How to Program NXDN?

[ThomasMcKean]

This NXDN is really getting me down.

Yes I am glad we have it, but how the hell do you program it? I don't know from NXDN, I have never programmed NXDN before?

It would be nice if Uniden would put a tutorial somewhere to go with the update. All I have to show for my $$$ to them for the update is a hell of a lot of frustration.

 

[jonwienke]

You can either go through the cumbersome process of programming NXDN in the scanner menu, or wait until Sentinel is updated in the near future to support programming NXDN systems. Other than a few terminology differences (RAN vs color code vs NAC, etc.) programming NXDN is pretty much the same as DMR or P25.

For a trunked system, you create a site in the system, and add frequencies to the site. Then create a department under the system and add talkgroups to the department. Run LCN Finder to make sure the channel numbers are correctly matched to the site frequencies. Until you know you have all the talkgroups entered, set ID Search ON so you can detect new or unprogrammed talkgroups.

 

[wbswetnam]

This NXDN is really getting me down.

Yes I am glad we have it, but how the hell do you program it? I don't know from NXDN, I have never programmed NXDN before?

It would be nice if Uniden would put a tutorial somewhere to go with the update. All I have to show for my $$$ to them for the update is a hell of a lot of frustration.

I guess it depends on what NXDN system you are wanting to program. UpMan has already said that Sentinel will not be updated until some indefinite time in the future (I'm thinking a few weeks, tops) and that until then, we should program it in manually through the radio itself. Those of us who remember the days right after the DMR firmware upgrade came out (4/2016 if I remember correctly) that DMR systems had to be programmed in directly to the radio, until Sentinel was updated to handle DMR systems. So, I imagine that it is a similar procedure with NXDN.

If you are simply wanting a single frequency conventional system, it may be possible to simply create a channel in Sentinel and set the Modulation as "Auto" and the Option as "Search" and see if that works - kinda the lazy man's way of doing it, but it's worth a try.

If you are wanting to program a trunked NXDN system, that's going to be a bit more complex. That will have to be done through the keyboard and menus of the radio itself. Those more proficient than me can post step-by-step instructions on how it is done.

Most importantly, be patient. We've been waiting for this NXDN upgrade for nearly two years now, and now that it's here, we are basking in its glory! Sentinel will be updated soon, so hang tight!

 

[ThomasMcKean]

You can either go through the cumbersome process of programming NXDN in the scanner menu, or wait until Sentinel is updated in the near future to support programming NXDN systems. Other than a few terminology differences (RAN vs color code vs NAC, etc.) programming NXDN is pretty much the same as DMR or P25.

For a trunked system, you create a site in the system, and add frequencies to the site. Then create a department under the system and add talkgroups to the department. Run LCN Finder to make sure the channel numbers are correctly matched to the site frequencies. Until you know you have all the talkgroups entered, set ID Search ON so you can detect new or unprogrammed talkgroups.

Yes I tried that. I added a frequency to the site and it asked me for an LCN. That is where I got lost. I could not find any LCN finder and it only let me put in one frequency in the site.

It was very frustrating!

I can't be the only person here who is pulling his hair out over this, just the only person willing to admit it.

Tutorial please, Uniden.

 

[ThomasMcKean]

Most importantly, be patient. We've been waiting for this NXDN upgrade for nearly two years now, and now that it's here, we are basking in its glory! Sentinel will be updated soon, so hang tight!

Correction. YOU are basking in its glory. Dammit, Jim, I'm a writer, not a programmer!

 

[Jake68111]

Yes I tried that. I added a frequency to the site and it asked me for an LCN. That is where I got lost. I could not find any LCN finder and it only let me put in one frequency in the site.

It was very frustrating!

I can't be the only person here who is pulling his hair out over this, just the only person willing to admit it.

Tutorial please, Uniden.

Just enter the frequency, hit enter and when asked for the LCN, just leave it blank (and hitting enter) for all the frequencies for that site. Then, before trying to monitor the system, just run the LCN Finder and let all the LCN's be found and save those when prompted. Then, let the monitoring commence. That's what I did to every site I've programmed so far and I don't see any issues.

 

[ThomasMcKean]

Just enter the frequency, hit enter and when asked for the LCN, just leave it blank (and hitting enter) for all the frequencies for that site. Then, before trying to monitor the system, just run the LCN Finder and let all the LCN's be found and save those when prompted. Then, let the monitoring commence. That's what I did to every site I've programmed so far and I don't see any issues.

Okay this is actually helpful. Leave the LCN blank. What do I do when I get to end of the frequencies for the site? Do I just hit ENTER again and back out?

*scritch*scritch*scritch*

 

[ThomasMcKean]

Specifically, I am trying to program this. It looks small and easy, a good place to start.

Except this isn't easy.

https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=7862

 

[jonwienke]

Yes I tried that. I added a frequency to the site and it asked me for an LCN. That is where I got lost. I could not find any LCN finder and it only let me put in one frequency in the site.

There are dozens of tutorial videos on Youtube. The overall process is exactly the same for P25, DMR, and NXDN. The only difference is some of the labels for things vary across system types (e.g. RAN, color, NAC)

LCN finder is a function in the scanner menu that fills in the LCN numbers, using traffic from the system. If you don't know the LCN, use 0 as a placeholder. If the system is busy, LCN Finder will run quickly. If not, it may take hours or days for there to be traffic on all frequencies.

 

[UPMan]

The LCNs are already available for that site. https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?siteId=22856

(Click the site name on the page you originally linked.)

 

[hiegtx]

Yes I tried that. I added a frequency to the site and it asked me for an LCN. That is where I got lost. I could not find any LCN finder and it only let me put in one frequency in the site.

It was very frustrating!

I can't be the only person here who is pulling his hair out over this, just the only person willing to admit it.

Tutorial please, Uniden.

When entering a new NXDN system, just press Enter again when you get the screen for LCN number after entering a frequency in a site.

Once you've entered all of the site frequencies, use Menu to get back to the menu for that system.
Enter any talkgroup IDs that you have. If you don't have any, or suspect that there are more than you currently have, be sure that the system is set for ID Search (under system options).

Once you have created the system, entered your site(s) and talkgroups, and/or set up ID scan, then you can exit back to the main menu screen.

Scroll down and select Analyze
Choose the LCN finder option
Enter the the name (or at least, the first few letters) of your new NXDN system. Note that the system must be in a scannable Favorites list, not in one that is avoided.
Press Enter after entering the first few letters
Select the site and press Enter
The scanner will start trying to identifying the correct channel #s.
I manually created a new NXDN system for a local 3 city/3 site NXDN TRS late last night. "LCN Finder" was not completing, but as that was about 2am, the system likely was not busy enough.

This morning, I re-ran LCN finder on two of the three sites (the third site is down right now). It got 4 out of five on both in ten to 15 minutes. Never did get to the fifth, which might not actually be a voice channel. When you exit LCN finder, be sure to use <FUNC>+<SYSTEM>, so that you have the option to save the ones it found.

It is scanning the system very well right now.

 

[ThomasMcKean]

There are dozens of tutorial videos on Youtube. The overall process is exactly the same for P25, DMR, and NXDN. The only difference is some of the labels for things vary across system types (e.g. RAN, color, NAC)

LCN finder is a function in the scanner menu that fills in the LCN numbers, using traffic from the system. If you don't know the LCN, use 0 as a placeholder. If the system is busy, LCN Finder will run quickly. If not, it may take hours or days for there to be traffic on all frequencies.

K I have site and department programmed in. I do not see any LCN Finder anywhere. Where is this located?

EDIT: Just saw the post above. Sigh. Software would make this so much easier...? I hope ARCPRO is also working on this!

 

[ThomasMcKean]

Radio is refusing to acknowledge my system in the LCN finder. I even renamed it ABC to make it easier to find. LCN finder does nothing but tell me the system does not exist.

I wonder how many others are throwing their scanners across the room? I can't be the only one.

 

[ThomasMcKean]

The LCNs are already available for that site. https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?siteId=22856

(Click the site name on the page you originally linked.)

Where are they? Are the LCNs the CH ID? And of they are, why are they not labeled LCN?

 

[Airboss]

Actually my question is fairly simple. I have several conventional NCDN repeaters in the area. Hearing them decode just fine. On my TRX-1 I get the radio IDs. But I am not getting them on the 436. I have display Options> Disp. Unit ID> set to on. See the system NX9 and the RAN displayed but no RIDs. Anyway to make the 436 sing with what the TRX-1 does. Again this is not a trunk system.

Chief Larry

 

[jonwienke]

Radio is refusing to acknowledge my system in the LCN finder. I even renamed it ABC to make it easier to find. LCN finder does nothing but tell me the system does not exist.

The system has to be scannable before you can run LCN finder. Make sure its Favorite List is turned on, and that all relevant Quick keys are enabled, and that it's not disabled by Location Control.

 

[UPMan]

The system has to be scannable before you can run LCN finder. Make sure its Favorite List is turned on, and that all relevant Quick keys are enabled, and that it's not disabled by Location Control.

And that it was programmed as an NXDN trunked system.

 

[UPMan]

Where are they? Are the LCNs the CH ID? And of they are, why are they not labeled LCN?

Yes. CH ID. I don't control the labeling.

 

[ThomasMcKean]

Yes. CH ID. I don't control the labeling.

No. But you'd think the label would be uniform.

Honestly, I don't know why this has to be so difficult. You need to a be a damn rocket scientist to program this thing by hand. That's insane.

I really kinda feel I deserve more than frustration and anger for my 60 bucks.

I am not sure it was smart to release this without software support. And I can guarantee you I am not the only one who feels this way. I cannot be the only one having problems with this.

I do appreciate the effort that went into the NXDN, don't think I don't. I do. Really..

I would appreciate it even more if I could actually hear it.

 

[mule1075]

I am not sure it was smart to release this without software support. And I can guarantee you I am not the only one who feels this way. I cannot be the only one having problems with this.

It was laid out from the get go so you knew what you were getting into. Clearly stated no software support and would have to do it manually. That is why we also got a 30 dollar introductory price instead of 60.