Maryland FIRST 700mhz TRS - Page 11

troymail · #**201** (**permalink**) 11-09-2012, 2:51 PM

Heard some testing on 7304 (MSP JFK) yesterday -- sounded like an actual system radio testing with MSP units via the patch.... more testing today but still not fully live as best I can tell.

maus92 · #**202** (**permalink**) 11-10-2012, 9:37 AM

Are you guys using the new beta firmware on your PSR-800s? I'd like to, but my Windows box no longer recognizes the radio....

troymail · #**203** (**permalink**) 11-10-2012, 11:23 AM

Yup -- version #2.

Is your machine not seeing the USB/COM port or some other problem?

troymail · #**204** (**permalink**) 11-10-2012, 12:42 PM

Noticed several odd things last night - at one point I thought I heard a McHenry unit calling on the Bay Bridge talkgroup -- in that case, I believe the radio stopped on the wrong talkgroup ID but I can't confirm it.

Today, I'm looking at recordings from last night from the Baltimore site - specifically TGID 7304 activity. There were several calls by a CV unit to "Hatem" (4 times over 20 minutes) but there was no response. Not sure if the unit was on the wrong talkgroup, the radio picked up the wrong talkgroup, or there was some other testing/patching going on. Prior to that activity, I heard a few "real" system radio units calling "Highway" for a radio check -- but didn't hear responses. There didn't seem to be much if any other activity on that TGID... seems there may be some problems getting MSP JFK working.... or maybe there is last minute testing going on to prepare for the actual switch (maybe next week?)

maus92 · #**205** (**permalink**) 11-10-2012, 2:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troymail

Yup -- version #2.

Is your machine not seeing the USB/COM port or some other problem?

Windows 7 64bit reports it an unrecognized device, although the same machine *used* to communicate with it. Do you have to use a specific com port with this radio? Also, do you have to use the supplied cable, or will any USB cable work? I really want to update the firmware...

troymail · #**206** (**permalink**) 11-10-2012, 2:32 PM

I'm using the GRE supplied cable but I suspect other cables with the proper connectors will work.

Sounds like you need to remove the device driver and reinstall... if you look at the installed devices, do you see any that are marked bad (quiestion marks, etc.)?

kb3jqq · #**207** (**permalink**) 11-10-2012, 11:02 PM

I use the same cable to program my PSR800 as I do to access my Android.

If you have a microSD to SD adapter, you can program the card a lot faster then
through the radio. My laptop has an SD slot so It goes quick! You can't do the FW
updates that way...

troymail · #**208** (**permalink**) 11-12-2012, 9:29 AM

TGID 7134 on the AA (102) site this morning -- MdTA K9 training?

Question for others -- there seemed to be an extremely low amount of BB MdTA radio activity yesterday (with a few busy time exceptions). Did anyone else notice the same -- particularly between 0900-1200 and again in the 2200-2400 hours. Was it really that little activity or did my radio miss something?

troymail · #**209** (**permalink**) 11-12-2012, 12:58 PM

7134 -- real comedians.

dpcain · #**210** (**permalink**) 11-13-2012, 3:44 AM

Glee and snowflakes.. that's all I gotta say about that. ID'd and submitted.

troymail · #**211** (**permalink**) 11-13-2012, 3:12 PM

Looks like 7304 / MSP JFK "M" Barrack went live this morning.... at 0600 units were advised to start using the portables - "channel 4, position A"

Also seem to be detecting encryption on the 8566 and 8568 TGIDs today...

troymail · #**212** (**permalink**) 11-13-2012, 4:09 PM

MdTA McHenry involved in a high speed chase into Howard County - ended in a crash around I 95 and Rt 216 -- they've got to be on the edge of the coverage area--- makes me wonder how far they've be able to chase before leaving coverage....

maus92 · #**213** (**permalink**) 11-13-2012, 4:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troymail

I'm using the GRE supplied cable but I suspect other cables with the proper connectors will work.

Sounds like you need to remove the device driver and reinstall... if you look at the installed devices, do you see any that are marked bad (quiestion marks, etc.)?

Turns out that the GRE software implementation wants to have the USB cable plugged into a motherboard USB port, rather than through a hub: my front panel USB 3.0 port is actually part of a card reader device that the system treats as an USB hub. So all is good again

maus92 · #**214** (**permalink**) 11-13-2012, 5:55 PM

I'm sitting here in Annapolis using my PSR-800 w/ the RS 800Mhz antenna, and listening to MDTA Port (of Baltimore) and MDTA Harbor (Tunnel) very clearly.

dpcain · #**215** (**permalink**) 11-14-2012, 3:10 AM

FYI appears 7304 went partial switch in the last 24 or so. Now hearing constant MSP M traffic with a mix of mobile VHF simulcast and portable 700 traffic. Appears this is now their primary ops TG, so no idea what the 8564 simulcast was about.

troymail · #**216** (**permalink**) 11-14-2012, 2:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maus92

I'm sitting here in Annapolis using my PSR-800 w/ the RS 800Mhz antenna, and listening to MDTA Port (of Baltimore) and MDTA Harbor (Tunnel) very clearly.

Summary at this point....

Tunnels (McHenry and Harbor) and Port (Key Bridge) activity can be heard on both (at least) the Baltimore (101) and Anne Arundel (102) sites.

Bay Bridge can be heard on Anne Arundel and (likely) Queen Anne's (105) site.

MSP JFK "M" ("Highway") can be heard on the Baltimore (101) site. I suspect this TG can (probably) also be heard on both the Harford (103) and Cecil (104) sites. Note: I love that "flushing" sound at the end of every transmission.....

Last week I'm pretty sure I had a hit on Hatem on the Harford County site.

BWI was on the Baltimore site the week of Hurricane Sandy but seems to have gone away.... probably because they really aren't on the Md FiRST system -- they are only patched and hearing them requires a real MD FiRST Phase 2 radio to appear on the system. I think during the first few days someone was listening using a Phase 2 radio but after a while stopped listening.

While at home with very careful placement of my radios, I can hear both the Baltimore and Anne Arundel sites... but I need both radios and I need programming such that each "site" (101, 102, etc.) is programmed as a "standalone" system (i.e. don't lock onto the Baltimore site - you won't hear the Anne Arundel site).

Careful placement means -- the radios are no where near each other..... it's really tough to get both sites on one radio... Reception while driving is pretty hard also.

Having said all that -- the digital audio reception/ quality is MUCH better and more "doable" than the Baltimore City and County Phase 1 systems.....

Is anyone in the Harford or Cecil area that can advise what can be heard up that way? I may take another trip backup that way this weekend and check it out (but I'd love to save the gas....

)

troymail · #**217** (**permalink**) 11-14-2012, 6:44 PM

Heard MSP JFK dispatcher tell units working toll enforcement (Perryville) to switch to "MSP TAC"... A bit later there was quite a bit of activity on TGID 7308.

Not sure if this is a generic "MSP TAC" or it's "MSP JFK TAC"....

(sure are lots of people not paying tolls!)

baydog · #**218** (**permalink**) 11-15-2012, 6:39 PM

While at home with very careful placement of my radios, I can hear both the Baltimore and Anne Arundel sites... but I need both radios and I need programming such that each "site" (101, 102, etc.) is programmed as a "standalone" system (i.e. don't lock onto the Baltimore site - you won't hear the Anne Arundel site).

How do you tell if you are locked on the Baltimore Site?
I'm in Severna Park using a RS 800mhz antenna and I'm not hearing anything

Could it be that the update downloaded thru the EzScan software isn't the version that enables Phase 2?

I just got the radio today so there is still a learning curve.

maus92 · #**219** (**permalink**) 11-15-2012, 7:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baydog

Could it be that the update downloaded thru the EzScan software isn't the version that enables Phase 2?

I just got the radio today so there is still a learning curve.

The software is beta, and is available only through GRE's support site. Look for: "GRE PSR-800 P25 Phase 2 Public Beta Upgrade 2."

GRE America, Inc. - Powered By Kayako SupportSuite

troymail · #**220** (**permalink**) 11-15-2012, 7:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baydog

While at home with very careful placement of my radios, I can hear both the Baltimore and Anne Arundel sites... but I need both radios and I need programming such that each "site" (101, 102, etc.) is programmed as a "standalone" system (i.e. don't lock onto the Baltimore site - you won't hear the Anne Arundel site).

How do you tell if you are locked on the Baltimore Site?
I'm in Severna Park using a RS 800mhz antenna and I'm not hearing anything

Could it be that the update downloaded thru the EzScan software isn't the version that enables Phase 2?

I just got the radio today so there is still a learning curve.

The version via EZ Scan won't do Phase 2. You need to download and install the "beta" release from the GREAmerica.com website:

GRE America, Inc. - Powered By Kayako SupportSuite

This link should take you right to it.

GRE PSR-800 P25 Phase 2 Public Beta Upgrade 2 - Powered By Kayako SupportSuite

If you have the options set to display "site" information, when the radio stops on a talkgroup, it should display the site that you are locking onto.

If you want to ensure you are locking onto more than just your local site, you need to load the system and then "duplicate" it. Then, lock out all sites but one (say you want to keep Anne Arundel) on the first copy of the system and lock out all but a different site (say Baltimore) on the 2nd/duplicate copy.