APX 8000 Scan Issue

[Christopher_Derienzo]

Hello,

I have been tasked with programming APX 8000s for my department. Recently we were on a county-trunked 400mhz system and the company trunked 300mhz system and I was able to multi-system scan between both systems. Recently, the county switched to a 700mhz trunked system and when I changed the scan list from the old (400mhz) channel to the new (700mhz) channel the radio does not pick up the new channel or the old one (depending on the selector knob channel). I am only scanning the two channels (county response (700) and our dispatch (300)) and it is the only scan list programmed. No other settings have been changed besides moving zones around (the zone is correct in the scan list) and there are no errors in the Codeplug. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[GTR8000]

300 MHz in Bergen County? Unlikely. Park Ridge FD operates on 154/155 MHz VHF, not "300 MHz". Are you referring to the Bergen County trunked system that is migrating users from the T-Band cell over to the 700 MHz cell?

 

[Christopher_Derienzo]

300 MHz in Bergen County? Unlikely. Park Ridge FD operates on 154/155 MHz VHF, not "300 MHz". Are you referring to the Bergen County trunked system that is migrating users from the T-Band cell over to the 700 MHz cell?

Negative, it is for the company I work for within Morris County.

 

[GTR8000]

Okay, I know which systems you're referring to now.

So Morris County switched from T-Band to 700 MHz, and you're having trouble getting the existing scan list to scan the new 700 MHz cell + the 380 system, correct?

 

[Christopher_Derienzo]

Okay, I know which systems you're referring to now.

So Morris County switched from T-Band to 700 MHz, and you're having trouble getting the existing scan list to scan the new 700 MHz cell + the 380 system, correct?

That is correct. I’ve got it set up so there is only the response channel and our dispatch channel (run by the department dispatch) in the scan list. It is also set up as a Multi-System List.

Thanks

 

[GTR8000]

Which talkgroup is the radio on while scanning? Morris or the Arsenal? Sounds like Arsenal Dispatch TG 10, which it does receive, but no activity coming across Morris Fire 2 TG 30210, is that correct? What happens when you switch to the Morris TG, do you hear activity on that talkgroup?

 

[Christopher_Derienzo]

Which talkgroup is the radio on while scanning? Morris or the Arsenal? Sounds like Arsenal Dispatch TG 10, which it does receive, but no activity coming across Morris Fire 2 TG 30210, is that correct? What happens when you switch to the Morris TG, do you hear activity on that talkgroup?

So far I have only been able to test while on Arsenal Dispatch TG 10, it will not receive Fire 2 30210. While the selector switch is on Fire 2 I am able to hear activity on that TG. I know the Arsenal Dispatch channel works, just haven't been able to verify if it works on scan with the selector switch on Fire 2

 

[GTR8000]

Okay gotcha, so if the channel knob is on Fire 2 you do hear activity on that talkgroup, it's just an issue with scanning it. Are you sure that the radio is actually in scan while on your dispatch talkgroup? You see the Z indicator, correct?

 

[Christopher_Derienzo]

Correct and correct. The channels work respectively, just not while scanning. I do see the ‘Z’ emblem on the radio on both channels.

We do have a reception issue with the new county system, but while standing outside next to someone transmitting on Fire 2, the scan does not pick up Fire 2 while the radio is scanning on our Dispatch… I know there is a normal delay during multi-system scan, but I don’t think it would miss the entire transmission (depending on length).

Thanks for the help so far!

 

[GTR8000]

Yeah, very odd, something is not quite right. I think you had better find someone local who is familiar with APX CPS and have them look at the codeplug. This is affecting multiple radios that all use the same codeplug?

 

[Christopher_Derienzo]

Yeah, very odd, something is not quite right. I think you had better find someone local who is familiar with APX CPS and have them look at the codeplug. This is affecting multiple radios that all use the same codeplug?

Yeah definitely.. I have a feeling that it could be because 99% of the time the radio is one bar or no bars but not out of range on the 700 system.. but I will definitely be taking your advice.

Thank you for your help!

 

[KevinC]

Yeah definitely.. I have a feeling that it could be because 99% of the time the radio is one bar or no bars but not out of range on the 700 system.. but I will definitely be taking your advice.

Thank you for your help!

Just something to check. Is your digital modulator set to CQPSK?

 

[KevinC]

Just something to check. Is your digital modulator set to CQPSK?

But I’ll admit I’m not 100% clear on what the issue is, so this may not apply at all.

 

[Christopher_Derienzo]

I will have to check in the morning.. where would that be? Under the Trunked System? Or in the personality?

Thanks

 

[GTR8000]

Kevin brings up a good point. Make sure the Morris County system is set for CQPSK in the Trunking System profile (Digital section)

Also, check the System Search Time in Scan Wide, make sure it's only 2 or 3 seconds. That parameter determines the dwell time on each control channel when there is no voice traffic.

 

[Christopher_Derienzo]

Kevin brings up a good point. Make sure the Morris County system is set for CQPSK in the Trunking System profile (Digital section)

Also, check the System Search Time in Scan Wide, make sure it's only 2 or 3 seconds. That parameter determines the dwell time on each control channel when there is no voice traffic.

Sounds good, I will verify in the morning.

Thank you for all the help

 

[Christopher_Derienzo]

Kevin brings up a good point. Make sure the Morris County system is set for CQPSK in the Trunking System profile (Digital section)

Also, check the System Search Time in Scan Wide, make sure it's only 2 or 3 seconds. That parameter determines the dwell time on each control channel when there is no voice traffic.

Both are set correctly. I adjusted the system search time from 2 to 3 seconds to see if it just needs to hang on the channel for an extra second. Hopefully there is some usage on those channels today.

Thanks for your help!

 

[junior71]

Both are set correctly. I adjusted the system search time from 2 to 3 seconds to see if it just needs to hang on the channel for an extra second. Hopefully there is some usage on those channels today.

Thanks for your help!

I’ve found 3 to be the best. That may fix the problem.

 

[Christopher_Derienzo]

Kevin brings up a good point. Make sure the Morris County system is set for CQPSK in the Trunking System profile (Digital section)

Also, check the System Search Time in Scan Wide, make sure it's only 2 or 3 seconds. That parameter determines the dwell time on each control channel when there is no voice traffic.

So I got to play around with the radio a little more. If I put the selector switch to MC Fire 2 and key up Dispatch, it hears it. When the selector switch is on Dispatch and I key up Fire 2 it does not hear it and doesn’t switch to that channel.

We can utilize the method that works, but it is not ideal. Any ideas?

 

[GTR8000]

I suspect there is an issue with the codeplug. Did the county put the new 700 MHz talkgroups in the radio, or did you? Something is not jiving up here. Do you guys have a system key for 4BA or no? Just wondering if you're able to actually edit the Morris system or if you're restricted to whatever is already in the codeplug, and can only shuffle things around in the zones and scan list.