DSDplus question

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bobruzzo

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I have been fooling with this program and listen to the statewide (RI) P25 system on 800mhz. I can receive pretty good signals but audio is warbly...running my SDS200 side by side with DSDplus on computer, I can hear the scanner audio is fine, but DSDplus audio is sometimes garbled. I have tried adjusting GAIN up and down but no difference. There are 2 settings AMBE and IMBE under the decoding tab. I read somewhere by setting these to a lower value than the default of 50, to 35 would help. No difference. Is there anything I can do to improve audio quality? The dongle I have is an "RTL-SDR" one.
 

Reconrider

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Are you using the supplies dipole dual antennas on the sdr? I’m able to get CTs trunk and my computer room is in the basement of my brick house.
I have the longer ones attached but not extended.
 

cg

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It has to do with one being decoded in software with a cheap program and cheap radio and the other being done in hardware with circuitry dedicated to that feature. Imagine if it was the other way around?

chris
 

bobruzzo

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you could try op25 or sdrtrunk programs. they may give you better results.

Alec
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OK gotcha....What I am using is one of those "RTL-SDR" dongles....might not be the best. Using DSDPlus. Really alot of BS to go thru to listen to garbage trucks and ambulances. But I can hear the local P25 state system but audio usually lousey no matter what. I will look into op25 and see what thats about.
 

bobruzzo

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I can vouch for SDRTrunk having great audio. I use it daily as my 'go to' software.
I am looking at "sdr trunk" and would like to try it but can't find any step by step instructions, and most of the instructions are for linux. I have and use linux but am using a Win10 computer for all my radio stuff. I don't think I want to continue with DSDPlus because after many months of configuring I still can't get it to produce any usable audio. I signed up on "Discord" where there is an SDR community. But the interface is too overwhelming and prefer to get help here. The download sites (Github) are confusing and too much information. So if I could get help downloading/installing/using this program it would be great.
 

bobruzzo

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OK I did some further research and the RTL SDR site had some helpful info. A video there was really good and got me up and running. I cant believe how CLEAR the audio is. I just gotta work out the details assigning talk groups to the proper sites.
 

air-scan

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OK I did some further research and the RTL SDR site had some helpful info. A video there was really good and got me up and running. I cant believe how CLEAR the audio is. I just gotta work out the details assigning talk groups to the proper sites.
Their is a tab in Play list Editor that allows you to use your premium status on RRDB to download all the data for the system you want.
 

bobruzzo

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Their is a tab in Play list Editor that allows you to use your premium status on RRDB to download all the data for the system you want.
OK I am starting to get the hang of this. The state P25 system here in RI has 4 sites...but there is some overlap of TG's between different sites. So what I did, since RI is so small, I copied all the TG's used in the system and copied them in each of the 4 sites, then deleted all the ENC stuff.....So now I can hear all 4 sites (one at a time of course), using a yagi connected to my RTL SDR dongle. Some systems in other states are set up where there is no overlap of TG's between sites. That makes it easier.
I wish I knew about this software a long time ago. It really is great...audio is loud and clear, no distortion. I have it set up using my stereo PC speakers and set to handle 2 calls max. So sometimes I can hear 2 separate calls at the same time. I just need to (when I get time) clean up the abbreviated names of agencies. GREAT program.
 

air-scan

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OK I am starting to get the hang of this. The state P25 system here in RI has 4 sites...but there is some overlap of TG's between different sites. So what I did, since RI is so small, I copied all the TG's used in the system and copied them in each of the 4 sites, then deleted all the ENC stuff.....So now I can hear all 4 sites (one at a time of course), using a yagi connected to my RTL SDR dongle. Some systems in other states are set up where there is no overlap of TG's between sites. That makes it easier.
I wish I knew about this software a long time ago. It really is great...audio is loud and clear, no distortion. I have it set up using my stereo PC speakers and set to handle 2 calls max. So sometimes I can hear 2 separate calls at the same time. I just need to (when I get time) clean up the abbreviated names of agencies. GREAT program.
That JMBE library sure packs a punch! Glad you got it working!
 

bobruzzo

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That JMBE library sure packs a punch! Glad you got it working!
Yes it's working nicely. I am having trouble trying to create a channel for my town PD. The town I live in (Cranston RI) has a P25 non trunked system using 4 UHF 482mhz freqs. I was able to create a new channel and it looks to be scanning thru the 4 freqs....but transmissions not coming thru. Not sure I did it right. I noticed there is no way to set the "NAC" which is "NAC DEF" for Cranston PD. Also I dont know if they are using phase 1 or 2.....I would think phase 1 because in the playlist editor under channels tab at bottom is reference to choose modulation "C4FM or LSM" where LSM is for a simulcast trunked system and C4FM is for NON simulcast. Another thing that is weird is I cant find the Cranston PD when I do a Radio Reference login....it doesnt show Cranston PD at all or any other conventional freqs. It would work perfect if I was able to import the data but its not showing up. So I assumed I will have to make new channel manually but need help.
 

air-scan

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Yes it's working nicely. I am having trouble trying to create a channel for my town PD. The town I live in (Cranston RI) has a P25 non trunked system using 4 UHF 482mhz freqs. I was able to create a new channel and it looks to be scanning thru the 4 freqs....but transmissions not coming thru. Not sure I did it right. I noticed there is no way to set the "NAC" which is "NAC DEF" for Cranston PD. Also I dont know if they are using phase 1 or 2.....I would think phase 1 because in the playlist editor under channels tab at bottom is reference to choose modulation "C4FM or LSM" where LSM is for a simulcast trunked system and C4FM is for NON simulcast. Another thing that is weird is I cant find the Cranston PD when I do a Radio Reference login....it doesnt show Cranston PD at all or any other conventional freqs. It would work perfect if I was able to import the data but its not showing up. So I assumed I will have to make new channel manually but need help.
There isn't any P25 conventional frequencies in my area thus I didn't ever mess with it. However, there is an option in the Playlist Editor to add a channel with multiple frequencies. Someone else that has the experience with P25 conventional might chime in and explain how that is set up. My city has full LSM APCO P25 PII TDMA built by L3 Harris Inc..
 

cg

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There is no such thing as P25 Phase 2 conventional. If you have a P25 conventional channel, it can only be Phase 1.

chris
 

bobruzzo

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Yes I know that but when I am in SDRTRUNK, at the Radio Reference page where you log in, when I look for the Cranston PD, it doesnt come up there.....nothing conventional shows up only trunked systems. I tried to MANUALLY enter the 4 freqs Cranston PD uses in a new alias and it looks like its scanning those freqs but audio is just a very quiet blip noise...there is no way to set the NAC. What I am trying to say is when I look for the Cranston PD thru SDRTRUNK, via the RR login, when I search I dont find the Cranston PD! Its just not there....Look at attached pic...I circled what comes up in the RR search.....I looked under every tab and nothing but trunked systems show up. I cant find any individual frequencies for anything.
 

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