Looking for help with a pro-106 and Portland rebanding

[caveman4684]

Turned my scanner on the other day and wasn't getting anything and I found that the area has been rebanded. What do I need to do to get my pro-106 up and running again? I'm hoping I can do everything on the unit as I don't have a programming cable.

Also I noticed the database here still has the P25 talkgroups, but warns it's outdated. Where can I find the current information?

I'm not well versed in this area. I had no problems programming everything to my liking on the P25 system, but I'm a bit lost on how this new system works and how I need to adapt.

 

[ki7fk]

I hope this helps....
https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Pro-106

 

[ka3jjz]

Nope, that won't help, but this will...

Getting Started with your GRE/RS Object Oriented Scanner - The RadioReference Wiki

The Easier to Read manual is linked at the bottom of the above article.

If you're listening to a P25 system, rebanding has no effect on you. Just to check there isn't any antenna damage, try listening to a local NOAA broadcast - if you can hear that, chances are there isn't anything amiss here

A common issue that can cause losing the system is not having all the control channels (both the red and blue ones - primary and alternates) programmed. If the control channel changes - and that's not uncommon - and you don't have the new channel they moved to, you will not hear that system anymore

Precisely WHICH system are you trying to hear? Supply the URL from the database, and folks can more easily help.

Mike

 

[caveman4684]

After reading various articles on here I'm pretty sure all I needed to change were the control channels, however, I had already performed a factory reset to get a fresh start. With the new control channels I am now able to listen to talk groups on this system https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=6830 using the east simulcast primary and secondary channels. But a couple of new problems have surfaced.

First is the audio quality. I'm hearing a lot of transmissions cutting out and are sometimes difficult or impossible to decipher. It is happening far more often than it used to on the old P25 type 2 system. I've tried various combinations of attenuator and multi site options, but haven't noticed any improvement. Internet searches suggest it could be multiple signals interfering with each other and a yagi antennae should fix it. I'd rather not envoke that option unless it's absolutely necessary.

The second issue I'm guessing is encryption. On the old type 2 system I could listen law enforcement tac channels. Now when I pickup a transmission on a tac channel the audio is heavily garbbled and indecipherable. Does this sound like encryption? If so I'm aware that there's really nothing I can do about that.

 

[caveman4684]

I need to correct myself on the systems I've listed in both of my previous posts. The old system I've been referring to is actually a Motorolla type II https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=107 not a P25 type 2. The new and current system is a P25 phase 1 https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=6830.

 

[OregonScanner]

The Portland P25 system has severe simulcast distortion issues. Virtually all scanners have issues monitoring this system. You might try a yagi antenna pointed at one of the transmitter sites. Unication G4 / G5 pagers work very well on the system. Or you could wait for the new Uniden SDS100 that should be coming out later this year. Its supposed to work very well on simulcast digital.

 

[caveman4684]

I've been listening to my scanner quite a bit this week and I've discovered a few things. These settings have helped improve my reception, narrow FM On, super track On, multi site Disable. Aside from that I've found that there is about a half mile radius from where I'm listening where the reception is poor and broken up. Outside of that radius the reception is great, continuous and crystal clear.

Aside from the yagi antennae is there another antennae option that I could try? Another rubber duck or telescoping would be ideal. I want to keep this scanner portable if possible.

 

[teufler]

The yagi lets you sort of isolate one transmitter. you can also try reducing your antenna to concentrate only on the closest antenna. In effect youy are doing the same thing as working with a beam. Not surte but do you have a setting that you can attenuate a signal?