I see in database poss. Phase II in RWC, has it migrated already?

[fleef]

Because I haven't been able to receive *any* trunking channels on RWC for about a week or so. RWC, MCSO, even Conventionals aren't receiving P25s, am able to hear Talk Groups on RWC Sim A, & some on Sim B- by the way, I am familiar with simulcast distortion- scanner is BCD996XT (yeah, yeah I know- trying to prevent having to buy a new one thanks...)
all of a sudden no trunking channels. Only receiving Lite Rail security, & few other similar TGs. I am in West Phoenix. Tried re-programming a few times - no luck.

to prevent cross post, I did open a thread in Uniden Tech https://forums.radioreference.com/threads/bcd996xt-not-rxing-trunking.386563/

So I am trying to narrow down if it's me, the radio, or the system! Thanks for any help.

 

[JohnSpartan]

It's not the system (RWC). They only have a couple of Phase 2 talkgroups set up so far. I've been RXing them just fine.

Check what sites you have in there.

MCSO current system is mixed analog and digital, their new system is all digital, not sure which one you are talking about.

 

[fleef]

Yes John- that's what I thought- not PH II all the way- I wanted to make sure as the replies in this forum hinted its our system & not the scanner

Its all systems Im not receiving trunking channels.

Ive Reset scanner, Ive prog. it manually and using FreeScan, tried prog. using another RR members file, still nothing on P25 in any system- MOTO., Conventional, or P25. Ive been using it & programming it for a few yrs now- just all of a sudden, no trunking whatsoever. I AM able to receive a handful of Talk Groups in the RWC system- & they're the Metro Lite Rail security. I am baffled.

 

[JohnSpartan]

That is quite odd. You mentioned you are west side, have you tried only programming one simulcast site, say G, in and giving that a go?

 

[fleef]

That is quite odd. You mentioned you are west side, have you tried only programming one simulcast site, say G, in and giving that a go?

Oh yes John I did try that- I even removed everything but Sim G- nothing! I then tried prog only the control channel- Nada. Believe me- Ive programmed this many times since Ive owned it, pretty familiar with simulcast deal - I had it programmed just the way I like it, & I hadn't used it in about a week- husband said "Hey, don't you listen to your scanner anymore?" I go to turn it on, and it's pretty silent. It's the most bizarre thing- everything *but* P25 frequencies. I'm getting Phoenix Fire, air, and like I said a handful of Talkgroups=

no TGs in my area though- only some non-essential ones from Central Phoenix area.

I am used to hearing ICE, everything- now nothing but Fire. In hopes of locating the problem, I tried looking for a way to do this on purpose- but I can't find a way to do it- exclude P25 trunking channels that is.

Is it possible some weird LCN programming thing could be going on? I've never used it myself- but could the scanner have a glitch or something making it put them in some order, thus preventing it's computer from receiving trunking channels I wonder?" idk-

again baffled

 

[JohnSpartan]

I was gonna ask if you had the latest firmware.

Antenna and line look good? Squelch isn't up too high?

Have you played with the manual settings for the digital threshold?

 

[fleef]

Thanks John- I have not played with the P25 threshold- but good looking out. Squelch I usually have at 4, I moved it up to five- down to three- down to zero! NO trunking. It's as if trunking has been turned off- somehow. Yes I have latest SW for this scanner, which I got off Uniden's site. Not sure if you wanted to go thru my other thread on Uniden tech- I swapped antennas, rooms, took it outside, even Reset scanner back to its "out of the box" settings- started from scratch-

programmed manually _nothing
programmed w/other RR members list- nothing
there has not been something I have *not* tried, & I used logic to narrow it down

Unless there is a setting where one could completely reject all trunking channels except TG's, it has got to be the scanner. I cannot think of a way to make it do this, can you? I'm serious- if you do, maybe whatever "that" is, is the cause

Not trusting my own judgment, & sometimes something is staring me right in the face & I don't see, I wanted to check with RR guys to make sure.

I even tried programming it with the one System (sim g) with just control channel- and with the alternate channels- no nothing. As I wrote before, could LCN have something to do with it? I only ask- I never programmed it but it's something I have never had use for, but wondering if it could have been turned on somehow- hope I'm not throwing a wrench in the deal here by making it complicated

 

[JohnSpartan]

LCN could help. I'll check out the other thread

 

[JohnSpartan]

I know you said no P25 at all, what about Luke AFB (considering it's a different frequency band, and it is trunked)? I am guessing you tried other trunked systems around the valley, such as APS and their P25 system?

Thing is, if you are getting talkgroups - that means it is picking up P25 (talkgroups are digital in terms of this conversation). Hearing the light rail means you are picking up something from the RWC, so I wonder if your scanner has gone deaf, or as others have mentioned, the scanner is starting to kick the bucket.

If you can pick up APS, it may be band specific - if you are also able to pick up APS, or even AZWINS, then that would lead me to think its a hardware issue within the scanner.

 

[KB7MIB]

If you are getting the light rail, and you're in the West Valley, you're able to hear at least one of the IR High sites, such as South Mtn or North Mtn.

John
Peoria

 

[garikfox]

I'm having the same problem, over a week and still can't pick up MCSO any longer. Something to do with my SDS200 needing firmware help or MCSO is switching to Phase II

 

[JohnSpartan]

I've been picking up MCSO on their current system just fine as well.

 

[fleef]

John I am not able to pick up APS or Luke AFB either- no P25 at all- EXCEPT for couple TGs- I was a ble to pick up on eTG from So Mtn, if not mistaken it was a utlities type /city TG which I didh't write down- but yes it's exactly as described . pm on MCSO's mixed MOTO system, I was able to pick up Lake Patrol- but no trunking frequencies. I just checked it again- yep it's strictly TG's only, no trunking frequencies at all. Which is wierd- at 1st I thought all systems had switched Control Channels overnight without the database being updated- Nope. Even on system Search instead of system Scan - no. Not one single trunking frequency.

I know it sounds like I myself must have entered something wrong- but Ive programmed it manually and by software (FreeScan) thinking "gee maybe Freescan had something messed up in it" I even used another RR members list to make sure- that didn't work either.

 

[JohnSpartan]

John I am not able to pick up APS or Luke AFB either- no P25 at all- EXCEPT for couple TGs- I was a ble to pick up on eTG from So Mtn, if not mistaken it was a utlities type /city TG which I didh't write down- but yes it's exactly as described .

On the MCSO system, are you picking up the analog talkgroups from Probation?

 

[cfsimmont]

I didn't notice in your post but what kind of antenna are you using? I know it's a base setup, but you might try using it in a different location just to see if the scanner is picking up interference that is blocking the systems you are trying to monitor. If you get the same results in a different location (not just in the house, but maybe a friend's house or whatever) then the scanner may be the issue. If your using the stock antenna id try changing/upgrading before giving up on the scanner.

 

[fleef]

Yeah Ive tried 3 diff antennas & also in another room- it's no different. Believe me- it's never acted like this before.

Garikfox- If I am not mistaken, I think the scanner started out that way- MCSO "disappeared" except for some far off TG's, then I noticed RWC trunking went silent. I wasn't paying that much attention as I had the flu for a week & next time I went to listen, no trunking channels were coming in.

I pretty much narrowed it down to A) not the antenna B) programming- unless there's a way to keep P25 trunking "out" yet allow Talkgroups, then it must be the radio. I don't see how, considering Ive re-programmed it afresh at least 3 times.

FYI u can check out my other thread on Uniden Tech forum, admins my apologies as I did not/do want this to be a cross posting,
https://forums.radioreference.com/threads/bcd996xt-not-rxing-trunking.386563/

 

[JohnSpartan]

Yeah Ive tried 3 diff antennas & also in another room- it's no different. Believe me- it's never acted like this before.

Garikfox- If I am not mistaken, I think the scanner started out that way- MCSO "disappeared" except for some far off TG's, then I noticed RWC trunking went silent. I wasn't paying that much attention as I had the flu for a week & next time I went to listen, no trunking channels were coming in.

I pretty much narrowed it down to A) not the antenna B) programming- unless there's a way to keep P25 trunking "out" yet allow Talkgroups, then it must be the radio. I don't see how, considering Ive re-programmed it afresh at least 3 times.

FYI u can check out my other thread on Uniden Tech forum, admins my apologies as I did not/do want this to be a cross posting,
https://forums.radioreference.com/threads/bcd996xt-not-rxing-trunking.386563/

After having contacted several others in the know about such things, they all conclude that there is an issue with the scanner's hardware and suggested sending it to Uniden to get repairs done.

 

[ka7eej]

Because I haven't been able to receive *any* trunking channels on RWC for about a week or so. RWC, MCSO, even Conventionals aren't receiving P25s, am able to hear Talk Groups on RWC Sim A, & some on Sim B- by the way, I am familiar with simulcast distortion- scanner is BCD996XT (yeah, yeah I know- trying to prevent having to buy a new one thanks...)
all of a sudden no trunking channels. Only receiving Lite Rail security, & few other similar TGs. I am in West Phoenix. Tried re-programming a few times - no luck.

to prevent cross post, I did open a thread in Uniden Tech https://forums.radioreference.com/threads/bcd996xt-not-rxing-trunking.386563/

So I am trying to narrow down if it's me, the radio, or the system! Thanks for any help.

In the last week I am not able to receive RWC on a commercial portable radio that I have received it on in the past. As I drove from Mesa to the west side of town I started picking things up in the middle of Phoenix. And then it went away as I went west. My thought would be that they have change some frequencies on some control channels.

 

[Phoenix805]

I wasn't paying that much attention as I had the flu for a week & next time I went to listen, no trunking channels were coming in.

There you go - you got the flu and gave your scanner a virus! Sorry, couldn't resist. On a serious note I wish I could help but I don't have any other suggestions. Unfortunately it sounds like scanner malfunction to me.

 

[fleef]

Oh yeah it's scanner malfunction. It will be sent in- unless a dear friend of mine who is a genius with fixing software issues of any kind will. He's good at finding hard-to-find files/software & stuff like that.

EDIT and POSSIBLE REASON for it quitting trunking- Another RR member had this exact issue with another (RadioShack) scanner- it suddenly quit trunking- someone asked if he had unplugged the unit from AC without turning off the power first- Yes- apparently it lost its Flash Memory (I'm assuming its the Flash memory file - as opposed to anything else) & other guy says well that's what happened to him- we must power down scanners before unplugging from the AC- I have done this no-no more than once. Coming to think of it, I can almost pinpoint the exact moment it happened- I'd moved the scanner from one room to another, & had the volume down so forgot it was powered on- unplugged from wall & plugged in on another outlet- voila NO Trunking.

I wish I had Flash memory files for this scanner- I wonder if they exist in the internet somewhere. Friend is good at finding things like this.

If/When it's repaired/fixed I will let you all know.

Short Version: Unplugging scanner from A/C power before turning unit OFF (apparently) has Erased Flash Memory- thus No Trunking at all.

Possible Fix: Re-Flash with memory file at Uniden or from dubious Russian ftp site if one should exist.