BCD996P2 P25 not working

Hi all,

I have a Uniden BCD996P2 scanner that I've had for almost a year now. I use it to monitor my county's P25 Phase II Simulcast radio system. Up until the other day it has always worked without issue. Now all the sudden it has stopped picking up any transmissions on the system. It searches as usual but doesn't pick anything up anymore (I live in a very large county, someone is almost always talking). If I hold the radio on a specific talk group, it shows 5 bars and just continues to flash Finding ctrl channel but it never seems to actually find it. If I use the dial and move to one of the control frequencies, I can hear the P25 noise, but I'm not sure if what I am hearing is normal. There is noise for a few seconds, then a quick pause, then it goes back to the noise, then another quick pause, never any longer than a second or two pauses. I am not sure, if that is normal of the P25 system, or if it is something with my scanner? Can anyone tell me where to start? It finds analog transmissions just fine.

Thanks,
Mike

It is possible that the control channel frequency has changed. Make sure you have all the frequencies programmed.

They have either temporarily or permanently changed control channel frequencies. Check the RR listing and make sure you have all the red and blue frequencies included in your programmed system.

They often will shift control channels for maintenance or other reasons. I would think the control channel noise would be more continuous.

Mark
WS1095/536/436/996P2/HP1e/HP2e/996XT/325P2/396XT/PRO668/PSR800/PRO652

What MARKSMITH said. About 2 years ago same thing here. The county quietly stopped using two frequencies and added 3 others. Once I made the changes things resumed function.

So the system they use has ONE control frequency and a couple alternates. When I set my scanner to the Primary Control Channel, it shows a full signal bar. Under that it shows a SID and then flashes though different talk groups that I have programmed in the system....I'm assuming its flashing these talk groups because they are being keyed up? So I can't figure out why its not picking up and audio? Rather when I have it on a talk group it just flashes finding control channel.....

It sounds like it is programmed correctly - seeing the SID is part of the data stream. If not programmed correctly, you wouldn't get that.

I suspect you may be a victim of simulcast distortion. That can show up as either garbled or no audio.

I'd try setting attenuation to On for the site, perhaps tinkering with the P25 Adjust values.

Just for the heck of it, try disconnecting your antenna and see if you receive anything. As strange as it may seem, I've seen a couple of simulcast systems being received quite well without an antenna.

Another thought would be to take the scanner to about 1/4 mile from a tower/site and see if you get good audio. If so, that just about confirms simulcast distortion problems.

SOLVED

Okay, so this just proves my level of overthinking (or underthinking?)....Squelch was turned all the way up on the scanner for some reason...turned it down and now its working again....Thanks everyone for the help