Pro 96 Firmware upgrade

[Radioguy789]

Hello. I have a couple questions about the firmware on my Pro 96 scanner and I just seeing if it’s worth updating it or not. On my Pro 96 it is running:
CPU F1.3
DSP-App: F1.2
So just seeing if it’s worth updating it or not. And what the update will do and does it make the scanner do anything different than what it is doing now.

just curious to see.

let me know.

thanks

 

[INDY72]

There is NO updating the CPU FW. You literally would need to find another PRO-96 with FW v 1.4 and get it. You can update the DSP Firmware to v 1.4 and it helps a lot in some situations. As always YMMV. I had amazing luck with CPU 1.4/DSP 1.4 and minor internal tweaking to make a couple of PRO-96's rock on an P25 Simulcast system. Of course on the one I kept, I broke the tuning pot screw so now it is dead on P25 800. My other one is in storage at my sister's and no idea when I will ever get to get it shipped back up here.

 

[Radioguy789]

Ok so just leave it as is since it might help with certain things and it might not make that much of a difference from the version that is on mine now. And by the sounds of it, if I did I might have to do some internal tweaking or stuff like that because it might effect certain trunking systems to monitor.

 

[INDY72]

You can upgrade, and revert the DSP FW all day long. So play around with that. The internal adjustments are a little delicate so if you do them be very, very gentle and careful. The internal tweaking is for if it is going kinda deaf on 800 or you really need fine tuning on 800 for an simulcast system. Remember, the 96's only do Phase I P25, and can not do trunking on 380, or trunking on 700.

 

[Radioguy789]

Ok, so updating the firmware doesn’t really make it do anything more than what it is already doing now.

ok so that is all the internal tweaking is for not for anything else. Wasn’t planning on doing any internal tweaking on it.

yah I know it only does phase one and not phase 2. And doesn’t do trunking on 700.

 

[Swipesy]

See attached

 

[Radioguy789]

Ok thanks for the replies.

 

[Engine104]

My digital decoding actually got worse after the DSP upgrade when I did that several years ago. Signals on LAPD transmissions would drop out. I downgraded to the previous DSP and it fixed the problem. Kind of odd.

In regards to the VR-4 adjustment. Does anyone know of a similar adjustment for UHF APCO-25 signals? Is it VR-3?

 

[INDY72]

I think its VR 3 for UHF VR1/2 is VHF.... The complete tuning guide details which is which for basic settings telling you which to tune to what freqs. To do the full tuning you must use a freq counter if I remember right.

 

[Engine104]

I think its VR 3 for UHF VR1/2 is VHF.... The complete tuning guide details which is which for basic settings telling you which to tune to what freqs. To do the full tuning you must use a freq counter if I remember right.

I think it could be VR-3 too, but I'm not sure. Mine still seems pretty spot on, though one UHF Phase 1 system some distance from me tends to be choppy.