Help with Uniden SDS200 on 2 Trunked Systems Ann Arbor PD/FD & Univ. Michigan DPSS talk groups

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IPman

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I purchased a new Uniden SDS200 scanner and updated the firmware successfully.
I programmed the 2 systems using ARC536Basic, imported both systems data directly from files in radio reference.

The first system: Ann Arbor City using the Jackson Avenue site, I only brought over 3 analog FD and 2 analog PD talk groups The scanner does not decode voice talk groups. Using the diagnostics screen with 3 vertical bar graphs I see strong signal on the left bar graph but the middle bar graph is not decoding the control channels. Anyone have any ideas on what I have missed and why the scanner is not decoding the control channels?

The second system is University of Michigan Ann Arbor: On this system I imported from radio reference the simulcast site with 3 control channels and a bunch of analog DPSS talk groups. The only talk group the radio decodes is 61520 DPSS Primary, I have not heard a word on the car/car or event talk groups nor have I heard any patrol car interaction with dispatch. Using the same diagnostics screen, I have 3 solid bar graphs, so I am assuming the scanner can track the trunk system but I'm only getting the dispatch side makes me wonder if the patrolmen are encrypted or again I have missed something in programming.

Any help anyone can offer would be appreciated I am not from the area so I am not familiar with either system, I'm relying upon the radio reference database import.

73's
Ipman
 

hiegtx

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May 8, 2004
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11,172
Location
Dallas, TX
I purchased a new Uniden SDS200 scanner and updated the firmware successfully.
I programmed the 2 systems using ARC536Basic, imported both systems data directly from files in radio reference.

The first system: Ann Arbor City using the Jackson Avenue site, I only brought over 3 analog FD and 2 analog PD talk groups The scanner does not decode voice talk groups. Using the diagnostics screen with 3 vertical bar graphs I see strong signal on the left bar graph but the middle bar graph is not decoding the control channels. Anyone have any ideas on what I have missed and why the scanner is not decoding the control channels?

The second system is University of Michigan Ann Arbor: On this system I imported from radio reference the simulcast site with 3 control channels and a bunch of analog DPSS talk groups. The only talk group the radio decodes is 61520 DPSS Primary, I have not heard a word on the car/car or event talk groups nor have I heard any patrol car interaction with dispatch. Using the same diagnostics screen, I have 3 solid bar graphs, so I am assuming the scanner can track the trunk system but I'm only getting the dispatch side makes me wonder if the patrolmen are encrypted or again I have missed something in programming.

Any help anyone can offer would be appreciated I am not from the area so I am not familiar with either system, I'm relying upon the radio reference database import.

73's
Ipman
Looking at your description of what you are "not hearing", and looking at the talkgroups themselves on the systems, it appears that you may not have the correct "service types" enabled. On the Univ. of Michigan system, the only TGID you report hearing is 61520, which is tagged as "Law Dispatch". The other talkgroups are "Tac" or "Talk", with two more labeled as Security.

For the Ann Arbor analog system, both of the two analog PD talkgroups are "Law Talk". For the FD Analog talkgroups, one is labeled as "Fire Dispatch", but it's also noted as a "fallback" talkgroup, used only when their primary talkgroup (probably ID 2822 over on the statewide digital system) is out of service. Of the p\other three talkgroups listed under 'Fire' on the analog system, two are tagged as 'Fire Talk', the other as 'Fire Tac'' two of them are also enabled as 'fallback'.

Check which service types are enabled. When initially shipped, and/or when Sentinel is first downloaded & installed, the only public safety service types that are enabled are for Dispatch. i.e. Law Dispatch, Fire Dispatch, EMS Dispatch, & Multi-Dispatch. You also need to enable the Talk and Tac types for those categories. In other words, enable Law Talk, Law Tac, Fire Talk, Fire Tac, as well as the Tac & Talk versions for EMS & Multi.

As diskmonger has also noted, they may no longer be using the analog system except for a backup, with the main usage over on MPSCS The DPSS Primary is also over on MPSCS, with a note that the dispatch talkgroup is patched to the older analog system.
 
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