396XT Reception Poor

[infohou]

I'm going to venture your radio works as designed. Very few radios work well on simulcast.You are also trying to listen to a site that wasn't designed for in-building or in-vehicle coverage...double whammy.

I can only speak for myself and my BCD436HP, but it works quite well on the system you are trying to monitor.

Ok, but if that first part is true then Uniden should recall them all and fix them or stop selling them.

As for the second part, I hope that is true of mine in whatever year it is shipped to me.

BTW, you should maybe spend your time on Linkedin more productively;-)

I am planning on sitting out front when it cools down more tonight and try the 396xt outside.

'Preciate it Kevin

 

[infohou]

hold time is how long it stays on a system. this wil cause the 4 bar to 0 bar thing but only when there is no transmission
however the delay time can be changed to a negative number that will make the radio scan (drop out)
so make sure that they are set to a good number like 2 and are not negative.

Wondered why nobody mentioned it. I thought maybe it did not matter on a P25 system.

I will check, thanks,
Robert

 

[infohou]

Can you post a link to the system you are attempting to monitor?

Don't know about a link, but it is the Houston, TX P25 systems for Police and Fire. I uploaded a config that KevinC left in a thread for someone else.

Thanks,
Robert

 

[infohou]

I don't think anyone mentioned checking the squelch level.

Yep they did and I have tried 0, 1, and 2.

Thanks ,
Robert

 

[KevinC]

hold time is how long it stays on a system. this wil cause the 4 bar to 0 bar thing but only when there is no transmission
however the delay time can be changed to a negative number that will make the radio scan (drop out)
so make sure that they are set to a good number like 2 and are not negative.

Wondered why nobody mentioned it. I thought maybe it did not matter on a P25 system.

I will check, thanks,
Robert

You can't set this to a "negative" number. Not even sure how that would work??

Simulcast will do exactly what you are seeing, full bars to no bars.

 

[KevinC]

Don't know about a link, but it is the Houston, TX P25 systems for Police and Fire. I uploaded a config that KevinC left in a thread for someone else.

Thanks,
Robert

It's this system...

Texas Wide Area Radio Network (TxWARN) Project 25 Trunking System, Various, Texas - Scanner Frequencies

Specifically site 03-005.

 

[infohou]

You can't set this to a "negative" number. Not even sure how that would work??

Simulcast will do exactly what you are seeing, full bars to no bars.

So 'bought to head to the front yard but before I do can you point me to a good doc that explains what is simulcast with regards to the P25 system? Simulcast has traditionally meant broadcasting the same thing on two different frequencies. Is the configuration of the P25 system such that one must receive two frequencies at once? If so, why?

Thanks again,
Robert

 

[KevinC]

So 'bought to head to the front yard but before I do can you point me to a good doc that explains what is simulcast with regards to the P25 system? Simulcast has traditionally meant broadcasting the same thing on two different frequencies. Is the configuration of the P25 system such that one must receive two frequencies at once? If so, why?

Thanks again,
Robert

Check these out...

Simulcast - The RadioReference Wiki

Simulcast digital distortion - The RadioReference Wiki

 

[wtp]

negative

delay time set to 2 will hold after a squelch break for 2 seconds
if it is set for -2 it only stays on for 2 seconds for the transmission to give you a sample of the transmission.
delay times 30,10,5,2,1,0,-2,-5,-10,

 

[KevinC]

hold time set to 2 will hold after a squelch break for 2 seconds
if it is set for -2 it only stays on for 2 seconds for the transmission to give you a sample of the transmission.

You are thinking of delay, not system hold. System hold has no negative setting.

 

[ofd8001]

Simulcast has traditionally meant broadcasting the same thing on two different frequencies. Is the configuration of the P25 system such that one must receive two frequencies at once?

This is incorrect.

Simulcasting is the simultaneously broadcasting of the same frequency on two (or more sites) at the same time.

The links mentioned above will give you more detailed information and possible solutions.

In a nutshell, your scanner is receiving multiple sites and is having trouble understanding what it hears. This is like two people talking to you at the same time - it's tough to understand what you hear and you miss things.

 

[KevinC]

Hey Uniden person, Thanks for stepping in. I counted and it is not a regular interval.

To restate, I can have a four bar signal form HPD or HFD that just drops. I am thinking it has a bad capacitor or something. Disappointing, cause as I stated, the 436 is not available

delay time set to 2 will hold after a squelch break for 2 seconds
if it is set for -2 it only stays on for 2 seconds for the transmission to give you a sample of the transmission.
delay times 30,10,5,2,1,0,-2,-5,-10,

See where he states it's not a regular interval.

 

[wtp]

yep

but how do you time "10-4" if it is set to five as one or 5 ?

 

[KevinC]

but how do you time "10-4" if it is set to five as one or 5 ?

Ok, I'm not here to argue.

 

[infohou]

This is incorrect.
<stuff removed>

Or not. Before stereo television broadcasts, in the seventies ABC's In Concert was simulcast. This consisted of Video and audio over broadcast TV and audio also over a stereo FM station. In Houston, channel 13 had the video/audio and KLOL (I think) had the audio. It was even sometimes in sync.

But I do understand the way the term is used now. Another one is SQ. On the Hoffman forums folks use SQ to mean Sound Quality. However, SQ is (was?) a trademarked term for a quadraphonic system used for LPs and even broadcast.

"Check these out...

Simulcast - The RadioReference Wiki

Simulcast digital distortion - The RadioReference Wiki"

Thanks, will do.

"Originally Posted by wtp View Post
hold time set to 2 will hold after a squelch break for 2 seconds
if it is set for -2 it only stays on for 2 seconds for the transmission to give you a sample of the transmission."

Set that to 2, went outside with the radio, no difference.

So I give up. 396xt will go back to Radio Shack hopefully this weekend. Good excuse to go to the Houston version of Katz Deli. Good grub!

Let me say again that I very much appreciate all the help this group has given me. This IS very frustrating as I bought a 106 then the system changed. The I finally buy the 396xt and it does not work well. On top of all of that, the EXPENSIVE 436HP is on backorder.

But then again it is mostly a First World problem and I shall endeavor to be patient.

Y'all take care,
Robert