Is there a firmware update for TRX to work better on simulcast PII P25 TRS?

[Skypilot007]

Feel free to send it to me, I'll brush off the dust and put it to use. None of my Whistlers have issues where I'm located. Though I admit a mile away, simulcast is an issue on the same scanners.

I bought the TRX-2 hoping it would work installed as a mobile. That didn't work out. It works good in the shack because I'm lucky enough to be in a great location for the 3 Phase II systems I monitor. I also tried the SDS100 semi permanently mounted in the car. It was alot better than the TRX-2 but it also misses a lot of transmissions especially when near large cell sites and when in the city area (Philly). I ended up with a Harris commercial radio for the car.

 

[Jphila20]

Same here.

 

[Anderegg]

Feel free to send it to me, I'll brush off the dust and put it to use. None of my Whistlers have issues where I'm located. Though I admit a mile away, simulcast is an issue on the same scanners.

I use the WS1098's for phase 1 and 2, working perfectly, although it took a LOT of extensive moving the antenna around inch by inch to find the "magic" spot where both my phase 1 and 2 systems were both working...on a LOW BAND NMO antenna at that to ensure I get best RX for highway patrol heh.

I went back and forth with an engineer from Whistler trying every tweak and trick they could think of. Nothing works with these scanners on LSM or even phase 1 systems. They simply don't work on these systems and they never will without a major redesign. I can't even use this scanner on conventional analog due to the awful problem with the squelch that has never been fixed. My TRX-2 is gathering dust in a closet.

If I remember a past post correctly, this has something to do with the front end alignment of the TRX receivers, and most of them left the factory slightly off and as a result, this butchered their ability to decode LSM signals compared to the older series which might even use the same hardware?

Paul

 

[ThePolishDude]

Is this only a problem with the TRX-2? I have zero issues with phase-1 and only a little with phase-2.

Do you listen to a simulcast system or a multicast system. This is is a problem with simulcast systems.

 

[RaleighGuy]

Do you listen to a simulcast system or a multicast system. This is is a problem with simulcast systems.

I listen to a simulcast system and as I said at home it is fine but a half a mile away it is a problem. Your luck with simulcast is 95% based on location, not radio tweeks.

 

[Wilrobnson]

I have five TRX-1s and I've used them on systems ranging from a Phase-2 6-site simulcast (in Pierce County, WA) to my current target, our statewide 179-site Phase-2 system (MSWIN, Mississippi). About 98% of the time I have clear decodes, using antennas ranging from rooftop NMO Comtelcos and Moto multibanders to rubber duckies.

 

[tvengr]

The TRX series have a hard time even decoding phase 1 compared to their old models. Believe they mistuned something in them and they just are garbage.

I see Sanitation 6 on your scanner display. You are probably monitoring garbage. Public safety must be kind of slow in the San Diego area. Simulcast distortion can be a problem with most scanners. Whistler scanners seem to be more susceptible. It all depends upon your location.

 

[CycleSycho]

I have five TRX-1s and I've used them on systems ranging from a Phase-2 6-site simulcast (in Pierce County, WA) to my current target, our statewide 179-site Phase-2 system (MSWIN, Mississippi). About 98% of the time I have clear decodes, using antennas ranging from rooftop NMO Comtelcos and Moto multibanders to rubber duckies.

.


All you need to do then is to package up your location and sell it (please include in the package price all the various antennas as well, we all want a turnkey operation here, right?).

Seriously, glad your setup is working, seems way too many don't have your location/systems, and most importantly, luck.


.

 

[Wilrobnson]

The secret is clean living, copious amounts of caffeine, nicotine and, most importantly, multiple failed marriages.

 

[Wackyracer]

I will give you $100 to ship that TRx to zipcode 14227.

 

[w0nwa]

I had a TRX 1 and a TRX 2. I liked the radios and the software to program, my issue was they were terrible in my area on Phase 2 P25 Trunk Radio Systems.
I tried all the tweaks, tips and tricks I found online with no luck.

I sold them and now have 1 SDS100 and 3 SDS 200's and they work pretty good on the systems. They just had a firmware update to add new features and an upgrade on the P25 systems. There still don't sound as good as my G5 does on these systems.

I want to upgrade the scanner in my truck from a handheld, and the TRX 2 is a perfect size with the remote head feature.
So if there was a firewire update that made the radio work better on these systems I mentioned, I would pickup one and give it another try.

Any info would be appreciated. Thanks

The software you can select by sight. to isolate the issue. but that does not work eathar in Phoenix P25 Simulcast A and B,

 

[Anderegg]

I see Sanitation 6 on your scanner display. You are probably monitoring garbage. Public safety must be kind of slow in the San Diego area. Simulcast distortion can be a problem with most scanners. Whistler scanners seem to be more susceptible. It all depends upon your location.

This was early users of the new SD City 700 system, they put the garbage trucks on because they talk like it's a CB radio and gave them the chance to see what would go wrong before putting emergency services onto it.

The point of that clip was that the OLDER WS1098 would clearly decode the digital audio, while the newer TRW would fall on its face and barely be abel to lock control channel or the signal, both split from the same antenna. And no, one feed side was not better thanm the other, the video was demonstrative of the issue not a test to determine if the issue existed.

Paul

 

[Wackyracer]

This was early users of the new SD City 700 system, they put the garbage trucks on because they talk like it's a CB radio and gave them the chance to see what would go wrong before putting emergency services onto it.

The point of that clip was that the OLDER WS1098 would clearly decode the digital audio, while the newer TRW would fall on its face and barely be abel to lock control channel or the signal, both split from the same antenna. And no, one feed side was not better thanm the other, the video was demonstrative of the issue not a test to determine if the issue existed.

Paul

If a 1098 receives it using the same antenna, in same location, Same configuration file, the TRX should receive it, send the trx in for repair.

 

[Gronner8]

I can add that I have found to program in just the control and alternate frequencies, the red ones in the database. No need to put in voice frequencies. The radio knows what frequency is being used from the control channel and many times where I have helped out others programming, deleting the voice frequencies, they say it picks up much quicker and more responsive.

smart advice. i will copy current Vscanner to another, take 1 & delete all sites not used (even though i had already locked each one out) & delete all voice channels (non red colored or marked with small c after frequency), or at least just click on that control freq & MOVE IT to the top of the list if you are not wanting to delete them.

 

[Voodoobilly]

This was early users of the new SD City 700 system, they put the garbage trucks on because they talk like it's a CB radio and gave them the chance to see what would go wrong before putting emergency services onto it.

The point of that clip was that the OLDER WS1098 would clearly decode the digital audio, while the newer TRW would fall on its face and barely be abel to lock control channel or the signal, both split from the same antenna. And no, one feed side was not better thanm the other, the video was demonstrative of the issue not a test to determine if the issue existed.

Paul

Hi Paul,
Sorry to be slightly off topic but i found an old post of yours where you commented “I can send you a quick "get-me-started" Favorites list” to a San Diegan with a new SDS100 in need of help. Would you possibly be willing to send me a favorites list or two of yours to help me get started? I have been reading and watching YouTube videos like mad but as you know there is a steep learning curve for a newbie.
Any cororspondance would be welcome.

Thank you
Jim