Hopefully, I can get some local help (RTL-SDR and P25)

[nessnet]

I REALLY could use someone's help with this - have been banging my head on this for hours.... and hours...(!!)

I'm looking to decode WSP 700 (and JIWN and conv) mainly, probably WSDOT 700 also.

I haven't been able to really work on getting my RTL-SDR(s) successfully decoding P25 II, because where I live, all of the P25 II systems are -100 or less. I have no problem with getting the 2 dongles/trunking to work well on Unitrunker/KCERS, but of course, it isn't P25 II.

However, I've been spending the week in an area with really good RSSIs and I have been trying to make P25 II trunking work. No luck and now VERY, very frustrated!!

I've tried to get DSD+Fastlane to work and I have also tried SDRTrunk. I consider myself fairly adept at computers, but this has got me #@!* stumped!

Could someone local (WA, pref. N King or S SnoCo) that does know how to RTL-SDR / P25II PLEASE help me out? If someone could take the time to walk me through it step by step, I will be glad to bribe you - just name your price. Either e-mail / PM or in-person...? Over drinks (on me)?

PLEASE!!

 

[RaleighGuy]

@nessnet you gave us a great story about what you are doing, and about the SDR not working, but you failed to tell us what the problem is, what is or isn't DSD+ doing?

Also, are the TGs in the clear or encrypted? Most issues can be fixed on here, but only when you tell us the problem you are having.

 

[nessnet]

@nessnet you gave us a great story about what you are doing, and about the SDR not working, but you failed to tell us what the problem is, what is or isn't DSD+ doing?

Also, are the TGs in the clear or encrypted? Most issues can be fixed on here, but only when you tell us the problem you are having.

#1: definitely in the clear.

As to the problem - for starters... (from DSD+'s trunking.txt "In order for trunk voice following to work, your DSDPlus.frequencies file *must* contain correct channel information for the systems / sites you wish to monitor." So, I have tried adding info to it, nope, error, upon error. I have downloaded the (my state).csv files, however, when looking at them, I don't think they are up to date, so tried to do this manually. I see (and have downloaded) the system's DSD files on RR, but how to get then to where they are needed?

Then, how to edit the .cfg files properly? I probably am mucking this up too.

This is why I'd like to have (bribe?) someone go step by step, from the very beginning, eliminating any/all the possible problems, which are probably multiple.

 

[RaleighGuy]

Okay, to start if you are using FMP24-CC and select/lock onto the control channel it should decode and trunk without the other files being filled in.

WSDOT 700 is in the database. The DSD site files only identify the site based on the system ID and NAC. If you download them you open the file in notepad or other text editor, and simply copy them and paste into the DSDPLUS.sites file in your DSD Plus folder. Same with the Talkgroups, download and copy into the DSDPLUS.groups file. A P25 system will automatically populated the freqs needed.

Washington Department of Transportation (P25) Trunking System, Various, Multi-State

Washington Department of Transportation (P25) Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

As for JWIN it appears it is not active in Washington State according to this thread:

Justice Integrated Wireless Network

So I was just browsing the Justice Integrated Wireless Network page of the db and noticed there are a lot of Washington *state* entries listed. I realize there are an inordinate number of JIWN entries for the PNW (which is a little confusing as well - shouldn't the JIWN have a presence in every...

forums.radioreference.com

As for your config files FMP24.cfg the only changes are in the last 4 lines, the name of the database you are using, the type of units (MILES AND BEARINGS), the search radius (depends on antenna, but say 15 for 15 miles to start), and your GPS location.

FMP24-CC.bat is the start up and doesn't need to be changed often. Mine looks like this:
FMP24 -rc -o20001 -P0.0 -g43.2 -b9.5 -f853.9625
-P=PPM of dongle -g=Gain you want -b=band width and -f=start up freq you want.

That should get you started.

I strongly recommend you click on REPORT in the lower left corner and ask the mods to move this to the VOICE CONTROL CHANNEL DECODING SOFTWARE forum to get better responses. They'll be happy to move it. Please don't start a new thread for it, as that is discouraged.

Voice/Control Channel Decoding Software

For discussion of software applications which decode digital voice formats and trunking control channels. Please use the HF Digital Signals forum for anything below 30MHz.

forums.radioreference.com

 

[nessnet]

OK..... Thanks for the replys - and hopefully the assist...
BTW, I have 2 100s and a 200, so I know these are in the clear - and definitely all are active.

#1: WSDOT P25 II (700MHZ) - new, but is most certainly up and running (and being new is one of the reasons I want this up and running to log new TGs).
Washington Department of Transportation (P25) Trunking System, Various, Washington - Scanner Frequencies

#2: JIWN is very much active here in WA. A lot of activity on it, in fact.
Justice Integrated Wireless Network Trunking System, Various, Multi-State - Scanner Frequencies

#3: The one I am most interested in is the WSP 700 system:
WA State Patrol Trunking System, Various, Washington - Scanner Frequencies

WA State Patrol Trunking System, Various, Washington - Scanner Frequencies
WA State Patrol Trunking System, Various, Washington - Scanner Frequencies

 

[RaleighGuy]

OK..... Thanks for the replys - and hopefully the assist...

As you posted this I was editing my comments and help, suggest you take a look.

 

[nessnet]

I strongly recommend you click on REPORT in the lower left corner and ask the mods to move this to the VOICE CONTROL CHANNEL DECODING SOFTWARE forum to get better responses. They'll be happy to move it. Please don't start a new thread for it, as that is discouraged.

Voice/Control Channel Decoding Software

For discussion of software applications which decode digital voice formats and trunking control channels. Please use the HF Digital Signals forum for anything below 30MHz.

forums.radioreference.com

I posted to WA (state) because I was trying to (maybe) get someone locally I could bribe with a few beers and actually step by step show me. My head literally hurts from reading lots of stuff on the internets about this - only to bang my head against the wall- literally all $#@* day today.....

What's driving me nuts is I'm not a newb and actually have fairly good comp skills. Embarrassing to have such troubles with this....

 

[RaleighGuy]

What's driving me nuts is I'm not a newb and actually have fairly good comp skills. Embarrassing to have such troubles with this....

Don't let it bother you, I tried and gave up multiple times before it started to click, after I posted in the correct forum and people there helped me on the forum.

 

[freqseeker]

Interesting timing. I just set this up last night after not using it for a few years. First time using fastlane.
I watched this video for P25P1 DSDPlus setup it helped a lot, but I ran into errors when running FMP24-CC. I was able to replace missing files and it works fine now. I am monitoring WSP 700 Tacoma simulcast as I am in South King County.
I am new to this as well, but will chime in if I know a solution.
Are your errors followed by a missing file type like fftw3.f03? This was my problem and I did solve it. It's not addressed in the above video, but other setup procedures are. Including entering frequency in FMP24-CC to get going.

 

[AJAT]

What sites are you trying to get? I am able to get the Marysville site for the JIWN and king lake for the 700 WSP using SDR Trunk and DSD+ fastlane. I found SDR Trunk easier to use but DSD seems to decode a little better.
My FMP-24 CC file : FMP24 -o20003 -P0.0 -b9.5 -f774.05625 -i1 -s0
My FMP-24 VC File: FMP24 -rv -i3 -o20002 -P0.0
CC.bat: DSDPlus -rc -fa -i20003 -wsl400.2 -wss100.200 -wel0.1 -wcl0.445 -wes400.520 >>CC.log
VC.Bat: DSDPlus -rv -fa -OM DSDPlus.mp3 -i20002 -v3 -wsl400.210 -wss100.200 -wel172.522 -wcl528.0 >>VC.log

My site loader file:
P25,BEE0A.715,1.078,"Marysville"
P25,BEE00.9CC,2.003,"King Lake"
P25,C7D5A.03D,31.031,"Everett"

I attached my frequency list as well
These files are for the above the listed sites (Marysville and King lake) you will have to change a few things for the sites you want to listen to

 

[nessnet]

Holy schnikies…. I was waaaaaaaay over complicating this. It is actually MUCH simpler than a lot of info that is out there, including the .txt files that come with Fastlane...

I still need to fiddle with the .cfg, (gain, lat/long, etc - or get a Yagi. I'm decoding, but much more garbled than the 100 sitting next to me.

Honorable mention to freqseeker. That video actually helped point me in the right direction, which was basically what N1GAW said previously above.

Thanks all.

 

[jparks29]

Why make things difficult?

Use SDRTrunk

If you're not in an area of good reception, get a better antenna, or put your existing antenna up higher.

 

[danesgs]

Just as an aside I use SDRtrunk and it took me ahwile to figure out where to place the Java library that is needed and once done it worked very well. Whenever you have multiple parts to a puzzle you really feel great when they all fit finally together.

 

[nessnet]

Why make things difficult?
Use SDRTrunk
If you're not in an area of good reception, get a better antenna, or put your existing antenna up higher.

Like I said in my OP ... I tried to use SDR trunk, but wasn't successful, for one reason or another. Which is why I reached out in my OP. Certainly, if you want to extend a helping hand and help me figure out why I was unsuccessful, let's do it.

As to signal. I have multiple, quite good (freq specific BTW) antennas already, however, I am down in a bit of a hole (valley) and short of erecting a 100'+ tower, increased height really isn't an option. I have a quite good (again freq specific) Yagi I plan on trying here to see if maybe....

 

[nessnet]

Just as an aside I use SDRtrunk and it took me ahwile to figure out where to place the Java library that is needed and once done it worked very well. Whenever you have multiple parts to a puzzle you really feel great when they all fit finally together.

I generated the XX.jar - just put it in the same folder as SDRTrunk - not correct?

Like I just posted to jparks29, I'd be glad to try again to get SDRTrunk to work. I spent quite a bit of time trying - just couldn't find that probably small thing (or two) I was doing wrong.

 

[danesgs]

Correct. What errors are you getting and are you running the .bat file to start it?

 

[nessnet]

Correct. What errors are you getting and are you running the .bat file to start it?

Honestly, I don't remember exactly now - that was now a week or two ago. Once I got Fastlane up and running, I didn't mess with SDRTrunk anymore. I suppose I can try again.... I'll have to DL all of it again... when I have time to devote to it.