GTO_04
Member
Has anyone tested the 396XT firmware upgrade with MECA yet? Is reception better, worse, or unchanged?
GTO_04
GTO_04
MECA and 396 XT Firmware Upgrade
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N9WP
Member
I performed the update on my 396XT and one of my 996XT's. For SAFE-T, there is a slight improvement if you set the P25 adjust mode to 11. I haven't had much of a problem with SAFE-T in the past but there is a slight improvement. I tried it on the Boone, Hendricks, Clinton, and Montgomery county SAFE-T towers.
With MECA, I haven't played to much with it but if I set the P25 adjust mode to 8, MECA seems to decode much better, but doing that causes SAFE-T to decode with higher error numbers. That's why I wish you could set this per system, not for all systems like it is now. I'm also in Boone county and not in Indy. Normally, I can't get it to lock on MECA with just the Radio Shack duckie antenna, but I was able to much better when I made that setting 8. But like I said, I only played with it for a few minutes.
If you want to know what it's like before the update, you just have to put the p25 adjust mode to 3 which is the default.
I also left the p25 adjust level at 50.
With MECA, I haven't played to much with it but if I set the P25 adjust mode to 8, MECA seems to decode much better, but doing that causes SAFE-T to decode with higher error numbers. That's why I wish you could set this per system, not for all systems like it is now. I'm also in Boone county and not in Indy. Normally, I can't get it to lock on MECA with just the Radio Shack duckie antenna, but I was able to much better when I made that setting 8. But like I said, I only played with it for a few minutes.
If you want to know what it's like before the update, you just have to put the p25 adjust mode to 3 which is the default.
I also left the p25 adjust level at 50.
GTO_04
Member
That is very interesting. Thanks for the reply.
GTO_04
GTO_04
W9NES
Member
I tried the p25 adjust level at 50 on my Uniden 396XT and there was no difference with a Radio Shack Gain 800 Rubber duck antenna.
N9WP
Member
Tim, did you perform the update and change the P25 adjust mode? Those settings are there before this update too but changing the vaulues won't really change the scanner except the P25 adjust level until after this latest update is applied.
The P25 adjust mode, at default (which is 3), the scanner will jump from a setting of 7-14 or something like that looking for that sweet setting for the less error rate, what the P25 adjust mode does is stops the upper end. So if the sweet spot is at say 11, and you set it for 11, the scanner won't check 12-14 which causes less errors. Seems many of the SAFE-T systems sweet spots are around 10-11. With MECA, it's about 8, so setting the P25 adjust mode to 8 seemed to help it decode much better. But again, I haven't played much with MECA.
The P25 adjust level seems to be the thresh hold on the signal strength on which to hunt for that sweet spot. The higher you set that number, and the weaker the signal, it won't hunt, it will just stay at 8. 50 is the default and for me it seems to work the best so it looks for that sweet spot even on a weak signal.
The P25 adjust mode, at default (which is 3), the scanner will jump from a setting of 7-14 or something like that looking for that sweet setting for the less error rate, what the P25 adjust mode does is stops the upper end. So if the sweet spot is at say 11, and you set it for 11, the scanner won't check 12-14 which causes less errors. Seems many of the SAFE-T systems sweet spots are around 10-11. With MECA, it's about 8, so setting the P25 adjust mode to 8 seemed to help it decode much better. But again, I haven't played much with MECA.
The P25 adjust level seems to be the thresh hold on the signal strength on which to hunt for that sweet spot. The higher you set that number, and the weaker the signal, it won't hunt, it will just stay at 8. 50 is the default and for me it seems to work the best so it looks for that sweet spot even on a weak signal.
W9NES
Member
N9WP, Yes I did do the updates and I have not noticed any changes. P25 Adjust mode is at 11,P25 Adjust Level is 153.
N9WP
Member
for MECA, try P25 adjust mode of 8 and p25 adjust level at 50
For SAFE-T, change the p25 adjust mode to 11.
Let me know if you notice anything with MECA with it set at 8 and 50.
For SAFE-T, change the p25 adjust mode to 11.
Let me know if you notice anything with MECA with it set at 8 and 50.
W9NES
Member
N9WP, Thanks for the help.*** ( New Setting ) on my Uniden 396XT that gets both IDHS and Safe-t is P-25 Adjust Mode is 8 and P-25 Adjust Level is 150.***The 396XT decodes better that it did before with the old setting.I found my setting by just playing with the settings. Now that I have it the way it needs to be I am going to leave it there.
IDHS has a trunked radio system separate from Project SAFE-T?
W9NES
Member
N9WP posted a fix to the problem with the Uniden 396XT. I have found a fix to hear both IDPS: Indianapolis Department of Public Safety (MECA) along with Safe-t. Yes: IDHS Indiana Department of Homeland Security does have talkgroups of Safe-t***.They also have non-trunking radio systems that are not a part of the Safe-t system.***
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GTO_04
Member
MECA seemed little better, but SAFE-T was worse with P25 adjust mode set to 8 and level set to 50. MECA was OK to begin with so I did not expect a lot of improvement. The defaults actually worked OK. Not done experimenting though.
GTO_04
W9NES
Member
When I did the Upgrade with the P25 set at 8 and P25 level set to 50 I did not see any improvement. I have another setting that works great and lets me hear (MECA) now IDPS: Indianapolis Department of Public Safety and Safe-t with no problems.
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