Calvert County

[Firemantincan]

Have you entered a custom band plan? The Calvert system was re-banded in 2011, and the standard Motorola band plan used your scanner (and the 325P2) may not work "out of the box" without making some adjustments. The Uniden HP-1/2, and the 436/536 have the updated band plan in their database, thus are not affected. I verified this today with UT2. Running the standard Motorola band plan, UT2 was calculating a few invalid system frequencies - which can cause parts of (and entire) conversations to be lost. Once I entered the band plan for re-banded Motorola systems, it was able to calculate the proper system frequencies. My "control" scanner - an HP-2 - had no problem following conversations because it was using the correct band plan from its database.


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That was going to be my next question. What band plan are you guys using? I went ahead and updated to version 1.07.9. I figured out that the band plan was an issue. I changed it to a custom band plan with a lower freq of 851.9125 and an upper freq of 853.3500 and a spacing of 5khz. that has helped quite a bit. However, there is still an issue. My 785D is pretty good at tracking the system.

Today I'm showing the CC as 852.1375. The CC signal is good. I have a full 5 bar signal and can currently copy a patch to SMC on 8TAC93 100%.

I have the 785 on in the background and can hear units talking on the TRS but, its not coming over the 996. the 996 is showing that it is trying to do something and recognizes that a TG is in use but doesn't track it. I can see it registering that a TG is being used but does not move to the frequency and TG being used.


So just to recap:

I can confirm that the signal is not an issue.

The scanner is scanning and I can see that the CC is 852.1375

When a user is talking on a TG I can see the scanner recognizing that specific TG is in use, but the scanner does not follow it to whatever frequency it is on. And just to clarify that the scanner is in scan when I see the activity.

The 785 has no problem tracking.

 

[maus92]

That was going to be my next question. What band plan are you guys using? I went ahead and updated to version 1.07.9. I figured out that the band plan was an issue. I changed it to a custom band plan with a lower freq of 851.9125 and an upper freq of 853.3500 and a spacing of 5khz. that has helped quite a bit. However, there is still an issue. My 785D is pretty good at tracking the system.

Today I'm showing the CC as 852.1375. The CC signal is good. I have a full 5 bar signal and can currently copy a patch to SMC on 8TAC93 100%.

I have the 785 on in the background and can hear units talking on the TRS but, its not coming over the 996. the 996 is showing that it is trying to do something and recognizes that a TG is in use but doesn't track it. I can see it registering that a TG is being used but does not move to the frequency and TG being used.


So just to recap:

I can confirm that the signal is not an issue.

The scanner is scanning and I can see that the CC is 852.1375

When a user is talking on a TG I can see the scanner recognizing that specific TG is in use, but the scanner does not follow it to whatever frequency it is on. And just to clarify that the scanner is in scan when I see the activity.

The 785 has no problem tracking.

A couple of weeks ago, Calvert was using the acch of 853.350, but on Saturday, it was 852.1375 as you observed.

I have a 996P2 but I don't use it for the Calvert system. I'll try to retrieve the band plan settings / table I used for UniTrunker2 and forward them along a bit later today. Hopefully that will help. I'll also check the table in Sentinel for the HP-2 programming that seemed to work for me.

 

[maus92]

That was going to be my next question. What band plan are you guys using? I went ahead and updated to version 1.07.9. I figured out that the band plan was an issue. I changed it to a custom band plan with a lower freq of 851.9125 and an upper freq of 853.3500 and a spacing of 5khz. that has helped quite a bit. However, there is still an issue. My 785D is pretty good at tracking the system.

Today I'm showing the CC as 852.1375. The CC signal is good. I have a full 5 bar signal and can currently copy a patch to SMC on 8TAC93 100%.

I have the 785 on in the background and can hear units talking on the TRS but, its not coming over the 996. the 996 is showing that it is trying to do something and recognizes that a TG is in use but doesn't track it. I can see it registering that a TG is being used but does not move to the frequency and TG being used.


So just to recap:

I can confirm that the signal is not an issue.

The scanner is scanning and I can see that the CC is 852.1375

When a user is talking on a TG I can see the scanner recognizing that specific TG is in use, but the scanner does not follow it to whatever frequency it is on. And just to clarify that the scanner is in scan when I see the activity.

The 785 has no problem tracking.

OK, attached are the working band plans for both Unitrunker and my HP-2. Note that only the 851.xxxx entries are relevant on the UT2 band plan.
Please report back if you get your 996P2 working properly!

 

[Firemantincan]

So I plugged in your band plans with some pretty good success. I'm now picking up traffic. But, I'm picking up opposing traffic on my 992 to what my 785 is.

For example: I can pick up a MSP unit on the 992 but not the dispatcher. On the 785 I can not pick up the MSP unit but I can pick up the dispatcher.

This goes back to a problem I noticed some time ago. Partial tracking.

 

[maus92]

So I plugged in your band plans with some pretty good success. I'm now picking up traffic. But, I'm picking up opposing traffic on my 992 to what my 785 is.

For example: I can pick up a MSP unit on the 992 but not the dispatcher. On the 785 I can not pick up the MSP unit but I can pick up the dispatcher.

This goes back to a problem I noticed some time ago. Partial tracking.

Hmmm... That is not uncommon, but I usually only notice it happening with digital / LSM simulcast system. Perhaps it happens with analog simulcast systems as well.

As far as you test setup, are the two radios connected to the same antenna, and locked onto the same talkgroup?

 

[Firemantincan]

Negative. They are on different antennas. both appear to be receiving equally as well. they have the same TGs programmed but are both in the TG ID search mode.

 

[maus92]

Negative. They are on different antennas. both appear to be receiving equally as well. they have the same TGs programmed but are both in the TG ID search mode.

I'd lock them onto the same TG and test that configuration. And if you have some sort of antenna splitter arrangement, try to use the same antenna - just to get your baseline test setup as even as possible.

 

[Firemantincan]

Same result across all fields.

 

[maus92]

Same result across all fields.

Which one seems to work better?

 

[Firemantincan]

They're both working about the same just opposite the other. The only difference is the band plans as far as I can tell. the 785 has the original band plan and the 992 is going off of the band plans from earlier. CC only menu setting is set to off on the 785.

 

[Firemantincan]

I switched to 992 band plan to 800/900 Standard and it is even with the 785. Both are still partial tracking but picking up the same things.

I'm going to clear the band plans that I have set in the 992 (after I write them down) and input your band plan info again one at a time. starting with your Band Plan #1

 

[maus92]

I switched to 992 band plan to 800/900 Standard and it is even with the 785. Both are still partial tracking but picking up the same things.

I'm going to clear the band plans that I have set in the 992 (after I write them down) and input your band plan info again one at a time. starting with your Band Plan #1

OK, sounds like a plan. The system definitely isn't the standard 800 band plan - the scanner would never find any part of a conversation that was being transmitted on 852.250 or 853.350 (those channels would not be resolved.)

 

[ka3jjz]

Hopefully you're not chasing your tail on this, but the 785 isn't rebanding compliant. This means that if a conversation happens to fall on a channel that the 785 doesn't support, the conversation will be lost.

Mike

 

[Firemantincan]

Yes sir. Now the BCD996P2 should be up to date with all of the rebanding provided it has the correct software update correct?

 

[maus92]

Yes sir. Now the BCD996P2 should be up to date with all of the rebanding provided it has the correct software update correct?

The 996P2 should work *if* you set up the custom band plan properly. I would also set it to control channel only. The RRDB is incorrect btw. The only two control channels are 852.1375 and 852.350 when I checked Saturday.

I use FreeScan to program my 996P2. I notice that the site type should be set to "Mot Custom Reband Type II" - you might check that setting as well.

 

[maus92]

I switched to 992 band plan to 800/900 Standard and it is even with the 785. Both are still partial tracking but picking up the same things.

I'm going to clear the band plans that I have set in the 992 (after I write them down) and input your band plan info again one at a time. starting with your Band Plan #1

You need to set 2 band plans btw. See attached from the 996P2 manual:

"For Standard Motorola 800 MHz rebanded systems you need to set Band Plan 1 and Band Plan 2
as follows: [see chart from the attachment]"

 

[Firemantincan]

Ok cool so that works out. Guess I should have rechecked the manual. I had those two programmed in earlier but I also had a third one programmed in. I wonder if that messed things up some how. Possibly because I already had a custom band plan in the Band Plan #1 spot. Anyway its working fine now. Thanks for the help.

What version of FreeSCAN are you using? I looked through mine but I don't see that option. I just have MOT Type II / P25

 

[maus92]

Ok cool so that works out. Guess I should have rechecked the manual. I had those two programmed in earlier but I also had a third one programmed in. I wonder if that messed things up some how. Possibly because I already had a custom band plan in the Band Plan #1 spot. Anyway its working fine now. Thanks for the help.

What version of FreeSCAN are you using? I looked through mine but I don't see that option. I just have MOT Type II / P25

Glad it worked out for ya!

I'm using FreeScan V 2.18-beta6.

Attached is the site setup page from FreeScan:

 

[Firemantincan]

Got it. Thanks for your assistance.

 

[Joshheartbrake]

@joshheartbrake

I finally got around to running some tests on the Calvert system this afternoon. I'm not sure you are going to like the results, but I was able to receive and track the system without much difficulty in the vicinity of Plaza Mexico / Westlawn Inn while sitting in my car using both a SDR/RTL dongle and a HP-2. I used this antenna:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FQ8COY...colid=OJB84KR8R62A&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

I will say that the signal strength in the area is not very good, but UT2 could decode TGs (and provided reasonable audio) and the HP-2 produced readable voice conversations.

I believe that you have mentioned previously that the seller of your scanner programmed it, but I wonder if he installed the latest firmware, and more importantly, made the necessary adjustments to the band plan (see above post.) Calvert has been re-banded and its reception would be affected if the additional band plan settings were not performed.

Anyway, attached is an image of the SDR's signal reception. It is showing a 100% symbol rate, which means it is decoding the cch (control channel) with no errors, but only a 57ish RSSI (received signal strength indicator) - which is only fair. By comparison, I receive AACo at home 97-100% with an RSSI of 85-87, which is very good-to-excellent.

Thank you so much for coming down and doing this! It means a lot to me .. so your saying that signal is fair it’s not the best but I should be able to get reception ? My yard is Mexico’s parking lot . And I get nothing even when outside it goes out of signal and very crunchy sounding then looses all signal and then it says searching for control channel over and over and then I get something for a second and it re does it again

And I’m using a way better antenna than what to used I’m guessing ( even a discone on my roof ) still just junky .

I thought that the bcd325p2 already came rebanded ? Is it possible that it needs to be updated? And is it possible that something is wrong with the scanner? I get Calvert fine everywhere else in the county .