Needing help Decoding a Trunked System

[nvanw27]

Hello, everyone!

I've recently become interested in a Kenwood NEXEDGE system listed as DMR in my area. It's owned by our bus company who's drivers I am very familiar with. The system is about a year-and-a-half old.

I own a Realistic PRO-2020 and was pointed to using DSDPlus to 'hear' this system. However, it doesn't seem to be working for me, and i've tried EVERY suggestion people have given me to make it work.

Now i'm asking here. What can I do to hear this system? I've run everything I need to run and have the scanner connected to the computer.

Here's a link to the system on the RRDB. WRAV460 (KINGSLEY AREA SCHOOLS) FCC Callsign Details .

Thanks for any help I can get,

NVanW27

 

[simpilo]

I tracked it down. It's a LTR system..Radio North (Grand Traverse) Trunking System, Traverse City, Michigan - Scanner Frequencies
Dean Transportation

 

[KevinC]

I tracked it down. It's a LTR system..Radio North (Grand Traverse) Trunking System, Traverse City, Michigan - Scanner Frequencies
Dean Transportation
Neat thing about DSDPlus and LTR is if you have DSDPlus Fastlane you'll get bus locations if enabled on their system. DSDPLus FL needed anyway.

LTR isnt trunked. Its all analogue. DSDPlus FL for the full benefit.

Umm...LTR is trunked.

 

[GTR8000]

Not only is LTR indeed a trunked protcol, as @KevinC points out...but DSD+ absolutely does not decode LTR systems, Fast Lane releases or otherwise. Strike 2!

 

[simpilo]

I edited my post removed my error strike removed!! Sorry that I was confused because no control channel frequencies listed. Strike removed

 

[KevinC]

I tracked it down. It's a LTR system..Radio North (Grand Traverse) Trunking System, Traverse City, Michigan - Scanner Frequencies
Dean Transportation

The license the OP linked doesn't show to be a part of the trunked system you linked either.

 

[simpilo]

The license the OP linked doesn't show to be a part of the trunked system you linked either.

It made sense to me because OP said it is a bus company so i found something that came close. Probably a system not listed. I cant edit my post now because its past due.

 

[slicerwizard]

This would be a good time for some useful posts.

How is the OP feeding audio to DSD+? What is the source? What does the DSD+ console window display when the monitored channel is active?

 

[redbeard]

I've recently become interested in a Kenwood NEXEDGE system listed as DMR in my area. It's owned by our bus company who's drivers I am very familiar with. The system is about a year-and-a-half old.

Here's a link to the system on the RRDB. WRAV460 (KINGSLEY AREA SCHOOLS) FCC Callsign Details .

The license seems to indicate it is using DMR, why do you say it's a Kenwood Nexedge system?

 

[nvanw27]

This would be a good time for some useful posts.

How is the OP feeding audio to DSD+? What is the source? What does the DSD+ console window display when the monitored channel is active?

I have a brand new audio cord running from the back of my PRO-2020 to the Microphone Input on my Toshiba laptop.

The license seems to indicate it is using DMR, why do you say it's a Kenwood Nexedge system?

I've seen the radios, they're NEXEDGE mobile units in the buses, and a few portables are mixed in too. All have NEXEDGE stickers.

 

[LimaZulu]

.......
I've seen the radios, they're NEXEDGE mobile units in the buses, and a few portables are mixed in too. All have NEXEDGE stickers.

Don't let the logo to fool you. NEXEDGE is a Kenwood digital standart and they advertise it wherever they can, BUT Kenwood also has multi protocol radios which can be programmed either to work within NEXEDGE network or within DMR network but never DMR and NEXEDGE at the same time. So, there may be some NEXEDGE stickers there, but the programming could set the radio to work as DMR

 

[LimaZulu]

Just checked Kenwood's site to be sure and actually NX-5000 series can do both DMR and NXDN at the same time. Available options are as follows for NX-5000 series:

FM + DMR (Tier II) + NXDN
FM + NXDN (Gen1 and 2) + P25 (Phase 1 & 2)
FM + DMR (Tier II) + P25 (Phase 1 & 2)

And for NX-3000 series options are:

FM + DMR (Tier II) (6.25 kHz equivalent TDMA digital)
FM + NXDN (Gen1 and 2) (Native 6.25 kHz FDMA digital)

More information here: Guide to Kenwood Multi-Protocol 2-way radio comms • Kenwood Comms

 

[mmckenna]

I've seen the radios, they're NEXEDGE mobile units in the buses, and a few portables are mixed in too. All have NEXEDGE stickers.

As LZ said, Kenwood makes multi-mode radios.
Take a look at the following Kenwood radios and let me know if they look like the ones in use:
NX-5800 mobile
NX-5300 portable
NX-3800 mobile
NX-3300 portable

All four of those UHF Kenwood radios will do analog, NXDN/NexEdge or DMR, depending on how they are set up.


Looking at the license you linked to, it shows 7K60FXE as the emission designator. That -is- DMR. However, that's what it shows on the license and doesn't mean someone didn't program it up some other way.

So, Kenwood radios or not, license shows DMR, and that's where you should start looking.

 

[nvanw27]

It still doesn’t seem to be working. This is what I get when it receives.

Edit: It's playing raw data through the computer speaker. Maybe not programmed right?

 

[LimaZulu]

Well, every frame is full with errors. Do the following checks:
1. Is the received audio level high enough? Or maybe too high?
2. Is the received signal strength high enough?
3. Are you tuned to the exact frequency?
4. Are you using the correct bandwidth?
5. Maybe low quality cable with loose connections between scanner and computer?
As for the hearing raw audio - maybe "listen this device" is checked in you audio settings, or maybe different than -m0 option is included in your batch file.
My experience shows that using scanner with discriminator output and feeding it to DSD through mic/line-in input is more of a trouble maker than using cheap usb dongle.

 

[nvanw27]

1. It appears to be maxing. I'll take a look at that
2. It seems to receive just fine.
3. Yes.
4. What do you mean by bandwidth?
5. After testing multiple cables I've figured out that's not the case.

Listen This Device is not checked. I can't seem to figure the -m0 option.

Yeah, i'm considering a USB connector at this point. It'll probably work better at this point and won't waste as much of my time as this has.

 

[Firekite]

Seems like a lot of time and effort to avoid getting a scanner. Keep at it, though. You’ll get it!

 

[Forts]

Bandwidth isn't an issue if you are piping audio in straight from the scanner. You say you have a cable 'from the back of the scanner'. What's back there for a port? External speaker? Line out? Headphones? (not likely). There could be all sorts of filtering going on if it's an external speaker connection, and you'll have to fiddle with the volume on the scanner to get a nice level. Also I find that under the Windsor mic options make sure things like mic boost and AGC are turned off. If you still can't get things to work I'd highly suggest dropping $20 on an SDR dongle and going that route.

 

[simpilo]

YA!! keep at it you'll have something like this! (I installed windows because I couldn't decode EDACS Provoice under linux)

Unitrunker is in "scan mode" pardon the 'cut-off' transmissions.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1172314591071625218

 

[slicerwizard]

I have a brand new audio cord running from the back of my PRO-2020 to the Microphone Input on my Toshiba laptop.

The back of that scanner has a tape out jack and an external speaker jack. I doubt that either of them deliver flat audio.