SDS100/SDS200: SDS100 -- Scanning DMR and P-25 Amateur repeaters?

[sempervirens]

Hi all, I'm trying to listen for DMR and P-25 traffic on my local amateur bands, and can't figure out how to do it.

I've tried two things:
1. listen for digital chatter with an analog radio, and directly enter that frequency on the SDS. It will sometimes decode the color code and TG but the audio is silent.
2. enter all the frequencies from Repeaterbook with appropriate color codes in a Favorites entry, and just scan that favorites. It never finds anything.

why whenever the scanner presents a modulation menu, does it list only analog modulation types (and auto), but seemingly no way to force digital.

I have purchased and installed the DMR upgrade. P-25 seems to be included by default (?). Public Safety scanning works great, analog and digital.

The manual is unhelpful on this question, and I didn't find anything quite addressing this in the forum.
I didn't get a chance to try Sentinel yet; I was hoping to be able to do this through the front panel.

FW. Main 1.10.00
FW Sub 1.02.01

 

[popnokick]

For DMR it is simplest to do it using Sentinel. And you'll need three configuration elements besides the freq: 1) Color Code (cc); 2) Talkgroup (TG); AND 3) time slot (TS).

 

[sempervirens]

Thanks. Can time-slot and talk group be wildcards?

 

[RoninJoliet]

I have no problem monitoring UHF DMR ham repeaters on my 996p2 scanner programmed digital conventional, I then created a system for all of them and I see the "IDS"

 

[JoeBearcat]

Thanks. Can time-slot and talk group be wildcards?

Yes. When you program a conventional channel to digital, it will monitor any slot and any TG.

The only thing you may want to do is set that channel to DIGITAL ONLY. Then when it asks for the Color Code, enter that or leave it set to SEARCH if you want to monitor all Color Codes as well.

 

[sempervirens]

Yes. When you program a conventional channel to digital, it will monitor any slot and any TG.

The only thing you may want to do is set that channel to DIGITAL ONLY. Then when it asks for the Color Code, enter that or leave it set to SEARCH if you want to monitor all Color Codes as well.

thanks, is there a way to do this through the front-panel?

 

[dazza0768]

thanks, is there a way to do this through the front-panel?

Google 'Mark Scanners Easy to Read SDS100 Manual' and learn from there.

 

[sempervirens]

Google 'Mark Scanners Easy to Read SDS100 Manual' and learn from there.

superb, I shall certainly do that. Thank you much!

 

[Ubbe]

It will sometimes decode the color code and TG but the audio is silent.
2. enter all the frequencies from Repeaterbook with appropriate color codes in a Favorites entry, and just scan that favorites. It never finds anything.

It indicates it has problems to decode the data. If it where a parameter settings issue, programming error, it wouldn't decode at all at all times.

Check what signal strength the display indicates and if sufficient high, like -80dBm or stronger like -70dBm, then you can enable the attenuator setting to that channel. If that doesn't help then enable IFX by Fn+7 and the last resort would be to try the different filter settings.

Don't enter any specific restrains like color code or TG when you try to resolve problems, those settings will make reception worse. Set everything to search or ignore and choose ID Search mode. Having it set to Analog or All mode will let you hear the audio of the data and you can compare that to the analog radio, that it sounds as "clean" in the scanner without any interferencies.

If the signal strength are too weak, like in the -100dBm range or worse then you have to use a better antenna or change your position.

/Ubbe

 

[dazza0768]

Most importantly make sure the modulations is NFM

 

[a417]

superb, I shall certainly do that. Thank you much!

Or you can just click here.

They are linked in the RR wiki for the relevant units.

 

[Ubbe]

Most importantly make sure the modulations is NFM

Not necessarily so with SDS scanners as FM could actually improve reception as NFM in most cases will increase noise with weak signals in SDS scanners. But good pointer, to test all possible settings, both NFM and FM. (Fn+Channel to switch mode)

/Ubbe