BCD325P2 not working on Middlesex County P25 system

[ion_op]

Hi,

I just bought a BCD325P2 add P25 Phase 2 capability. Using FreeScan and EZGRAB I created a P25 Standard system and created two sites, Sayerville and County simulcasts. Using ID search I'm not hearing any traffic. I programmed Somerset county the same way and that works fine. What am I doing wrong?

Tnx,

Mike

 

[wtp]

simulcast is the problem.
the SDS radios handle it better.

 

[ion_op]

I did see TG 19101 Sayreville PD dispatch but that's encrypted.

 

[tvengr]

When scanning the Middlesex County system, do you see the control channel frequency displayed? If you see NFM, the scanner is having problems detecting the control channel, most likely due to simulcast distortion. You can try turning on the attenuator to see if that helps. The database says that the county is beginning to migrate to the new system. A local will be able to advise how much activity there is.

 

[GM]

The BCD325P2 has a lot of trouble trunk tracking the Middlesex County 700 system because of the simulcast distortion, along with the fact that the backbone (core) of the system is Harris built. For some reason, scanners seem to have a tougher time trunk tracking a Harris built P25 Trunked radio system, compared to a Motorola built (backbone/core) P25 trunked system. I had a BCD325P2 scanner for a few years, and while it's an excellent scanner, it doesn't seem to work as well as the newer Uniden SDS100 or the better built Unication G4-G5 series paging units. Also, proximity to any type of cell tower will hinder reception on any system above 512 MHz due to cellular overload in the higher bands on the scanner. Using a Unication series pager eliminates this interference altogether and is greatly reduced using an SDS100 based on my experience over the past 2 years.

 

[lovescanner2017]

i had that scanner for a while it is a good one but i always got finding control channel the sds 100 is much better

 

[mshumeyk]

Using a Unication series pager eliminates this interference altogether and is greatly reduced using an SDS100 based on my experience over the past 2 years.

Agree 100%. Although I've not monitored the Middlesex system I have found the Unication G5 and Uniden SDS100 perform much better on simulcast systems in general than the BCD325P2 and BCD436HP. Yes they can do ok on simulcast if you are in a good location but poorly or not at all in some locations. It was frustrating to not be able to hear a system when I was in the middle of the coverage area yet be able to receive it when I would travel to an adjacent county. If you want dependable reception of simulcast systems regardless of your location in the coverage area you have to go with the SDS100/200 or a Unication. You'll find many posts on this issue in this forum as well as most other state forums.

 

[PM08203]

If that is a Harris system you need every frequency from what I have experienced.

 

[CM1]

Try...Programming in just the main site. Don't program in the Sayreville site at all. Try that, do your search...

 

[NParkNJ]

If that is a Harris system you need every frequency from what I have experienced.

Yea. Harris have the option to use every frequency, primary/alternative CC, and voice as the CC.
Wayne P25 TRS is a great example of this. The CC’s regular rotate. For awhile its been on an alternate CC, but in the past has regularly rotated around.

 

[mdsxfire]

that was my first scanner when i learned my dept was going to this system 3 years ago, i live less that a mile as the bird flies from the county tower in town and it very rarely locked onto the CC and when it did what i picked up was mostly garbled, returned the scanner bought a unication G5 and never looked back.

 

[CM1]

Oh yeah, the performance of a Unication unit (I have a G4) on this system amazing.

 

[ion_op]

For the Middlesex site it rarely if at all does it lock. Always see NFM. For Sayreville it does lock but I only heard one transmission I think from Sayreville FD. I have two sites so I tried one at a time and it didn't help. ATT didn't help. I've put all the CC's into each site. My primary scanner has been a Pro-106 but since Somerset PD R4 when Phase 2 I needed to upgrade. Phase 2 can sound good on the 325 but PD R4 is only on 700. PD R3 uses both UHF and 700. If I listen to them on UHF they sound pretty good but the dispatcher audio level is much lower than the partol units. Somerset county Sheriff sound good when on UHF. RWJ/AH on NJICS sounds horrible. SP phase 1 on NJICS is ok. It appears Phase 2 is more difficult for the 325 to handle than Phase 1 maybe because of TDMA vs FDMA. I'm using the Whistler 800MHz rubber duck. I bought the 325 from Amazon so I could take advantage of returning it if it doesn't work out. I like the scanner. Small and very portable but I do have to change the batteries 2-3 times a day and I was aware of that fact prior to purchase. I may keep it or return it and upgrade to a G5. How is the G5 on UHF? I like to listen to Warren/Watchung/FDNY and some of local conventional/paging frequencies. I'm aware I won't be able to scan both at the same time so I'll be listening primarily to Somerset and when I travel to work it will be NJICS. I'm just up the block from the Rock Ave. site. I may go over there and see if that improves 700MHz phase 2 decoding.

 

[CM1]

I have the older GRE 800 (updated by Whistler). Less than thrilled with it (on Middlesex Co & NJ-ICS) here. I'll be curious to hear results/opinions.

 

[mshumeyk]

I may keep it or return it and upgrade to a G5. How is the G5 on UHF?

The Unication units perform well on UHF. I have used them on UHF P25P2 trunked, UHF conventional analog and UHF DMR, with excellent performance on all. I have a G3 which I use in my current home region as well as our home in NJ where I need conventional VHF and UHF. Our UHS P25P2 system is in the testing phase and it has no trouble locking the control channel and audio is clear. I also have a G5 that does UHF and 700-800 and that performs equally well even though the G5 stub antenna is 700-800 and the internal antenna is UHF. On the G3 the stub antenna is UHF and the internal antenna is VHF. If you do get a G5 make sure you get the model you want, as there are models that are VHF/700-800 and models that are UHF/700-800. There are actually 4 different UHF/700-800 models with different UHF frequency ranges.

 

[CM1]

Might be slightly off topic...but I'd be curious to hear how well a SDS100 or SDS200 does on this system. Anyone tried one on this particular system?

 

[rr60]

@ion_op Rock Ave is Somerset 500 TRS only. No 700. 700 Somerset TRS signal is from Bridgewater and Watchung at that location.

UHF conventional and UHF TRS performance Uni generally good in region with internal antenna.

I see you know you can’t mixed mode monitor. One or the other, but not both.

I am line of site to several systems. My Uniden x36’s LSM decode performance has been poor on any system since inception. All firmware updates tricks and other gymnastics applied.

 

[GM]

I use an SDS100 on this system and it works almost flawlessly within the County coverage area. I have had a chance to use an SDS100 and Unication G5 in Elizabeth to test coverage inside a high rise apartment building with @lovescanner2017 and the Unication G5 was loud and clear with no audio distortion, while the SDS100 had a tough time picking up the control channel. If you want to monitor just the County system and/or a single band, I recommend the Unication series pagers. If you need multiple band coverage (for me, I need everything from low band to 900 MHz), then I'd recommend an SDS100/200.

 

[ion_op]

Since the G4/G5 only supports 700/800MHz trunking and Somerset county uses both UHF and 700/800 will there be instances that some transmissions will be missed? I notice PD Region 3 is heard mostly on UHF. Are TG's transmitted simultaniously on both UHF and 700 or they can alternate?

 

[62Truck]

Since the G4/G5 only supports 700/800MHz trunking and Somerset county uses both UHF and 700/800 will there be instances that some transmissions will be missed? I notice PD Region 3 is heard mostly on UHF. Are TG's transmitted simultaniously on both UHF and 700 or they can alternate?

G5 is dual band, and can be ordered UHF/7800Mhz or VHF/7800Mhz. The G4 is only 7/800Mhz

The BCD325P2 has a lot of trouble trunk tracking the Middlesex County 700 system because of the simulcast distortion, along with the fact that the backbone (core) of the system is Harris built. For some reason, scanners seem to have a tougher time trunk tracking a Harris built P25 Trunked radio system, compared to a Motorola built (backbone/core) P25 trunked system. I had a BCD325P2 scanner for a few years, and while it's an excellent scanner, it doesn't seem to work as well as the newer Uniden SDS100 or the better built Unication G4-G5 series paging units. Also, proximity to any type of cell tower will hinder reception on any system above 512 MHz due to cellular overload in the higher bands on the scanner. Using a Unication series pager eliminates this interference altogether and is greatly reduced using an SDS100 based on my experience over the past 2 years.

I have no issues with my 996P2, 325P2, 436HP and SDS200 trunk tracking a harris system. The only issue I have with the first 3 is simulcast distortion, but at my location as long as I have those scanners in their "sweet" spot they track fine.