Frederick County Fire - BCD325P2

[3beeps]

Hi,

I know there has been some mention about some of these scanners and simulcast issues (I believe).

Recently, I had my 325P2 programmed (decently) to have the 153 for dispatch and then the remaining 9B to the Announcement Channels.

It would pick up most everything, but something was still not quite right with it.

I tried to re-program the scanner, and sadly, forgot to back-up the old database, that was working -- So I am stuck on "Nothing to Scan".

Looking to see if anyone in Frederick could share their setup, or maybe point me in the correct direction?

I am not too familiar with different radio systems, other than working behind the console.

Right now, I have just put in:

Frederick
>>Brunswick
>>Simulcast
>>Fire 9A through all

and I am not getting anything.

In addition, the scanner keeps saying NFM and ATT, I don't recall it doing that prior to my mess-up.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


Thank you so much!

Stay Well!

 

[3beeps]

https://imgur.com/SqAal5W

Here is a screenshot of Proscan, for you all to see.

Thanks!

 

[maus92]

The ATT is attenuation - probably want that off.

It *looks* like the radio is scanning a system - it does say "SIMULCAST" which is the name for the Simulcast site in Frederick County. "ID Scan" means the radio is scanning only TGIDs that are programmed and not explicitly locked out. Your Proscan screen shot says that 34 Fire TGs are defined, but I cannot tell from this view if they are enabled or locked out.

Where do you see "Nothing to Scan"?

NFM is OK, it means Narrow FM, aka 12.5 kHz bandwidth. All modern LM systems use 12.5 kHz. A Marine channel uses 25 kHz.

 

[doctordialtone]

the scanner keeps saying NFM and ATT, I don't recall it doing that prior to my mess-up.

ATT means Attenuation.

You must have turned that ON.

See here:

Easier to Read BCD325P2 Digital Scanner Manual

To toggle the attenuation for a conventional channel on or off Hold on the channel and press Func then 7(att). Press Hold to resume.

To toggle the attenuation for a trunking site on or off Hold on the site and press Func then 7(att). Press Hold to resume.

To toggle the attenuation for a search on or off (Search with Scan) press Func then 7(att) while searching. (or hold first).

To toggle global attenuation Hold on any channel and press Func then press and hold 7(att).

 

[3beeps]

I am using ProScan, so I am not sure where that is in there, to disable -- the ATT.

Doing it from the scanner, doesn't work either. I do as it says, but then it keeps blinking ATT.

Should I just wipe the whole thing, and start over?

What screenshots of ProScan, would be helpful in seeing what I need to enable/disable?

Basically what I want is everything for Fred Co Fire - (Minus Training and Fire Police)

Does anyone have a 325P2, that I could basically "copy" their database into ProScan?

Or is it possible, to have someone do it for me. I understand bearcatwarehouse offers this service, but $90 for 1 county and $15 for any additional is kinda steep. I guess they do the build of the scanner database, and then email it to you.

Anyone want a few bucks to do that?

Thanks

 

[doctordialtone]

Should I just wipe the whole thing, and start over?

I would.

You DO NOT want Attenuation on.

 

[doctordialtone]

I am using ProScan, so I am not sure where that is in there, to disable -- the ATT.

Attenuation should be in the same area you set up the Sites

 

[3beeps]

Yeah, I am not sure what is happening.

On ProScan, ATT is checked off, as you can see in the screen shots, for both Sites (Simulcast and Brunswick).

I think this is just a matter of my not knowing what I am doing and may need a pro to step in and help, unfort

https://imgur.com/8LyBg7H

https://imgur.com/YNudvAh

You can see they are both not checked.

But still blinking up top, as you can see on the Virtual Control view.

 

[maus92]

How did you create the programming that is in Proscan right now?

 

[3beeps]

Imported from RR Database

 

[maus92]

What happens if you try to read the files from the scanner into Proscan?

 

[maus92]

Also, if you want to export what you edited in Proscan, and post it here, I'll look it over.

 

[maus92]

If you want to reset the scanner, do this:

Scanner Reset to initialize the scanner's memory, turn off the scanner. Then press 2, 9, and Hold while turning it on (It helps if you can lay it flat). The scanner will give you the option 'Restore Preprogram List? "Yes"=E/No="."', if you press 'E/Yes', the scanner reloads the preprogrammed systems.

Important! This deletes all programmed data.

This would delete any programming currently in the radio - both stuff that works, and what doesn't, and resets the radio to factory defaults. Then you would upload what you have in Proscan to the radio in the normal manner.

 

[3beeps]

Okay -- Will do that, hit you on a PM with the info you requested.

Thank you so much!

 

[atlong]

One note on this TRS, you don't need to monitor the Brunswick site unless you're in/around/very close to Brunkswick. It's a supplement to the main system because it's sort of a dead zone for reception of the main system. You also do NOT want ATT on as others have mentioned.

 

[maus92]

One note on this TRS, you don't need to monitor the Brunswick site unless you're in/around/very close to Brunkswick. It's a supplement to the main system because it's sort of a dead zone for reception of the main system. You also do NOT want ATT on as others have mentioned.

Yup. Purely by coincidence, I submitted a change to the RRDB yesterday to reduce the Brunswick range circle to 8 miles from 15 miles for those who use location based scanning. It probably should be smaller than 8 miles...

 

[atlong]

Interesting. Not sure about the range. I can tell you from personal experience that when I'm traveling from Frederick to Harpers Ferry on US RT340 the scanner will prefer the Brunswick site between the MD RT180 and MD RT17 exits, I just don't know exactly where it decides it likes it over the main site. I'm guessing at this point that 8 miles is probably good, especially if you have the main site programmed.

 

[tvengr]

Give this file a try. Simulcast site is on system quick key 1. Brunswick site is on system quick key 2. It includes the Frederick Co sheriff. Turn off group quick key 0 to disable that. Open the file with ProScan and upload to your scanner.

 

[maus92]

Yea, that site is really meant to fill in the steep river valley around Brunswick. The antennas are mounted on a water tank, and really not very high agl, although it's above Brunswick. The antenna is oriented SSW at 215° with a 122° beamwidth, so not much signal from it is covering north.

 

[ProScan]

Do you have the Global Attenuator on? It's located in ProScan General Settings tab.
Like in doctordialtone post#4.