Re: SysID 1D9 Motorola 9600 P25 Charleston, SC. Anyone had ANY luck mointoring this ?

[Palmetto]

Re: SysID 1D9 Motorola 9600 P25 Charleston, SC. Anyone had ANY luck mointoring this ?

Re: SysID: 1D9
The new Motorola P25 800/700MHz 9600baud trunking system now operating at Charleston County, SC, has defied the PRO-2096 in terms of audio intelligibility. The system puts out a strong signal over a wide area, but the 2096 gives choppy (motorboat?) audio which often cuts out a good part of the transmission as well. It's not a question of being unpleasant, you can't tell what is being said at all. This is NOT encrypted traffic I'm speaking of.

It seems the best way to get a valid recommendation on any of the leading scanners which are capable of copying such a signal is to ask others who have monitored the very same system with their various scanner models. Otherwise, I'm asking an orange for apples question.

So, has anyone tried monitoring this 1D9 system with their particular scanner?
Do the Unidens or GRE models work here...or..could the dreadful performance of the PRO-2096 be improved on THIS system by changing firmware version? I also read the some firmware additions proved worse than the replaced versions. If you get good audio, do you also get bad intermod from this signal rich environment in the 800MHz band?

Again, my one concern it monitoring this system only. Neither VHF, UHF, Aeroband, nor any other bands or services are of concern. Analog 800 TRS worked fine on the PRO-2096 so that, too, is not in question.

Many thanks to anyone who would care to share their experiences with their scanners with this new system in Lowcountry South Carolina.

 

[wlmr]

Have you asked in the South Carolina forum?

Also, please remember that neither the Pro96 or Pro2096 can do 700MHz.

Good luck!

 

[Palmetto]

Good idea.

Yes, the 2096 doesn't monitor 700 and there are some 700 frequenceies headed for use in the area.

 

[DiGiTaLD]

Simulcast

I think your problem is the fact that the system is simulcast (I take it you are listening to Site 101, Charleston County Simulcast), and is a true P25 system, as opposed to simulcast being implemented on a Motorola SmartZone using P25 digital voice. We had this discussion in one of the threads in the Indiana forum concerning an impending system upgrade in Indianapolis.

That is correct. Motorola P25 systems use LSM, which is the 12.5 kHz version of CQPSK. This is extremely difficult for the scanners to decode. You will not see these issues in the current SAFE-T simulcast sites as they do not use LSM . You cannot compare the two

Apparently the true P25 systems are using a scheme which is very difficult for scanners to decode when they are set up in a simulcast fashion. Such is not the case for implementation of P25 digital voice simulcast in a Motorola SmartZone (Type II 3600 bps control channel) system. Reportedly, the GRE PSR-500 and PSR-600 are a little better at receiving P25 simulcast, however I have only heard this anecdotally. Never seen one in action.

You should be able to use a 96 or 2096 to monitor a 700/800 MHz system, just don't try trunktracking any sites with frequency pairs on 700 MHz!

 

[WayneH]

Moved to the SC forum.

 

[brian]

All I can tell you is what you already know. Several people using PRO-(20)96 scanners have had trouble monitoring this system (1D(), as well as another "true P25" system (9600-baud control channel) in York Co, SC. DSP software revisions 1.3 and 1.4 were released to deal with similar issues with similar systems in other locations, but it doesn't seem like either of those effectively address the problem with 1D9.

I'm not local to Charleston, though I am planning a visit soon. I don't have another model digital scanner (like a Uniden 396 or 996, or a PSR-500/600) so I can't say whether they will work any better.

I hope someone with one of those other models monitoring 1D9 will chime in with reports of success.

 

[WGONE968]

Monitoring P25 Chas System

Greetings,
I live in the Goose Creek area and have been monitoring this system for quite some time. Here is what I have.
I am using a Pro 96, Pro 2096 and PSR-500. The Pro 96 and 2096 has UP F1.1 DSp App V1.1 and the PSR 500 is using the latest upgrade from the GRE website. The antennas are nothing more than the Radio Shack 800 antenna and the 800 antenna you can get off the GRE website.
Using the control channels listed on this site, (857.9375 Chas. 868.9500 Summerville), I get wonderful reception with the Summerville location. The reception from Chas is extremely weak at best. While at work in North Charleston I can pick up the Chas control somewhat better, but I get alot of the "motorboating" that has been described in this post. Some of the comms are completely unreadable and yes, they are not encrypted.
Now about the Summerville control, I get excellent reception here in Goose Creek, But here is the problem. Listening to this site, you will only be able to pick up certain talk groups. For example: I can only receive the Chas Sheriff North Ops, the EMS North Ops and several others. Cannot get EMS South or East Ops, nor the Sheriff South Ops. WHile in North Charleston on the Chas site I can hear them, but not on Summerville.
It is my understanding that this system is basically going on the towers of the old Chas County Analog System. (although I think the Summerville site is new or was for another system). I am hoping that when North Charleston switches to digital that I will still be able to monitor them or at best the signal improves from the CHas site.
A quick comparison, setting the 3 radios side by side and monitoring this site, I don`t notice any major differences, except maybe the PSR 500 might have a slight advantage in audio. None of them drop conversation unless they all do at the same time. BUT, as far as features. the PSR 500 is great. Takes a little to get use to, but well worth it.
Hope this helps. My first post so I apologize ahead of time if I rambled or got off subject.
Thanks,
Wally

 

[ScanDaBands]

Wally , thanks 100% , this is the kinda info that I absolutely LOVE about RR - Area specific info and explained very well..........thanks !

 

[brian]

Just to clarify - you have used the PSR-500 to monitor the Charleston control channel on the 1B9 system in Charleston and it's only marginally better than the PRO-(20)96 in terms of decoding performance?

My take is the problem in decoding performance is due to the simulcast feature of the Charleston control channel. Signal strength when in Charleston county is probably not the problem. This would explain why the Summerville control channel seems to work better - it's not simulcast.

If this is true, I'm truly disappointed that the PSR-500 and 600 don't work better. I hope others attempting to monitor this system or the York County system with a PSR-500 or 600 will submit their experiences.

 

[Palmetto]

Charleston County 1D9 System: Scanners compared

Many thanks for this thoughtful information. Reports from other areas on these radios is far less helpful than which I've read from local folks in the lowcountry South Carolina area.

The problem may well hinge on whether one monitors the Simulcast site or the Non-simulcast site.

Constant complaints about Uniden's lack of sensitivity and the GRE overload from excess sensitivity have cause much confusion, but this seem to be a better factor to explore.

 

[greenwar]

Chas APCO 25 County

Just my 2 cents, but I live in Mount Pleasant with a Pro 96 and although it's choppy, I can in fact usually catch 80% of a conversation. The rest sounds encrypted although it is not. I'm glad to know it's not just me. I can pick up the south and more of EMS, but the decoded voice quality still sucks. I pick up the Charleston Control better, but then I am a longer way from Summerville, and being near Awendaw, I can see lots of towers from here. I have the internal antenna as well. Had the RS 800mhz and then bought the Max Systems from Grove - like here - http://www.grove-ent.com/ANT23.html except without the 90 degree connector. This is the best antenna I've used so far. Reception is better, noise is less, but voice quality still sucks in my opinion. I do however agree that the Silmucast property is likely the biggest problem.

 

[crazzycatman]

i live in north chas and i have 2 digital radios, they both suck t recieving audio on the system. I heard north chas is switching some talkgroups on July 23rd. God help us

 

[brian]

i live in north chas and i have 2 digital radios, they both suck t recieving audio on the system. I heard north chas is switching some talkgroups on July 23rd. God help us

Which two digital scanners are you using?

 

[caldwest]

Charleston County ASTRO 25 (System ID - 1D9)

I recently got back into scanning and purchased a Uniden 396T three weeks ago. I made all of the software/firmware updates without any problem.

I live West Ashley and clearly receive about 95% of the county P25 system transmissions. The 5% that I have a problem with either barely breaks squelch or is choppy.

The 396 seems to work well for me at my location.

 

[crazzycatman]

Brian, I am currently using my 396 and 996. I am gonna Braeak out my 296D and try to prgram it for testing on the apco system. Still not too happy with the reception on 2 $500>00 radios.

 

[brian]

Yeah, there's a lot of mixed reviews with current digital scanners and true P25 simulcast systems. What's pretty universal is that the PRO-96 sucks on these systems, and I know that first-hand. You say you're not pleased with the performance of the 396, though caldwest seems to feel like it does pretty good. I guess there's something to one's location and antenna system that does affect reception of these systems.

Thanks everyone for their ongoing comments and reports, and I'm still waiting for some first-hand reports from folks using a PSR-500 or -600 monitoring this system.