BCD396XT firmware 1.11.01 take 2!

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Anderegg

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I have recently made a lot of changes to settings all throughout my 396XT, after deciding to keep it instead of upgrading to a 436HP.....I may still get a 436HP though.

Anyway, when I tried 1.11.01 firmware release previously, I experienced unbelievably severe static bursts and motorboating. Talking like at least half a second of either prior to transmissions, and lots of garbled voice traffic. Well, after altering everything (settings) to what I believe is the absolute best for my needs, I took the chance and hit the little scanner with 1.11.01.

WOW, works great now! Same exact scanner, same San Diego RCS systems, but totally different results. Digital transmissions are not only clear, but the strange subaudible control channel noise at the end of each key off has now been replaced by cool little plops, and dead analog style full quieting hush until the repeater completely drops. I like this a lot better.....the little plops sort of tell me each time the transmitter is un-keying, and I know I am not simply loosing the signal.

My extreme non LSM testing consisted of a distant system, one which was registering 0 bars. When the signal did begin to break up, it's quality was similar to my Motorola Astro at the same amount of signal loss. They both went "digital" to the same extent, although the Motorola can suck in more signal under identical conditions. I have had my 396XT and my Astro locked into the same busy talkgroup for a half hour now, and only on 2-3 transmissions did the 396 begin receiving later than the Astro. On all occasions, the delay in receiving was about 1 second, and this could be contributable to the system hold time expiring as the control channel resets and the signal strength bars blink off and back on. If anyone is interested in a video of an Astro and 1.11.01 396XT receiving the same busy P25 trunked channel for an extended period of time, maybe I can make one and post on YouTube with stereo audio, one channel for each radio.

I am happy enough with this to try putting the new firmware in my 996's as well. I have three installed in the same vehicle sharing the same antenna, through the same multi-coupler. I can put the new firmware in one, and then run it on the same talkgroup as one of the old firmware scanners, and compare the results accurately. Would using the P25 decode error rate screen be a good indication of performance for firmware?

Paul :)
 

JamesO

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So the question is did Uniden change something in the existing 1.11.01 firmware and not release a new version, just update what was on their web site?

Did you have a bad write to the scanner with the original 1.11.01 firmware update?

Did you make changes in the scanner settings that really was the difference?

Or what there a change in the local system you monitor and it coincidentally improved things at the time you "reflashed" the scanner?

I think your in car set up sounds like a great test bed, interested to hear more about what you find.
 

UPMan

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If we changed the firmware, we'd change the firmware number.

A bad write would have resulted in no operation. All write operations are checksum verified.

3 and 4 sound like good possibilities.
 

Anderegg

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For reference, I changed my P25 wait time to 0ms, end code on, auto P25 decode settings. I think the P25 wait time might be the culprit responsible for the static and motorboating. Just wanted to let those who had similar problems know there may be hope yet.

Paul
 

Anderegg

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Other changes I implemented were setting all trunked 800 systems to manual FM mode, each mode manually to it's dedicated analog or digital setting etc. I basically took as much processing out of the scanner as possible, using all known proper settings.

Paul
 
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