Unication G5 just seems to stop after a while

[columbusgeek]

I'm sure I have made some sort of programming mistake so I am hoping the hive mind knows what I did wrong.

I can receive and hear my neighborhood police. They have three channels and have heard communication on them. They are on MARCS phase 1.
The thing is, after a few hours I hear nothing. I know they haven't stopped talking for 6 hours so the issue is on my end. I'll load the programmer back up, fiddle with things slightly like adding or removing a single channel, press program and I am back in action---for a few hours.

I know I'm not giving you much information. Where do I start debugging this?

 

[N6ML]

Sounds the same as strange G4

 

[IAmSixNine]

I would check and see what site they are on when it works, then when they go quite see if your on the same site or if its switched to a different one, one which may not carry their traffic.
Not sure how you have it set up. But you can program just the single site you want the unit to stay on as a system and see if that fixes the issue.

 

[tvengr]

Does it shut down or do you just lose audio?

 

[columbusgeek]

I think mine is more of a programming issue than the strange G4 post issue. I hope so at least.

The unit doest shut down it just sits there happily staring at me. I just don't hear any chatter after a while. I think @IAmSixNine is on the right path though. I think it is switching to another frequency...a stronger one or one that I don't need monitored.
Under the P25 Trunking System list I may have had some incorrect settings under the full spectrum scan. Which I'm not even sure if I need on TBH.

 

[IAmSixNine]

I have full spectrum scan disabled on all of my systems.
I also have 1 system that i monitor which has multiple sites, and certain cities have traffic limited to the sites in their city.
example, City bob has 2-1 in their city and only pass audio on sites 2-1. City fred has sites 1-8 and only their traffic on will pass on sites 1-8.
So i have a system set up as Bob with the control channels for 2-1. Then a set of knobs for just those talkgroups.
I have another system set up for Fred with control channels for 1-8 and a set of knobs for those talk groups.
While they are all on the same overall "system" i have them split up into their own systems. This ensures that when i want to listen to city of bob on 2-1 i will remain on those sites and not switch to Fred 1-8 when my G4 feels the 2-1 sites are getting weak.

 

[columbusgeek]

I thought I found a section and fixed it but still no go.

I program it, all is well, she runs for 2 hours or so, then out of the blue it changes to a different frequency.

This is before when things are right.



This is after when things are wrong.


I dont even have that freq in PPS.

 

[mkinkade]

774.28125 in the first screen shot is the state system. 859.2125 in the second screen shot is the Columbus city system. Different users are on different systems, so that explains why you stop hearing certain ones when it changes. Not seeing in your programming why it is changing systems. However, I did see that you have site trunking checked. That should be unchecked.

 

[Spitfire8520]

Do you have the site explicitly programmed in the Site List (RFSS 1 Site 10), or have you programmed it for all sites (RFSS FF Site FF)? I would recommend entering the site into the Site List if the goal is to hold onto a specific site.

I have noticed that the G series does automatic roaming based on what is programmed into the Site List and is able to find its way to other sites even if the frequency for those sites are not programmed. I have not thoroughly tested it, but my observations are that it periodically checks the signal strength of neighboring sites and roams to them if they are both stronger and part of your Site List. If all sites are programmed, then it would be free to use any site it finds.

 

[tglendye]

...
I have noticed that the G series does automatic roaming based on what is programmed into the Site List and is able to find its way to other sites even if the frequency for those sites are not programmed. I have not thoroughly tested it, but my observations are that it periodically checks the signal strength of neighboring sites and roams to them if they are both stronger and part of your Site List. If all sites are programmed, then it would be free to use any site it finds.

I agree. Although, I in the past I think I remember reading that the pager would not look for another site unless the G5 lost the signal from the site that was being tracked. My experience is the G5 will switch sites when it finds a stronger one.

 

[N6ML]

It has been suggested in the past (but I've never seen it officially documented) that the firmware will start looking for a new "best" site only if/when the decode error rate exceeds some threshold.

 

[tglendye]

It happened to me this morning in the middle of a transmission, while driving. I looked over at the G5 and the green light was on. The display had already timed out. I pressed a button and it came up to the channel that it had been receiving- as if traffic was still on, but I could not tell since there was no audio. I changed the channel selector knob to another position, but the display stayed the same. Turned the radio off/ on and everything was back to normal.

... However, I did see that you have site trunking checked. That should be unchecked.

I am wondering if this is the cause. I remember I looked at this selection around a month ago. I will have to check to see if I changed it and selected it. The area it happened in is a weak signal area for multiple towers in the valley I live in.

 

[IAmSixNine]

@Spitfire8520 nailed it.
Im guessing in the Site list he has wildcards set up.
Even though you have the control channels ONLY for the site you want, because you have the site list with wildcards its able to get neighboring site info from the system.
At least that is the only thing i can think of causing your device to go to another site.
Send us a screen shot of the site list for COL MARCS and that will further help us troubleshoot.

Also go out of the info mode and leave it on the normal screen. At the bottom should show RFSS/Site info.

 

[columbusgeek]

After much fussing and testing and fiddling and testing and then more testing I think I have squished the bug. I finally have it solid for two days now.
What did I do? I wish I knew.

I bought this used from an eBay-er in Ohio. They had similar settings setup and I just had to refine and delete a few which made setup much easier for me. I think between having a few too many control channels in the P25 Trunking settings area and just trying a lot of different things I was able to fix it. I never messed with wildcards much thank goodness. I imagine I'd be even deeper in confusion if I had those in there.

Thanks to everybody for chipping in ideas and tips. It was a big help.

 

[Synchro39]

I thought I found a section and fixed it but still no go.

I program it, all is well, she runs for 2 hours or so, then out of the blue it changes to a different frequency.

This is before when things are right.
View attachment 79537


This is after when things are wrong.
View attachment 79538

I dont even have that freq in PPS.
View attachment 79539

i have same problem with my G5 was switching site and i only want to monitor one site so here it's the copy of the answer i get and working in that site list you must have the info for the site you want to monitor

If your G5 is switching to other sites and you ONLY have the control channels for 1 site then you have a wildcard set up for site numbers.
Under Tab D 2 P25 Trunking System Settings, then click Site List You need to have RFSS ID Hex as 1 and Site ID Hex as 8.
My guess is you have wildcards (FF) set up there and initially its locking on to the correct site because you have the control channel listed but then it goes to wildcard after that.