CanesFan95
Active Member
And here are the same log files for the other system (the non-RAS one) with a few transmissions from TG 176 (in decimal). The scanner did stop on the TG everytime during these logs.
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CanesFan95
Active Member
Watch this video how the scanner won’t lock on to the control channel on the non-RAS system. The rest channel is on 451.4250 in the video. ProScan has a little frequency display that tells you what the scanner is tuned to (the scanner display itself doesn’t show you that). You can see on ProScan how the frequency is flipping around trying to find the rest channel, but it never does. And this is a local system with a full strength signal (you can see the scanner flash all 5 signal strength bars a couple times). DSD+ in the video is locked on to the rest channel and shows it pulsing with a high signal strength on the graph.
BCD996P2 Won't Lock Onto Rest Channel.mp4
So you see the issue here? If the scanner keeps jumping around not locking on, then the moment someone keys up on a talk group, you’re gonna miss part or all of a transmission until the scanner finds the active frequency, realizes there’s a voice call in progress, and unmutes. If the scanner would quit scanning around and lock on to the rest channel, then it’ll be ready to unmute immediately on the right frequency as soon as someone keys up. So why can’t it do that? Why can’t the scanner find the rest channel and stay on it and just stay put? Here’s how this system is programmed in the scanner:
https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=8562
BCD996P2 Won't Lock Onto Rest Channel.mp4
So you see the issue here? If the scanner keeps jumping around not locking on, then the moment someone keys up on a talk group, you’re gonna miss part or all of a transmission until the scanner finds the active frequency, realizes there’s a voice call in progress, and unmutes. If the scanner would quit scanning around and lock on to the rest channel, then it’ll be ready to unmute immediately on the right frequency as soon as someone keys up. So why can’t it do that? Why can’t the scanner find the rest channel and stay on it and just stay put? Here’s how this system is programmed in the scanner:
https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=8562
According to the log, the scanner is seeing the channel grant, but we aren't sure why it does not output voice. Can you verify that the TGID is not locked out? Do you hear the voice if you listen to the frequency programmed as conventional?
CanesFan95
Active Member
Nothing is locked out. Here's some photos of how it's setup in ProScan. Maybe I've got something else programmed wrong?
CanesFan95
Active Member
And yes, if I hold directly hold on an RF frequency, then I can hear the audio coming through. And the audio quality is really good. But if I then hit the scan button during a voice call on the frequency, the scanner goes back to ID SEARCH and doesn't stop on the talk group. Here's a screenshot of how it looks before a voice call if I hold on the RF frequency that is the current rest channel:
And here's what it looks like when someone keys up and now there's a voice call on that freqeuncy (which again, I can hear nice and clear):
The next best thing I can think of, if you wanna pay the shipping cost, is to ship you this scanner if you wanna research it and I can trust you to ship it back.
And here's what it looks like when someone keys up and now there's a voice call on that freqeuncy (which again, I can hear nice and clear):
The next best thing I can think of, if you wanna pay the shipping cost, is to ship you this scanner if you wanna research it and I can trust you to ship it back.
CanesFan95
Active Member
There's gotta be something wrong on my end. There's no way. How it works for everyone else? I am going through looking at all the settings racking my pee brain tryna figuer out what I'm doing wrong...
From the display, it looks like some or all (but at least one) of the GQKs are disabled (which will also keep it from stopping on those TGIDs in ID Search mode).
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I installed the update today. It did not affect/change my backlight settings at all.
Drachen_Fire
Member
I'm having trouble receiving NXDN, with the NXDN key purchased and update installed. I am trying to receive the local VA Hospital, which is non-encrypted UHF conventional NXDN. Nothing. I've tried it programmed as both a NXDN system and NXDN single-frequency trunk, no dice either way. Programmed with ARC-XT.
I've also noticed the same lack of traffic with multiple other NXDN conventional channels in PA and OH.
I've also noticed the same lack of traffic with multiple other NXDN conventional channels in PA and OH.
Drachen_Fire
Member
You know, I've been coming to Radioreference for a decade, and I've never received advice or an answer here beyond the level of Indian tech support.
There's multiple Center Townships in this state. This has nothing to do with where I live. I own a car. The scanner lives in my car. I drive places.
So, breaking this down to avoid the Boomer HAM answers -
- Well within the listening range of the systems I'm trying to hear. Sometimes, directly across the street.
- The systems are definitely NXDN. DMR systems and analog systems don't have RAN codes.
- I use a BC-GPSK GPS unit, with the GPS presets correctly applied. The sites are unlocked.
- I have the sites programmed for ID SEARCH.
- I have tried with systems programmed as NXDN and NXDN One-frequency trunk.
- I receive nothing.
- I use Butel ARC-XT to program.
- The newest firmware has been applied.
- The NXDN key was purchased.
- The NXDN key was applied.
- Group and Site QK are both applied, tied to GPS, and both are active.
- Still nothing.
- See the VA Policeman talking on his radio, visually, so I know there is site traffic.
- Still nothing.
- Why can't we just get conventional settings for DMR and NXDN? Why do we have to try fooling these things into thinking it's a trunk?
There's multiple Center Townships in this state. This has nothing to do with where I live. I own a car. The scanner lives in my car. I drive places.
So, breaking this down to avoid the Boomer HAM answers -
- Well within the listening range of the systems I'm trying to hear. Sometimes, directly across the street.
- The systems are definitely NXDN. DMR systems and analog systems don't have RAN codes.
- I use a BC-GPSK GPS unit, with the GPS presets correctly applied. The sites are unlocked.
- I have the sites programmed for ID SEARCH.
- I have tried with systems programmed as NXDN and NXDN One-frequency trunk.
- I receive nothing.
- I use Butel ARC-XT to program.
- The newest firmware has been applied.
- The NXDN key was purchased.
- The NXDN key was applied.
- Group and Site QK are both applied, tied to GPS, and both are active.
- Still nothing.
- See the VA Policeman talking on his radio, visually, so I know there is site traffic.
- Still nothing.
- Why can't we just get conventional settings for DMR and NXDN? Why do we have to try fooling these things into thinking it's a trunk?
If you would be linking, sir to at least one of the system for which you are having these issues, it would most certainly help you get more than Indian support, I am thinking.
Drachen_Fire
Member
What's so hard about what I said?
Knowing the frequency and RAN code, and knowing that what I'm trying to hear is not encrypted, I'm not hearing anything on the frequency I'm listening to, with a properly updated and keyed scanner.
"My attitude" being a problem? I'm a communications pro, and have been in the industry many years, I've been a Radioreference member for many years, and I've noticed this over those multiple years here: Nothing anyone asks ever gets answered straight. There's always a bunch of people clouding up the issue, asking nonsense questions that don't matter.
- It does not matter where I live. The system isn't at my house.
- It does not matter what county I'm in. The system is at a specific location.
- When I am near that location, I cannot hear things I should be able to hear.
- I'm not a drooling idiot or a retard. I know the difference between analog, DMR, P25, and NXDN.
- Yes, it is plugged in. Yes, I have tried turning it off and back on again.
So, before this gets lost in nonsense and circlejerk.....
If I'm trying to listen to conventional NXDN digital, not trunked in any way, and not encrypted, what settings do I put in the scanner to make it decode properly?
Knowing the frequency and RAN code, and knowing that what I'm trying to hear is not encrypted, I'm not hearing anything on the frequency I'm listening to, with a properly updated and keyed scanner.
"My attitude" being a problem? I'm a communications pro, and have been in the industry many years, I've been a Radioreference member for many years, and I've noticed this over those multiple years here: Nothing anyone asks ever gets answered straight. There's always a bunch of people clouding up the issue, asking nonsense questions that don't matter.
- It does not matter where I live. The system isn't at my house.
- It does not matter what county I'm in. The system is at a specific location.
- When I am near that location, I cannot hear things I should be able to hear.
- I'm not a drooling idiot or a retard. I know the difference between analog, DMR, P25, and NXDN.
- Yes, it is plugged in. Yes, I have tried turning it off and back on again.
So, before this gets lost in nonsense and circlejerk.....
If I'm trying to listen to conventional NXDN digital, not trunked in any way, and not encrypted, what settings do I put in the scanner to make it decode properly?
Drachen_Fire
Member
Upman - The section under "Federal Government" on this page is what I was referring to.
Conventional NXDN, no encryption.
https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?ctid=2250
Conventional NXDN, no encryption.
https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?ctid=2250
Drachen_Fire
Member
Tell you guys what. I'll just program it as many different ways as I can think of, and when I find what works, I can post it as an actual answer.
As I stated go in with the software change Audio Type to Digital and RESET RAN to 1 and I hope the data for the area is correct.
I have done this with all 6 of my 996P2's for NXDN on each one.
I have done this with all 6 of my 996P2's for NXDN on each one.
Good idea. Frankly, that's what I would've expected from a "communications pro" who has "been in the industry many years".
On a serious note, did you try quick tuning to the NXDN frequency to see what happens? No programming software to muck things up, just plug the frequency right into the scanner itself and see if it decode any voice transmissions, or perhaps just opens squelch with some digital noise. That is where I'd start.
Drachen_Fire
Member
I was poking around to see if possibly someone else had figured it out already.
And yes, pro. It's how I make about half of any money I currently make, working on other people's stuff. Funny thing is, the Uniden settings and the Butel software have absolutely nothing in common with actual Kenwood software that one would use to program a NXDN-capable radio, as far as conventional settings go. At all. It's not like KPG-111D or any of the other Kenwood software options I've used.
There's the option to program as NXDN, which appears to be the traditional trunked system options, and NXDN one-frequency trunk. DMR works very well with the one-frequency trunk option, but the same doesn't seem to apply to NXDN. Also, when entering the system as ID SEARCH doesn't seem to do much of anything at all, no decode, no anything. The only success I've had has been with ID SCAN with one ham radio NXDN system in Ohio, that seemed to work with both NXDN and NXDN one-frequency trunk options. I have monitored as a conventional analog channel, and I am definitely getting what strikes my ear as NXDN.
Where? Under NXDN or NXDN one-frequency trunk? Or is it under a conventional system? Will setting audio type to Digital under conventional decode any digital signal, or just P25? I was under the impression that it would only matter with P25. I am not getting conventional settings for a RAN code at all, and not even under NXDN one-frequency trunk. The only place I see a setting for RAN show up is under NXDN systems.
Forget about programming the scanner for the time being. Let's eliminate both the Butel software and bad programming as a factor.
Tune the scanner itself to the frequency in question using Quick Search (I said quick tune earlier, wrong phrasing). I don't believe you ever did specify if you're using a 325P2 or 996P2, so here is the link to both Easier to Read guides on how to enter a frequency in Quick Search mode.
Easier to Read BCD325P2 Digital Scanner Manual
Easier to Read BCD996P2/XT Digital Scanner Manual
Park the scanner on the NXDN frequency and see what you get. That should be your first step in trying to figure out what is going on.
Tune the scanner itself to the frequency in question using Quick Search (I said quick tune earlier, wrong phrasing). I don't believe you ever did specify if you're using a 325P2 or 996P2, so here is the link to both Easier to Read guides on how to enter a frequency in Quick Search mode.
Easier to Read BCD325P2 Digital Scanner Manual
Easier to Read BCD996P2/XT Digital Scanner Manual
Park the scanner on the NXDN frequency and see what you get. That should be your first step in trying to figure out what is going on.
Drachen_Fire
Member
It's a 996P2. I'll take a crack at that in the morning and see what I get. Truth be told, I forgot this thing was capable of that type of operation.
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