Has anyone successfully used DSD+ in Hamilton County?

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caseinpoint

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I purchased a RTL-SDR Blog brand R820T2 RTL2832U 1PPM TCXO HF Bias Tee SMA Dongle (V3) with the intention of learning how to listen to digitized radio.

Am I too late to the game? Is there anything left to listen to in this county that isn't encrypted?

If so, I'd really like to know I need to tweek in my SDR software to listen to it. I can post with screen shots of my settings.

TIA!
 

W4EMS

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TACN Click on the link and scroll down to Hamilton County. Very few encrypted channels. I am not familiar with the gear you procured but being TACN is a trunked system following the talkgroups will be a challenge with anything other than a trunking specific radio.
 

R0am3r

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If so, I'd really like to know I need to tweek in my SDR software to listen to it. I can post with screen shots of my settings.

What operating system are you using? If you are using Windows, consider using DSDPlus. You will need to upgrade to the Fast Lane version if you want to monitor P25 Phase 2 systems. For Linux (or similar OS), I highly recommend OP25.
 

caseinpoint

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HARDWARE:
Dongle: RTL-SDR Blog V3 R820T2 RTL2832U 1PPM TCXO HF Bias Tee SMA Software Defined Radio with Dipole Antenna Kit (Amazon ASIN: B011HVUEME)

Laptop:
14 in Latitude Dell 7490
System Type x64-based PC
Windows: Version 10.0.17763 Build 17763
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8650U CPU @ 1.90GHz, 2112 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 16.0 GB

SOFTWARE:
OS: Windows 10
SRD#: v1.0.0.1732 (USB)
DSD+: DSD+ 1.074
VBCABLE_Driver_Pack43

I currently do not subscribe to Fast Lane. I would love to find a method that would not require me to shell out more cash. Thank you for giving me that info.

Also, just wanted to throw it out there, I do have a Chromebook, but I'm doubtful I could do much with that.
 

Hit_Factor

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Saint Joseph, MI
Your hardware is good to go.

I think you need to be more specific with your questions.

Start be looking at the database for your area. Pick something you want to monitor. Follow the instructions for dsd or youtube videos. Give it a try.

If it doesn't work, come back here tell us what you want to hear, what you tried, and what the result is/was.

Consider starting a new thread in the appropriate forum based on tools you are using, not location.
 

caseinpoint

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Thanks. I was hoping to find someone nearby so I could emulate their settings in SDR# and DSD+. I am finding feeds to listen to, but they are not producing any output that I can hear.

DSD+ appears to be getting info piped into it using the VBCable, but I can't get sound OUT. I've had friends try and had the same results in Birmingham, AL USA.

I've followed several YouTube videos, forum suggestions, and searched Reddit posts. I am asking here because I'm new to all of this and I have yet to make it work though I've tried messing with it now on and off for over a week daily.

Is anyone in the county able to use SDR+ or any other software to decode digital?
 

Hit_Factor

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Might be easier to start with the weather. Make sure you can receive that, then start decoding digital protocols. If you can hear the weather - VBCable issues can be crossed off the list.

It's been awhile since I actually used DSD+, once camping season starts back up I'll start running it again.
 

Awesomeman92

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Bloomington, IL
Thanks. I was hoping to find someone nearby so I could emulate their settings in SDR# and DSD+. I am finding feeds to listen to, but they are not producing any output that I can hear.

DSD+ appears to be getting info piped into it using the VBCable, but I can't get sound OUT. I've had friends try and had the same results in Birmingham, AL USA.

I've followed several YouTube videos, forum suggestions, and searched Reddit posts. I am asking here because I'm new to all of this and I have yet to make it work though I've tried messing with it now on and off for over a week daily.

Is anyone in the county able to use SDR+ or any other software to decode digital?
Are you trying to decode conventional or trunked digital? If you're trying to listen to TACN then I don't know if SDR# can do that properly although I may be wrong, there could be a plug in for trunking that I don't remember. If you're parked on the control channel for TACN then you'll see a data stream in DSD+ but you won't hear any audio because there isn't anything to hear. If you are trying to listen to conventional digital then obviously that's well within the capabilities of SDR#. Also, if you're using SDR# make sure the audio filter is off, although if DSD+ is getting data I'm guessing it is.

Next thing I would do is check which output DSD+ is sending audio into. If it's not outputting to your speakers, you won't hear anything. If you are running DSD+ from the regular .exe file then I think it'll default to whatever output 1 is, which may or may not be your speakers. When you first open DSD+ it should tell you which input and output it is using, you should be able to tell from that. For example if it is defaulting to output 1 and it shows your speakers are output 2, you could open Notepad and create a .bat file in the DSD+ folder with the command line:

DSDPlus.exe -o2

This would work with any other commands you'd want to enter too, for example I run multiple SDR dongles at a time so I have different copies with different inputs. Adding -fr would only decode DMR, -e automatically mutes any encrypted voice it comes across, and there are many more. Create the file in Notepad and save it as a .bat, then run it instead of the regular .exe file.

I would also back up the suggestion to look into FastLane. It gives you the program FMP24 which allows TCP linking with DSD+ and eliminates the need for SDR# and VBCable completely. It will also give you Phase II capability as well as being able to following trunked systems using only one SDR dongle, and is very well worth the money IMO.

Hope this helps!
 

gh6406

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Dalton,Ga
caseinpoint, try these two batch files. Unzip these and then copy them to your DSDPlus folder. Then run fmp24, and as soon as it opens run 1r. This should get you listening to the Chattanooga Simulcast site.
 

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