MD-380 Scanning Issue/Bug

[Meestor_X]

I have 2 brand new TYT MD-380 radios with factory firmware D013.034.

I've done some testing, and there seems to be a problem with the operation of the radio when it's scanning analog channels.

When a radio that is not in scanning mode transmits to another radio, the squelch opens immediately on the receiving radio and the audio is heard immediately. It does not matter whether the receiving radio is scanning or not.

When a radio that IS in scanning mode transmits to another radio, the squelch still opens immediately on the receiving radio BUT the audio is muted for a second or two on the first PTT. If PTT is released and re-keyed quickly after the first PTT, the audio is not muted and is heard immediately. Again, it does not matter if the receiving radio is scanning or not.

Is there any setting in CPS that would change this? Is it a bug? Is there anything in the experimental firmware that might address this?
I've tried tons of different settings in CPS related to scanning, and while many do nothing at all, the ones that do change things do not affect this problem.

To be clear, I am only speaking of analog scanning and that is my only concern.
If someone would like to see the issue for themselves, I'd be happy to post a test CPS file.

 

[Meestor_X]

Here is a set of videos demonstrating the issue...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APJJd47zEWI&list=PLRN1njFTTeD-RqyKqwyXnh9jYpNwaKoWF

 

[buddrousa]

I have 4 a pair of UHF and a pair of VHF and have not seen this even while scanning a mix of Analog and DMR in the same scan bank on either pair.

 

[N2OAD]

Hi Guys, I have a MD380 and still can't figure how Analog scanning works. I have a bank (Zone) with all Analog freqs. The channel receives on manual, but when I scan the zone, nothing stops. Not sure if I'm missing a setting or something. Any ideas??? Tks Joe N2OAD

 

[jonwienke]

Zones are NOT scan banks.

 

[jonwienke]

Create a scan list (it can be any mix of analog and digital channels), and then select the scan list in the channel settings. That is what will be scanned when you activate scanning on the selected channel.

 

[Meestor_X]

I have 4 a pair of UHF and a pair of VHF and have not seen this even while scanning a mix of Analog and DMR in the same scan bank on either pair.

So if you are set to an analog channel and have scanning enabled on that radio, when you press PTT and speak immediately, the audio comes through on the receiving radio immediately with no words cut off?
As you can see in the 2nd video in my list, when scanning is enabled, the first 3-4 numbers are cut off when I press PTT and start counting.

If you are able to have scanning enabled and not have your first words cut off, I very much need to know how you achieved that.

 

[chief21]

To clarify how to scan analog channels...

1) Create named analog channel(s) in the Channels Information section of CPS

2) Create named scan list(s) in the Scan List section of CPS

3) Return to Channels Information section and select a scan list. (This must be done for every individual channel that you want scan to be enabled.)

Unlike many analog-only radios, remember that Scan Lists are related to each channel, rather than the Zone only. When channel X is selected, you could be scanning List A. When channel Y is selected, you could be scanning List C. ...and so on.

John

 

[Meestor_X]

Are you able to reproduce the issue I'm describing and show in my videos, chief21?

 

[N2OAD]

Got it ..thanks chief21 that worked, Wanted to monitor local PD's/medics. Thanks again. Joe N2OAD

 

[buddrousa]

36 years of working in the 2way radio industry and 34 years as a fulltime paid firefighter I have never been a person that used talkback scan or keying any radio in scan you end up keying or talking on the wrong channel.

 

[Meestor_X]

36 years of working in the 2way radio industry and 34 years as a fulltime paid firefighter I have never been a person that used talkback scan or keying any radio in scan you end up keying or talking on the wrong channel.

I'm not sure if you're talking to me?
If you are, then I understand what you're saying, but my particular application is quite different than the folks that generally frequent this site.
I really don't want to derail this topic, but to let you know, I've had many a discussion regarding something as simple as digital vs analog here, where the digital folks simply cannot comprehend why someone would ever use analog. I work in an industry that most here are unfamiliar with, and in my world, they simply not accept digital. Just one example where my usage is different than most.

Anyway, I'm really hoping that someone out there with more experience than me can possibly figure out if there's any way to fix the issue I'm having, via settings or some other solution, as it's a real problem.

 

[Meestor_X]

Still hoping to see if anyone would care to see if they have a solution to this problem, or perhaps they know of another low-cost analog radio that doesn't have this issue?

 

[jonwienke]

I work in an industry that most here are unfamiliar with, and in my world, they simply not accept digital.

And what might that be? You might be surprised what people are familiar with.

 

[Meestor_X]

And what might that be? You might be surprised what people are familiar with.

Ha ha!
I guess to clarify, it's not that people might not be familiar with the industry, just in the particular usage of radios in this industry. I'm speaking of event communication.
It seems most people here are involved in Ham or Amateur radio, security or emergency/safety, which have usage very different from what is needed for events.

 

[jonwienke]

I don't see why event comms would be that "special" radio-wise. It's not that different from security (especially given that security is an imprortant part of managing any decent-sized event) or business comms.

 

[byndhlptom]

Scan tx

Could it be as simple as the TXing radio (being in scan) is initially keying up an a different channel than the non scanning radio? If you are close the RXing radio, it may show signal activity for close channels, but no audio.

How do you control what channel is being tx'd on for the scanning radio when you randomly key up? Can you set a default TX channel? Does it TX on last rx'd channel?

$.02

 

[Meestor_X]

I don't see why event comms would be that "special" radio-wise. It's not that different from security (especially given that security is an imprortant part of managing any decent-sized event) or business comms.

Beats me, but I've had a few conversations here that end up with people angrily saying that I should be using Digital and "who cares about the latency" and so on, when it's simply a deal breaker in my industry.
Anyway, we digress...

 

[chief21]

The MD380 software has a drop down selection in the SCAN LIST window for 'TX designated channel'. You can select either Last Active, Channel 1, or Selected. Have you tried these?

I scanned the programming software for other obvious items but nothing jumped out as applicable.

John

 

[Meestor_X]

Could it be as simple as the TXing radio (being in scan) is initially keying up an a different channel than the non scanning radio? If you are close the RXing radio, it may show signal activity for close channels, but no audio.

Works the same whether the radios are close together or not.

How do you control what channel is being tx'd on for the scanning radio when you randomly key up? Can you set a default TX channel? Does it TX on last rx'd channel?

That's a setting on the radio or via CPS. You can have it always transmit on the same channel or transmit on the last received channel (and revert back to the default channel after a period of no transmission if desired).
I have it set to always transmit on the same channel.