TRX-1 Disapointment

scottb908 · Jan 7, 2018

So far I am very disappointed with the performance of the TRX-1. I have programed it up ( I have been in using scanners for years) and the overall receive on the TRX doesnt seem to compare to the other scanners I own. I would say it might be even the worse. Not sure if theres any other settings to check before I sent the unit back.

I have my GRE 600/500 and 396XT all next to each other scanning very similar scanlists. All the other scanners are blowing this scanner out of the water in regards to both 800P25 and conventional freq. I even hooked the Scanner to an outdoor Discone antenna, that helped slightly but not as much as I would have expected.

jaspence · Jan 7, 2018

I have a PSR 800 and a RS Pro-18 with the factory upgrades and they are far better than my 396XT. There are many settings and factors that can cause differences, but you may have gotten a unit that wasn't aligned correctly or has some other problem. Poor reception can also be desensitizing if you are in an area with other strong radio transmitters.

scottb908 · Jan 7, 2018

I have tried in multiple locations and it doesnt seem to make a difference. I understand the challenges with P25, but I would have expected at least the conventional channels to work just as good.

Also I did a test at work, We have a NXDN trunked system. I put in wildcards for PV and TG I also have ( what I think is all the channels) programed in. I am only able to get about a 1/3 of the transmission when I key my radio. I would have thought NXDN trucking should send the control data and subfrequences over the control channel. That has been very hit or miss.

budevans · Jan 7, 2018

Try turning the squelch down

scottb908 said:
I have my GRE 600/500 and 396XT all next to each other scanning very similar scanlists. All the other scanners are blowing this scanner out of the water in regards to both 800P25 and conventional freq. I even hooked the Scanner to an outdoor Discone antenna, that helped slightly but not as much as I would have expected.

To monitor P25 try turning the squelch down, to the 9 O'clock position or less.

When I first received my TRX-1 last year, I thought it was just plain broke. I couldn't monitor any of the three P25 systems in my county. The closest P25 system GCRCN (Cleveland) has a tower less than a quarter of a mile from my house. The screen would light up, full 5 bars on the S display, but no audio. Per the manual I had the squelch set at the 10 O'clock position. Another RR member sent me PM advising me to turn down the squelch. Bingo, P25 worked.

Like you I have other P25 capable scanners, PRS-500 and BCD436HP. Neither have the squelch issue that the TRX-1 presents. I don't have the issue with DMR, NXDN or analog. Only P25.

FYI: Fun fact, I can remove the antenna from my PSR-500 and turn the squelch up full and still receive the Cleveland P25 system with no issues. So something is seriously wrong with the TRX-1 squelch settings and P25.

Swipesy · Jan 7, 2018

There is no doubt that Whistler messed up a good radio with their playing around with settings. I have none of the issues with my GRE PSR-800 that the owners of TRX-1 & 2's complain about as far as listening to P25 Phase I. No LSM, no squelch issues. I run my PSR-800 side by side with a Motorola XTS 2500 and the 800 is near perfect. I just use a RS 800 Rubber duck.

zzdiesel · Jan 8, 2018

I like my TRX-1 a lot. It "hears" just about everything I want.

devicelab · Jan 9, 2018

scottb908 said:
Also I did a test at work, We have a NXDN trunked system. I put in wildcards for PV and TG I also have ( what I think is all the channels) programed in. I am only able to get about a 1/3 of the transmission when I key my radio. I would have thought NXDN trucking should send the control data and subfrequences over the control channel. That has been very hit or miss.

As has been clearly reported before the TRX does not make use of DMR or NXDN control channel data. I've had better results just putting NXDN frequencies in CONV mode scanlist.

OHIOSCAN · Jan 9, 2018

My TRX-1 is great on Vhf but terrible on 700/800, my 436 does great 700/800 but deaf on Vhf can't win either way.

vocoder · Jan 9, 2018

Try upgrading the firmware to make sure you have the newest firmware.

scottb908 · Jan 9, 2018

Updating library and firmware was the first thing I did

scottb908 · Jan 13, 2018

I been finding that the p25 locks on to a frequency and tg but no audio. Anyone have any idea. Happens on a few different p25. I've cut it to control channels only and still happening.

https://youtu.be/JWJiBrgs40A

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mtindor · Jan 13, 2018

scottb908 said:
I been finding that the p25 locks on to a frequency and tg but no audio. Anyone have any idea. Happens on a few different p25. I've cut it to control channels only and still happening.

https://youtu.be/JWJiBrgs40A

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

You are either monitoring that system in the video from someplace other than Terryville, or there is a Bristol simulcast tower pretty darned closed to you. You have global attenuator on, yet you have full signal strength most of the time.

Part of the issue is likely due to the system being a simulcast and any Whistler/GRE/Uniden scanner being capable of properly handling simulcast. But, the large amount of signal you are getting, with global attenuator on, makes me wonder if you simply don't have some sort of interference (not actual digital radio signal but some other offending source) or a very strong local transmitter on 800 mhz that is swamping your scanner's frontend and basically trashing it.

It looks like you are probably somewhere between 3-4 miles away from two of the closest Bristol simulcast towers -- one to the NE and one to the SE. You're probably hearing both of them fairly equally, which is bad news when you are listening to a simulcast system with a scanner that does not properly deal with simulcast distortion.

I'm still amazed at the signal strengh though, with attenuator on. Looks like you are using just a ducky.

At any rate, what you are describing is pretty characteristic of simulcast distortion issues.

mike

scottb908 · Jan 13, 2018

mtindor said:
You are either monitoring that system in the video from someplace other than Terryville, or there is a Bristol simulcast tower pretty darned closed to you. You have global attenuator on, yet you have full signal strength most of the time.

Part of the issue is likely due to the system being a simulcast and any Whistler/GRE/Uniden scanner being capable of properly handling simulcast. But, the large amount of signal you are getting, with global attenuator on, makes me wonder if you simply don't have some sort of interference (not actual digital radio signal but some other offending source) or a very strong local transmitter on 800 mhz that is swamping your scanner's frontend and basically trashing it.

It looks like you are probably somewhere between 3-4 miles away from two of the closest Bristol simulcast towers -- one to the NE and one to the SE. You're probably hearing both of them fairly equally, which is bad news when you are listening to a simulcast system with a scanner that does not properly deal with simulcast distortion.

I'm still amazed at the signal strengh though, with attenuator on. Looks like you are using just a ducky.

At any rate, what you are describing is pretty characteristic of simulcast distortion issues.

mike

Appreciate the detailed reply. I am (at the time of the video ) at ESPN. To try and cut down on the simulcast I pulled all the control channels except one. We do have a lot of rf devices in the facility but most are in shielded equipment rooms. I've had what seems poor performance in comparison to some of my other reasons.

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Ed6698 · Jan 13, 2018

scottb908 said:
I been finding that the p25 locks on to a frequency and tg but no audio. Anyone have any idea. Happens on a few different p25. I've cut it to control channels only and still happening.

https://youtu.be/JWJiBrgs40A

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

When I had this issue one time, the Trunking Table was not set correctly, I had to set it to Auto Fill, in the Site Options. Are you receiving anything at this time on P25?

scottb908 · Jan 13, 2018

Ed6698 said:
When I had this issue one time, the Trunking Table was not set correctly, I had to set it to Auto Fill, in the Site Options. Are you receiving anything at this time on P25?

Instead of auto what should it be?

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Ed6698 · Jan 13, 2018

scottb908 said:
Instead of auto what should it be?

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I don't know what you should have it set to, I know the 2 different P25 systems I monitor it has to be set to Auto Fill. I don't know if all P25 systems are like that. I think you can tell if you have it set to show CC/VC, the VC channels will show the wrong VC frequencies if the Site Option is not set correctly in Trunking Tables..

Swipesy · Jan 14, 2018

scottb908 said:
Instead of auto what should it be?

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This -

buddrousa · Jan 14, 2018

Radio Station and TV Station Rooms are also shielded from the outside world most have copper mesh in the ceiling and walls to keep out and in stray RF.

racing1 · Jan 15, 2018

Ed6698 said:
When I had this issue one time, the Trunking Table was not set correctly, I had to set it to Auto Fill, in the Site Options. Are you receiving anything at this time on P25?

What does the trunking table do?

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Ed6698 · Jan 15, 2018

racing1 said:
What does the trunking table do?

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This explanation is from the Easier to read Manual for some Whistler Scanners.

Table/Trunking Tables (Site Options) (P25/Motorola only) Allows you to select the default trunking table or to customize the tables for each type of system. Trunking tables are required so the scanner can correctly determine the voice channel frequencies. Trunking table information can usually be found in the Radio Reference Database.

TRX-1 Disapointment

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