UniTrunker documentation?

[wolter]

Can anyone point to me documentation that shows how to use UniTrunker? Thanks.

 

[SCPD]

After you've installed the program ... click the Start menu (on the Windows task bar), select "Program Files" -> "Universal Trunker" -> look for "About Unitrunker".
-rick

 

[wolter]

I saw that.

But, I can't figure out how to get UniTracker to work with a second scanner. I can control it fine with Tuner. But I have no idea how to configure UniTracker to work with it.

 

[SCPD]

Configure the voice radio under the [R]eceivers menu. Specify the radio's model, connected port and baud rate. 8 bits, 1 stop and no parity is fine for most radios.

Go to the [L]isten menu ... and set:

Listen to Voice [Yes] Control [No];

The next few options are Mode, Volume and Squelch. These settings depend upon the specific model. Some radios use "Auto" modulation (it's fixed per band and you can't change it). Others support AM, FM, etc. Use "NFM" or "Auto" - where available.

Scan for Listen [ignore], Threshold < [50] or Ignore [yes], Lockout = [ignore]

Start off with a Park Mode of [Mute].

In some cases you may need to re-start the program for all of these options to take effect.

After you've validated voice following you can adjust the "Scan for Listen" ... etc. settings to suit your needs.

 

[wolter]

Thanks for the help! But UniTracker still is not taking control of my second scanner. I am using a BCD396T. It's screen reads "Remote Mode Keypad Lock," so UniTrunker is doing something. But I don't see it being tuned, and I do not hear voice when UniTrunker is displaying activity on Groups. I have adjusted the priority of these Groups to lower than the default 50 threshold, which I have not changed.

Comments threaded in.


> The next few options are Mode, Volume and Squelch. These settings depend upon the
> specific model. Some radios use "Auto" modulation (it's fixed per band and you can't
> change it). Others support AM, FM, etc. Use "NFM" or "Auto" - where available.

I cannot adjust the volume or squelch here.

> Start off with a Park Mode of [Mute].

I only have the options of [NFM] and [AUTO]. BTW, what does "Park Mode" mean?

> After you've validated voice following you can adjust the "Scan for Listen" ... etc.
> settings to suit your needs.

OK, but what does "Scan for Listen" mean? What is its purpose?

Along that line what is the purpose of "use", "Frequency (Mhz)", and "Memory"? And BTW, I am using beta release 11.

 

[SCPD]

Hi wolter;

These questions all overlap so my answers are also going to overlap.

I only have the options of [NFM] and [AUTO]. BTW, what does "Park Mode" mean?

When the program does not have a live call to monitor, it "parks" the voice radio. If you are parking on a fixed frequency ... park mode specifies the modulation. Suppose you wanted to park on 121.5 Mhz - which is AM - but your radio is using NFM for trunked voice. This is only used if the park use is set to "Frequency" (in which case you'd fill out 121.5 as the park frequency).

OK, but what does "Scan for Listen" mean? What is its purpose?

Each group and radio id has a Listen yes/no flag associated. It's the exact opposite of the Lockout yes/no flag. You can limit calls monitored to ...
a. only calls marked as Listen=Yes - or -
b. any call NOT marked as Lockout=Yes - or -
c. any call with Priority less than your chosen threshold.
d. any combination of the above.

Along that line what is the purpose of "use", "Frequency (Mhz)", and "Memory"?

Park use tells the program how to park the radio:
a. Mute merely silences the radio (provided the radio supports such capability).
b. Memory tells the radio to switch to a specific channel memory (for radios with channel banks).
c. Scan tells the radio to scan it's channel memory (which isn't supported as yet for your radio).
d. Frequency tells the radio to tune to the specified park frequency and park mode (modulation).

When the program first starts up ... and Listening is turned on (Listen=Yes) ... the first thing the program will do is park the radio. Experiment with the different park uses. For example to tune NOAA weather station 162.550, set Park mode auto use Frequency Frequency (Mhz) 162.550 Memory 0

-rick

 

[wolter]

Thanks for the explanations. The options make a bit more sense now.

Yet, I'm still not getting anywere with the second scanner -- even with UniTrunker configured to Park it on a specific frequency. UniTrunker is not tuning it at all.

 

[SCPD]

I don't know why park-use=frequency isn't working. Two things to try:

1. Try a park mode of NFM instead of Auto.

2. When the program selects a live call for voice following ... the displayed frequency turns green. Restart the program. Make sure Listen=Yes, control=no and watch the main display for any green channels. Park issues aside, if no calls get past the listening criteria - the radio will (otherwise) remain silent. You can also try one of the other park use modes eg. Mute or Scan.

 

[wolter]

> I don't know why park-use=frequency isn't working. Two things to try:
>
> 1. Try a park mode of NFM instead of Auto.

I'm not seeing any performance difference. My BCD396T still isn't being tuned.

> 2. When the program selects a live call for voice following ... the displayed frequency
> turns green.

I'm seeing that.

> Restart the program. Make sure Listen=Yes, control=no and watch the main display for
> any green channels.

Done.

> Park issues aside, if no calls get past the listening criteria - the radio will (otherwise)
> remain silent. You can also try one of the other park use modes eg. Mute or Scan.

Which they should be getting past, as far as I can tell. The threshold is set at 50 by default, and all Groups and Users are also defaulted to 50. Is that sufficient? I have also tried setting them at 40, yet still no apparent affect.

Listening issues aside, it still should Park, shouldn't it? When UniTrunker is running, my BCD396T continually says:

Remote Mode
Keypad Lock

So, UniTrunker does have control of it. It just isn't doing anything with it.

 

[bonus1331]

What PC O/S are you using. I have been unable to control a second radio with a PC using WIN98.
It's a known problem.

 

[wolter]

Win XP Pro SP2

 

[SCPD]

So, UniTrunker does have control of it. It just isn't doing anything with it.

The green channel indicates the program is attempting to tune the radio. I'll have to do some digging to find out why this isn't working.

 

[wolter]

I figured out what my problem was - or for this one system, at least.

It is an EDACS system, and I realized that I must input the frequencies of each channel into UniTrunker for the second scanner to be controlled. In the About of UniTracker, you said: "Each LCN must be manually assigned a frequency - using the channel editor." But I took this to mean that it must be entered to display in UniTrunker. Duh...The scanner is properly tuned after entering the frequency for each channel. UniTrunker is able to determine the number of channels in the system and their LCN, so I simply thought it would determine the frequencies, too. I suppose this is due to a lack of data in the control channel? And, this makes it a PIA to map out new EDACS systems.

And along this line, I noticed that this issue happens with Motorola 900 MHz, too, but not 800 MHz. UniTrunker displays all frequencies used in 800 MHz Motorola Type II systems, but not 900 MHz. Is this expected?

And one more thing: in the About, it says:

Once fleet map support is working, you'll be able to view EDACS group IDs in AFS or Agency-Fleet-Subfleet format.

What is "fleet map support?" I don't see an explanation in the About. I'm trying to determine the IDs for this EDACS system, and its a PIA to convert from decimal every time.

 

[SCPD]

I simply thought it would determine the frequencies, too. I suppose this is due to a lack of data in the control channel? And, this makes it a PIA to map out new EDACS systems.

Yes. Earlier you mentioned some channels were green. The program shouldn't select a channel with a zero'd frequency. I need to check that.

And along this line, I noticed that this issue happens with Motorola 900 MHz, too, but not 800 MHz. UniTrunker displays all frequencies used in 800 MHz Motorola Type II systems, but not 900 MHz. Is this expected?

Here's the trick. Some (mostly networked) systems tell you in what band they operate. Other's don't. For those that don't, the only way to infer 900 mhz operation is for you to type at least one frequency - preferably the active control channel. That's enough of a hint for the program to fill in the other channels.

What is "fleet map support?" I don't see an explanation in the About. I'm trying to determine the IDs for this EDACS system, and its a PIA to convert from decimal every time.

The original design called for a generic mechanism to partition IDs. This would allow it to accomodate any fleetmap. I've backed off from that. For Motorola - the program uses the fleet codes (code A, D, or K for example). I need to add an extra display mode to display both Motorola and EDACS in AFS format. Don't worry about editing the fleetmap unless you're monitoring a Type I system.

 

[wolter]

Yes. Earlier you mentioned some channels were green. The program shouldn't select a channel with a zero'd frequency. I need to check that.

Actually, I said that the frequency is green, which is true when one displays in the channel column of the main activity viewer (is that the correct term?). But, if a frequency is zero'd, only the LCN displays. In which case, the number (LCN) is not green but white when the system channel is active.

Sorry for the confusion.

Here's the trick. Some (mostly networked) systems tell you in what band they operate. Other's don't. For those that don't, the only way to infer 900 mhz operation is for you to type at least one frequency - preferably the active control channel. That's enough of a hint for the program to fill in the other channels.

Oh, OK. Its filling in the 900 MHz frequencies, now. Thanks!

The original design called for a generic mechanism to partition IDs. This would allow it to accomodate any fleetmap. I've backed off from that. For Motorola - the program uses the fleet codes (code A, D, or K for example). I need to add an extra display mode to display both Motorola and EDACS in AFS format. Don't worry about editing the fleetmap unless you're monitoring a Type I system.

I see. Thanks.