Settings and results

Anyone have good settings ( ie other than factory default) that they would share for setting up certain things on these scanners? The GRE models had expert settings that some found out tweaking fixed problems. So I'm asking for feedback on the settings changed for individual's areas. For example I set my p25 threshold level at 4. I set my delays for airband 0. Anything you guys can think of that really helped your scanner please post. Thanks in advance!!

Wow, P25 threshold of 4 is very low.
If I set mine to 4, I get no decode at all on my local conventional and trunking systems.

For me, the sweet spot is 7 or 8.

That is, impressive. I have my 536 set at 8 can i ask what your err rating is, mech.

Boatanchor said:

For me, the sweet spot is 7 or 8.

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Same here. Different systems are set up differently, so maybe 4 is good for his system.

Pretty much my motive to start this thread, I figure if ten or more of us tried different system settings and found out the "Sweet Spots" then I'd learn how best to narrow it down and set it up correctly. Since this post I have changed P25 threshold to 7. Did not occur to me that might have an effect on other systems I'm scanning. See right there I learned something today.

737mech said:

Pretty much my motive to start this thread, I figure if ten or more of us tried different system settings and found out the "Sweet Spots" then I'd learn how best to narrow it down and set it up correctly. Since this post I have changed P25 threshold to 7. Did not occur to me that might have an effect on other systems I'm scanning. See right there I learned something today.

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I have a couple of systems that take a higher number, one 9 and one 10, others that sound better at 7. I've set the scanner on system hold to a specific system, then tried out various settings to see which were best for that specific one. The Grand Prairie system, especially, sounded much better after I "dialed in" a setting.

At least the option is there to store a different threshold level for each system.
IMHO, the auto setting is unlikely to ever work properly, particularly when signals are fluctuating or there is any multipath propagation going on.

In mobile or portable scenarios, it is probably best to eliminate at least one reception variable by manually setting the threshold to the optimum fixed level for each system.

I use multiple different thresholds here for my 536HP. For a Motorola type II Simulcast system, I get the best results with a threshold of 11 and nothing at all on the system if I leave it at 8 Auto. For a Phase I system, my best result is using 7. For a new phase II system my best result is a setting of 9. The only system or frequencies in my area (Eastern PA) that even remotely decodes with the Auto 8 setting are the conventional P25 channels. As Hiegtx states, take your time and slowly dial in each P25 system you have or you will pull your hair out waiting for the Auto mode to do anything with proper decoding, at least in my experience. Others in my area using a 436 have had success with Auto 8 mode. I actually learned the best decode mode from watching my 996XT. It has an Auto mode that actually works and for everything but Phase II, the auto mode settings that show up on the 996 seem to transfer perfectly to the 536 manual setting for best decoding.

737mech said:

Pretty much my motive to start this thread, I figure if ten or more of us tried different system settings and found out the "Sweet Spots" then I'd learn how best to narrow it down and set it up correctly. Since this post I have changed P25 threshold to 7. Did not occur to me that might have an effect on other systems I'm scanning. See right there I learned something today.

Click to expand...

Each trunking and conventional system can have a different threshold level stored for it, so changing the manual threshold setting for one system may not improve performance on other systems. If you are going down the 'Manual' rabbit hole, you really need to optimize each system's threshold level.