BCD325P2/BCD996P2: BCD996P2 Missing Calls On Cap+ Trunking: Side-By-Side Comparison With DSD+

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CanesFan95

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So monitoring Capacity Plus systems with DSD+ fast lane side-by-side next to a BCD996P2 with the DMR upgrade activated is concerning. This is with a 2-dongle setup on DSD+ to monitor DMR Capacity Plus trunking on local systems with a good strong signal. I run the scanner with ProScan on just one system and DSD+ on the exact system system at the same time, to compare.

There have been quite a few times where I can see (and hear) talk groups that show up on DSD+, but the scanner never stops to unmute on the talk group. The scanner just keeps scrolling ID SEARCH, even though I'm sitting there watching DSD+ showing activity (and decoding the voice through the computer speakers).

Sometimes the scanner eventually wakes up after you've already missed something, and you'll hear a "10-4", or "copy that" after missing the first transmission.

So why would the BCD996P2 be missing transmissions that DSD+ is showing on the screen? Either I have something programmed wrong in the scanner, or there's a bug. I use ProScan which tells you what frequency the scanner is physically tuned on. The scanner does appear to properly follow the rest channel. But it doesn't always realize when a talk group is active and it just keeps ID SEARCHing.

Same thing happens if you manually hold on a single Capacity Plus talk group. The scanner misses stuff that DSD+ picks up. Why? Its happening on a couple different systems.
 

CanesFan95

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Here's a screenshot of what I'm talking about. You can see ProScan running on the BCD996P2 next to DSD+ fast lane. This is on a Cap+ system. Notice how the talk group ID 192 (717 Parking Enterprises) is active in the DSD+ Channel Activity window. But the scanner is still displaying "ID SEARCH" and never stops on the talk group. Notice how ProScan shows the scanner is even tuned to 452.8750, the same frequency that the talk group is active on.

So why is this happening? Why doesn't the scanner know that talk group is active?

35206801096_6f769a6ae9_o.png
 

rbrtklamp2

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Maybe they want to get it right on the X36 line of scanners before they go and release a fix for P2 line of scanners. I know what you are talking about and have the same problem just a lower interest in DMR as it's mostly businesses and security that use it around my area. Everything else is pretty much on the the very large NXDN trunking system we have in the Chicago area. Something I was hoping uniden would add to the current line of scanners but when you can't even get DMR working right NXDN is a pretty hopeless point at the moment. Hopefully the DMR stuff will be corrected with a firmware update and not just forgotten about on the P2 line.

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jonwienke

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DMR issues with the x36 line are being actively worked by Uniden, so it's reasonable to expect that the P2 line will get some love too.
 

CanesFan95

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Well, then that's really a shame. The DMR upgrade has been out for a while now, and I guess it's still not really working. Would be nice if they could focus on fixing bugs like this before moving on to making other new products.
 

rbrtklamp2

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Well apparently from what I read the 536HP and 436HP are still missing the advanced features as well and we are well into 4 years after the release date. With that in mind I guess we have to remember these are niche products. There are not many of us scanner and radio enthusiasts left. And I think the main steam companies still producing these products know this. We don't account for as many sales as wireless camera and phone systems do when it comes to uniden. Whistler main market was radar detection if I'm not mistaken. Anyway I think what we are seeing is the death of our hobby and encryption isn't helping. At the end of the day all I really want is my scanner to work properly and decode the digital signals well. That's it just make it work right, something that should have been a attainable goal by now for the scanner manufacturing companies. But I think we are so low on there list we kind of just slip through the cracks so to speak. Which sucks but when you think of what percent of there business we account for it is somewhat understandable. I just wish they could get the Unidens to work properly that's all I want I haven't ventured into whistler territory yet as I have been pretty damn disappointed in 536 and 436HP. But those reasons are for another thread ;) .

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jonwienke

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Are your scanner and the SDRs running off the same antenna, so they all have the same signal input? If not, the test is meaningless.
 

CanesFan95

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No, the test is not meaningless. Because they both have a strong local signal and therefore should work.
 

jonwienke

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Not if one antenna has a bad connection. Use one antenna and a splitter, and swap connectors periodically to verify that all the cabling is good.
 

Bmacs

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2 receivers vs. one

The test is an unfair comparison...

The 2-dongle DSD is a 2 receiver system - one listening CONTINUOUSLY on the control channel, and one that tunes to whatever frequency the TG you are interested in is on.

The Uniden is a SINGLE receiver. It has to decode the control channel, then when a user starts talking, it has to drop the control channel - tune to the channel of interest, then start decoding the new DMR transmission. When that transmission is finished, the scanner has to RETUNE to the control channel and start decoding, waiting for the next user to start talking and begin the process all over again.

The problem arises in that instant of time where the Uniden switches back to the control channel, but hasn't fully locked on yet. If a TG starts going in that interval, the Uniden will NEVER pick it up. The 2-receiver DSD setup would never miss it.

Until someone comes up with a dedicated, portable, 2-receiver scanner, we live with what we have...

Bill
 

Ubbe

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Looks to me as both SDR and scanner have full signal strenght.
The scanner are locked on the frequency where the two slots alternate between being rest channel and carry voice traffic but doesn't react as it should when calls are being set up.

I see similar problems with DMR and 536, it skips call even when locked on the CC channel and drops calls in mid sentence. We have to wait for next test FW to see if there are any improvements being done.

/Ubbe
 

n9mxq

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My 325p2 is the same way.. Monitoring the system at work. I was in the cafeteria with my scanner eating lunch, could hear traffic on one of the Team leader radios a couple tables down, yet my 325 was silent.. Glad it's not just me having issues with DMR. Hopefully a fix will come sometime before the 996p2 and 325p2's are obsolete.. but I'm not holding my breath.
 

rbrtklamp2

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The test is an unfair comparison...

The 2-dongle DSD is a 2 receiver system - one listening CONTINUOUSLY on the control channel, and one that tunes to whatever frequency the TG you are interested in is on.

The Uniden is a SINGLE receiver. It has to decode the control channel, then when a user starts talking, it has to drop the control channel - tune to the channel of interest, then start decoding the new DMR transmission. When that transmission is finished, the scanner has to RETUNE to the control channel and start decoding, waiting for the next user to start talking and begin the process all over again.

The problem arises in that instant of time where the Uniden switches back to the control channel, but hasn't fully locked on yet. If a TG starts going in that interval, the Uniden will NEVER pick it up. The 2-receiver DSD setup would never miss it.

Until someone comes up with a dedicated, portable, 2-receiver scanner, we live with what we have...

Bill
Yeah but if this was the problem why are we not seeing the same problem with p25 phase 2. That also has to drop the call and go back to the control channel to pick up the new voice channel as well but that works perfectly. It's also dual slot same as DMR so I don't buy that the scanner having to return to the control channel is the problem. DMR radios that cover trunking have to do things the same way they have to watch the control channel for a conversation and then depend on the control channel to continually follow the conversation as it grants channels and slots to those radios involved involved in the converstaion. So I don't think DSD constantly monitoring the control has anything to do with how the radio is decoding dmr. If it can handle phase 2 properly which it does it should be able to handle DMR just fine once the bugs are worked out.

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AggieCon

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OP I started a new thread somewhat related, perhaps.

My theory is it's getting bogged down with data calls.
 

kb9hgi

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My 996P2 does the same thing you will here a couple words of the conversation. Sometimes I see it stop gives me the group and Color code but dont hear nothing.I was comparing it with my handheld from work and my 996P2 the hand held is on a duck and my 996P2 is on a ST-2 on the tower 30ft
 

slicerwizard

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Just came across this thread. It's a shame that the OP had to deal with these far from useful responses.


Not if one antenna has a bad connection. Use one antenna and a splitter, and swap connectors periodically to verify that all the cabling is good.

The test is an unfair comparison...

The 2-dongle DSD is a 2 receiver system - one listening CONTINUOUSLY on the control channel, and one that tunes to whatever frequency the TG you are interested in is on.

The Uniden is a SINGLE receiver. It has to decode the control channel, then when a user starts talking, it has to drop the control channel - tune to the channel of interest, then start decoding the new DMR transmission. When that transmission is finished, the scanner has to RETUNE to the control channel and start decoding, waiting for the next user to start talking and begin the process all over again.

The problem arises in that instant of time where the Uniden switches back to the control channel, but hasn't fully locked on yet. If a TG starts going in that interval, the Uniden will NEVER pick it up. The 2-receiver DSD setup would never miss it.

Until someone comes up with a dedicated, portable, 2-receiver scanner, we live with what we have...

Bill

OP I started a new thread somewhat related, perhaps.

My theory is it's getting bogged down with data calls.
 

CanesFan95

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EXACTLY. If you have a good signal on both devices / setups, then they should both WORK if they're designed right.
 

kmi8dy

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perhaps we should all get together and start another law suit. i see uniden has not learned a damn thing after the 536 problems. if the fault lies with the same people they should all be fired including supervisors.
 
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