Missing voice transmissions on edacs with bc898T

[odlaw]

Hi,
I can't seem to get all the voice transmissions to come thru. The scanner stops and I hear what I describe as the mike unkeying. I get the channel id in morse every 15 mins ok and occasional voice replys but most are silent. My local system is edacs wide 800mhz 02-105 id. Auburn NY. I have had the scanner for a few years and it was working but did have issues where you had to repower on the scanner once in a while because it was silent for a day or two. Latest rev software is in it also.
I don't think Auburn changed anything. I tried programing with many different settings with the same results. Mode is A on the chart but I don't know what that means. NFM??
Thanks

 

[ka3jjz]

You should never have to 'repower' the scanner; I've never heard of that, nor of 'Mode A on the chart'.

If you are referring to this system (all links are in blue)

Auburn City Public Safety Trunking System, Auburn, New York - Scanner Frequencies

then all you should need to do is to make sure you have selected the right system type, and start programming using the LCN order as shown in the database (it's the grey numbers next to the frequency). Normally when you start programming a trunk system, it starts with 00 - don't put anything here. Do not skip any frequencies, and follow the order of the channels precisely.

If there's anything odd about this system, you might want to ask in the NY forum 73 Mike

 

[odlaw]

Thanks for the reply.
I checked , double checked and rechecked frq order. I even put in the talk id in each of the LCNs, originaly I only had it for the control freq. . I even tried three different Bands. Same results.
Thanks for trying.

 

[ka3jjz]

It sounds like you don't quite understand trunking; you don't put in 'talk ids for each of the LCNs'.

I would proceed as follows;

a. You need to first program the system (meaning set up the correct system type, then enter all of the frequencies in LCN order)

b. Check your results by letting it search out talkgroups in ID Search mode. If you see talkgroups that match what's in the database, you can then put in the talkgroups for the system that you wish to hear.

Talkgroups are never associated with just one frequency; they can and do jump around. Unfortunately the 898's manual isn't all that great in instructing how to program the 898 clearly - perhaps other owners can jump in here.

In any case, I'd recommend reading the following article from our wiki - this will give you a basis to understand how and why trunking works...

Trunking Basics - The RadioReference Wiki

73 Mike

 

[Thunderknight]

And the fact you hear the morse ID makes me wonder if you are even trunking the system (versus just scanning conventionally).

 

[odlaw]

Perhaps my terminology is incorrect.
I am programing 1 bank (B) for EDACS Hi
I am assigning the nine frequencies as listed in the chart and in order in bank B.
I am assigning two talkgroups (02-105) and (02-106) for each of the nine freqs in bank B.
I would think I would get a programming error if this was an incorrect method.

I can do it manually or with software.
Thanks

 

[ka3jjz]

I can see a couple of problems here;

a. After you program all the frequencies in (remember, start with position 01 and follow the order of the frequencies precisely), I'd put it into ID Search mode and see if you see talkgroups. That's a fair way to insure you have programmed things correctly.

b. You don't enter the talkgroups for each of the frequencies; you would enter them only once. The 898 will decide which frequencies the talkgroups are actually using. I would urge you to read the trunking article referred to earlier. This concept is key to understanding what is happening under the covers, regardless if you are using a Moto or EDACS system. With only 2 desired talkgroups, if the system isn't all that busy on them, I can see where things might be pretty quiet - it might scan the system so quickly that, if there's no traffic on them, it would appear not to be working.

What software are you using (ARC898? Scan Control?) Hopefully not Scancat Lite Plus, which has quite a litany of issues and problems. I have Scan Control and should be able to build a file if needed

73 Mike

 

[odlaw]

Good results but have lost some respect for the 898t. I edited out all the extra talkgroups I added and still had the same results. I figured out my talkgroup list issues which basically I had multiples of the same. Now down to just 1 simple list and still the same results.
I did the id search as you suggested and found the scanner stopping at few different groups other than what I new about but still no voice on these groups.
I noticed that while going thru my trunked freq list some had different hertz spacing. I did try editing the same banks for the last few days so I decided to put zeros in every place that had data in it, basically erasing all the data for bank (B). I then programed the bank from scratch manually and let the spacing auto default. I then created 1 talkgroup ID in list A and associated the list with the freqs. All is well and no more unmodulated keyups or birdies. The other talk group I had programed originally was the night shift group and I don't think Auburn ever used it anyway. Small 40,000 person town with usually an average of 1 police transmission every fifteen minutes.
To sum up I personally believe the 898 had some currupt data in memory that need to be zeroed out before it would fully accept my new program. Perhaps there is a bank erase function that I overllooked in the manual and do appreciate your patience with me. I program PLCs, robots, meters etc. in a manufacturing environment for a living and have run into many quirks (bugs) that can really irritate us hence the need for upgrades.
Thanks again

 

[KlondikeMike]

odlaw, did you get anywhere with this issue? My 898 is now acting up as well. I finding out others are experiencing the same.