796d problems

[ve3zo]

I have a 796d that I am working on for a friend and I am having some issues with it. The scanner is not decoding the Detroit and OPP system, it is however trunking the analog systems. The Ambulance is on the same system as the OPP and I am hearing it fine.
I have noticed that it doesn't even lock on the Detroit control channel.

Please help if possible.

P.S. I did the firmware update.


Thanks
Chris
VE3CTP

 

[seamusg]

I have a 796d that I am working on for a friend and I am having some issues with it. The scanner is not decoding the Detroit and OPP system, it is however trunking the analog systems. The Ambulance is on the same system as the OPP and I am hearing it fine.
I have noticed that it doesn't even lock on the Detroit control channel.

Please help if possible.

P.S. I did the firmware update.


Thanks
Chris
VE3CTP

Unless you have a very good antenna or are in the City of Detroit you're not going to get tower 701 very well. See the many post on site 701 for more info.

 

[rhutch]

Is the digital card turned on?

 

[ve3zo]

It is currently connecto an outside antenna and yes thae card is on.

 

[ve3zo]

It is connected to an outside antenna and the card is on.

 

[MacombMonitor]

Make sure you've downloaded, and installed the most recent firmware upgrade from the Uniden web site. Be sure to actually read, and follow the instructions accurately!

Also be sure to set that bank for "PLAN 2", as described on page 45 (I think) of your manual.

 

[seamusg]

I have noticed that it doesn't even lock on the Detroit control channel.

Please help if possible.

P.S. I did the firmware update.


Thanks
Chris
VE3CTP

If you've done the firmware update and can't lock on the control channel for site 701, you're most likely not receiving it. The signal for site 701 is designed to not go outside of the City. I get it very choppy on my 796 and loose the CC often. Try some othe sites on the MPSCS system, the Northville tower comes in real well for me and I'm down the road from the Mt. Clemens tower. My PRO96 acts about the same as the 796 on site 701 the only one I know who can get site 701 any good from outside Detroit is K8PBX and he has a 35ft Tower, a high gain antenna and very low loss cable.

 

[ve3zo]

OPP is working fine. I can hear the Detroit control channel and but the radio still will not track the system.

Chris

 

[seamusg]

OPP is working fine. I can hear the Detroit control channel and but the radio still will not track the system.

Chris

I put Tower 701 back in my 796 and I get the system very choppy and had to set the squelch to zero to get anything also tried it on the PRO96 and it was also very choppy. If you could zip a copy of your scanner file and attach it here, we could look at it to see if there is something wrong.

 

[ve3zo]

Here is the file. I still need to add some trunk id's to the Detroit bank.


thanks
Chris

 

[ve3zo]

I am starting to wonder if this is a sound quality issue.


Chris

 

[n8chb]

I have a 796d that I am working on for a friend and I am having some issues with it. The scanner is not decoding the Detroit and OPP system, it is however trunking the analog systems. The Ambulance is on the same system as the OPP and I am hearing it fine.
I have noticed that it doesn't even lock on the Detroit control channel.

Please help if possible.

P.S. I did the firmware update.


Thanks
Chris
VE3CTP

Hi Chris,

Receiving the Detroit system with a scanner can be very difficult but not impossible. The system has multiple transmitters located throughout the city with one control transmitter. All of the antennas are setup with a null-point toward Ontario and Ohio.

It's hard to copy Detroit with an omni directional vertical antnenna and I recommend using a 800MHz mono band directional antenna and experiment on pointing it at one of the transmitter sites. The biggest problem I found receiving the system is from reflected signals out of sync with the true ones. With a good directional antenna you might be able to null out most everything accept one location. Keep in mind you will need to copy the control switching transmitter frequency but as close as you are I don't think that will be a problem.


73,

Roger - n8chb

 

[ve3zo]

Thank you for all you replies, I am starting to hear Detroit P/D come in now. I think I have to adjust the sound quality some more. Now since Detroit has such a large police talkgroup list can I program the system in the scanner twice and have P/D in one system and Fire and EMS in another system


Chris

 

[seamusg]

I am starting to wonder if this is a sound quality issue.


Chris

THe file looks ok, That's the same setup I have. I'm 7 miles from the nearest Detroit tower and it cuts in and out on both scanners. I don't bother with Detroit, since I live in an apartment and can't put up an antenna. I don't think it's a sound quality issue, more of a reception issue. Many people have tried to get Detroit from outside Detroit and have had little luck. The design of the ten towers that makeup Site701 is to keep the signal within the city limits. If you want to hear the MPSCS system, try some of the other towers, they are not setup like site 701. People have had the same trouble with the other Simulcast sites. Remember on a simulcast all sites are transmitting. On site 701 you have ten towers all transmitting the control channel at the same time. From where I'm at the control channel sound more like noise than a good control channel. From where I'm at I can get the City of Windsor ok but can't get Detroit. On MPSCS I get Mt. Clemens, Romeo, Richmond and Northville Towers ok, plus the City of Warren and Wayne Counties system.