Hamilton County and PRO-96

[LawnCowboy]

Long time casual enthusiast, recent (10 yr.+) digitally distraught. Figured I'd check in as usually do every year or two and see what's new without spending hours of reading. I don't do much with the county system other than occasionally listen to the simulcast fire band. I know the 800MHz frequencies have been changed. Is the Pro-96 still viable for the new county system? Downloaded the latest Win96, subscribed to RR to get downloads to hopefully be able to just load in the West LE dispatch and see if it sounds any better. I'm getting nothing... The control channel is making a little chatter but I am getting a 00% decode... even when moving the portable around. I tried the Cincinnati CC and no different. Am I missing something here?

Continued digitally distraught and refuse to buy anything new if there isn't a crowd of cheers! lol

 

[radioscan]

How up to date is the Firmware?

Are you using the "800 MHz Rebanded" scheme in the Custom Tables?

If not, the 96 will not be able to track the system.

For Rebanding Custom Tables info click here.

Distraught or not, the Pro-96 is 15 year old technology, it's time has came and went. It is well past time to upgrade.

 

[LawnCowboy]

Not sure on the firmware. Point me in the direct of how I check that and possibly upgrade? It's been a while... I upgraded my Win96 software and selected Hamilton Co. freqs from the programmable data on here. PRO-96 15 yrs old doesn't bother me. Spending $500+ every other year trying to get just a little better decoding of simulcast does when it still isn't perfect. PRO-96 still has it's uses but obviously not much for the HamCo system. Never was good on it! It seems the G4 pager would be the least expensive way to get clear Hamilton County, OHIO MARCS transmissions if I feel like hearing that clear? I understand from reading it's limitations but at least audio is CLEAR! For now, getting the PRO-96 to halfway monitor it might be enough for now.

Thanks,
Brian

 

[LawnCowboy]

Went into custom tables and selected 800 rebanded. Uploaded... Still nothing... CC gets 00%. I'm only on the western side of the county near Northgate. Shouldn't the CC read SOMETHING when I have it on Manual?

 

[radioscan]

Program in 851.16250 in FM mode and see what kind of signal you are getting. Are you hearing control data?

 

[radioscan]

Not sure on the firmware. Point me in the direct of how I check that and possibly upgrade? I

With the unit off, turn it on and press the "3" key when the Welcome screen appears. Pay attention to the 2nd line that reads DSP APP, this is the only firmware that can be upgraded.

 

[budevans]

Long time casual enthusiast, recent (10 yr.+) digitally distraught. Figured I'd check in as usually do every year or two and see what's new without spending hours of reading. I don't do much with the county system other than occasionally listen to the simulcast fire band. I know the 800MHz frequencies have been changed. Is the Pro-96 still viable for the new county system? Downloaded the latest Win96, subscribed to RR to get downloads to hopefully be able to just load in the West LE dispatch and see if it sounds any better. I'm getting nothing... The control channel is making a little chatter but I am getting a 00% decode... even when moving the portable around. I tried the Cincinnati CC and no different. Am I missing something here?

Continued digitally distraught and refuse to buy anything new if there isn't a crowd of cheers! lol

It looks like most of Hamilton County is on one of the two the MARCS-IP P25 systems.

Hamilton County: 851.1625 c, 851.250 a, 851.300 a.
Cincinnati City: 851.1125 c, 851.1875 a, 851.2125 c, 851.4625 a.

If you are located near Northgate, the following Hamilton County towers are the closest to you. COLERAIN TOWNSHIP FIRE HOUSE, 6000 THOMPSON RD. and 2377 CIVIC CTR DR.

The Pro 96 is capable of scanning a Project 25 system. Monitoring Project 25 does not require rebanding tables. The P25 Control Channel sends the correct frequency information to your scanner.

Be sure to setup or download the Talk Groups and also setup the Group and Private Wildcards.

Here's a link to the MARCS-IP Database: https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=6643

 

[LawnCowboy]

with 851.6125 (one of the 4 ch CCs), I do hear faint CC data however, with it in MO mode, it shows 00% occasionally 02-04%. I'm not in a steel building... even stepping outside and 2 miles from tower, getting 00%. Wondering if someone didn't knock this thing off it's perch at some point and put it back... maybe a wire broken inside to antenna? Just looked, nope, nothing looks damaged.... tried different antenna, still 00%

firmware DSP-app 1.4

aware there is a tower not far on Thompson, used to come in pretty clear before the rebanding... I have the 800MHz 6in antenna and I'm getting 00%... hmmm

Thanks for the help.

 

[budevans]

with 851.6125 (one of the 4 ch CCs), I do hear faint CC data however, with it in MO mode, it shows 00% occasionally 02-04%. I'm not in a steel building... even stepping outside and 2 miles from tower, getting 00%. Wondering if someone didn't knock this thing off it's perch at some point and put it back... maybe a wire broken inside to antenna? Just looked, nope, nothing looks damaged.... tried different antenna, still 00%

firmware DSP-app 1.4

aware there is a tower not far on Thompson, used to come in pretty clear before the rebanding... I have the 800MHz 6in antenna and I'm getting 00%... hmmm

Thanks for the help.

Don't bother trying to monitor a CC in conventional mode, it just sounds like static. A P25 data stream does not sound like the old Moto Type II systems. Also I hope your post was a typo. The CC is 851.1625.

Program your scanner as a P25 Trunk System (in my PSR-500 it's, P25 Auto or P25 Manual). Enter Talk Groups and Wild Cards.

 

[radioscan]

with 851.6125 (one of the 4 ch CCs), I do hear faint CC data however, with it in MO mode, it shows 00% occasionally 02-04%. I'm not in a steel building... even stepping outside and 2 miles from tower, getting 00%. Wondering if someone didn't knock this thing off it's perch at some point and put it back... maybe a wire broken inside to antenna? Just looked, nope, nothing looks damaged.... tried different antenna, still 00%

firmware DSP-app 1.4

aware there is a tower not far on Thompson, used to come in pretty clear before the rebanding... I have the 800MHz 6in antenna and I'm getting 00%... hmmm

Thanks for the help.

You have the latest firmware, so that's not an issue.
Check to see how well you are hearing weather 162.550. We need to figure out if this is a programming issue or reception issue. You may want to check out the MONIX Yahoo page if you are not already a member and download the latest clones in the File area. They are confirmed to work. Link can be found in my signature .

 

[Nasby]

Could be the internal Pots need re-tuned.

Those darned OLD Pro-96's are notorious for that.

 

[LawnCowboy]

Good catch Bud, it was a typo, I have the correct CC loaded. The PRO-96 is a bit different from the PSR-500. I don't know about the 500 but with the PRO-96, I can stay on Manual on the control channel and hear the data... and see a decoding rate in %. Used to be from 80-99 where I am. I did a direct download into scanner from the Win96 software via the RR database so it seems set up correctly. Other than that info about selecting 800 rebanded from the custom tables. I changed that.

WX comes in clear... will continue to monitor some other stuff with it. Haven't used it in a few months.

Seems a reception problem with the trunked system since that control channel isn't showing a decent decode and sounds faint?

I like Nasby's idea! Sounds like a possibility? Would that only affect the 800 range? I'm no where near electronic literate to know what to do about that! lol

460.300 coming in clear for west fire disp

 

[LawnCowboy]

Put in Guilford site freqs for Indiana's SAFE-T system, same results. Getting a SY6BD 00% :-(

 

[Nasby]

Good catch Bud, it was a typo, I have the correct CC loaded. The PRO-96 is a bit different from the PSR-500. I don't know about the 500 but with the PRO-96, I can stay on Manual on the control channel and hear the data... and see a decoding rate in %. Used to be from 80-99 where I am. I did a direct download into scanner from the Win96 software via the RR database so it seems set up correctly. Other than that info about selecting 800 rebanded from the custom tables. I changed that.

WX comes in clear... will continue to monitor some other stuff with it. Haven't used it in a few months.

Seems a reception problem with the trunked system since that control channel isn't showing a decent decode and sounds faint?

I like Nasby's idea! Sounds like a possibility? Would that only affect the 800 range? I'm no where near electronic literate to know what to do about that! lol

460.300 coming in clear for west fire disp

The drifted pot issue only affects 800 digital. What you are describing sounds like a classic example of the pot needing adjusted (I've experienced the same thing with two of my Pro-96's).

The adjustment is not that difficult. Just take your time and make very small turns with the screwdriver.

The procedure is outlined in the Pro-96 Wiki.

Good luck!!

 

[LawnCowboy]

Can someone point me in the direction of the procedure outlined in the wiki for adjusting the pot??? I can't find it.

 

[radioscan]

Can someone point me in the direction of the procedure outlined in the wiki for adjusting the pot??? I can't find it.

PRO-96 Internal Adjustments - The RadioReference Wiki

 

[LawnCowboy]

Awesome! That did the trick.. Thank YOU.. .decode up to 90%. adjusted VR4... but now my UHF 460.300 sounds muffled :-/

 

[LawnCowboy]

Suppose the correct way to get everything up to snuff would be to follow directions and connect appropriate hardware to adjust? Ideas where or who to hire for that?

 

[radioscan]

Suppose the correct way to get everything up to snuff would be to follow directions and connect appropriate hardware to adjust? Ideas where or who to hire for that?

http://www.gcomradio.com


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