How to program a simplex channel (no repeater) for DMR

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gary123

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his is a basic walk through for programming a simplex channel into the x36 series scanners using sentinel 1.07 (03).

Most DMR users have a color code, time slot and Talk Group (TG). Many are programming the DMR channel as a conventional freq with DMR enabled. The trouble is that the user also has a TG and the scanner cannot decode the user properly without this information. Below are the steps I have used to successfully program in a simplex DMR channel and have it receive properly.

This is assuming you already have an existing favorites list loaded to sentinel.

1 - Start sentinel

2 - go to Edit and in the drop down select Edit Favorites List. The Favorites List editor will open.

3 - on the right side there will be 3 tabs, Systems,Options and System Quick Keys Status. Click on the Systems tab.

4 - below the word "systems" there is a green plus sign click on it. This will open up the create new system window.

5 - In the system name enter in the name of the service you are planning to monitor use 'Radio Reference" as the name. Under system type select DMR One Frequency and click the Ok button. This will create a new system called 'Radio Reference".

6 - while still in the window where the Radio Reference system you just created is move the slider so that you can see the quick key tab and assign it a number EG "69"

This completes the initial set up next will be to load in the freq and other known information.

In the main Favorites List Editor on the left hand side you will see the Radio Reference system name you have created above. Click on it. This will open up a set of tabs, Department,Sites Unit Ids etc.

7 - below the word "departments" there is a green plus sign click on it. This will add a department to the Radio reference system. You can rename the "department 0000" to "simplex test"

8 - select the sites tab and right below the word "sites" there is a green plus sign click on it. This will add a site to the Radio Reference system. Change the name "site 0000" to "the freq you are going to monitor EG 462.8125 I use the freq as the name so that I can see what freq is being monitored Set the modulation to FM and leave everything else alone.

9 - once again on the left hand side of the main Favorites List Editor you will see the names of the department and site created above. Click on the site "462.8125" this will open up a set of tabs on the right side of the main window.

10 - below the word "Frequencies" there is a green plus sign click on it. This will add a frequency to the 462.8125 site. Enter in the freq EG 462.8125 and leave the color code search alone.

this completes the set up of the One Frequency DMR system.
 

gary123

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The final step is to locate the color code TG and time slot. Load the edited favorites list to the scanner and start the scanner up. Use the menu key to go to "discovery". Hit the "yes" key. Select 'trunking discovery" and hit 'yes". Select 'new session" and hit "yes". Rotate the main knob until the capital letter 'R" is displayed and hit "yes". This will then show the systems that start with "R" select the "Radio Reference" system and hit "yes". select the site "462.8125" and hit 'yes". Rotate the main knob to create a session name "A" and hit "yes". Scroll down to the "A" you just created and hit "yes". Rotate the main knob until "set record duration" is displayed and hit "yes". Select 300 sec and hit "yes". Rotate the main knob untill "Start Discovery" is displayed and hit "yes". Let the scanner run in discovery mode for a while or until you have a minimum of 1 hit even then I recommend about 1/2 hour just to ensure a good set of captures. To review the captures exit back to regular scanning and do the following menu-discovery,review discovery,trunking discovery results,a_run001,review run results,summary. Then select the hits and get the TG info. Once you have this you can go back to sentinel and enter in the TG in the department.

11 - open sentinel and select the one frequency system created above then on the left hand side of the main Favorites List Editor you will see the name of the department. Click on the department "simplex test" this will open up a line of information about the department on the right side of the main window. enter in the TG and time slot.

thats it your done.
 

sibbley

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How many frequencies have you tried this with in a One Frequency System? 1 frequency per system? Have you tried more than 1 frequency per system?

I ask because I'm working on Amazon near me, they are running Simplex at this time and have 9 used frequencies I have logged to date. I have talkgroups, slots, and color codes for each. When programed as One Frequency, I included all 9 frequencies to the site. I don't hear much.
 

gary123

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I have done this with 3 separate conventional simplex channels so far. All were TRBO and all ended up having talkgroups.

Non of the users have multiple channels as far as i have discovered and I seem to be hearing the complete conversations. Simplex systems do not have multiple channels like a trunked system does.

Most TRBO users on simplex use Talk Group 001 that might be a good place to start. 2 of mine did the other used 123
 

esu78

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Hello, and thanks for this- I am missing a step a long the way here.....

I have created a new favorites list following the steps above-
couple of things I noticed-

I cannot scan a simplex DMR
- my fav list shows "nothing to scan"
- when I turn ID Search 'ON' , I then see my 'site' scanning
- when I TX on the test freq- I see the signal strength - however does not decode/or show DMR/ CCode

any ideas? Am I missing a step ?
Thank you in advance.
 

gary123

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you must have a quick key value entered for the one channel system, site and department. It looks like I missed entering them in steps 7 and 8.
 

sibbley

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If it weren't for bad luck with Simplex, I'd have no luck at all. I have to ask one question though, maybe Upman can shed some light.

I hear very little while scanning a Simplex One Frequency system. Why does the same system grab hits all day long in Discovery mode? This system is 9 frequencies, all under 1 site. Color Codes, TGID's, and Slots are set. This drives me nuts.
 

NYRHKY94

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Brunswick County, NC
IGNORE: I figured it out! Thanks

Hi gary123:

After following your nice instructions (thanks) and setting up the Radio Reference system, when I go to Discovery/Trunking/New Session/Scroll to R and hit enter, I get "No System Found Matching Your Entry". Any thoughts?

Thanks - Mike
 
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gary123

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To find the system you have to remember what it is called. In the example above I named the system Radio Referenece. so a discovery search should show up the Radio reference system when you get to the letter "R".

I have been thinking of creating and posting a .hpd already set up for doing this type of search.
 

HogDriver

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Do you have the favourite list that your discovery system is in, monitored AND activated?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

gary123

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Yes the system is in a favorites list all by its self for ease of monitoring. This method should work fine even if your just adding in the one frequency DMR system to it. I suggest temporarily avoiding all the other systems in the favorites while doing the checks on the simples DMR freq.
 

esu78

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..so far i think i got it

Good morning and thank you all...

-- redid the steps and turned ON ID Search

I am able to set/Analyze my system

when I test this, and i key up on a known simplex channel on a DMR radio close by, the scanner seems to "see" the signal i see the signal strength although it seems to be hit or miss

DMR flashes on occasion during the transmissions.
the TG does display
Sometimes audio passes

However, most of the time the unit is mute... but signal strength 'full bars'
been testing several simplex DMR transmissions to simulate trying to obtain info

Am I missing something ?

Anyone else experience this issue?

Thank you again
John
 

gary123

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too strong a signal seems to overload the scanner. I have found being about 10 ft away is good for testing purposes.
 
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