Any more PSR-500 firmware updates coming?

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markab

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Hi,
I realize that this would only be speculation, but does anyone think that there will be anymore firmware updates for the 500, or is it more likely, given it's age, that GRE is now focusing on releasing a replacement model? Thanks.

Mark
 

Swipesy

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I know nothing specific but my speculation is that based upon the latest release of the GRE/Radio Shack conventional scanner a new replacement for the PSR 500 is coming with a SD card and some other bells and whistles.
 

Drafin

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Per a suggestion I sent up to the GRE people a few months ago, this was the reply. Take it for what it's worth:

"...I can't promise anything but we may be able to work them into a future firmware update."

and this one as well

"Thanks for the information. We don't have any firmware updates pending but I'll make sure this gets in when the next one comes up."

Draf
 

DonS

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If there was such an update (show RadioIDs for conventional P25), you can bet GRE wouldn't call it a "conventional P25 'system'"; it would probably be described as something like "show RadioIDs and talkgroup IDs for conventional channels which use the P25 CAI".
 

K8TEK

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I would also like to see RIDS on conventional p25 systems.
What system are you talking about? True P25 systems use a 9600bps control channel and they most certainly aren't conventional. Conventional systems don't have RIDs. Do you mean conventional channel with P25 CIA? If so, you want the SoftID, which nobody offers due to licensing issues.
 

SCPD

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What system are you talking about? True P25 systems use a 9600bps control channel and they most certainly aren't conventional. Conventional systems don't have RIDs. Do you mean conventional channel with P25 CIA? If so, you want the SoftID, which nobody offers due to licensing issues.

I mean the same thing as Uniden recently added??
 

K8TEK

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Conventional systems don't use radio ids, so there is nothing to display. You do realize your radio already displays RIDs on Smartnet/Smartzone and P25 systems, don't you?
 

DaveIN

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Actually the Uniden method is working and displaying TGID and individual radio on a single frequency.
From the Uniden UID thread:
I have programmed the Kentucky State Police using P25 single freg method and it works great. The dispatcher displays an ID: 65535 and UID: i160003.I alpha tagged the 65535 and now have dispatcher and mobile units separated. What's strange is all the mobile units show ID: 1 and their UID: ixxxxx. So I guess that the ID # is like a TGID even though the system is not trunked. Also, I have to use a -2 delay to hear both sides of the conversation.
 

K8TEK

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Actually the Uniden method is working and displaying TGID and individual radio on a single frequency.
From the Uniden UID thread:
You do realize TGID stands for talkgroup id. Talkgroups don't exist on conventional systems.
 

UPMan

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Technically, these are trunking systems. Within the standard they are called P25 VDOC (Voice and Data On Control). They support TGID, UID, and Voice all on a single RF channel. Until the new Unidens this type of system could only be monitored in P25 conventional mode and TGID/UID functionality was not supported.
 

brandon

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Here is what GRE support told me regarding conventional systems

Hi Brandon,

At this point the answer is "probably not" because we don't currently decode this part of the conventional digital CAI. We get the individual IDs in trunking from the control channel. For conventional we would have to add some new decoding to what we already do to extract the voice audio, and we don't have enough DSP memory available to add any new functionalities.

Best regards,

Jack
GRE Support Team
 

brandon

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One missing feature that I think desperately needs to be addressed are talkgroup patches, especially for EDACS systems. For example, if you monitor talkgroup 531 and it suddenly gets patched with another, the scanner must be set to listen on 204X otherwise you miss everything.
 

ResQguy

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You do realize TGID stands for talkgroup id. Talkgroups don't exist on conventional systems.

Most Astro & Astro25 (and other P25 compatible) radios are capable of digital conventional talkgroup operation.
 

WayneH

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Conventional systems don't have RIDs. Do you mean conventional channel with P25 CIA? If so, you want the SoftID, which nobody offers due to licensing issues.
Conventional P25 transmissions have radio IDs along with what Motorola started (Soft ID), which the two are completely different. Since it's all packets of data Moto just inserts another one which carries the Soft ID.

The P25 standard specifies this. You'll always have a radio ID and a TG ID, conventional OR trunked.
 
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xjf79

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I second that last comment

Im using an Icom pcr2500 rceiver with the P25 option installed and I see unit id#'s and talkgroup id#'s flash up on the receivers display screen while monitoring a conventional P25 system up here that operates in the 163.mhz band region.
 

SCPD

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One missing feature that I think desperately needs to be addressed are talkgroup patches, especially for EDACS systems. For example, if you monitor talkgroup 531 and it suddenly gets patched with another, the scanner must be set to listen on 204X otherwise you miss everything.

I asked GRE for this a long time ago. I have yet to hear any activity on this one. It is VERY ANNOYING .. and unless you know what is going on you will never know that you are actually missing transmissions.

Uniden scanners have been able to do this since like the BC246T ... it is about time that GRE woke up and fixed this major issue in their scanners.
 
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