G4 on MARCS System

[DaVinci]

I use a Unication G4 and programmed it to monitor various OSP posts along the interstate highway system, such as I-75 or I-71. I also have programmed Michigan State Police on I-75 and MSP districts in the Upper Peninsula. Most have worked very successfully throughout Ohio and Michigan.

Here's the problem that I cannot figure out. In the northwest part of Ohio along 75, I am getting an "out of range" message on the G4. Traveling north on 75 from the Cincinnati area, all is well until about Lima...then its "out of range" until I enter Michigan then it works fine. Note I have I-75 programmed in 1 and 2 then Michigan in 3 and 4.

Any thoughts that might help solve this issue? By the way, I don't use the G4 to avoid troopers doing their jobs. I can hear about slow downs, detours, etc, and not waste a lot of time in a parking lot.

Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[firemedic19]

I live in Toledo and have everything programmed in my G4, I'd be happy to share my file if you'd like. Then you can compare your programming with mine.

 

[911jeremy]

Sounds as if maybe you don’t have all the control channels in the unit, or not doing a full spectrum scan in the 700 and 800 MHz range. That’s where I would look first in you code plug.

 

[WX4JCW]

Yeah we need to see what you have entered, I have a MARCs codeplug and it works great so something might be missing

 

[DaVinci]

I live in Toledo and have everything programmed in my G4, I'd be happy to share my file if you'd like. Then you can compare your programming with mine.

I live in Toledo and have everything programmed in my G4, I'd be happy to share my file if you'd like. Then you can compare your programming with mine.

Thank you. I'll figure out how to send you a message with an email address. I appreciate your assistance.

 

[DaVinci]

Sounds as if maybe you don’t have all the control channels in the unit, or not doing a full spectrum scan in the 700 and 800 MHz range. That’s where I would look first in you code plug.

Thanks for the ideas. I audited the control channels but did not include the alternates. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[DaVinci]

Yeah we need to see what you have entered, I have a MARCs codeplug and it works great so something might be missing

Thanks for the reply. I'll take a deep dive into what's there and go from there.

 

[scannerboy02]

I also live in Cincinnati and recently took a drive from here to Cleveland via I-71 then over to Toledo via OH-2 back to Cincinnati via I-75 and never lost connection to MARCS the entire trip.

I have a knob position setup with WACN ID: BEE00, System ID: 348, RFSS ID: FF, Site ID: FF, Full Spectrum Scan for 700 MHz and 800, MHz and the control channels for the Hamilton County MARCS site.

This setup allows the pager to lock the Hamilton County site when I turn it on at home and it will then automatically roam from site to site via the neighbors list as I drive. I also have a SATE-T knob position setup this way for my Indiana travels. While this setup doesn't allow me to control what site(s) the pager locks onto it seems to work fairly well for traveling.

 

[wa8pyr]

I also live in Cincinnati and recently took a drive from here to Cleveland via I-71 then over to Toledo via OH-2 back to Cincinnati via I-75 and never lost connection to MARCS the entire trip.

I have a knob position setup with WACN ID: BEE00, System ID: 348, RFSS ID: FF, Site ID: FF, Full Spectrum Scan for 700 MHz and 800, MHz and the control channels for the Hamilton County MARCS site.

This setup allows the pager to lock the Hamilton County site when I turn it on at home and it will then automatically roam from site to site via the neighbors list as I drive. I also have a SATE-T knob position setup this way for my Indiana travels. While this setup doesn't allow me to control what site(s) the pager locks onto it seems to work fairly well for traveling.

Interesting tip. I'll have to give that a try on my G5.

Do you monitor talkgroup lists, or just whatever comes across the site you're on?

 

[scannerboy02]

Interesting tip. I'll have to give that a try on my G5.

Do you monitor talkgroup lists, or just whatever comes across the site you're on?

I have the knob position set as TG Monitor so it will receive "everything" but I have several of the OSP talkgroups in the list so when they pop up I can see who it is.

 

[DaVinci]

I live in Toledo and have everything programmed in my G4, I'd be happy to share my file if you'd like. Then you can compare your programming with mine.

Sounds as if maybe you don’t have all the control channels in the unit, or not doing a full spectrum scan in the 700 and 800 MHz range. That’s where I would look first in you code plug.

Thanks to all that responded. I found the problem was in the full spectrum scan was not set correctly.