So... I took the leap and bought a digital scanner yesterday. I went with the R/S PRO-197. I can track conventional systems like a gem. (It's actually AMAZING at it.) But... when I go to the digital side of things, thats where my problems start. I've never done the digital or trunking stuff. I'm pretty new at all this actually. Here are the problems... (and just to throw things a little more... I don't have the computer connection because I don't use Windows... I'm on a Mac)
(Here is the system I'm trying to track... Louisville Emergency Communications Network: MetroSafe Trunking System, Louisville, Kentucky - Scanner Frequencies)
I put in the following info into the 197:
Type: P25 Auto
Tag: METROSAFE
Frequencies: 854.21250 , 854.48750 , 854.73750 , 856.72650
L/Out: Off
--EXPERT BELOW--
Atten: Off
Narrow FM: No
AudioBoost: Off
Dwell: 0
DIG AGC: On
SuperTrack: On
Multi-Site: Off (Maybe should be on?)
T Tables: Default
--Menu End--
Then I saved that.. and it takes me to the TalkGroup setup (I think)
TSYS: METROSAFE
ID: Wildcard
Type: Group
Tag ID: Wildcard (??)
L/Out: Off
Priority: Off
LED Mode: Solid
LED Color: 0
Latch LED: Off
Backlight: Off
Alarm: None
Fav: No
Skywarn: No
--EXPERT BELOW--
Delay: On
Delay Time: 20
Audio Boost: Off
Hit Count: 0
--Menu End--
So.. then I push Scan to listen. I make sure that the scan list is active... and I start to receive some data from the control channels... The audio I receive from the talk groups is extremely jumbled and unreadable. I have confirmed that these channels are NOT encrypted, so they should come in nice and clear. My signal strength indicator is constantly bouncing between 4 and 5 bars (out of 5), so I'm pretty sure it's not a signal strength issue. Still, the channels I am receiving are completely unreadable. I have heard of this problem before on this system because of the way it is setup (as a simulcast system with a lot of transmit locations... see the link above).
So... anyone have any ideas for a digital noob?
Addition @ 1345 - I just noticed that when my scanner picks up a certain control channel and holds on to it instead of switching to one of the other ones, my "readability" goes up. It shows up on the second line of text on the display as DG: 857.xxxx I can't remember the last portion of the freq.
Addition @ 1348: it may have been 857.2125. It's better when it hold on it.. but still not perfect like on the conventional channels.I miss the old conventional Louisville system.
(Here is the system I'm trying to track... Louisville Emergency Communications Network: MetroSafe Trunking System, Louisville, Kentucky - Scanner Frequencies)
I put in the following info into the 197:
Type: P25 Auto
Tag: METROSAFE
Frequencies: 854.21250 , 854.48750 , 854.73750 , 856.72650
L/Out: Off
--EXPERT BELOW--
Atten: Off
Narrow FM: No
AudioBoost: Off
Dwell: 0
DIG AGC: On
SuperTrack: On
Multi-Site: Off (Maybe should be on?)
T Tables: Default
--Menu End--
Then I saved that.. and it takes me to the TalkGroup setup (I think)
TSYS: METROSAFE
ID: Wildcard
Type: Group
Tag ID: Wildcard (??)
L/Out: Off
Priority: Off
LED Mode: Solid
LED Color: 0
Latch LED: Off
Backlight: Off
Alarm: None
Fav: No
Skywarn: No
--EXPERT BELOW--
Delay: On
Delay Time: 20
Audio Boost: Off
Hit Count: 0
--Menu End--
So.. then I push Scan to listen. I make sure that the scan list is active... and I start to receive some data from the control channels... The audio I receive from the talk groups is extremely jumbled and unreadable. I have confirmed that these channels are NOT encrypted, so they should come in nice and clear. My signal strength indicator is constantly bouncing between 4 and 5 bars (out of 5), so I'm pretty sure it's not a signal strength issue. Still, the channels I am receiving are completely unreadable. I have heard of this problem before on this system because of the way it is setup (as a simulcast system with a lot of transmit locations... see the link above).
So... anyone have any ideas for a digital noob?
Addition @ 1345 - I just noticed that when my scanner picks up a certain control channel and holds on to it instead of switching to one of the other ones, my "readability" goes up. It shows up on the second line of text on the display as DG: 857.xxxx I can't remember the last portion of the freq.
Addition @ 1348: it may have been 857.2125. It's better when it hold on it.. but still not perfect like on the conventional channels.I miss the old conventional Louisville system.
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