this:

Radio: 3 Charlie 3 stand by for a priority call
3C3: Go ahead
*Silence for about 10-15 seconds*
3C3: 3 Charlie 3 copy
3C2: 3 Charlie 2 will back 3C3
3C1: Charlie 1 en route also

Its to the point now where it does it just about every time, if not every time. Whats going on? This is really bothering me. Especially tonight, that was the third B&E call given out since ive been listening today, since about 4PM.

If its any help, i listen to eastern district.

 

[SCPD]

Well if it is a motorola system system they could be using I-Call. Otherwise they may be using a encryption on a different talk group.

 

[CapitalPunishment]

Well if it is a motorola system system they could be using I-Call. Otherwise they may be using a encryption on a different talk group.

No theyre not using a different talk group, nor is it encrypted. They HAVE to dispach the call over air though per policy. Wouldnt that rule out icall?

 

[SkyPager]

Could the call be going to the in-car data terminal, via the control channel? Is there anyone here that is familiar with the Motorola trunked system, that could answer this?

 

[n3bxv]

Which type/model of scanner are you using?

 

[CapitalPunishment]

Which type/model of scanner are you using?

Im sorry i forgot to mention.

Uniden 250D with digital chip.

 

[n3bxv]

It sounds like a status bit issue - when the dispatch is putting out the bulletin the "status bit" changes because it's a priority/emergency or Multi-select call.

See the Wiki for an explanation of the Status bits http://www.radioreference.com/wiki/index.php/Motorola_Type_II

Unidens have an option to "toggle the STATUS BIT" When ON, all Transmission will be heard on the "Normal Talkgroup" ID.

What I think might be happening is: if your scanner has the Status Bit OFF,when the Bulletins are broadcast, the TG ID changes to ID + 2, and you lose the TG, but once the bulletin is finished it switches back to the "normal" TG and you can receive it Ok again..

Do you have Status bit set to on or off? Look at your manual section "Toggling the Status Bit"

The Radio Shack Scanners don't have this option.

 

[ShawnCowden]

the radio shack scanners dont have this option does it the pro 96

 

[Llwellyn]

I second the idea to check your status bit setting. I don't have my Trunker setup going, but maybe Troy can pitch in here and see if they are using a status bit for the priority traffic. If they are, and your status bit option is set to OFF for the county system in the scanner, then when the status bit is set on the TG for the priority call, the TGID changes. Example: 1616 (11A, Northern Dispatch) would become 1618 during an emergency, and if your status bit setting is OFF, then you'll miss all the emergency traffic on the "new" talkgroup. As soon as the dispatcher or officer clears the emergency, then the status bit instantly disappears and all traffic would be back on 1616. My guess is the priority traffic is a multi-select, which would make 1616 1623 during a priority traffic situation. They could really be using any status bit, but the ones that make sense are +2 (emergency buttons) and +7 (multiselect). They could also be patching it (+3, patch) to 12A or something. Without trunker, there's no way to tell for sure. You could try to catch it by sitting in the CC during the priority traffic to see if any odd-numbered talkgroups pop up, but the system is busy enough you might not catch it. If it's not your status bit setting, then I'm not sure what the problem would be.

 

[CapitalPunishment]

The book said the status bit is on by default. I checked it and hit 'on' again though. Well see. Any other ideas? Yall have been great so far, i didnt even know how to use this icall or status bit stuff.

 

[CapitalPunishment]

As an additional note, i can receive the transmissions when a unit hits his emergency button. Yesterday a unit accidentally hit his button and im pretty sure i recieved all of it? That page that you posted said that these emergency button communications would use status bit also. So i can receive emergency status but dont hear priority calls?

 

[CapitalPunishment]

Also somehting else that might help yall,

the way i have the system set up is i have all talkgroup id's locked out except the one im listening to (usually eastern). I then just hit the scan button twice and scan that 1 talkgroup constantly.

I'll be back around 5 today to check this thread, im going to work right now.

 

[troymail]

Definately sounds like a status bit setting issue on your radio-

Many priority dispatches are done via a PATCH which effectively transmits on a *different* talkgroup.

For example, the NORMAL fire dispatch TG is 16. However, sometimes they setup a "patch" that comes out (with the status bits set) to appear as TG 23.

IF you have the status bit setting to ON, the status bits will always ignored rounding the TG back down to 16 (vs. 23).

If the status bit setting is OFF, you won't hear TG 23 unless (1) you've specifically programmed it (and are in "Scan" mode) or (2) you are in "Search" mode.

PD usually dispatches priority calls across multiple TGs via a patch like this - for example - Eastern, Northern, and Ch. 5 all at the same time (depending on where the call is)... very common. SO, as was mentioned earlier, th TG 1616 may actually come out as TG 1623.

Another possibility is your scanner doesn't have all of the TRS freqs in it and/or isn't set to "control channel" only mode (for radios that can figure out the freqs in use based on the CC).

And yet another possiiblity is the freq being used at that moment is weaker than others in the system for your location. I have this occur quite frequently with the Fort Meade 380 system. Some of those freqs are solid and strong and others are very weak for some reason....

 

[CapitalPunishment]

i have my status bit on and its always been on. A priority hold up alarm call went out this morning as i got to work and i didnt receive it, even with status bit on. I know this because one of my coworkers is a reserve officer with a take home radio and i was listening to hers and mine simultaneously. She recieved it i didnt.

I double checked, i have all the frequencies programmed in. Like i said this is only an issue with priority calls, i receive everything else.

I also know that i have "control channel only" mode selected off. Should that be on? Thanks for the help

 

[troymail]

i have my status bit on and its always been on. A priority hold up alarm call went out this morning as i got to work and i didnt receive it, even with status bit on. I know this because one of my coworkers is a reserve officer with a take home radio and i was listening to hers and mine simultaneously. She recieved it i didnt.

I double checked, i have all the frequencies programmed in. Like i said this is only an issue with priority calls, i receive everything else.

I also know that i have "control channel only" mode selected off. Should that be on? Thanks for the help

Not sure but my undestanding of control channel only is that if it is set to yes, the scanner will find the right freqs without you programming them -- I'm not sure what it does it CC only is off.... either way - I suppose it can't hurt -- the control channel indicates which voice channel was assigned to a given talk group so as long as you have the CC only set to true and have the 1-2 control channel freqs programmed, it should jump to the corret freq....

 

[NINN27]

I also know that i have "control channel only" mode selected off. Should that be on?

CC only has to be set to on for you to recieve transmissions... otherwise... you will only get bits and parts... try turning it on and see what happens... if that doesnt work... lets us know so we can start doing process of elimination...

maybe admin0140434 has an idea???

 

[troymail]

CC only has to be set to on for you to recieve transmissions... otherwise... you will only get bits and parts... try turning it on and see what happens... if that doesnt work... lets us know so we can start doing process of elimination...

maybe admin0140434 has an idea???

Sorry - I think this is incorrect...

You can program in all of the system freqs and not be in control channel only mode and thngs should work. That's the way the original TRS scanners (BC235, BC245, etc.) worked.

Control channel only is a "short cut" that allows you to enter only the control channel freqs (i.e. for AA County - 854.3375, 854.4125). Once the radio locks into the CC signal, it uses the data stream therein to determine which frequency to tune in to hear a given TG, etc.

So, if setting the AA County system to CC only, ensure both of the above two CC freqs are programmed and to check/verify is that "Frequency PLAN 1" is selected (if I read the manual correctly).

If CC Only mode is turned off, you must have all 16 AA County frequencies programmed into the bank.

 

[NINN27]

If CC Only mode is turned off, you must have all 16 AA County frequencies programmed into the bank.

thats what i was trying to say... however... in my experience... if i dont have all 16 programed in and CC only mode is turned off... i miss parts of conversations

anyway... a simple miscommunication between me and you... sorry

 

[troymail]

thats what i was trying to say... however... in my experience... if i dont have all 16 programed in and CC only mode is turned off... i miss parts of conversations

anyway... a simple miscommunication between me and you... sorry

OK... now we're on the same page!

CapPun - can you advise what freqs you have programmed, if CC only is on or off, which PLAN you are using ,etc?

 

[CapitalPunishment]

before i had CC only turned off but since this thread iturned it on. However since i turned it on a priority call hasnt gone out (At least when i had my scanner on). So well see.

Also i have all the frequencies on the database programmed in.

Site Description Freqs
001 Simulcast 854.18750 854.33750* 854.41250* 854.51250 854.71250 854.81250 855.16250 855.53750 856.01250
856.08750 856.11250 856.16250 856.38750 856.41250 856.51250 856.63750

http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=TRSDB&sid=187

The odd thing is it didnt always use to miss the priority calls, but i cant pinpoint what went wrong and when.

edit; for the record i turned on type 1 CC.