MSP Radio system

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The State radio Tech's are doing the rebanding upgrade to the 800mhz system now threw 0200 4/18/12. The system is expected to be in "SITE TRUNK" off and on in that time.
 

garys

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It's a controller upgrade. Most of MSP, except for some fill in sites are not in the frequency range that needs rebanding.
 

StoliRaz

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Would this cause a scanner, to say......not recognize a control channel?

I posted my problem in the Radioshack section and the original thread can be seen here-

http://forums.radioreference.com/radio-shack-scanners/238333-need-help-pro-164-will-not-trunk.html

I figured I'd ask some local folk and see what you guys think. Basically, I have an RS PRO-164 and a GRE PSR-300. They're basically the same scanner, as you may or may not know. I programmed both with ARC-300 software, same exact channels. I receive the MSP control channel for Boston simucast (860.9875) on my psr-300 nice and clear, however my 164 will not recognize it as a control channel. I've updated the firmware, wiped and reloaded the scanner 3 times now..still will not recognize it as a control channel. Meanwhile, my PSR-300 is blabbing away every 2 seconds with traffic on the same control channel like a champ. Any suggestions as to what may be to blame? I doubt it's a rebanding issue since the 300 is working fine with the same setup. On the 164 I can get the MSP on a different control channel, however it sounds very muffled and far away. It also displays the "T" for trunk when scanning over the band with MSP in it since I added this other control channel that works, so it CAN trunk and isn't broken, I assume. MSP is the only thing in this entire band on my radios. I'm at a loss to what is wrong.
 

ecps92

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That would Depend. Is this issue NEW and occuring last night between 1900 and 0500 this morning ? If not then No. You could be caught in a multi-path issue between multiple towers on Zone 5 Where are you located ?

Would this cause a scanner, to say......not recognize a control channel?

I posted my problem in the Radioshack section and the original thread can be seen here-

http://forums.radioreference.com/radio-shack-scanners/238333-need-help-pro-164-will-not-trunk.html

I figured I'd ask some local folk and see what you guys think. Basically, I have an RS PRO-164 and a GRE PSR-300. They're basically the same scanner, as you may or may not know. I programmed both with ARC-300 software, same exact channels. I receive the MSP control channel for Boston simucast (860.9875) on my psr-300 nice and clear, however my 164 will not recognize it as a control channel. I've updated the firmware, wiped and reloaded the scanner 3 times now..still will not recognize it as a control channel. Meanwhile, my PSR-300 is blabbing away every 2 seconds with traffic on the same control channel like a champ. Any suggestions as to what may be to blame? I doubt it's a rebanding issue since the 300 is working fine with the same setup. On the 164 I can get the MSP on a different control channel, however it sounds very muffled and far away. It also displays the "T" for trunk when scanning over the band with MSP in it since I added this other control channel that works, so it CAN trunk and isn't broken, I assume. MSP is the only thing in this entire band on my radios. I'm at a loss to what is wrong.
 

ecps92

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It would be interesting to hear if the new B-Troop system is now integrated to the legacy system as of this am or not, based on the new P25 controller being installed at the Crystal Palace

It's a controller upgrade. Most of MSP, except for some fill in sites are not in the frequency range that needs rebanding.
 

StoliRaz

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That would Depend. Is this issue NEW and occuring last night between 1900 and 0500 this morning ? If not then No. You could be caught in a multi-path issue between multiple towers on Zone 5 Where are you located ?

I'm located in northern bristol county. I'm thinking it is an issue with my scanner. It used to get MSP fine, I haven't used it in a long time. I noticed the other day that I wasn't getting any MSP at all. However my PSR-300 gets MSP fine. Same frequencies installed on both radios. Happens 24 hours a day. I tried at 11pm, 10am, 2pm..it doesn't matter. I really don't know what would cause a scanner to stop receiving a trunked system all of a sudden.

The only control channel it recognizes as a control channel (machine gun sound, reads "Control:99%" when I manually pause on it) is 859.85000. It sounds very distant and has a good amount of static/ breaks. However, if I enter some frequencies manually that are on the MSP system (859.7250, 860.7250 are two good examples) and manually pause on them, I get communications with talkgroups displayed. Those come in crystal clear, no static or breaks whatsoever. I can't figure out why it isn't trunking on the Bristol Co or even Boston simucast control though. I get the "machine gun" sound on 860.98750 (Boston simucast control) and 859.83750 (Bristol Co/Plymouth Co control) but neither are being recognized as a control. 859.85000 is being recognized as a MSP control channel and is trunking but it sounds very distant/breaks up easily. I don't even see that freq listed as being on the MSP system, but it comes up as "system 0D14" which is MSP. Really confused as to what's happening here..
 
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cg

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you are hearing the control channel on an adjacent channel which may account for the lack of proper decoding. Try reprogramming/reloading the system to be sure the correct frequency isn't locked out.

chris
 

StoliRaz

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you are hearing the control channel on an adjacent channel which may account for the lack of proper decoding. Try reprogramming/reloading the system to be sure the correct frequency isn't locked out.

chris

I've done this 4 times, and also wiped the band where MSP is on my scanner and re-entered everything manually using ARC300 software. MSP is the only thing programmed into this band, band 1, starting at channel 101. Unfortunately I'm fearing that my scanner is poohing the bed on me :(
 

N1BHH

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I've done this 4 times, and also wiped the band where MSP is on my scanner and re-entered everything manually using ARC300 software. MSP is the only thing programmed into this band, band 1, starting at channel 101. Unfortunately I'm fearing that my scanner is poohing the bed on me :(

There's your problem, that you're using Arc300. I have it here on my desktop and it will sometimes when transferring data into the radio, change the frequencies, modes or the tones of several channels, even though the information is properly entered and recognized as proper. I use Win97 which has never let me down. I have given up on using Arc300 altogether.
 

StoliRaz

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There's your problem, that you're using Arc300. I have it here on my desktop and it will sometimes when transferring data into the radio, change the frequencies, modes or the tones of several channels, even though the information is properly entered and recognized as proper. I use Win97 which has never let me down. I have given up on using Arc300 altogether.


Really? I'm surprised. I've used ARC300 for my PSR-300 as well, and it's worked flawlessly. As far as changing modes and tones, I've never noticed this problem.
 

cg

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Be sure there is a good signal by entering the CC conventionally. Then I would try entering the system by hand and then use TG search mode. That would verify that it is the scanner and not the programming.
Also, the work done is NOT yet the rebanding change so it needs to be entered as a regular Moto 800 system.

chris
 

StoliRaz

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I have two freqs that somewhat work. Trunk, but sound distant. They are-

859.850000
861.000000

Oddly, they're both rounded off. None of the control channels entered correctly pick up anything, while my PSR-300 gets them and trunks fine, so I doubt it's a reception issue. Some of the non-control channels that I've tried come in fine but obviously don't trunk.

I think I'll wipe it, and enter it manually for a test.
 
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N1BHH

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I have two freqs that somewhat work. Trunk, but sound distant. They are-

859.850000
861.000000

Oddly, they're both rounded off. None of the ones entered correctly pick up anything.

I think I'll wipe it, and enter it manually for a test.

Those are incorrect frequencies anyway. I don't know what it is that's happened. You may have tried to set up trunking tables, which you don't need to do, just make sure everything is set to default values and then open up your files and edit them properly. Just make sure that you don't have any rebanding set up and everything is back to normal. That's all I can think of since I don't use it anymore.
 

StoliRaz

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Those are incorrect frequencies anyway. I don't know what it is that's happened. You may have tried to set up trunking tables, which you don't need to do, just make sure everything is set to default values and then open up your files and edit them properly. Just make sure that you don't have any rebanding set up and everything is back to normal. That's all I can think of since I don't use it anymore.

I did a limit search through the 860's and 850's, testing some of the channels that sounded like control channels and found both of those. Both come up as system 0D14 aka MSP, and I get talkgroups on them as welll. Very bizzare. When I get some time I'm going to completely wipe the 164 and staart over. I downloaded the free 30 day version of win97. Maybe it IS the arc300 software. Who knows but this is strange since I had not changed a thing on the radio before seeing this problem..thanks for the reply and I'll give that a try.
 

StoliRaz

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Well I got fed up and put it up for sale. Of course, I disclosed that the trunking isn't working right. I think I'm going to stick with Uniden from now on. I own a few of those and have never had a single problem with them. Reception seems to be much better with them where I live as well. Something about Bristol Co., stupid FCC always wants to lump us in with Rhode Island. I don't get Boston nor Providence very well because I'm on the battleline. It sucks. Thanks for the help
 
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