BCD325P2/BCD996P2: BCD325P2 not stopping on TG's

[7Y00PER]

My BCD325P2 seems to be skipping past TG's that are being used. I'm scanning 2 sites that are close to me, and often enough, it will keep scanning even though there is talking on a TG. I'm wondering if any of the settings in the General Settings of Proscan (Digital Response Time, P25 Threshold etc) could help it stop on the active TG instead of scanning past them

 

[jasonhouk]

My BCD325P2 seems to be skipping past TG's that are being used. I'm scanning 2 sites that are close to me, and often enough, it will keep scanning even though there is talking on a TG. I'm wondering if any of the settings in the General Settings of Proscan (Digital Response Time, P25 Threshold etc) could help it stop on the active TG instead of scanning past them

What you’re describing is usually more related to scan timing and simulcast / decode behavior than the actual TG itself being skipped.

A few things to look at on the BCD325P2:

• Site Hold Time:
  • If you’re scanning multiple sites, the radio may simply leave the site before activity appears.
  • Try increasing Hold Time slightly on the busier site.
• Simulcast distortion:
  • The 325P2 is not an SDS series scanner, so simulcast can absolutely cause the scanner to miss or partially decode active TGs even when you can hear traffic present.
  • Sometimes the scanner sees RF activity but cannot properly decode the control or voice data quickly enough to stop.

Also important:
If both sites carry the same TGs, scanning both can actually slow things down and increase missed calls. Try locking out one site temporarily and test performance.

Another big one:

• Avoid scanning too many departments / service types / systems at once.
• The 325P2 scans relatively fast, but if the scan list is large, short transmissions get missed easily.

I would personally start with:

• P25 Threshold Manual = 8
• P25 Wait Time = 0
• Test ONE site only
• Compare decode quality before changing anything else

That usually tells you pretty quickly whether the issue is decode-related or simply scan timing.

 

[7Y00PER]

I'm in Houghton Michigan, and am close to the Houghton, and Michigan Tech towers (both 5 bar signal). Typically, it receives much better than the old PRO2096 (which would typically keep scanning and not stop), but today it seems like the 325P2 is the one that should be working better. A few times during a long transmission, it would stop on the 3rd or 4th cycle, and others it doesn't... and some it stops on it almost instantly. I'll try your suggestions and see if it helps at all.. Thank you

 

[I_Am_Infinite]

Houghton county has like 6 towers and I don't think from quick glance any are simulcast. The 2 towers you listed, that your close to are not simulcast towers. So it shouldn't be simulcast issue.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

it will keep scanning even though there is talking on a TG.

Have you turned off close call & other Priority Modes?

 

[Ronaldski]

Be sure to NOT have the voice frequencies programmed and only the red control frequencies listed the the database.

https://www.radioreference.com/db/sid/100

You probably have each tower as a separate site?
Check the squelch and set it to 2 for most sensitive.

This is NOT a simulcast issue as there's no simulcast from the middle of the lower peninsula and north in MI.

 

[7Y00PER]

Have you turned off close call & other Priority Modes?

Yes, they both are off

 

[7Y00PER]

Be sure to NOT have the voice frequencies programmed and only the red control frequencies listed the the database.

https://www.radioreference.com/db/sid/100

You probably have each tower as a separate site?
Check the squelch and set it to 2 for most sensitive.

This is NOT a simulcast issue as there's no simulcast from the middle of the lower peninsula and north in MI.

Each tower is separate, with just the CC's. Changing the P25 threshold to 8 (was on auto) seemed to work, but I'll keep doing comparisons to verify for sure

 

[wtp]

Mr. PER, i sent a couple of PMs to you. look to the top right of this page.

 

[dmfalk]

I don't know if this is applicable, but check to see if the talkgroups you're monitoring might've changed their NACs! This happened to me while monitoring conventional (non-trunked) P25 channels locally, as the local PD & FD did just that, which then I used my 100's waterfall to check what happened (I thought they'd moved frequencies without notification), and discovered their NACs were no longer 293. That said, I set NACs to "search". They've changed at least one more time, since.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

I don't know if this is applicable, but check to see if the talkgroups you're monitoring might've changed their NACs! This happened to me while monitoring conventional (non-trunked) P25 channels locally

Not applicable to the OP's case as they're monitoring a trunked radio system & can hear some transmissions but not others...

 

[ve1sef]

Any chance your priority or weather priority has been turned on?

 

[wtp]

he had answered no to that.

 

[bearcatrp]

My 325P2 used to be pretty good on P25. With more simulcast towers erected around me, mine is now deaf. Even sent it in to uniden to have it checked out. No problems noted. Wasted $109 on that. Only thing good now is airband and DMR. Pretty much useless on P25.

 

[cg]

if you are only monitoring the single trunked site, try setting the squelch to 0.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

if you are only monitoring the single trunked site, try setting the squelch to 0.

More like 1 or 2...

 

[buddrousa]

Do you have any other Towers or Transmitters near you could be desense