Need BC796D Help Please

[ronmicha]

Can you help me figure this one out? I've got 3 banks of 800mhz channels programmed in my BC796D that show to be transmitting on the signal strength meter but I'm not hearing anything. I'm receiving other 800mhz channels in other banks so I assume I don't have antenna problems. I'm in ID SCAN mode and have known talkgroups programmed in the banks that are not receiving. The scanner will stop for a split second; then resume scanning. I have NFM selected. The system giving me a problem is Type 2 Motorola. Have I left anything out? Any clues as to what's wrong? I hope I posted this in the right place and manner.
Thanks.
Ron

 

[swest90]

First off can you hear the control channel while not in the trunked mode? Is it coming in clearly not a lot of interference? If so set the activity id to ON and see what ids its pulling up if any. Are you using control channel only? If so are you sure you are on the right band plan? If you dont have the correct band plan it will switch to the wrong channel notice that there is no one transmitting there and revert right back to the control channel, it appears as a what i could describe as a flash, where you barely see the id before it goes back to the control channel search/scan.

Hope that helps
Shawn

 

[ronmicha]

796D Help

Thanks Shawn. I can hear the control channel. I manually stepped the radio to one channel and the LED screen alternates between NFM & LNK and I was picking up traffic. I don't know what LNK is. I double checked and it IS a Type 2 band plan. It's going to be a P25 digital system when fully implemented but right now I'm picking up encrypted VSELP traffic but that should't really matter I don't think. Just pointing it out. I'm not using Control Channel only since I have all my talkgroups programmed.
Any more guidance?
Thanks.
Ron

 

[swest90]

Yeah the scanner will not decode the vslep, but it still should be reading the control channel. Did any ID's come up with the acitivy ID display on? Might want to try it with control channel only or vise versa, They may have added channels since the last update here. What system is this, I would like to check it out here in the database. Let me know how that goes.

Thanks
Shawn

 

[ronmicha]

BC796 Help

I'm referring to the Memphis, TN. system which is just beginning the changeover to APCO-25. I'm not really clear on how the control channel works. That's why I went ahead and programmed the talkgroups. I AM seeing "action" on the Activity ID but it stays just long enough for me to see it, then resumes scanning and I don't hear anything. I'm in the process of trying different antennas to see if that could be an issue. By the way, earlier tonight I heard a couple of the radio techs testing the APCO-25 system and it worked fine then and it sounded GREAT! It's like the difference between AM & FM or Black & White vs. Color TV.
Thanks.
Ron

 

[swest90]

Just to cover the basics incase you missed a step let me go over how I understand it. When I program a trunked system by hand I enter the menu and go to #2 scan options, I then enter #2 Trunk. It asks for the bank, select the bank that you wish to enter/edit. Under trunk type it should be setup for MOT II / 800. Hit menu to back out of there and then check out your trunking channels. The trunking chanells must be programmed through here, they can not be programmed like the conventional channels directly from the keypad. Once you assure all that is correct try to ID search just that bank. Turn off all of the other banks, it should now stay on the control channel. If its in ID Scan mode hit the SRCH button to put it into ID Search mode. It now should track any id that comes across the system not just the one you have programmed. This is optimal for testing and for finding new talk groups. It will display the signal strength meter while on the control channel. Hope that gets you going.

Thanks
Shawn