DMR 1 Frequency Q's - BCD436HP

douglasphansen · Jan 7, 2018

Hey all -

Attempting to program my first DMR 1 Frequency system in a BCD436HP after doing the upgrade. Not sure if I'm making things more complicated than they need to be.

This is what I have so far:
System Name: P.D.
Dept Name: P.D.
Site: 463.462500 CC 1

No TGID's (cause I don't know them).
No Channels.
And I set the system to ID search.

But I have a few questions:

1. Besides typing in the frequency and the color code, do I need to do more?
2. Do I actually need to put in a department/channels?

Out of my element - AGAIN.

Thanks all,

Doug

troymail · Jan 7, 2018

douglasphansen said:
Hey all -

Attempting to program my first DMR 1 Frequency system in a BCD436HP after doing the upgrade. Not sure if I'm making things more complicated than they need to be.

This is what I have so far:
System Name: P.D.
Dept Name: P.D.
Site: 463.462500 CC 1

No TGID's (cause I don't know them).
No Channels.
And I set the system to ID search.

But I have a few questions:

1. Besides typing in the frequency and the color code, do I need to do more?
2. Do I actually need to put in a department/channels?

Out of my element - AGAIN.

Thanks all,

Doug

In theory, you should not have to create departments since you are using ID Search. However, I always create at least one department for any system with a dummy talkgroup (TGID of some random high number like 9999). I think I started doing this back when there may have been a bug in the firmware or something.

To avoid confusion, you should name your system and department different labels - not required - just helps understanding what you are seeing.

douglasphansen · Jan 7, 2018

troymail said:
In theory, you should not have to create departments since you are using ID Search. However, I always create at least one department for any system with a dummy talkgroup (TGID of some random high number like 9999). I think I started doing this back when there may have been a bug in the firmware or something.

To avoid confusion, you should name your system and department different labels - not required - just helps understanding what you are seeing.

Ok - I'm going to give that a shot. One of my buddies works for the dept. I'm trying to monitor. Said they've been gabbing away all day but I haven't heard a thing.

Thanks!

troymail · Jan 7, 2018

douglasphansen said:
Ok - I'm going to give that a shot. One of my buddies works for the dept. I'm trying to monitor. Said they've been gabbing away all day but I haven't heard a thing.

Thanks!

How far away are they?

douglasphansen · Jan 7, 2018

troymail said:
How far away are they?

8 miles. I used to dispatch for that department and sometimes the cars would be 20-25 miles away and they would still be picking up the signal. Obviously varied terrain could impact this.

hiegtx · Jan 7, 2018

troymail said:
In theory, you should not have to create departments since you are using ID Search. However, I always create at least one department for any system with a dummy talkgroup (TGID of some random high number like 9999). I think I started doing this back when there may have been a bug in the firmware or something.

That's been my experience as well. Some 'one frequency' systems, set to ID Search, not picking up anything until I had a dummy talkgroup in a default Department.

troymail · Jan 7, 2018

douglasphansen said:
8 miles. I used to dispatch for that department and sometimes the cars would be 20-25 miles away and they would still be picking up the signal. Obviously varied terrain could impact this.

Siena College ?

douglasphansen · Jan 7, 2018

troymail said:
Siena College ?

Negative - small village PD in Duchess County. Wappingers.

troymail · Jan 7, 2018

douglasphansen said:
Negative - small village PD in Duchess County. Wappingers.

Ok - this might be it then...

ULS License - Industrial/Business Pool, Trunked License - WQIC344 - East Mountain Communications Inc. - Frequencies Summary

License only reporting analog and fairly low power but the FCC license data is known to be wrong many times...

How did you determine the frequency, color code, and emsission type (as DMR)?

u2brent · Jan 7, 2018

Suggestion, starting with the threshold at 5 & mode to Manual may help, then keep adjusting, it's trial & error.... Squelch 2..

douglasphansen · Jan 7, 2018

troymail said:
Ok - this might be it then...

ULS License - Industrial/Business Pool, Trunked License - WQIC344 - East Mountain Communications Inc. - Frequencies Summary

License only reporting analog and fairly low power but the FCC license data is known to be wrong many times...

How did you determine the frequency, color code, and emsission type (as DMR)?

Guy who works there. Gave me the frequency that is listed and the CC and he said its DMR 1 Freq. Just not getting anything.

I see there are multiple frequencies in that link. Is there a way/should I program all of those into the system?

Thanks Troymail

- Doug

troymail · Jan 7, 2018

u2brent said:
Suggestion, starting with the threshold at 5 & mode to Manual may help, then keep adjusting, it's trial & error.... Squelch 2..

...and, based on other past issues with the 436, try connecting an external antenna - even if it is sitting on your kitchen table 10 feet away...

douglasphansen said:
Guy who works there. Gave me the frequency that is listed and the CC and he said its DMR 1 Freq. Just not getting anything.

I see there are multiple frequencies in that link. Is there a way/should I program all of those into the system?

Thanks Troymail

- Doug

Perhaps --

Maybe even just program it as conventional analog to see if you hear anything...

Another one - remove the color code (make it search).

u2brent · Jan 7, 2018

Sometimes programming the frequencies as conventional with the CC will yield better results passing audio than as a DMR1 setup.. speaking from personal experience. or CC search mode as Troymail pointed out..

douglasphansen · Jan 7, 2018

Switched to Manual and Threshold 5. Going to give that a shot. I attached screenshots of the current configuration in Sentinel. More experienced eyes might see something wrong that I'm missing.

Thanks again @Troymail

- Doug

u2brent · Jan 7, 2018

If you use ARC536 for programming you can actually try Threshold 0 or 1, 5 is the lowest you can go with Sentinel.

troymail · Jan 7, 2018

Just to be sure -- you don't have any location control(s) enabled - correct?

When troubleshooting, use the most basic of configuration --

Create a conventional "system" and add that (and maybe some of the other) frequencies... just to see if you hear anything...

Layering all this DMR stuff, etc on top might only serve to hide an underlying problem -- no signal, poor signal, not DMR, color codes, etc.

douglasphansen · Jan 7, 2018

Using sentinel currently.

douglasphansen · Jan 7, 2018

troymail said:
Just to be sure -- you don't have any location control(s) enabled - correct?

When troubleshooting, use the most basic of configuration --

Create a conventional "system" and add that (and maybe some of the other) frequencies... just to see if you hear anything...

Layering all this DMR stuff, etc on top might only serve to hide an underlying problem -- no signal, not DMR, color codes, etc.

No location controls.

I'll give the conventional approach a shot. See if anything comes through.

Thanks all!

troymail · Jan 7, 2018

Enable recording - if you hear something and it's not analog voice, post it so we can hear what it sounds like...

douglasphansen · Jan 7, 2018

troymail said:
Just to be sure -- you don't have any location control(s) enabled - correct?

When troubleshooting, use the most basic of configuration --

Create a conventional "system" and add that (and maybe some of the other) frequencies... just to see if you hear anything...

Layering all this DMR stuff, etc on top might only serve to hide an underlying problem -- no signal, poor signal, not DMR, color codes, etc.

Switched the DMR system to Color Code Search and created a Conventional systems with all of the frequencies listed in the attached picture. Catching some audio/talking. Not recognizing it as the PD chatter. Have unit recording.

Question:
1. With the conventional system - the one frequency where I'm hearing something - the scanner locks on to the freq and stops scanning entirely. Why is that?

- Doug

DMR 1 Frequency Q's - BCD436HP

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