ConP Repeater Map

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garys

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Over the past few days one of the large Con+ networks in my area has been repeatedly transmitting a repeater map to all subscriber systems.

On a guess, they are adding frequencies to existing sites and updating the files on subscriber radios.

cg has suggested the file name to look for in DSD+, but I haven't seen it in multiple attempts.

Is there a way to capture this data in DSD+? It would be helpful to be able to compare that file to what we already know.

Thanks.
 

BM82557

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Over the past few days one of the large Con+ networks in my area has been repeatedly transmitting a repeater map to all subscriber systems.

On a guess, they are adding frequencies to existing sites and updating the files on subscriber radios.

cg has suggested the file name to look for in DSD+, but I haven't seen it in multiple attempts.

Is there a way to capture this data in DSD+? It would be helpful to be able to compare that file to what we already know.

Thanks.

Are you using DSDPlus FastLane? For FastLane see below -

Notes text file has this -


Handling of Con+ repeater map broadcasts has been automated;
DSD+ will tune VC FMPA/FMP24 to a traffic channel that is broadcasting a repeater map.
Repeater maps broadcast on the control channel carrier (on slot 2) are handled by CC DSD+.
Repeater maps are written to text files.
The file name format is "ConP <NID> Network Repeater Map v<mapVersion>.txt"

My local network did this last spring and this is how it showed up (I am using fastLane)
 

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mtindor

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Over the past few days one of the large Con+ networks in my area has been repeatedly transmitting a repeater map to all subscriber systems.

On a guess, they are adding frequencies to existing sites and updating the files on subscriber radios.

cg has suggested the file name to look for in DSD+, but I haven't seen it in multiple attempts.

Is there a way to capture this data in DSD+? It would be helpful to be able to compare that file to what we already know.

Thanks.

I think but am not positive that you need to be running a Fast Lane version to obtain a repeater map. You then have to be monitoring the actual LCN (frequency) that the repeater map is being broadcast on. It is not necessarily broadcast on the control channel (although it could be broadcast on timeslot 2 of the control channel).

First, you want to make sure you are getting pretty much error-free decodes. If you are trying to obtain a repeater map from a bad raw signal, your chances of obtaining one decrease significantly.

If you are running some recent FL version of DSDPlus and a repeater map is being broadcast, it will tell you so in the Event window of DSDPlus while you are monitoring the control channel. And, if the actual repeater map is being transmitted over an LCN other than the control channel it will tell you which LCN (I can't remember if it tells you which LCN or which LSN). And you have to tune to that frequency in order to obtain the network map.

Attached is a screenshot of what shows up in the Event window if you are monitoring the LCN where the broadcast is occurring -- in the case of this screenshot, it was not occurring on the control channel LCN but one of the voice channel LCNs. The Event window would show additional information (where the map is being broadcast) if you were monitoring the control channel.

So you either have to have a full trunking setup of DSDPlus (two FMP24|A + DSDPlus instances in trunktracking configuration) or you must manually tune to the LCN where the network map is being broadcast.

https://airwaves.ovscan.com/2018/04/19/dsdplus-and-con-network-repeater-map/

Mike
 

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garys

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I'm running Fastlane. Not the current one, but the previous one. I see the message in the CC Console, but can't find where the file downloads to. It's not in CC.log or the .event file, nor is it in a separate file in my DSD+ folder.

I don't know if there is a switch that has to be set in the cc.bat file or some other setting that has to be enabled in order to download it.

I have a full setup and monitor this network frequently. What shows in the console is Alias in the Pri column, then the file information. So far the repeater maps have been sent out on the companion channel to whatever the Control Channel is. So, if Ch.3 is the CC, then the information goes out over Ch. 4. I'm sure that I'm just not setting something up correctly to catch the data sent in the Repeater Map file.

The link in your reply should be helpful in figuring out what I need to do.

Thanks.
 
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mtindor

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I'm running Fastlane. Not the current one, but the previous one. I see the message in the CC Console, but can't find where the file downloads to. It's not in CC.log or the .event file, nor is it in a separate file in my DSD+ folder.

I don't know if there is a switch that has to be set in the cc.bat file or some other setting that has to be enabled in order to download it.

I have a full setup and monitor this network frequently. What shows in the console is Alias in the Pri column, then the file information. So far the repeater maps have been sent out on the companion channel to whatever the Control Channel is. So, if Ch.3 is the CC, then the information goes out over Ch. 4. I'm sure that I'm just not setting something up correctly to catch the data sent in the Repeater Map file.

The link in your reply should be helpful in figuring out what I need to do.

Thanks.

It really sounds like it should work for you. Do you get the starting message about "Building Network Repeater Map" ?

One of the first things you should see is "Building Network Repeater Map", and then, depending on how good your decode is, a minute or two later (or perhaps 30 minutes or never if you have a bad signal with lots of ERRs in the DOS window) you will eventually see:

Network repeater map written to file "ConP ### Network Repeater Map v******.txt"

Until you see that message indicating that the map has been written, it hasn't been written. When it is written, it is written into your DSDPlus folder. If you are using the DSDPlus plugin to SDR#, then I'll go no further. Ditch that.

If the network repeater map isn't being written (no indication in the Event window) then it's either still collecting it because (a) you've got a poor signal that is decoding with a lot of errors or (b) the site is broke and is sending out any empty repeater.

Mike
 

Project25_MASTR

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I was kinda lost (as a Connect Plus admin) what y'all were defining as a repeater map. Now I see you are referring to the frequency file.
 

garys

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Thanks. My decode was pretty good on that site last night, but there are others that have a better signal.

I didn't notice the "Building Network..." message, but I wasn't really looking at it. I'll shut down DSD_CC, delete the log and start it on a site with a stronger signal.

From what I have seen, the repeater map is being sent several times, probably to make sure that ll of the subscriber units get the update.



It really sounds like it should work for you. Do you get the starting message about "Building Network Repeater Map" ?

One of the first things you should see is "Building Network Repeater Map", and then, depending on how good your decode is, a minute or two later (or perhaps 30 minutes or never if you have a bad signal with lots of ERRs in the DOS window) you will eventually see:

Network repeater map written to file "ConP ### Network Repeater Map v******.txt"

Until you see that message indicating that the map has been written, it hasn't been written. When it is written, it is written into your DSDPlus folder. If you are using the DSDPlus plugin to SDR#, then I'll go no further. Ditch that.

If the network repeater map isn't being written (no indication in the Event window) then it's either still collecting it because (a) you've got a poor signal that is decoding with a lot of errors or (b) the site is broke and is sending out any empty repeater.

Mike
 

mtindor

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Thanks. My decode was pretty good on that site last night, but there are others that have a better signal.

I didn't notice the "Building Network..." message, but I wasn't really looking at it. I'll shut down DSD_CC, delete the log and start it on a site with a stronger signal.

From what I have seen, the repeater map is being sent several times, probably to make sure that ll of the subscriber units get the update.

Is there any chance that the published LCN order in the DB is wrong, and that the control channel really wasn't LCN 2 (ch3/4) ?

If there is any chance of that, then the map is likely being broadcast on one of the other frequencies on the site.

Mike
 

garys

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No, this network is pretty well known. There are a few sites with question marks, but the one I was listening to last night has been known for 4 or so years. I'm on a different site today, one with noticeably stronger signal. With luck, they'll send the repeater map out again and I'll be able to catch it.

Is there any chance that the published LCN order in the DB is wrong, and that the control channel really wasn't LCN 2 (ch3/4) ?

If there is any chance of that, then the map is likely being broadcast on one of the other frequencies on the site.

Mike
 

slicerwizard

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If you're tuned to the RF channel that's broadcasting the map, you should see the continuous packet data messages in the console log. If DSD+ isn't producing a file from that, you should be sending some big raw audio samples to the DSD+ folks. That's how stuff gets fixed.
 

garys

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I've cleared all logs and recordings, restarted both CC and VC versions of DSD and restarted recording of raw data files. Hopefully, I'll get something useful to send in.

If you're tuned to the RF channel that's broadcasting the map, you should see the continuous packet data messages in the console log. If DSD+ isn't producing a file from that, you should be sending some big raw audio samples to the DSD+ folks. That's how stuff gets fixed.
 

dave3825

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If you are running some recent FL version of DSDPlus and a repeater map is being broadcast, it will tell you so in the Event window of DSDPlus while you are monitoring the control channel.


And, if the actual repeater map is being transmitted over an LCN other than the control channel it will tell you which LCN (I can't remember if it tells you which LCN or which LSN). And you have to tune to that frequency in order to obtain the network map.

Will that work if you have the cc in sdr# and watch the data with DSDPlus.exe? Or would the only be achieved running fmp24 via the 4 batch files?

Just curious for future reference as I have never seen repeater map in my console on my local systems...
 

mtindor

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Will that work if you have the cc in sdr# and watch the data with DSDPlus.exe? Or would the only be achieved running fmp24 via the 4 batch files?

Just curious for future reference as I have never seen repeater map in my console on my local systems...

Yes, if you have the CC in SDR# and the site is sending out a network map broadcast, you'll see a note about it in the Event window. It'll tell you specifically what ch # (LSN) it is being broadcast on, or maybe it tells you which LCN. I forget which. But it will definitely point you to the right frequency, which you can then tune to with SDR# and it should then start within a minute showing the "Building Repeater Map" line.

Mike
 
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