SFPD - BCD396T or Pro-92 Assistance

[neilharvey94044]

I have both an old Pro-92 (Original 1.00 firmware) and a BCD396T (also original firmware). I've been trying to get either one of them to pick up SFPD using the frequencies and talk group IDs provided on this site. I hear nothing from either radio when scanning for this setup. Other conventional channels work fine, e.g. CHP, Pacifica PD, etc.. I'm located in Pacifica with a permanent discone antenna on the roof, coaxed into the garage. It picks up CHP from everywhere, so I expect I would get "something" if the trunking is working for SFPD.

For the BCD396T I've selected Motorola and the 800mHz Standard for the SFPD trunking system. For the Pro-92 I've put all the frequencies and talk group IDs into bank 5, each one with mode equal to "MO".

Any suggestions or insight greatly appreciated.

 

[Eng74]

The 92 will not work since they were not built with rebanding. Get the lastest firmware for the 396 and it will work with the rebanding. Also the system is not receivable too far out of the city since the rebanding.

 

[neilharvey94044]

I took both scanners into San Francisco today to see if distance was the problem. The Pro-92 worked without requiring any changes. The BCD396T was not working at all, but I fiddled with some of the system settings and low and behold those changes got it working perfectly. Now both scanners work in San Francisco, but sadly the 800 mhz SFPD trunked transmissions don't make it out to Pacifica.

For anyone struggling with the BCD396T that comes across this, these are the settings that may have made a difference.

System Settings:
Hold Time: 2
Delay Time: 1 sec
Scan/Search: Scan, though this seemed to change on its own later
Status Bit: Yes
End Code: Yes
I-Call: Off
C-CH Only: Off
Close Call: Make sure everything is set to Off

After changing these the BCD396T was picking up transmissions strong and true, with really great reception and clarity.

 

[neilharvey94044]

Just a followup. I discovered that the cable connector for the discone antenna I had setup 20 years ago had come loose. So, my antenna was not working at all when I made the original post. Local PD and some CHP were coming in from the cable only. I've since repaired the N Type connector which is on LMR-400 into my garage and reconnected everything. Wow! My Pacifica antenna can actually receive SF trunking from all over the city in addition to all the Peninsula police and fire. SFO traffic is also coming in.

I'm now looking at SDR and ordered the RTL-SDR dongle. Thinking about how I can use a Raspberry PI and the dongle to stream the converted digital stream through my router so I don't have to sit out in the cold garage. I see there are forums on that topic here, I will explore.

 

[LoveMoto]

Did you ever figure out how to stream with the Pi?

 

[neilharvey94044]

Yes, I used Soapy server.

 

[KD6JEK]

Enjoy it while it lasts. Heard they're going to P-25 Digital with full encryption soon as a lot of LE has already...

 

[rooivalk]

Enjoy it while it lasts. Heard they're going to P-25 Digital with full encryption soon as a lot of LE has already...

Rumors stating May is the transition date.

 

[LoveMoto]

When I have been monitoring on unitrunker there are a few SFPD talkgroups that are encrypted already maybe those are tests or beta. These TG's are encrypted already: 430/432/528/560/592/720

​

 

[KD6JEK]

That's not the new system. That's part of the current one.

 

[stingray327]

Enjoy it while it lasts. Heard they're going to P-25 Digital with full encryption soon as a lot of LE has already...

When will this happen with SFPD?

 

[KD6JEK]

June or July

 

[stingray327]

June or July

So this will render my Home Patrol II and BCD 436 obsolete as far as monitoring this agency? What will the news media do for their equipment?

 

[KD6JEK]

Your 436 should work unless there are simulcast distortion issues and or if it is full encryption. Don’t know what the news media is going to do.

 

[stingray327]

Your 436 should work unless there are simulcast distortion issues and or if it is full encryption. Don’t know what the news media is going to do.

Strange you should mention the 436 because I like the Home Patrol II unit alot better. Much easier to see and operate. I don't like the 436 in comparison. As far as simulcast distortion I maybe experiencing that now with Vallejo PD on 155.910 and the other channel they use on old system.

 

[KD6JEK]

What do you think of the 436? I was thinking of getting that or the BCD325P2 assuming there isn’t full encryption and the simulcast issues. The SDS-100 is supposed to handle the simulcast distortion better, but I don’t know how much I want to spend if it’s only going to be a paper weight.

 

[stingray327]

What do you think of the 436? I was thinking of getting that or the BCD325P2 assuming there isn’t full encryption and the simulcast issues. The SDS-100 is supposed to handle the simulcast distortion better, but I don’t know how much I want to spend if it’s only going to be a paper weight.

I am not familiar with the 325P2. I don't like the 436 because to me it isn't user friendly like the HP 2. Also when I use that 436 as a mobile it is deadly dangerous. Also the 436 being a handheld with only 3 AA batteries it doesn't last as long as a scanner with 4AA batteries. You can't view the screen easily in a car. That's where the HP 2 comes into play with colorful easily seen screen.
The SDS-100 will also be obsolete? Why is that? Because of the encryption issue? These newer scanners are costly. It is just like cellphones as I remember flip cell phones then having to upgrade and buy a new cellphone then a smartphone every 2 or 3 years because of upgrades etc. It doesn't end. $$$$

 

[KD6JEK]

The 325P2 came out after the 436. It’s smaller and doesn’t use an SD card like the 436 or the SDS-100. I am holding out because I don’t want to break the bank on a scanner that may be obsolete or useless if the radio system like SF is encrypted.

 

[stingray327]

The 325P2 came out after the 436. It’s smaller and doesn’t use an SD card like the 436 or the SDS-100. I am holding out because I don’t want to break the bank on a scanner that may be obsolete or useless if the radio system like SF is encrypted.

When encryption spreads everything we have will be obsolete.

 

[rooivalk]

No encryption on the SF dispatch channels, but there will be expanded encryption on the specialized units used channels (i.e. swat, etc). Day to day stuff will just be TDMA/digital.