Help programming EBRCS

[kma371]

Your missing a control channel on the 700mhz group.

772.76875

 

[bayhair]

Thank you very much, that will do it.

Thanks Harry

 

[Boomguy]

Still Mostly Silence

So, I'm still only receiving about 20 seconds worth of traffic an hour (for real).

Here is what I have programmed:

769.331250
769.831250
771.118750
771.568750
772.018750
772.768750
773.668750
774.143750
774.893750
770.368750
855.212500
855.462500
855.487500
854.962500

I just don't get why I'm not receiving anything. I'm tired of being patient - WHAT am I doing wrong??

 

[officer_415]

I just don't get why I'm not receiving anything. I'm tired of being patient - WHAT am I doing wrong??

It could be simulcast distortion. Current scanners just don't handle CQPSK systems very well.

 

[Boomguy]

Could Be

It could be simulcast distortion. Current scanners just don't handle CQPSK systems very well.

I'm using a GRE PSR-800. It's supposed to be very good at this . . .

 

[officer_415]

Try removing these frequencies. They belong to the fill-in site, and if your scanner is using this site it may cause you to miss most of the ALCO East traffic.

855.212500
855.462500
855.487500
854.962500

 

[Boomguy]

I've tried it that way too . . . any special settings I should be setting on the PSR-800 software?

 

[officer_415]

If you have it programmed as a P25 system with the current control channel, it should work. Simulcast distortion is my best guess...

 

[Boomguy]

So - Just sent the following to GRE.

I'm only getting a very small percentage of channels on the P25 systems. When I do get one, the scanner can take as long as 30 seconds to find it (I have a Motorola XTS 5000 P25 2-way and have tried it on all 48 channels - it's a 400 MHz system)

When I try to receive channels from Livermore PD (P25 700/800 MHz) I can watch them having a conversation and here nothing.

I've used your software and tried a number of different settings (including adding only the 3 LPD channels and just my work channels in different banks at different times to reduce the number of channels the scanner has to scan) - no matter what, I'm receiving (based on previous radio traffic patterns and my work radio) only about 2% of the traffic.

Is my radio bad (defective) or does it just not work well on P25 systems?

 

[Boomguy]

So - Just sent the following to GRE.

I'm only getting a very small percentage of channels on the P25 systems. When I do get one, the scanner can take as long as 30 seconds to find it (I have a Motorola XTS 5000 P25 2-way and have tried it on all 48 channels - it's a 400 MHz system)

When I try to receive channels from Livermore PD (P25 700/800 MHz) I can watch them having a conversation and here nothing.

I've used your software and tried a number of different settings (including adding only the 3 LPD channels and just my work channels in different banks at different times to reduce the number of channels the scanner has to scan) - no matter what, I'm receiving (based on previous radio traffic patterns and my work radio) only about 2% of the traffic.

Is my radio bad (defective) or does it just not work well on P25 systems?

I received a phone all from GRECOM - they said more than likely the scanner was defective and to send it back to them. I'll follow up when the replacement arrives.

 

[kma371]

Haha that's a good one GRE

 

[inigo88]

Haha that's a good one GRE

^^^^^^^^^ THIS!

GRE & Uniden. Get your act together. This has been a known issue for YEARS now, and we're only just starting to complain about it since P25 simulcast arrived late in California. Driving through downtown Oakland the other day, I was receiving about one syllable every ten seconds from their P25 system. Oakland's system is in a pretty sorry state, but that is shameful none the less.

 

[Boomguy]

All I have to say is Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot

First, see my previous post concerning my GRE scanner.

My "replacement" scanner arrived yesterday. I updated the software and loaded in only Livermore PD, PD2 and PD3. Listened for 5 hours - Not one word was heard - NOTHING - My GRECOM PSR-800 is a Papa, Oscar, Sierra.

On the only good note - I bet LPD is really happy that not everyone in the world can hear them.

 

[kma371]

It's not the scanner. It's the technology like we have been saying.

I heard Livermore fine on my last trip through there. Not 100% but I heard more than you from what your describing.

Can you hear Pleasanton ok?

 

[Boomguy]

Good Question - I'll program them in tonight and see.

 

[Boomguy]

I'm done!

My scanner has been on for 24 hours - not one peep from Pleasanton, CA or Livermore,CA PD.


FROM GRE:

----- Original Message -----
From: GRE Support Team [mailto:no-reply@greamerica.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2012 05:56 PM
To: Boomguy
Subject: [#28151]: Ticket Number 28148

Boomguy,

Looking at the database entry for that system, it appears that the system has a number of simulcast cells within it. The modulation/codec (CQPSK) used on those types of systems is very difficult for the current hardware to decode. Add to that the distortion caused when two or more sites operating on the same frequency are slightly out of phase with each other and actually interfere with each other, and it can be nearly impossible to decode the signal.

Things you can try include adding attenuation, moving the scanner around (a matter of an inch or two can make a big difference), and using directional antennas can help on reception.

Best Regards,
GRE Support Team
GRE America, Inc. - Powered By Kayako SupportSuite

Unless someone can help me figure this out - I'm sending my paperweight back.

Key Words: GRE, PSR-800, PSR800

 

[officer_415]

My scanner has been on for 24 hours - not one peep from Pleasanton, CA or Livermore,CA PD.

I'm suprised you're not even getting fragments of transmissions anymore. Anyway, you're basically out of luck until they come out with a scanner that does better on CQPSK systems.

 

[kma371]

Yeah makes me thing it's something with the programming? Others have that scanner and they hear it.

Is there a way you can take it near a site like Dublin Bart and see if you hear anything?

Something isn't right if you aren't hearing anything at all. Are you even getting control channel data?

 

[Boomguy]

Still Done

I did a complete reprogramming - factory fresh. Only loaded LPD, LPD2 and LPD3. Over the past 24 or so hours, I did manage to get 5 complete conversations of about 6 seconds each and several fragments. Since I've been scanning the P25 system over the past few weeks, I've tried 3 different antennas; Placed my scanner in half-a-dozen locations in my house (BTW, I can see the Doolan Tank Site);and tried the scanner at several locations around town. Location seems to be very important to receiving and decoding the signal. Bottom line, I'm not willing to shell out the $400 to pick up a few words of talk. When someone builds a scanner that will decode our P25 system - I'll be the first one in line to buy.

 

[bayhair]

Try locking out all of the cell sites except for the alameda county south east cell. It was overloading my scanner otherwise.