Setting Tweaks on Pro-668??

[awal]

Hello,

I was just curious to see what tweaks have any of you tried to improve reception on your Pro-668. I live in the Washington, DC area (LOTS to scan) - and I pick up stuff pretty well. However, I was interested to see if any of you done any tweaks to improve reception.

Thanks

 

[marksmith]

I have not heard any news updates lately.... are you still encrypted there or has that been changed? I know a change to non-encryption had been directed but never heard if it took place.

Mark
536HP/HP1e/HP2e/996P2/996XT
996T/396XT(2)/PSR800/PRO668

 

[rwier]

Hello,

I was just curious to see what tweaks have any of you tried to improve reception on your Pro-668. I live in the Washington, DC area (LOTS to scan) - and I pick up stuff pretty well. However, I was interested to see if any of you done any tweaks to improve reception.

Thanks

Speaking as to the 800 only (a cousin to the 668), I achieved a substantial improvement in reception by making the following changes:

Advanced Features > Advanced DSP Settings: > DSP Level Adapt > 52
(I believe the default setting was 64)

Trunked Radio Systems > Trunked System Site Information: > Multi-Site Settings > Site List (select Site) > Low: 15 High 95
(The default settings were Low: 75 and High: 95)

Note: If you set up your TRS as a "Single Site" (I highly recommend doing this), you will need to create a "dummy" second Site (frequencies left at zero) to activate the Multi-Site Settings option.

I first posted this information about three years ago, and a few times since then. Over that time, there have been about three responses indicating improvement and none indicating no effect or worsening of reception.

Personally, I believe that the optimum settings are probably related to one's location, TRS, antenna, etc., and should be determined by individual user experimentation.

 

[nosoup4u]

If you only have a single site, why would you need that dummy site?

 

[rwier]

If you only have a single site, why would you need that dummy site?

I quote myself: " If you set up your TRS as a "Single Site" (I highly recommend doing this), you will need to create a "dummy" second Site (frequencies left at zero) to activate the Multi-Site Settings option."

Without the "dummy", you are stuck with the default settings.

If you have two or more "real" sites you do not need the dummy.

 

[JD21960]

Tweaks on Pro668

Rwier is right. When you only have ONE trunked system (site) the Multi-site threshold settings are greyed out Photo 1, all you'll see is the default 75-95 with no way to change them.
I have 23 SITES for the same trunked system. Having more than ONE enables the Multi-site threshold settings Photo 2 Even setting up a dummy site will too. Without that you're stuck with the default levels and no way to edit them. Hope this helps. I have mine set at 90-99 as I like to keep other sites control channels from bothering the one I'm listening to.

 

[Boatanchor]

Thanks for the info guys.

As a new owner of a PRO-668 scanner, this info helps a lot.

 

[JD21960]

Those are great radios. After seeing the prices of the Pro668, I wish I'd have waited till the Radio Shack blow out sales. But I got the WS1080 back in September 2014 when it first was available. Had to have it NOW.

 

[nyscan]

If you have a multi-site simulcast system (same frequencies) programmed will the additional options show up?

 

[JD21960]

Setting tweaks on the Pro-668?

Yes, in the photo #2 above I have 23 SITES for the same Statewide Trunked system (Starcom21) if I have only ONE site I'm listening to, the settings for Multi-site threshold are greyed out and you can't change them. Once you add another site through the import section or even make a dummy site, the controls come on. Is that what you mean? I'm using EZSCAN but I-Scan is pretty much the same.

 

[nosoup4u]

Thanks for explaining, I never noticed the settings box grayed out unit now.

 

[awal]

I have not heard any news updates lately.... are you still encrypted there or has that been changed? I know a change to non-encryption had been directed but never heard if it took place.

Mark
536HP/HP1e/HP2e/996P2/996XT
996T/396XT(2)/PSR800/PRO668

Yeah, MPD is still scrambled (except for Citywide) - but DCFD is in the clear now.

I must say - PG, AA & MoCo School Bus drivers are an interesting group of folks.

 

[awal]

thanks everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rwier]

Yes, in the photo #2 above I have 23 SITES for the same Statewide Trunked system (Starcom21) if I have only ONE site I'm listening to, the settings for Multi-site threshold are greyed out and you can't change them. Once you add another site through the import section or even make a dummy site, the controls come on. Is that what you mean? I'm using EZSCAN but I-Scan is pretty much the same.

Thanks for fleshing out these "features" of this similar scanner series group. I was totally self centered when I stated "(I highly recommend doing this)" and would like those words to be disregarded. Your answer is a good example of the programming versatility of this scanner group.

 

[marksmith]

Yeah, MPD is still scrambled (except for Citywide) - but DCFD is in the clear now.

I must say - PG, AA & MoCo School Bus drivers are an interesting group of folks.

I listen to the AA school bus drivers occasionally. Blows my mind how they have the base call their home when the kids are not at the stop on time. Then they wait for them. In my day they blew on past if you were not there and that was the end of it. I can't get MoCo or PG from here but I suspect the same incredible level of "service".

Mark
536HP/HP1e/HP2e/996P2/996XT
996T/396XT(2)/PSR800/PRO668

 

[awal]

I listen to the AA school bus drivers occasionally. Blows my mind how they have the base call their home when the kids are not at the stop on time. Then they wait for them. In my day they blew on past if you were not there and that was the end of it. I can't get MoCo or PG from here but I suspect the same incredible level of "service".

Mark
536HP/HP1e/HP2e/996P2/996XT
996T/396XT(2)/PSR800/PRO668

Mark, I work in DC - so I get to hear NoVa School bus drivers as well........poor Arlington Co drivers catch it.........they have incredible patience waiting for kids as they adjust their headphones on their iPhone while strolling to bus. I'm on the9th floor of a building so I can hear everything from Fairfax to Anne Arundel counties.


Actually MoCo & PG are not too bad.

 

[scanhopkins]

Speaking as to the 800 only (a cousin to the 668), I achieved a substantial improvement in reception by making the following changes:

Advanced Features > Advanced DSP Settings: > DSP Level Adapt > 52
(I believe the default setting was 64)

Trunked Radio Systems > Trunked System Site Information: > Multi-Site Settings > Site List (select Site) > Low: 15 High 95
(The default settings were Low: 75 and High: 95)

Note: If you set up your TRS as a "Single Site" (I highly recommend doing this), you will need to create a "dummy" second Site (frequencies left at zero) to activate the Multi-Site Settings option.

I first posted this information about three years ago, and a few times since then. Over that time, there have been about three responses indicating improvement and none indicating no effect or worsening of reception.

Personally, I believe that the optimum settings are probably related to one's location, TRS, antenna, etc., and should be determined by individual user experimentation.

I know this is a old post but.. I just got my 668 this morning and was having problems picking up the first few seconds of each transmissions or missing short transmissions altogether And some of the P25 Conv was not coming in at all. I applied these settings and it fixed my P25 trunk systems and P25 Conv.. It now works perfect. So if anyone has these issues try his method.

Thanks.