Few UniTrunker questions...

[kv6o]

I am looking into using UniTracker with a Uniden BC785D (with APCO card) and a RadioShack Pro-83 as the control radio. I am looking to do this to monitor our local 800 APCO Project 25 system here in Colorado Springs as the 785 can’t decode 9600baud control.
My questions are:

1. Does the program need to “control” the control radio? I was going to pipe the discriminator output thru the Pro-83’s PC/IF jack – if I do that, it can’t be programmatically controlled.

2. The readme file contains the following line – “Unitrunker currently does not support voice following. This critical feature will become available at a later date.” – what exactly does this mean?
Thanks!

Steve

 

[SCPD]

You can use the PRO-83 as the "signal" radio to provide discriminator audio.

With a future release of the program, you can use the '785 as the control radio. In other words, Unitrunker will control '785 for voice following. You can do this now with the older generation of the program.

 

[kv6o]

Update

Thanks for your help! Did the mod to the Pro-83, but I can't seem to get it to decode very well. I have tried two different computers (both running XP) and I only get sporatic decodes - the "Health" is usually at zero, never climes above 5 or 6.

I have tried several different site control freqs, the signal is OK here, I think it should be strong enough to decode, but I don't have a quantative measurement (no S meter on the pro-83). I also have a Motorola XTS 2500 that is affilliated with the system and it has no problems whatsoever... RSSI 79 from the "Stanley" site as I type this - four "bars".

Any suggestions? I fiddled with the sample freq and size and little difference. Didn't see much else to adjust!

Thanks!

Steve

P.S. - I do have a HP 8924C I can use as the signal radio if needed, but I'll have to move it (heavy) as it's downstairs and doesn't have an external antenna that I can hook up to it. It doesn't hear the sites to well where it is - too much white noise. At least I can make measurements on it!

 

[SCPD]

Thanks for your help! Did the mod to the Pro-83, but I can't seem to get it to decode very well. I have tried two different computers (both running XP) and I only get sporatic decodes - the "Health" is usually at zero, never climes above 5 or 6.

The PRO-83 runs on two AA batteries. The internal voltages are very low. You may want to place a resistor in series between the computer and radio and raise the gain on the microphone input.

Run an oscilloscope program to see the waveform as you make gain adjustments on the audio portion of the control panel and when swapping out different resistor values.