BCD396xT & RISCON need help

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LuckyDog10

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I am using Freescan and downloaded the RISCON system from RR.

I see several bars showing I am receiving a signal from the South Simulcast but I am not catching anything. The bars aren't always there. I would expect that when no transmissions.

I have squelch set to 0. I see it doing ID scan and I have tried ID Search.

Nada.

Ideas?
 

JoeyC

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I used this line last night and I think I like it so I'll say it again.

The single most important thing you can do in a forum like this when requesting help is to post your programming file here for people to see if you have in fact programmed it correctly. Otherwise, the back and forth conversation could go on for days and not get you anywhere.
 

cg

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Bars should be there all the time as the scanner is receiving the control channel, just not passing to audio from it. Squelch should be up to at least 2.
File is helpful as well as making sure you firmware is updated in the radio.

chris
 

LuckyDog10

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Thanks for the replies.

I took the radio back to rat shack. I was surprised to see it already had 1.11.01 installed. Then I also noticed the display was a bit fuzzy due to scratches, NOT due to the protective plastic that SHOULD have been on there. :(

Looks like someone did the switch & return thing. Everything else looked new and had factory wrappings.

I verified WX Alert was OFF, Close Call was OFF, Priority Scan was OFF
Squelch was tried at 0, 1, 2, 3, & 4. (Squelch function was verified on conventional systems)

I even tried playing with the "Hidden" P25 adjustments (Press HOLD while turning on the unit).

Decided that it just wasn't worth the effort since the unit was probably / obviously used. I am guessing it was returned because it didn't work correctly.

NOW, do I get another and try again?

When I took it back, the Minister of Finance found out what I paid. :eek: Thank God she's a Saint or I might be seeing the devil tonight.
 

LuckyDog10

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You asked for it...

...
The single most important thing you can do in a forum like this when requesting help is to post your programming file here for people to see if you have in fact programmed it correctly. Otherwise, the back and forth conversation could go on for days and not get you anywhere.

So, I returned the one from RS and bought one from Amazon.

Here is the current settings I am using from Freescan. I downloaded the system/data from scanner; after uploading it from Freescan and letting it run for a spell.

This unit seems to work well on conventional systems but the simulcast is completely silent now. I was farting around with setting and was receiving Providence City Simulcast some what. I am about 15 miles from Providence (Portsmouth, RI). It makes a little sense because I am outside the coverage area and probably just pick up only one tower.

Any ideas after looking at the file?

-Paul
 

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cg

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You have the RI system programmed as a Motorola Type 2 system. It needs to be changed to a P25 Trunked System (not single channel).

chris
 

LuckyDog10

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Progress

I locked out everything but the control frequency for South Simulcast.
I L/O all other systems too.
I tried ID Scan and ID Search. ID Search seems Scan get more hits.

I tried firmware version 1.10.00, but have gone back to 1.11.01

I set the P25 Level to 150, mode to 11.

I am getting ERR rates up to 107. If it is over 50, it is unintelligible.
Squelch is 0 or 1

At least I know I am getting something. I may have to try a RS 800mHz antenna, or a little dipole hanging of the unit. I am sitting between the Portsmouth and Tiverton towers. Maybe a Yagi and attenuation?

I am open to suggestions.
 

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JoeyC

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No need to lock every thing out like you have - makes turning them on and off difficult in the scanner if you do this. It appears you've got the idea of quick keys down so just use the quick key to turn things on and off. You also only need the 4 control channels for each site (in the RISCON), but that is a minor detail that would have no effect on your listening. Not sure messing with P25 levels (if that even matters) is necessary, I'd leave it at the default. How many bars of signal are you getting on these sites?
 

LuckyDog10

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Location Location Location...

... How many bars of signal are you getting on these sites?

For South Simulcast: between 2 and 5, varies pretty wildly.

ProvCity Simulcast: like 2± sometimes 0 and still get sumtin' there

Drove into work this morning with it. Some areas I saw heavy steady signal on South Sim. Audio was pretty good to.

I think I need to work on Location and antenna

So it is good to have all the main and alternate control channels listed for the site (and not L/O) but leave the other channels off the list?
 
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cg

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Some P25 systems can use any frequency for a Control Channel so unless you have no memory available in the scanner (very unlikely), keep them there.

chris
 

ka3jjz

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That's only true for a Harris P25 system, AFAIK. Besides in a true P25 environment, Uniden scanners always default to control channel only trunking so putting in the rest of the channels would likely be a waste of memory space

Mike
 

LuckyDog10

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I am a little confused. (Story of my life :) )

Mike: Control Channel only, does that mean just the "Primary Control" channel or both Primary and Alternate?

I am thinking that when there is a list of Primary and alternate control channels I should be scanning those frequencies looking for the control channel. One of those will be the control channel, all the other frequencies in the list then are just voice channels?

With the Uniden, I have not even started to use my memory. I do want to avoid scanning unnecessary frequencies though.

I really don't like this simulcast stuff. I hear Providence City pretty well. Probably because I am outside the coverage area so only 1 antenna is reaching me. For South Simulcast, I am sitting in-between three antennas.

Maybe I need to build a Yagi and point it at just one?
 

cg

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So how many Control Channels (for a fact) does each system have? Unless the system administrator has submitted the info, you don't know. One of the RISCON sites in the RR database has only three CC listed while the other two have four. Which is correct?
Very few people have used all their memory in the scanners. When a Control Channel only scanner hits an active frequency, it does not look for others in that Site. I would guess that the additional time spent looking for a control channel in 7 frequencies instead of 4 is almost immeasurable.
I would rather put in all the channels and know that I am not going to be left with a deaf scanner.

chris
 
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