Help me help you

[Ubbe]

I would be interested in knowing how the LCN Finder worked.

The only way it could work are that it gets the LCN and the TG from the control channel and then scans all of the frequencies you have programmed to that site and tries to find the voice conversation of that TG and then sets the LCN to it.

/Ubbe

 

[sonm10]

The only way it could work are that it gets the LCN and the TG from the control channel and then scans all of the frequencies you have programmed to that site and tries to find the voice conversation of that TG and then sets the LCN to it.

/Ubbe

I would be alright if it just showed the lcn of each channel like dsd+

 

[u2brent]

DSD+ shows CH's, It doesn't know the frequency associated with that ch number until the frequency file is correctly completed (user intervention required). Unless it's a DFA or P25 type system in which the CC sends that data/aka: band plan OTA.
The LCN finder does just what @Ubbe said it does, it won't display an LCN until it's found or the user programs it correctly.

 

[Ubbe]

I would be alright if it just showed the lcn of each channel like dsd+

It needs to set the correct LCN to each frequency. DSD+ can't do that either, you have to setup the bandplan the correct way. With systems like DMR cap+ there's no standardized bandplan and LCN's are set to what the system admin decides, which could have no relation to number of frequency steps nor frequency order.

/Ubbe

 

[JoeBearcat]

If a delay of 0 isn't working for you, a delay of -10 isn't going to help.

A delay of "-10" does not mean "delay negative 10 seconds". How could that even work? Resume ten seconds before the transmission starts? I think you'd need a time machine.

You are mis-reading the context of the negative symbol. It does not mean negative delay - the negative symbol means it's a strict timed delay before start of scan rather than a delay AFTER the transmission ends.

For -10, the scanner will wait 10 seconds then resume scanning whether the transmission has ended or not.

For any "negative" number, it will wait X seconds then start scanning again.
The shortest delay AFTER the end of the transmission is a 0 second delay setting.

 

[JoeBearcat]

Please investigate. A 0 sec TG delay time should immediately make the scanner monitor the control data for new calls after a call have ended if the site where on hold.

As that doesn't seem to work it might indicate that 0 sec are interpreted as a blank empty default value, which is 2 sec.

/Ubbe

Agreed. It is added to the bug list for checking.

We should be able to check that fairly soon (even if we can't fix it until we get to that stage of catch-up).

 

[mwjones]

One issue that I ran into last year on the SDS100 was when the radio stopped on an open carrier (transmitter transmitting, but no audio). If the radio set on that carrier for a period of time, the radio would shut down with a SD Card Write error, requiring the radio to be powered off and back on. Went through 3 different SD cards before I figured out the cause (replay was enabled). I finally figured out the offending signal and marked it as permanently avoid, and didn't have a problem afterward.

It's been many months (while I was traveling to another city), so I forget the specific error code the screen would show.

 

[werinshades]

You are mis-reading the context of the negative symbol. It does not mean negative delay - the negative symbol means it's a strict timed delay before start of scan rather than a delay AFTER the transmission ends.

For -10, the scanner will wait 10 seconds then resume scanning whether the transmission has ended or not.

For any "negative" number, it will wait X seconds then start scanning again.
The shortest delay AFTER the end of the transmission is a 0 second delay setting.

I read that and understand the concept, changed the 2 talkgroups to 0 delay. The Chicago Fire Dept uses 6 separate P25 OFT frequencies. All 6 use the same talkgroup configuration...TGID 1 for Mobiles, TGID 65535 for Dispatch. I'm sitting here watching this on two separate scanners...1 running it on Conventional P25, and the SDS 200 on OFT with 0 second delay. I've just heard a series of transmissions where the company or dispatch transmit, and the replies are being chopped from the beginning of the transmissions.

I've tried to set each frequency up in it's own system and that was very slow. I currently have each OFT in it's own site, and the talkgrouos set up once. System is held, and it scans the sites for activity.

In this scenario, scanning it conventionally is the optimum solution, unless you can suggest another method I've overlooked.

 

[sallen07]

You are mis-reading the context of the negative symbol. It does not mean negative delay - the negative symbol means it's a strict timed delay before start of scan rather than a delay AFTER the transmission ends.

You quoted my post, but I really don't think you were talking to me. My very next sentence said the same thing.

 

[ve3cgr]

Feature request:
For the SDS100 it would be great to have the text scroll when it's longer than what can be displayed. i.e. I have channels that are longer than what can be displayed like "Aurora 5L - 1OPS46 Highway 407 ETR". Yes, I can shorten the name but it would be nice to have it scroll someday.

 

[JoeBearcat]

Feature request:
For the SDS100 it would be great to have the text scroll when it's longer than what can be displayed. i.e. I have channels that are longer than what can be displayed like "Aurora 5L - 1OPS46 Highway 407 ETR". Yes, I can shorten the name but it would be nice to have it scroll someday.

Added to the list of feature requests.

 

[PMD563]

Is there a way to change the FLQK number without having to go into each list and change it individually under options? Could an update be done making it possible to change it under the edit profile,scan selection list or in the sort favorites list?

 

[JoeBearcat]

How often is it needed to be changed?

 

[pro106import]

So here is the scenario. I monitor a P25 system that is pretty much on the edge of my receive range. However, I can hear it 100%, 100% of the time. The only caveat is the squelch setting has to be set to open ( 0 or 1 setting). If I set it to 2, the radio scans right by it and doesn't catch the control channel. I have programmed the easiest scenario for the radio also, which is hold on just the 1 system, and only having the active control channel programmed in so the radio doesn't have to search through any unnecessary frequencies.
MY REQUEST:
Since we can't add an analog pot to adjust the squelch looser, could we please make the fixed squelch presets user adjustable in the PPS? Or at least make the 1 equiv. to 1.5 because there is no difference between 0 and 1 anyway so it is a wasted preset. I know there are hundreds of SDS100 / 200 users that are having trouble with systems locking on. After I suggest to them to set the squelch to 0, all of a sudden they can hear their system. Maybe you can also make the squelch settings be set per System or channel also, instead of radio-wide. This way I can set my P25 systems at 0, and my conventional channels to 2 so I can actually use the radio to scan more than one thing like it was meant to!
Thank You Joe!
Bob

 

[PMD563]

I guess not often. I was just wondering if there was/could be an easier way than going into every Favorite List and changing them one by one, say if you wanted to move a sequence of numbers up one or down one in a list. If there is not much demand for it, no worries. Maybe I'm just too indecisive.
Thanks,
Pat
How often is it needed to be changed?
[/QUOTE]

 

[jonwienke]

I would support rescaling the squelch settings. I have never needed to go higher than 3, so reconfiguring the max to the current 3 or 4 setting and scaling the intermediate settings proportionally would be a lot more useful.

 

[Ubbe]

Or at least make the 1 equiv. to 1.5 because there is no difference between 0 and 1 anyway so it is a wasted preset.

There will be problems doing that. Squelch systems use hysteresis so that when a signal level increase it might open the squelch at 2uV, lets say that equals -90dBm, but lowering the signal strength doesn't close the squelch at 1,9uV or -91dBm. It closes the squelch at 1uV or -95dBm. It has to do that to stop the squelch from stuttering and sound like a machine gun at signal levels just at the squelch point. It has to be a difference between when the squelch opens and when it closes, a hysteresis. Having a 1,5 setting for the squelch would make it open sooner but it would never close.

Having a flag for a channel or site or department that tells it to disable the squelch, set it to 0, would be more workable. But remember that the Hold time would always be in use as it is controlled from the squelch. If you program a site and you are not within coverage it would still be on that empty frequency for the time that was set for the Hold time, a minimum of 1,5sec. As it is now it would just spend 20mS on a "dead" frequency and then begins to check other programmed frequencies in that site for a possible alternative control channel, or just go directly to the next site or system. It would also require an "end tone, code" to always be detectable on the voice channel or it would stay on the old voice channel for the TG delay time, missing the rest of the conversation that could be taking place on another trunked frequency.

The root problem with SDS scanners squelch system are that it interpretates high modulated signals, like digital data, as noise and will make it harder to open up the squelch. Switching from NFM to FM mode will somewhat reduce that problem as SDS scanners seems to be programmed with a very narrow software filter, probably to try and reduce interferences, that increases the noise level with an increased modulation level. Even using a clean unmodulated signal you cannot go more then 2KHz-3KHz off frequency until the squelch closes. A 436/536 can go 5KHz-6Khz off in frequency before that happens as it uses more "normal" filters, which also are needed if the frequency standard in the scanner drifts over time. A SDS scanner needs to be perfectly on the frequency or the squelch would have problem to open. The high temperature variations in SDS scanners might make it difficult to keep the frequency reference perfectly stable.

/Ubbe

 

[ka3jjz]

Another issue to consider;

This is an example of a thread that should have easy answers, but evidently doesn't...

BCD436HP/BCD536HP: - Sentinel and NXDN Programming Help Please

I just got the NXDN upgrade for my BCD436HP. I am lost in programming it for NXDN. I want to make a favorites list for several Los Angeles NXDN sites like AAA, BNSF RR, City of Hope, Union Pacific RR, etc. I have the NXDN search info for the area. There is an import tool to import it into...

forums.radioreference.com

There should be some detailed instructions somewhere (the TWiki?) that addresses questions like these. This isn't the only 'new' mode that needs to be explained better. Before I got booted out, I seem to recall that there are some basic instructions for programming DMR and MOTOTRBO systems that was at the bottom of the DMR announcement but these instructions (at least the ones I saw) were geared for the 436, 536 (and likely for the SDS scanners, too); one needs to remember that the 325P2 and 996P2 (which also can be upgraded for these new modes) don't use the same level of DMA programming, and their instructions should reflect this. Happily one of our members put together a nice little explanation for putting a MOTOTRBO system in via Sentinel (and we've captured this). But detailed instructions that take into account the different levels of DMA programming are VERY BADLY needed for DMR. MOTOTRBO (and Hytera systems which I know is a bit of an issue itself) and the various forms of NXDN programming. Mike

 

[jonwienke]

There will be problems doing that. Squelch systems use hysteresis so that when a signal level increase it might open the squelch at 2uV, lets say that equals -90dBm, but lowering the signal strength doesn't close the squelch at 1,9uV or -91dBm. It closes the squelch at 1uV or -95dBm. It has to do that to stop the squelch from stuttering and sound like a machine gun at signal levels just at the squelch point.

The hysteresis difference between the open/close levels doesn't have to be reduced to reduce the difference between the squelch open level for setting 1 and setting 2, so the entirety of the post is incorrect.

 

[JustLou]

So here is the scenario. I monitor a P25 system that is pretty much on the edge of my receive range. However, I can hear it 100%, 100% of the time. The only caveat is the squelch setting has to be set to open ( 0 or 1 setting). If I set it to 2, the radio scans right by it and doesn't catch the control channel. I have programmed the easiest scenario for the radio also, which is hold on just the 1 system, and only having the active control channel programmed in so the radio doesn't have to search through any unnecessary frequencies.
MY REQUEST:
Since we can't add an analog pot to adjust the squelch looser, could we please make the fixed squelch presets user adjustable in the PPS? Or at least make the 1 equiv. to 1.5 because there is no difference between 0 and 1 anyway so it is a wasted preset. I know there are hundreds of SDS100 / 200 users that are having trouble with systems locking on. After I suggest to them to set the squelch to 0, all of a sudden they can hear their system. Maybe you can also make the squelch settings be set per System or channel also, instead of radio-wide. This way I can set my P25 systems at 0, and my conventional channels to 2 so I can actually use the radio to scan more than one thing like it was meant to!
Thank You Joe!
Bob

^^^This. ...I have 2 P25 Systems I can't listen to while scanning because the scanner does not stop on them with the squelch set at anything higher than 1. If I hold the system and set the squelch at 1, I can listen to them fine. A per system squelch setting would solve the issue.