BCD325P2 and TDMA

[kenholden]

Our county just went to Phase 2 and TDMA. I no longer can get the talkgroups. Is the BCD325P2 compatible for TDMA? Do I need to change settings?

 

[wtp]

and the first question is....what agency are you trying to hear ?

 

[kenholden]

Montgomery County MD Fire and Rescue

 

[sallen07]

Is the BCD325P2 compatible for TDMA? Do I need to change settings?

The BCD325P2 *can* decode TDMA, but unfortunately most Phase 2 systems are simulcast, and the 325P2 does very poory on simulcast systems.

 

[kenholden]

I have a HomePatrol 2 and it picks up the talkgroups up just fine.

 

[hiegtx]

Our county just went to Phase 2 and TDMA. I no longer can get the talkgroups. Is the BCD325P2 compatible for TDMA? Do I need to change settings?

The 325P2 can handle a P25 Phase II (TDMA) system. There are no specific settings that you need to change for initial use. However, it does not do well on simulcast systems. As wtp has already asked, which system are you trying to receive? If that system is simulcast, you may have problems. If encrypted, no scanner will work.

I have a HomePatrol 2 and it picks up the talkgroups up just fine.

If the HP-2 picks up the system, then the 325P2 should work as well. The Home Patrol does not do well in simulcast either, but if it is working for you, then it appears that you do not have simulcast issues.

 

[sfb88]

Montgomery County MD Fire and Rescue

FYI, this thread may be of interest. Montgomery County PSSM Program update

 

[tvengr]

Is the BCD325P2 compatible for TDMA? Do I need to change settings?

What programming software are you using for the BCD325P2?

 

[kenholden]

ARC XT

 

[dave3825]

Our county just went to Phase 2 and TDMA. I no longer can get the talkgroups. Is the BCD325P2 compatible for TDMA? Do I need to change settings?

I have a HomePatrol 2 and it picks up the talkgroups up just fine.

That scanner is capable so if your home patrol is receiving talk groups then its safe to rule out encryption. If you had the county programmed into the 325, as @tvengr asked, what did you use to program it and how was it programmed?

 

[tvengr]

Here is an ARC-XT file for Montgomery Co Fire. Save the attached zipped file to your computer and extract. Open the extracted file with ARC-XT and Upload to Scanner. System quick key is 1. Group quick keys as follows:

1. MontCo Fire Ops

2. MontCo Fire Misc

3. MontCo EMS/Hosp

4. MontCo Interop

 

[ke4crc]

I was trying to receive Hernando Co. & Orange County Fla. and wasn't receiving them. they are not p-2 but for some reason, it wouldn't follow the trunking until I turned on the UID (unit Id.) then it started working fine

 

[tvengr]

I was trying to receive Hernando Co. & Orange County Fla. and wasn't receiving them. they are not p-2 but for some reason, it wouldn't follow the trunking until I turned on the UID (unit Id.) then it started working fine

That makes no sense at all. On a scanner, unit ID's merely display equipment numbers such as engine # or car #. It has absolutely nothing to do with the talkgroup ID's (TGID's) used to select talkgroups on a trunked system. What model scanner are you using?

 

[ke4crc]

What model scanner are you using?

I agree didn't make sense to me either but it seems to work for whatever reason (BCD 352p2)

 

[kenholden]

Here is an ARC-XT file for Montgomery Co Fire. Save the attached zipped file to your computer and extract. Open the extracted file with ARC-XT and Upload to Scanner. System quick key is 1. Group quick keys as follows:

1. MontCo Fire Ops

2. MontCo Fire Misc

3. MontCo EMS/Hosp

4. MontCo Interop

Thank you for the file. It doesn't seem to open up. Computer is looking for an app to open it up. I moved the file to the Butel folder but nothing will open it. Any suggestions?

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

And simulcast distortion rears its ugly head once again. Sell that 325P2, use the proceeds towards purchase of an SDS100, you will NOT be disappointed

 

[dave3825]

Thank you for the file. It doesn't seem to open up. Computer is looking for an app to open it up. I moved the file to the Butel folder but nothing will open it. Any suggestions?

Save the attached zipped file to your computer and extract. Open the extracted file with ARC-XT and Upload to Scanner.

Pretty sure you need to use Arc to open the extracted file.

 

[fxdscon]

Thank you for the file. It doesn't seem to open up. Computer is looking for an app to open it up. I moved the file to the Butel folder but nothing will open it. Any suggestions?

That file opens fine with ARC-XT. Be sure you are extracting (un-zipping) the file from the zipped download before trying to open it.

After extracting the zipped file, start ARC-XT, choose... File --> Open System, and select the extracted file (Montgomery Fire.rsf).

 

[kenholden]

And simulcast distortion rears its ugly head once again. Sell that 325P2, use the proceeds towards purchase of an SDS100, you will NOT be disappointed
View attachment 102577

Thank you for the tip. That's probably the best solution I've heard. I did buy a Home Patrol 2 which works fine, but I may try out the SDS100.

 

[tvengr]

I have no problem opening the file with ARC-XT. Before opening the file with ARC-XT, locate the zipped file you saved in the Downloads folder of the File Explorer. Right click on the file and Extract All. You must extract the file from the zipped folder first. Click Open on ARC-XT and Open the extracted file (Montgomery Fire.rsf) in the Downloads folder.