BCD996XT help. Single P25 NAC system programming

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Hillside1

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One of the local towns uses a single frequency P25 NAC system. I've tried programming
it into the 996XT but think I'm missing something. Not hearing anything. Can someone
walk me through the steps? I've tried using online manuals but my comprehension is at
a low at the moment. Thanks
 

RBMTS

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You can just enter the frequency and the scanner will decode the P25 (as long as it isn't encrypted). You really don't need a NAC.

If you want to program in the known NAC, here is the process (snip courtesy of Mark's Easier To Read manual):
Set Audio Type (conventional/Motorola only) choose 'Digital Only' or 'Analog Only' according to the signal type. Select 'All' if this channel might contain both digital and analog signals.


Notes: If you are sure the channel is analog, set the channel to 'Analog Only'. This will prevent the 'P25 Waiting Time' for the conventional system or Motorola site from losing the first part of the transmission up to the wait time you set there. You will not see CTCSS/DCS/NAC tones for conventional channels in the display (mode 2) with the 'Audio Type' set to 'All'.


Scroll to 'Set Audio Type' and press E/●.
Scroll to one of three options and press E/●.
All - The scanner automatically determines whether the audio is analog or digital.


Digital Only - The scanner will receive the channel only if it is carrying APCO 25 digital audio.


At 'P25 NAC Option' (conventional only) scroll to 1 of 2 options and press E/●.
Search - the scanner searches and displays any NAC tone with the transmission.
Set P25 NAC - allows you to program a NAC code. See Entering Text.


Note: you can also store a (blinking) NAC code in when receiving a frequency in scan mode by pressing E/●.
 

Hillside1

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So I program it as a conventional system? Then program the frequency, after naming the system & site. And if I leave the audio as "All" it should start receiving?
 

N9JIG

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If you program it as a conventional system you will not have a chance to program a Site, these are used only used on trunking systems.

If you program it as a single freq trunked then you will be able to see radio ID's etc. that are often used on single channel P25 systems.
 

RBMTS

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I'm assuming that this is a frequency that a department or service is using and their communications are using P25, correct? If not, and this is a trunking system, then the process is completely different.

If you just want to listen to that one frequency, you can enter it via the keyboard and perform a Quick Save. It will save it to a special memory location. Then you can tweak it for NAC if you so desire.

If you want to actually create a group and channel, follow the directions in the manual (or look up Mark's Easy To Read manual).
An alternative would be to download the FreeScan and enter the group and channel that way (providing you have the cable).

The real point I was making in my original post was that you could just enter the frequency and the scanner would know if the comms were analog or P25. You don't necessarily need the NAC to listen to P25.
 

N9JIG

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Sorry, I meant group and channel
Yes, to put it in the radio normally it would be added to a Conventional Group as a Channel.

You could create a P25 Single Channel Trunked system and add this frequency to a Site, set the system to ID Search. This would allow you to see the radio ID's and if they use Talkgroups. It is a little more complicated but it can be helpful. Like Randy said, look at Marks Scanenrs page for details on how to do it either way.

 

TangoBlue

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Is there a benefit of defining the NAC for the site? I have STARCOM21 programmed here in IL, and I see each time it defaults to searching for NAC. I only see the different of NAC values when I switch sites. I assume if I set a NAC that would only allow non-encrypted TGIDs to come across? In other words setting the NAC will block encrypted ones since I can't decode them anyways?
 
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Is there a benefit of defining the NAC for the site? I have STARCOM21 programmed here in IL, and I see each time it defaults to searching for NAC.
The only benefit of programming NAC is to exclude certain units of one NAC and include units of another NAC you want to hear.

That's IF NAC is used on the system.
 

hiegtx

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Is there a benefit of defining the NAC for the site? I have STARCOM21 programmed here in IL, and I see each time it defaults to searching for NAC. I only see the different of NAC values when I switch sites. I assume if I set a NAC that would only allow non-encrypted TGIDs to come across? In other words setting the NAC will block encrypted ones since I can't decode them anyways?
On Uniden's SDS series scanner, setting a NAC for the site inhibits reception of another trunked site using one or more of the same frequencies. Depending on your location, you might be 'in between' two sites, or either the same system or different ones, that use the duplicates. While this is no longer the case, as both systems have changed and no frequencies are currently shared, several years back I would sometimes hear TGIDs from one system, but on the other system. I'm roughly equal distance from the two sites used at that time.

It has nothing to do regarding encrypted TGIDs. Unless those IDs are avoided (locked out), the scanner would still briefly stop on them, then once it has recognized the signal is encrypted, it will move on.
 
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