BCD996XT, Need help about trunktracking

paparazzo · Feb 5, 2011

Hi all,

i am in need of help from one who can assist me in programming my 996xt that it's trunktracking a Motorola type 2 system.
On my old 785xlt it was working fine, but i am not able to get it running on the 996xt.

Here are the infos i have about the 1 site system:

Motorola II/UHF
System ID 731E
Fingerprint 0x460
Signal inverted
Tone 76.76
Prof 2.47 (5.84)
ID 161064544

Channels:
lcn / frequency
546 / 429.4750 / CC
547 / 429.4875 / CC
548 / 429.5000 / CC
549 / 429.5125
550 / 429.5250

Thanks for your help!
Regards, Jochen

CoolCat · Feb 5, 2011

Hi Jochen,

You first need to create a "MOT" system. Assign a system quick key to it (otherwise your scanner will not scan that system). Then you need to create a "Site" within that system. Enter only the control channel frequencies into that site.

At this point your scanner is ready to scan that system using the "ID SEARCH" mode. If you already know the talk group IDs (TGIDs) of the units you want to listen to, you can create a "Group" (or multiple groups) and enter the TGIDs there. If you set the scanner to "ID SCAN" mode, then it will only break squelch for the TGIDs that you have entered in the enabled groups. If you leave it on "ID SEARCH" mode, then it will break squelch for any TGID, but will only display the Aplha tag for the ones you have programmed in.

Once you have everything programmed in, make sure you enable the system/site quick key as well as any group quick keys for groups that you created. To switch between "ID SCAN" and "ID SEARCH" modes, simply press the SCAN / SEARCH button while scanning that system.

paparazzo · Feb 6, 2011

Hello CoolCat,

thanks for your reply, but that is what i have done already. When i start the ID search i am not able to follow any conversation. I do have an 785XLT in parallel which is able to follow the comms. If i press the hold button, the display on the 996xt shows the actual cc and i hear the sound of the cc. The display schowes the actual ID 731eh of the system. From my point of view this means the 996xt is able to decode the cc. So why is it not switching to the voice-comm or even showing the tg's of an ongoing voice-comm in id-search mode? This is the problem i do have. Do i have to configure any additional things, parameters?
Any idea on that issue?

Thanks, Jochen

ka3jjz · Feb 6, 2011

Let's be more specific here - from the data given, I would guess that the system type would be Mot Type II/P25 and the site type might be Mot UHF Band

The reason I say 'might' is that I don't know if this is a P25 system or not. If it isn't you will need to enter some base/offset information. You should be able to copy this from the 785, since how that is handled in decoding didn't change. If it's a P25 system, then this isn't necessary.

As cool correctly states you will need a quick key (more specifically a site quick key, since the XT scanners assign sites when trunking, not systems). I don't know if German trunking is the same as in the US, but you should be able to use Control channel only - if not, you may need to enter all the frequencies that you have.

UPMan is likely a better resource for this, but I suspect this would get you off the ground.

best regards..Mike

paparazzo · Feb 6, 2011

Hi Mike et al,

thanks for your info. It's not a P25 system and it seems to be a Motorola Type II UHF. Normally trunking in Germany is somehow different but some systems (like this) are the same as in the US so i expect to be able to use control channel only. I already had assigned a Quick key to the site as also to the system.
Do i need to enter more config items for "control channel only" mode, do i have to activate this feature somewhere as a parameter?

Thanks, Jochen

CoolCat · Feb 6, 2011

"Control Channel Only" is the default. The enable/disable option was removed [via a firmware update] from the 396XT; I don't think the 996XT even had the option to begin with.

In my earlier response, I listed instructions for programming a standard 800MHz MOT Type II system. This was incorrect for the system you are trying to program as there appear to be a few more steps involved for programming a UHF MOT Type II system. You will need to manually enter the band plan frequencies, step size, and offsets.

From MarkScanners Easier To Read BCD996XT Digital Scanner Manual:

For VHF/UHF Motorola Systems allows you to set the base frequency, step size, and offset for the system. A band plan is required so the scanner can correctly determine the voice channel frequency. You can set up to 3 different band plans.
Scroll to 'Edit Band Plan' and press E/.
Scroll to 'Band Plan 1' and press E/.
At 'Input Base Freq' enter the base frequency and press E/.
At 'Select Step' scroll to the step size and press E/.
At 'Offset' enter the offset and press E/.
Repeat for each band plan. Press MENU to return.

Set Site Type (EDACS only) this is where you select a Wideband or Narrowband EDACS site.
Scroll to 'Set Site Type' and press E/.
Scroll to 'Wide (Standard)' or 'Narrow' and press E/ to save and exit.
Note: EDACS Wide is the same as EDACS Standard and use a 9600 baud control channel. EDACS Narrow-band sites use a 4800 baud control channel.

Set Frequencies this is where you program or change the trunking frequencies, delete frequencies, or lock them out.
To Program New Frequencies, scroll to 'Set Frequencies' and press E/.
At 'Sel Frequency' scroll to 'New Frequency' and press E/.
At 'Input Frequency' enter the frequency and press E/.
For EDACS and LTR sites only:
At 'Input LCN' enter the LCN number and press E/. See Finding EDACS LCN Order. See Finding LTR LCN Order.
Scroll to 'New Frequency' and press E/ to enter more frequencies.
Press MENU twice to return to the 'Edit Site' menu.
To Edit Frequencies, scroll to 'Set Frequencies' and press E/.
At 'Sel Frequency' scroll to the frequency you want to edit and press E/.
Scroll to' Edit Frequency' press E/. Edit the frequency and press E/ to save and exit.
For EDACS and LTR sites only:
At 'Input LCN' enter the LCN number and press E/.
Scroll to 'Set Lockout' press E/. Set the lockout status and press E/ to save and exit.
Scroll to' Delete Frequency' press E/. At 'Confirm Delete' press E/. You will return to the 'Edit Site' menu.
Press MENU twice to return to the site menu.

ka3jjz · Feb 6, 2011

Control Channel only, AFAIK, is only a default for P25 systems - though I might be off on that. But yes, it's clear that a bandplan would be needed, since this isn't a P25 system.

best regards..Mike

paparazzo · Feb 6, 2011

Hi all,

okay, i have understood that. So i did took the values for the system i had:
Base 427.400 Step 12.5 Offset 380
I did put them into the Bandplan Calculator for calculating the upper Frequency and that somehow drives
me crazy because the value whitch i got as a result is always below the lower Base frequency.....
So i am not sure if the given base frequency is correct. Do i have any chance to figure the lower and upper base frequencys out of the lcn/frequency or somehow?

Regards, Jochen

CoolCat · Feb 6, 2011

Using the basic bandplan upper frequency formula of: Base + ( (759 – Offset ) × Step );

((759-380) x .0125) + 427.4 = 432.1375MHz

paparazzo · Feb 6, 2011

Gentleman,

it works! Using the Formula given by CoolCat at least i got it running, that makes me smile.
So, thank you both for helping me on the horse!

Best regards, Jochen

CoolCat · Feb 6, 2011

Glad to hear it. Happy scanning

eyereader · Nov 4, 2012

Brilliant! This solved my problem with setting up WMATA (Washington DC transit) as well.

Good scanning,
Ivan

BCD996XT, Need help about trunktracking

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