P25 system problem with "new" 536's?

[dispatch235]

So I own two 536's that are a couple years old and have programmed several for other people locally, never had any issues....until now.
A friend bought one recently and I programmed it exactly like mine (even tried using my sd cards also) but it will not a couple of sites on our P25 MOSWIN sysem here in MO. No simulcast to worry about out here, radio works well with all the other sites except for St. Robert and Camdenton sites. Radio shows a good signal on both sites, but no DAT indicator when holding on the sites.
We returned the first radio after about a week thinking it had to be defective, but received the replacement unit this week and have the same problem.
Everything else, conventional, trunked works normal...have dug into all the settings etc and even run the system site analyzer and shows good signal but no decode quality.
I've never had any kind of issue with anything like this before, have programmed many and never had a problem..
Just curious if anyone has a similar issue with a new 536 lately or found a "fix" before I just send this one back also...

 

[Ubbe]

Did the new 536's have a new IC that replaced an obsolete one? Then it could be a new "birdie" or similar that interfere at that particular frequency. Did you try the IFX? Also check what the digital threshold says, Fn+Vol. If there's a new firmware code for that new IC it might kick in some new code that have a bug. Uniden can't test all sites in the country and will have to rely on users to report back to them.

/Ubbe

 

[tvengr]

Make sure the new scanner has the latest firmware. Try setting the scanner to Ignore Site NAC.

 

[hiegtx]

Make sure the new scanner has the latest firmware. Try setting the scanner to Ignore Site NAC.

You don't have any NAC settings for sites on the 536HP. Only the SDS series scanners can utilize NAC settings on trunked systems.

 

[tvengr]

You don't have any NAC settings for sites on the 536HP. Only the SDS series scanners can utilize NAC settings on trunked systems.

Senior moment! Thank you Steve!

 

[dispatch235]

I'm thinking it's a new hardware/firmware change or combination generating some kind of birdie or interference...
tried the ifx function with each frequency and changing P25 settings with no change. Also applied the latest firmware, which is the same as my present radios are running with no problems...

 

[tvengr]

If you swapped the SD card from your scanner that works. that contains all of the profile and favorites lists settings. Are you using the same antennas on all of the scanners? Are all of the scanners in the same location? Try turning off your other scanners. They could be radiating signals which interfere with the new scanner. Did you try swapping power supplies? Switching supplies can radiate signals.

 

[dispatch235]

Yes, swapped cards with working units, even took it to several locations to make sure it wasn't something in my home environment.
@JoeBearcat have you heard of anything similar from anyone?

 

[ofd8001]

This might be a stretch, but sometimes weird and crazy happens.

Did you clear the SD card - Erase the Favorites Lists before programming? You may have a couple of iterations of the same system/site and the one the scanner selects may not have the proper control channel programmed. Yes I admit this is left field.

Another option would be to program the site(s) as a conventional system with all the frequencies. Then do a scan. You should hear a "motorboat" sound which will be the control channel. That should be Avoided and then continue scanning. You should pick up transmissions, though not necessarily trunk following. This would confirm you receive the site.

If location control is involved, something could be funky there too. The scanner may have an incorrect location, preventing the site from coming on line.

 

[JoeBearcat]

Yes, swapped cards with working units, even took it to several locations to make sure it wasn't something in my home environment.
@JoeBearcat have you heard of anything similar from anyone?

You are the first, but I think Ubbe may be on to the cause. Yes, the 536 was redesigned because the original ICs went NLA. (No Longer Available)

 

[dispatch235]

@ofd8001 yes, tried re-clearing and formatted the sd card that came with the scanner, redid the programming of the system and a couple sites through sentinel and also by hand, and swapping the cards each out of the older working units. Will try your suggestion on programming as a conventional system tonight and see what behavior it exhibits.
Of all the sites on MOSWIN for it to not decode our home county had to be one of them lol.
I appreciate everyone's input, many heads together are better than one.
Thank You @JoeBearcat I am thinking Ubbe is on the right trail also.

 

[tvengr]

For those 2 sites, try setting the Digital Threshold Mode to Manual with various values. There could be something slightly different with those sites that are outside of the tolerances of the new scanners.

 

[dispatch235]

So I've spent a few days playing with Digital Threshold settings, programming the site frequencies in their own group and scanning them, turning the ifx on and off on each frequency, taking the scanner out on a road trip around town, still no success at decoding the St Robert or Lebanon MOSWIN sites on this radio (which St Robert happens to be the site for our county). The radio performs beautifully on the other surrounding sites and conventional systems we monitor.
I get good strong signal, can hear the control channel data when programming it in as a conventional frequency, but do not get a DAT icon like I do with the sites that are decoding properly.
I have decided to keep this radio and let my friend have one of my year old radios (which he is happy with) in the hopes that maybe I can figure out what is interfering with the "redesigned" 536's reception.

 

[Ubbe]

I get good strong signal, can hear the control channel data when programming it in as a conventional frequency, but do not get a DAT icon like I do with the sites that are decoding properly.

Program the voice channels as conventional and see if it will decode those. Then it's just that one frequency of the control channel that have an issue that doesn't seem to go away using IFX. But if the voice channels doesn't decode either then it's something with that whole towers transmission that the new 536 doesn't tolerate.

/Ubbe

 

[iMONITOR]

Make sure the new scanner has the latest firmware. Try setting the scanner to Ignore Site NAC.

Ditto on the firmware.

 

[iMONITOR]

This is interesting. I've owned three BCD536HP's in the past. I just took delivery on a new one last week. I monitor a 14 site simulcast P25 P1 system (MPSCS) in Macomb County, Michigan. This particular scanner works as good if not better than any other scanner I've ever owned (I've owned them all). I've owned three SDS200's in the past and I think this 536 is working just as good!

 

[iMONITOR]

You are the first, but I think Ubbe may be on to the cause. Yes, the 536 was redesigned because the original ICs went NLA. (No Longer Available)

Do you know with what serial numbers started with the new design?

Thanks

 

[dispatch235]

So I put the voice channels in a separate group as conventional channels the way Ubbe recommended and it has been receiving traffic from the trouble sites .... so there must be something about the control channels the radio isn't liking..

 

[garys]

Sounds like another firmware update is in order.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Damn; Mine is on some really old firmware and seems to receive OK with some garbling, due to poor audio leveling by the agency. I want to buy another and also upgrade the FW. I would hate to go backwards...