BCD325P2/BCD996P2: DMR on BCD996P2

[Andyldavis]

After updating the scanner with the DMR key, how and where do I apply the "color" and "stream" settings to the scan list. I am able to get some DMR frequencies on auto but my local repeater uses color and stream settings that I don't have. Was hoping that the scanner could give me that information.

 

[tvengr]

Set up a DMR One Freq Trunk system. Set color code to Search and put system in ID Search. It will display the color code and talkgroup ID's of transmissions received.

 

[ka3jjz]

From a software perspective, FreeScan doesn't support DMR programming, but ProScan and ARC-XT do

Mike

 

[hiegtx]

After updating the scanner with the DMR key, how and where do I apply the "color" and "stream" settings to the scan list. I am able to get some DMR frequencies on auto but my local repeater uses color and stream settings that I don't have. Was hoping that the scanner could give me that information.

As tvengr has noted, a One Frequency Trunked system, with the Color Code set to "Search", and set for ID Search, will give you the color code you need, and any active talkgroups. This is what you'd use if the frequencies are used as conventional (non-trunked) channels.

However, if the frequencies that you are trying to monitor are part of a DMR trunked system, to receive, and track, that system successfully will require the LCN numbers. Unfortunately, the 996P2 (as well as the 325P2) does not have an LCN Finder. That option is available on the x36HP & SDS series scanners, but not on the P2 scanners.

The Whistler scanners, such as the TRX series, as well as the previous (and now discontinued) database radios that got the firmware upgrade, such as the WS10xx models, as well as older units such as the PSR800 and Pro-668 (that were sent in to Whistler for the factory upgrade), are capable of receiving DMR channels, but do not actually trunk track DMR systems. They do not use the LCN, and are not capable of determining that data.

 

[kkr8558]

I have a few additional questions regarding DMR as I am new to DMR listening just like @Andyldavis is (I also have a BCD325P2 scanner). Do all DMR conventional channels have Talk Groups? I have local DMR frequency that, when I plug it into DMR One-Freq, it is silent, but when I plug it into MotoTRBO, a TG appears, however, when I try to track the TG, it is silent.

Also, I have a local DMR Motorola Capacity Plus Single Site (Messiah College), but it doesn't always have sound, yet, I can switch to conventional, and I hear everything. I have played with the threshold and I find it seems to rest on 12, so I set it to that. Any idea on why this may be happening?

Finally, are Motorola Capacity Plus Single Site, Motorola Connect Plus, Tier 3 Non-Standard, DMR Conventional Networked, and Motorola Capacity Plus Multi Site all programmed under MotoTRBO?

 

[hiegtx]

Finally, are Motorola Capacity Plus Single Site, Motorola Connect Plus, Tier 3 Non-Standard, DMR Conventional Networked, and Motorola Capacity Plus Multi Site all programmed under MotoTRBO?

MotoTRBO is Motorola's name for DMR. Whether it's referred to as MotoTRBO or DMR, it's programmed as DMR for the scanner.

I have a few additional questions regarding DMR as I am new to DMR listening just like @Andyldavis is (I also have a BCD325P2 scanner). Do all DMR conventional channels have Talk Groups? I have local DMR frequency that, when I plug it into DMR One-Freq, it is silent, but when I plug it into MotoTRBO, a TG appears, however, when I try to track the TG, it is silent.

There would be a talkgroup, but in many cases, the default 1 is used, if that frequency is used for only one function.

When programming a frequency, with an unknown talkgroup, into a DMR One Frequency system, be sure to set that OFT to use ID Search. That will allow the scanner to receive any active TGID on that frequency. If you do not know the Color code, set that as Search. Also, leave the Slot set as "Any".

Also, I have a local DMR Motorola Capacity Plus Single Site (Messiah College), but it doesn't always have sound, yet, I can switch to conventional, and I hear everything. I have played with the threshold and I find it seems to rest on 12, so I set it to that. Any idea on why this may be happening?

Looking at that system in the database, I'm not sure that is correct. It's possible that changes were made after this system was first identified & submitted to the database.

Currently, the database lists it as a single frequency system. No talkgroups are specified. However, if you look at the license for the site, there are three frequencies shown. The database lists it as a DMR Single site, with the one frequency shown using LCN 1. Since you do hear activity if programmed conventionally, I suspect that the database page is no longer accurate.

I would, instead, set it up as a One Frequency Trunked System (OFT). Enter each of the frequencies as individual sites. I would also leave the Color Code set as 'search'.

Set the system as ID Search, not ID Scan. Set this way, you would hear any active talkgroup, on any of the three frequencies. If you see the same talkgroup come up on more than one frequency, but with the same color code, then the system has likely upgraded to more than one frequency being used, and the LCN for the only frequency listed in the database (at this time) is no longer valid. I would add a dummy TGID, such as simply a 1, and leave the slot set as "any".

Note that if the system has been converted to using more than one frequency, in order for the scanner to track it correctly, you would need to determine the LCNs assigned to each frequency. Unfortunately, while the 996P2 can handle this type of system, it does not have an LCN Finder option, like that available on the x36HP & SDS series scanners. But with each of the three frequencies programmed as individual "sites" in an OFT system, would still hear activity.

 

[kkr8558]

MotoTRBO is Motorola's name for DMR. Whether it's referred to as MotoTRBO or DMR, it's programmed as DMR for the scanner.

So, maybe a little clarification for my question...

If a system is listed as Motorola Capacity Plus Single Site, would I program it as MotoTRBO? Likewise, if a system is listed as Tier 3 Non-Standard or DMR Conventional Networked, would I also program them as MotoTRBO?

 

[kkr8558]

Looking at that system in the database, I'm not sure that is correct. It's possible that changes were made after this system was first identified & submitted to the database.

Currently, the database lists it as a single frequency system. No talkgroups are specified. However, if you look at the license for the site, there are three frequencies shown. The database lists it as a DMR Single site, with the one frequency shown using LCN 1. Since you do hear activity if programmed conventionally, I suspect that the database page is no longer accurate.

I would, instead, set it up as a One Frequency Trunked System (OFT). Enter each of the frequencies as individual sites. I would also leave the Color Code set as 'search'.

Set the system as ID Search, not ID Scan. Set this way, you would hear any active talkgroup, on any of the three frequencies. If you see the same talkgroup come up on more than one frequency, but with the same color code, then the system has likely upgraded to more than one frequency being used, and the LCN for the only frequency listed in the database (at this time) is no longer valid. I would add a dummy TGID, such as simply a 1, and leave the slot set as "any".

Note that if the system has been converted to using more than one frequency, in order for the scanner to track it correctly, you would need to determine the LCNs assigned to each frequency. Unfortunately, while the 996P2 can handle this type of system, it does not have an LCN Finder option, like that available on the x36HP & SDS series scanners. But with each of the three frequencies programmed as individual "sites" in an OFT system, would still hear activity.

So I did notice the same thing when I looked at the license on the FCC database. I programmed them all together but I will try your suggestion to see what I can discover.

 

[hiegtx]

So, maybe a little clarification for my question...

If a system is listed as Motorola Capacity Plus Single Site, would I program it as MotoTRBO? Likewise, if a system is listed as Tier 3 Non-Standard or DMR Conventional Networked, would I also program them as MotoTRBO?

It would be programmed as "MotoTRBO Trunk".

There are a couple of DMR system types that the scanner cannot handle correctly, but the majority of the systems you see in the database are those that the 996P2 scanner can handle. For a full list of supported system types, see the "RR System Compatibility" section on the 996P2's Wiki page.

 

[kkr8558]

It would be programmed as "MotoTRBO Trunk".

There are a couple of DMR system types that the scanner cannot handle correctly, but the majority of the systems you see in the database are those that the 996P2 scanner can handle. For a full list of supported system types, see the "RR System Compatibility" section on the 996P2's Wiki page.

I have the BCD325P2 scanner.

 

[hiegtx]

So I did notice the same thing when I looked at the license on the FCC database. I programmed them all together but I will try your suggestion to see what I can discover.

If you programmed them in the same site as the single channel system shown in the database, not would not work. You need the sites frequencies, along with the color code in use, and also the correct LCN for each frequency.

But, when programmed as an OFT system (One Frequency Trunked), with each frequency added as a site, and ID Search selected, you should be able to hear system activity,

 

[kkr8558]

There would be a talkgroup, but in many cases, the default 1 is used, if that frequency is used for only one function.

When programming a frequency, with an unknown talkgroup, into a DMR One Frequency system, be sure to set that OFT to use ID Search. That will allow the scanner to receive any active TGID on that frequency. If you do not know the Color code, set that as Search. Also, leave the Slot set as "Any".

So, there are a few that I notice "pulse" when they become active, like it is scanning for a priority channel (I never use the priority function as I find the break to be annoying). But no talk group can be found. Or sometimes I notice a talk group comes up, but it changes with every radio transmission, like it is actually a radio identifier but when I program the talk group, it skips over it. The only time the ones I am speaking of work is when I have it programmed as a DMR Conventional and I get the color code.

 

[hiegtx]

I have the BCD325P2 scanner.

It's the same set of system types, listed on the 325P2's Wiki page,

 

[hiegtx]

So, there are a few that I notice "pulse" when they become active, like it is scanning for a priority channel (I never use the priority function as I find the break to be annoying). But no talk group can be found. Or sometimes I notice a talk group comes up, but it changes with every radio transmission, like it is actually a radio identifier but when I program the talk group, it skips over it. The only time the ones I am speaking of work is when I have it programmed as a DMR Conventional and I get the color code.

Do you currently have it set as a MotoTRBO Trunked system?

Are you using software?

 

[kkr8558]

Do you currently have it set as a MotoTRBO Trunked system?

Are you using software?

So when I set each one up to investigate the frequencies, I set up 3 different sets for them: Conventional DMR, MotoTRBO, and One-Freq. I did this to see which worked best. There were 10 different DMR using companies that I set up this way.

Yes, I use ProScan.

 

[kkr8558]

So when I set each one up to investigate the frequencies, I set up 3 different sets for them: Conventional DMR, MotoTRBO, and One-Freq. I did this to see which worked best. There were 10 different DMR using companies that I set up this way.

Yes, I use ProScan.

Actually, here is a good example. Pinnacle Health Services KNJW306. The only frequency that is active is 461.900 with CC1. When I used MotoTRBO with this frequency, I would get TG4204 but the transmission would interrupt, as if searching for a priority channel. I programmed TG4204 in both One-Freq and MotoTRBO and it was silent, but I could see the signal strength was at 5 bars. Flip back to the frequency on MotoTRBO, and there was the conversation with TG4204 indicated.

 

[hiegtx]

So when I set each one up to investigate the frequencies, I set up 3 different sets for them: Conventional DMR, MotoTRBO, and One-Freq. I did this to see which worked best. There were 10 different DMR using companies that I set up this way.

Yes, I use ProScan.

In ProScan, I'd set it up like this:



On systems like this, where I don't know, for sure, if a set of frequencies for a specific user are used as a trunked system, or simply a collection of separate, conventional, channels, I use the the frequencies for the various site names. If I begin to see a pattern (like using ProScan to log activity) where a specific talkgroup (or several of them) are popping up on more than one site, that indicates that this might be a DMR trunked system. For those, I then run the LCN Finder option on either one of my x36HP or SDS series scanners.

The attached file mtches the screenshot shown above.

 

[hiegtx]

Actually, here is a good example. Pinnacle Health Services KNJW306. The only frequency that is active is 461.900 with CC1. When I used MotoTRBO with this frequency, I would get TG4204 but the transmission would interrupt, as if searching for a priority channel. I programmed TG4204 in both One-Freq and MotoTRBO and it was silent, but I could see the signal strength was at 5 bars. Flip back to the frequency on MotoTRBO, and there was the conversation with TG4204 indicated.

That license reflects being used as individual, conventional, channels. It's not licensed as a trunked system, but I've run across a few in my area that are licensed as IG Industrial/Business Pool Conventional but are actually used as a trunked system.

If you are hearing intermittent breaks in transmissions, make sure that Weather Alert & Close Call are both turned off. And you do not have Convention Priority active either, correct?

The thing that muddies the waters on dealing with unknown systems is that these business frequencies, quite often, are licensed for more than on entity in the county, or at another county which is in range. For business systems here in my area (DFW Metro), it's not uncommon to see a half dozen, sometimes more, licensees in my county.Theoretically, these are using different color codes (for DMR) or PL/DPL settings for analog transmissions.

 

[kkr8558]

That license reflects being used as individual, conventional, channels. It's not licensed as a trunked system, but I've run across a few in my area that are licensed as IG Industrial/Business Pool Conventional but are actually used as a trunked system.

If you are hearing intermittent breaks in transmissions, make sure that Weather Alert & Close Call are both turned off. And you do not have Convention Priority active either, correct?

The thing that muddies the waters on dealing with unknown systems is that these business frequencies, quite often, are licensed for more than on entity in the county, or at another county which is in range. For business systems here in my area (DFW Metro), it's not uncommon to see a half dozen, sometimes more, licensees in my county.Theoretically, these are using different color codes (for DMR) or PL/DPL settings for analog transmissions.

I know exactly what you are talking about. Weather is turned off and Close Call is on DND. And no, Priority is not on.

So, going back to my original question...could KNJW306 for Pinnacle Health Services have just a Color Code and no Talk Group? It is definitely DMR.

 

[hiegtx]

I know exactly what you are talking about. Weather is turned off and Close Call is on DND. And no, Priority is not on.

So, going back to my original question...could KNJW306 for Pinnacle Health Services have just a Color Code and no Talk Group? It is definitely DMR.

Offhand, I don't know if DMR (conventional) will work without a talkgroup. All of the one's that I've run across do show a talkgroup if programmed as a trunked system (or the OFT version). When programmed as a conventional channel, you would not see a talkgroup displayed on the screen.

I would also note that there is another licensee in your county for the 464.875 channel/