DMR Help

[WX9RLT]

Hi,

I tried searching the forums, and didn't find what I was searching for. I apologize if it is already posted. If so, please post the links!

I just upgraded my SDS200 with the DMR upgrade.

I programmed a freq. in that I know is DMR, but it is not decoding it.
What am I missing?

There a way to have the scanner search the freq, for the talkgroup and color code?

 

[sonm10]

There are several ways of programming digital frequencies

Is it conventional of trunked?

If conventional, there are two ways to program
1)Create a conventional system with a department and channel. Program the frequency. Select the AUDIO TYPE for digital. This will find the COLOR CODE.
2) Create a one-frequency DMR system with site, department, and channel. Under the site, program the frequency and COLOR CODE. Department and channel will remain blank for now. Under SYSTEM SETTINGS, change to ID SEARCH. This will find the tgid. When found and identified, program tgid under channel.

If trunked, there will be several frequencies in use. Program the same as #2 above. However, LOGICAL CHANNEL NUMBERS (LCN) have to be programmed right after each frequency. If the LCNs are unknown, leave blank and use the LCN FINDER function under ANALYZE and let run for several hours or days even, or until the LCNs are found.

 

[WX9RLT]

there a way I can search 450.000 to 470.000 and have it show me the info. to program?

Basically a wildcard (ID Search) if I scan through that freq range, How do I get it to show me the dmr info when it stops on a dmr freq?

 

[StoliRaz]

Make sure the audio type isn't set to "analog only"?

I would just use Sentinel myself lol

When you say "not decoding it" what do you mean? Do you get any noise at all? More details

 

[sonm10]

Searches.....

That's another ball game

You most certainly can set a search range of 450-470 and set for digital. However, my experience with searches is that Uniden doesn't differentiate between analog and digital very well (why I like scanning from the fcc database instead)

However, at best a search will find the COLOR CODE, but not the tgid

 

[WX9RLT]

Searches.....

That's another ball game

You most certainly can set a search range of 450-470 and set for digital. However, my experience with searches is that Uniden doesn't differentiate between analog and digital very well (why I like scanning from the fcc database instead)

However, at best a search will find the COLOR CODE, but not the tgid

There a way to find the talkgroup, from a search?


Also, I want to thank you for taking the time to respond. Much appreciated.

 

[sonm10]

Not from a conventional search no. If you create a digital system as I described above and set to ID SEARCH, it will then find the tgid



And you ard very welcome

 

[n9mxq]

What you searching for RLT? I'll help out if one of my DMR scanners can hear it. PM me the info and I'll set one up on it. If not, I can always use an SDR.

 

[Ubbe]

There a way to find the talkgroup, from a search?

I recommend to use that 450-470 search range, set the appropriate step size and set audio type to dual mode analog/digital. Set recorder on and the delay to -10 (negative 10).
Listen for a few minutes and avoid any unwanted frequencies like pager systems.

Let it record for as long as you can when you are not listening to the scanner, a few days incl weekend to catch every kind of transmissions.

Use the Universal audio file player by deim here on RR. It will show color codes and TG's for any digital transmissions. Compare all findings with the database, search for the frequency in RR's database for your state and delete those recordings that match.

The rest of the recordings will be the ones that no one have reported to RR to be included in the database. Program analog frequencies in a system and listen to them as much as possible to be able to determine who is using them. Maybe their license information will help.

Put the DMR frequencies in a OFT system and listen and make notes of if the same TG number appear in several frequencies that then probably belongs to a trunked system. You might need to set each frequency in its own site with a unique site name to tell what frequency your are monitoring, depending of how much detail the display will show.

Those frequencies that belongs to a trunked systems, the same TG can be heard on several frequencies, needs to be programmed in their own MotoTrbo systems and run the LCN finder on them.

This is the procedure that I use when systems are totally unknown and no database are available or FCC information.

/Ubbe

 

[WX9RLT]

What you searching for RLT? I'll help out if one of my DMR scanners can hear it. PM me the info and I'll set one up on it. If not, I can always use an SDR.

Actually nothing in particular. Just seeing what is out there for dmr in the area. Dipping my feet into new part of the scanning world lol. I thought only hams were dmr. But recently found out a lot of places do dmr these days. So I want to learn how I can search the airwaves and discover what is out there and how to listen. There anything good in the area to monitor on dmr?

 

[n9mxq]

Actually nothing in particular. Just seeing what is out there for dmr in the area. Dipping my feet into new part of the scanning world lol. I thought only hams were dmr. But recently found out a lot of places do dmr these days. So I want to learn how I can search the airwaves and discover what is out there and how to listen. There anything good in the area to monitor on dmr?

I got the DMR upgrade to listen to the plant, and amateur stuff.. Don't do much search and find stuff anymore.

 

[hiegtx]

Actually nothing in particular. Just seeing what is out there for dmr in the area. Dipping my feet into new part of the scanning world lol. I thought only hams were dmr. But recently found out a lot of places do dmr these days. So I want to learn how I can search the airwaves and discover what is out there and how to listen. There anything good in the area to monitor on dmr?

The Digital Frequency Search website will show you who, in your area, is licensed for DMR. That does not guarantee that they are using it, but it does show who is licensed to do so.

Digital Frequency Search

Find the newest frequencies for your digital radio scanner.

digitalfrequencysearch.com

In my area, a number of hotels and hospitals that are (or were) listed in the database as using LTR systems in fact migrated over to DMR trunked systems. Once I started searching, it's apparent there is likely many more DMR users than are in the database currently.

 

[TexTAC]

I still don’t understand DMR on my SDS100. When I input using Proscan off the RR database it asks if I want to input them as a One Frequency Trunked system. In general, should I answer yes or no? What should I look for to know how to answer correctly?

 

[slayer816]

DMR is another digital standard, like P25 or NXDN. All can be either trunked or conventional. I prefer to use a custom search set up for 450-470mhz. If DMR is found; it will flash color codes and what kind of system it is (CAP, CON+, etc) if its trunked. If it's non linked conventional, it will sound and look just like a single P25 frequency. Instead of a NAC you'll get a color code. As far as the setup goes, here's an example: Northeast Louisiana Power Cooperative Trunking System, Various, Louisiana - Scanner Frequencies

This is a conventional linked DMR system. If I scan/search in conventional mode, it does nothing but give me a color code unless someones talking. If I program it as a one frequency DMR system, with search mode enabled, it will act like a trunked system with talkgroups appearing which you can store. Do not confuse this for what the frequency is, it's just in the programming. How you set it up will determine what results you get. Some DMR systems have control channels (CON+) like a P25 system. Some do not and function basically like an LTR system (CAP+).

Like all searches, you have to start somewhere and then keep going depending on what results you get. With the DMR upgrade enabled, it will do whatever you need it to do assuming it's DMR and non-E. If it still sounds like radio garbage, you may have picked up an NXDN frequency.

 

[hiegtx]

I still don’t understand DMR on my SDS100. When I input using Proscan off the RR database it asks if I want to input them as a One Frequency Trunked system. In general, should I answer yes or no? What should I look for to know how to answer correctly?

The "One Frequency Trunked" option is best used if you have a convention (not trunked) DMR frequency that lists a talkgroup, and sometimes a slot.

If you don't use OFT for that type of channel, the scanner does not make use of the talkgroup or slot information at all. Only the frequency & color code are utilized.

Look at this example for a couple of Frisco schools:

They have the same frequency and talkgroup for these two high schools. If you programmed that as a conventional frequency, you would hear whichever channel was active, but no way of knowing it was Ch 1 or Ch 2. But programmed as an OFT, you would program the same talkgroup twice, but then set Ch. 1 to use Slot 1, and Ch, 2 for Slot. While the talkgroup used is the same for both, each is assigned to a specific slot.

 

[TexTAC]

Thank you. That helps a lot. One more question. Should they be programmed digital only, analog only, or both on a SDS100?

 

[hiegtx]

Thank you. That helps a lot. One more question. Should they be programmed digital only, analog only, or both on a SDS100?

Since you know they are ‘digital only’, program that way.

That way you can enter the color code.

 

[slayer816]

If in doubt, leave it on "Search" and it will tell all. Then you can program it exactly. Also while it is transmitting, you can hit E and save whatever CC it's picking up straight to the channel.

 

[Kazzaw]

Digital only is best once you know it's Digital. It will stop the slight bit of static before the scanner detects its Digital

 

[hiegtx]

If in doubt, leave it on "Search" and it will tell all. Then you can program it exactly. Also while it is transmitting, you can hit E and save whatever CC it's picking up straight to the channel.

I still don’t understand DMR on my SDS100. When I input using Proscan off the RR database it asks if I want to input them as a One Frequency Trunked system. In general, should I answer yes or no? What should I look for to know how to answer correctly?

Since TexTac is importing from the RadioReference database via ProScan, and ProScan is recognizing these database entries as DMR, and suggesting using an OFT system, then the channels in question have already been identified as DMR, and this should be programmed as 'digital', not analog or 'all'.

Now if you are getting frequency & emission codes authorized from an FCC license search, or via the Digital Frequency Search website, in that case you would not know positively whether or not DMR, or other digital mode, was in use. In that case, leaving it as search until actual usage mode is determined would be the correct path.