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How to Program PA Digital Radio Network TYT MD-390

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rgchristy

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Hi,

Could someone please tell me how or point me to a reference for programming the following system in Delaware County, PA using the TYT CPS on a MD-390?

PA Digital Radio Network Trunking System, Various, Pennsylvania - Scanner Frequencies

The first problem that I see, is that Site 014 (E) Concordville Delaware 02 502.9125c will not be able to programmed into a MD-390 because it is out of it's frequency range, so I will have to use the Philadelphia site. Will that limit my ability to monitor the system?

I've searched this forum to see how to program a Connect Plus system, but haven't had any luck. I also posted a message in the Pennsylvania forum a few days ago and no one responded. Is it possible that it cannot be programmed into this radio?

Thanks,
Rich
 

jonwienke

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The MD-390 is Tier I and II only, it DOES NOT support trunking. You cannot program control channels; the radio will not understand control channel data. You'd have to program and scan the voice channels directly after figuring out color code.

Add all of the talkgroups as digital contacts, then create a Digital RX Group List with all of the contacts. Create 2 channel presets for each voice frequency within range, one configured for timeslot 1 and the other configured for timeslot 2. Use the Digital RX Group List containing all of the known talkgroups as the Group List for each channel preset.

Add all of these channel presets to a Scan List.

Create a placeholder/dummy channel flagged as RX Only, and check Auto Scan. Set its Scan List to the Scan List containing all of the system channels.
 

rgchristy

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I just started looking at it tonight and am at a standstill because I do not know the color codes. I have a RTL-SDR RTL2832U R820T2 TCXO dongle, so I'm going to have to learn DSD+ and try to figure it out. I will post a message in the PA forum to see if anyone has the information.

Scratch that. I just learned that if you click on the site name, you get the color code. I'll keep at it and let you know.
 
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jonwienke

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There should only be one color code per repeater/site. Program a set of channels, one with each of the 16 codes, and see which one works.
 

rgchristy

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I found the color codes by clicking on the site name. I'm only interested in 1 talkgroup. I added the talkgroup/contact to GroupList1 and added the contact to the Contact Name and GroupList1 for each channel. Is this correct?
 

rgchristy

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Also, if I was interested in multiple talkgroups/contacts, would I add all of them to the GroupList, select that GroupList for each channel and then select "None" for Contact Name? Would that look for all contacts in the GroupList?
 

jonwienke

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"None" for Contact Name might work if the channel is configured RX-only. If it doesn't, just pick a random Contact that also appears in the Group List. If you select a Group List, then the radio will play all traffic matching any talkgroup in the Group List.
 

rgchristy

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There is only one contact which is the only talkgroup/contact that I'm interested in, so I have each channel's contact name as that digital contact. I was curious about that for other single frequency entities that I listen to. I have a hospital system that I listen to that has a different frequency for each location, but I'm not sure if I have all of the correct talkgroups. Does this mean that I can have a group of digital contacts, select "None" for the Contact Name of each channel, select the grouplist that contains all of the contacts and it will scan for all contacts in that grouplist for each channel as long as I select RX Only for each channel? That would make life much easier for me. I have no interest in or would be permitted to transmit on any of these channels.
 
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jonwienke

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Yes.

Except possibly selecting "None" as the Contact Name.

I would create an RX Group List and call it "Hospital" and put all of the hospital talkgroup Contacts into it, then select Hospital as the Group List for all of the Hospital channels. Then you will hear all of the traffic on any hospital talkgroup.

If you discover a new talkgroup, create a Digital Contact for that talkgroup, then add that to the Hospital RX Group List. That will automatically add that talkgroup to all of your hospital channels.
 

rgchristy

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Works great! Thanks for everything. Your expertise would make a great FAQ. I'm sure there are many others in the same boat that I'm in.

I do see the LED turn green without activity on the talkgroup. Does this mean that there is other activity on the channel, other than the users of this talkgroup?

Sorry to hijack my own thread again, but if I'm listening to our school district, which uses only one channel, do I also create two channels, one for each slot, or just stick with the slot that I have configured in the channel that I presently use?

Thanks again,

Rich
 

jonwienke

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Sorry to hijack my own thread again, but if I'm listening to our school district, which uses only one channel, do I also create two channels, one for each slot, or just stick with the slot that I have configured in the channel that I presently use?

Yes. You should have 2 Channels per frequency, configured identically except one configured timeslot 1, and one configured timeslot 2. You can copy and paste channel settings in the tree view on the left, and then change timeslot setting.

If you see the green activity light with no audio, then either you're missing traffic on the other timeslot, or there are active talkgroups not in your Group List.
 
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