Best Decoder ?

[Dick33]

Looking to watch a SmartZone system which decoder would you recomend using? I'm gong to purchase the GRE PSR-500 but have others with and without discrim. taps. Thanks for the input.

 

[ve3tej]

I guess it all depends on what you are looking for.


unitrunker and win32 trunk88 do different task are probally the best decoders out right now.

 

[nickburns]

I'm using a Motorola Radius GM300 mobile. No mods needed since it has discriminator audio out on the rear accessory plug. You could probably find one on Ebay for next to nothing.

J

 

[slicerwizard]

Looking to watch a SmartZone system which decoder would you recomend using?

Obviously I'm biased, but Win32 TRUNK88 will show you absolutely everything that a SmartZone site is doing. If there is anything that the program doesn't understand, it will report it to you (rather than just silently ignore it like some decoders do) and if those unknown events are reported to the author, he will do his damndest to get them added in short order. Occasional false decoding (reporting bogus channels, talkgroups, radio IDs) seems to be unavoidable when using some decoders, but elimination of false decodes is one of TRUNK88's primary design goals, so they are generally very rare.


If told to do so, the program will save all activity to log files. The voice comm logs even record the duration of every call:

0:07:17 Group comm: 2 Dist Dispatcher (RID#=41411) on 22-D22 22 Division (TG#=273) [30.6s]
0:07:18 Group comm: Radio 55200 on DAS NW (TG#=1601) [2.8s]
0:07:20 Group comm: PKE Dispatcher (RID#=41646) on 6A-PKE/W (TG#=328) [11.9s]
0:07:21 Radio 13556 affiliated to 8E-FIS (TG#=360)
0:07:25 Secure digital group comm: Radio 19903 on MSS-10 (TG#=1210) [18.5s]


SmartZone-oriented functionality includes a display of all radios currently active on a talkgroup and which radio(s) dragged the talkgroup over to the monitored site:

3:46:42 Current affiliations for (supergroup) 22-D22 22 Division (TG#=273):
3:46:42 +[Radio 19629]
3:46:42 [Radio 65] [Radio 156] [Radio 283] [?22 Div unit (RID#=290)] [Radio 406]
3:46:42 [Radio 445] [Radio 446] [Radio 458] [Radio 472] [2230 (RID#=517)] [Radio 519]
3:46:42 [Radio 587] [Radio 673] [Radio 795] [PDS (RID#=797)] [Radio 820] [Radio 835]
3:46:42 [Radio 892] [Radio 913] [Radio 943] [Radio 954] [Radio 981]
3:46:42 [Radio 1454] [Radio 1813] [Radio 3273] [Radio 3360] [Radio 3482]
3:46:42 [Radio 3562] [Radio 3605] [Radio 3784] [Radio 3840] [Radio 3874]
3:46:42 [Radio 3894] [Radio 4022] [Radio 4403] [Radio 4411] [Radio 4848] [Radio 4872]
3:46:42 [Radio 4906] [Radio 4924] [Radio 4941] [Radio 4968] [Radio 5003]
3:46:42 [Radio 5016] [Radio 5029] [Radio 5103] [2 Dist Dispatcher (RID#=41411)]
3:46:42 48 radios (1 affiliated)

The '+' sign indicates that RID 19629 is the only radio that affiliated to this talkgroup on the monitored zone (East Zone) and is therefore the reason that this west end talkgroup is tying up resources in the east end of the city.


During a stubborn 4 alarm residential fire in the west end on May 26th ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMHImIbtavI ), why was I able to listen in? Because in 12 east end firehalls, crews were firing up portables and keeping apprised of the situation:

22:33:09 Current affiliations for West Command Tac3 (TG#=1317):
22:33:09 +[Radio 25493] +[Radio 25500] +[Radio 26034] +[Radio 26061]
22:33:09 +[Radio 26229] +[Radio 26265] +[Pumper 341 Captain (RID#=26284)] +[Radio 26447]
22:33:09 +[Radio 26609] +[Radio 26627] +[Radio 26778] +[Radio 26809]
22:33:09 [Car 41 (RID#=25004)] [Car 40 (RID#=25031)] [Radio 25044] [Aerial 312 (RID#=25056)] [Radio 25057]
22:33:09 [Radio 25082] [Radio 25167] [Radio 25173] [Radio 25277]
22:33:09 [Radio 25460] [Radio 25499] [Radio 26001] [Pumper 134 Captain (RID#=26002)]
22:33:09 [Pumper 312 (RID#=26016)] [Aerial 423? (RID#=26027)] [A43? Pumper 311 Cptn Chief's Aide 43 (RID#=26028)]
22:33:09 [Chief 47 Car 47 (RID#=26032)] [Radio 26060] [Radio 26065] [Pumper 342 Captain (RID#=26088)]
22:33:09 [Radio 26093] [Radio 26104] [AirLite 421 (RID#=26136)] [Pumper 315 Captain (RID#=26174)]
22:33:09 [Radio 26188] [Radio 26200] [Radio 26242] [Radio 26244]
22:33:09 [Radio 26245] [Radio 26264] [Radio 26269] [Aerial 421 Captain (RID#=26270)]
22:33:09 [Aerial 341 Captain (RID#=26276)] [Radio 26281] [Radio 26283] [Radio 26321]
22:33:09 [Radio 26326] [Radio 26327] [Radio 26335] [Radio 26353]
22:33:09 [Radio 26604] [Radio 26608] [Radio 26741] [Radio 26765]
22:33:09 [Radio 26771] [Radio 26777] [Radio 26789] [Radio 26805]
22:33:09 [Radio 26806] [Radio 26810] [Radio 26815] [Radio 26825]
22:33:09 [Radio 26830] [Radio 26838] [Radio 26846] [Radio 26856]
22:33:09 [Radio 26857] [Radio 26859] [Radio 26860] [Radio 26887]
22:33:09 [Radio 26891] [Radio 26892] [Radio 26900] [Radio 26911]
22:33:09 [Radio 26921] [Radio 38137] [Radio 38154] [Radio 38733]
22:33:09 [Radio 38833] [Radio 38933] [Radio 39633]
22:33:09 83 radios (12 affiliated)

I like to know what is going on and why. TRUNK88 tells me.


If you have two discriminator-tapped receivers and a stereo mic / line in, you can simultaneously monitor two zones or two unrelated systems. Program appearance and audible alerts are also highly configurable. BTW, you can simultaneously run two or more Windows-based decoders off the same audio stream (e.g. you could simultaneously monitor the same system(s) with TRUNK88 and Unitrunker, for example)


End of longwinded sales pitch.

http://home.ica.net/~phoenix/wap/TRUNK88/

I'm gong to purchase the GRE PSR-500 but have others with and without discrim. taps.

A discriminator-tapped receiver feeding a sound card will do the best job; it lets the PC based decoder do the heavy lifting (noise filtering and forward error correction). Too much information is lost when using the PSR-500's OSW dump - from what I've seen, there is no notification given when the scanner is unable to decode an OSW, nor is any indication given when the scanner has used FEC to correct an OSW (if the scanner even does FEC). These two shortcomings will inevitably lead to false event reporting by the decoder application.

 

[DaveNF2G]

Does TRUNK88 do voice scanner control yet?

 

[slicerwizard]

It has always had some form of voice scanner control (for Pro-43's initially, then for the 245XLT and whatever uses the same protocol - 780 and 895?), but the primary focus has been accurate and detailed system analysis, which has held back the voice control side.

More comprehensive voice control will be a lot easier to implement in the Windows version.

 

[SCPD]

It has always had some form of voice scanner control (for Pro-43's initially, then for the 245XLT and whatever uses the same protocol - 780 and 895?),

Andrew - here's the list of two letter "SI" command compatible Uniden models I support.

PRO2052
BC245XLT BC250D BC296D BC780XLT BC785DT BC796D BC895XLT BC898T BCT8
UBC245XLT UBC3300XLT UBC780XLT UBC245XLT UBC3000XLT UBC780XLT UBC3000XLT UBC9000XLT

If you already support one or two - you should be able to cover them all with minimal effort.

 

[SCPD]

The '+' sign indicates that RID 19629 is the only radio that affiliated to this talkgroup on the monitored zone (East Zone) and is therefore the reason that this west end talkgroup is tying up resources in the east end of the city.

My new program displays this information in a different way - but I'll save that for another post.

Andy - are you assuming the radio is still present because you've seen the radio affiliate relatively recently? In other words - how accurate do you believe is your accounting of radios present on the monitored site? I recall this conversation where you sounded less certain.

 

[Dick33]

Thanks for all the input. I tried Trunk88 but cant find any setup info played around with it and no luck. gota wait to app. from yahoo user group?? Looks like I might have to find an old Spectra an set it up for RF modem and run System watch. I've been out of the radio world for a while and thought there would be more decoders than what I've seen? looks like the same inconsistant programs from 6+ years ago. NOT bashing anyone just a little venting. But good work guys maybe a pay-pal donation setup would help you all work out the bugs and get newer releases out faster? Thanks again .........

 

[Dick33]

Update

ok good news (somewhat) Trunk88 up and going on Vista box and XP laptop but only with discrim. NO audio input dont know why but I have to pull the cord out of the comp. mic jack and then put it back in to get it going on both machines? Nice prog. will have to wait to see if it logs info?

 

[slicerwizard]

Andy - are you assuming the radio is still present because you've seen the radio affiliate relatively recently? In other words - how accurate do you believe is your accounting of radios present on the monitored site?

When there is only one affiliated radio listed, you can be absolutely certain, otherwise the talkgroup would've left the site when the radio did.

With multiple affiliations, obviously there is the possibility that some radios may have moved to another zone and affiliated there. The list of affiliated RIDs just shows which radios are collectively responsible for dragging a given talkgroup to the current zone and keeping it there.

Looks like I might have to find an old Spectra an set it up for RF modem and run System watch.

Why would you want to downgrade like that?

I've been out of the radio world for a while and thought there would be more decoders than what I've seen? looks like the same inconsistant programs from 6+ years ago. NOT bashing anyone just a little venting. But good work guys maybe a pay-pal donation setup would help you all work out the bugs and get newer releases out faster? Thanks again .........

What bugs are you referring to? What specific irritants need to be addressed?

ok good news (somewhat) Trunk88 up and going on Vista box and XP laptop but only with discrim.

Not sure what you're saying - that it needs flat audio? All decoders need that.
If you would prefer to run it from an RF modem, I could enable that.

NO audio input dont know why but I have to pull the cord out of the comp. mic jack and then put it back in to get it going on both machines? Nice prog. will have to wait to see if it logs info?

It's tough to say just what's going on with your machines - other users just run the program and everything just works fine.

 

[Dick33]

If you enabled the rf modem do you think it could handle the data from the psr-500 thur the usb port?

 

[slicerwizard]

I don't understand your question as there is no relation between Motorola's RF modem radios and the PSR scanners.

I can add support for devices like Motorola RF modems and the PSR-500 if users ask for it. So far, no-one has asked for either.

 

[DaveIN]

Andy,

Could you please add PSR-500 support?

Thanks in advance.

 

[DaveIN]

By the way, have you done anything with EDACS? sure would enjoy a ETrunk88 program.

 

[slicerwizard]

Could you please add PSR-500 support?

OK. I'll need a few minutes worth of output from a 3600 bps control channel. Can you email it to me?

By the way, have you done anything with EDACS? sure would enjoy a ETrunk88 program.

There were never any interesting EDACS systems around here to get me hooked and even the boring ones are now pretty much all gone. I played around with it a bit and had no problem decoding the control channel, but I just had no need to go further.

 

[DaveIN]

M36 dump from the PSR-500 on the way in txt attachment to your ica email account.

 

[slicerwizard]

Got it. What are the serial parameters? 8N1? Is 115200 OK?

 

[Dick33]

Looking to get operating instructions info on win32trunk88 I tried the yahoo place still waiting for sign up reply. Thanks

 

[slicerwizard]

There are no pending members. A dick9119 was added on 6/26/2008.