Out of range

[LEH]

Suddenly today, my G5 has been going from "in range" and working beautifully to "out of range" on one of the two systems I monitor routinely. It is also my only full time Phase 2.

I went back into the PPS and added all the system channels (on the off chance they were using something other than their normal control channels). I also went set the WACN and SysId to wild cards. Radio will work for a few minutes then drop off.

Anyone else encountered this problem?

 

[joewayne]

If its anything like my g4 its the weather changing.

 

[IAmSixNine]

When it was working, how strong was the signal?
are you near a cell tower?

 

[BigWonton]

Are you monitoring in the same location? Anecdotally, I have a dead spot in my kitchen where the pager will go out of range. Move about a foot and a half and everything is good to go again.

 

[troymail]

I have seen some similar of what I would consider unusual or odd behavior since the upgrade but nothing consistent that I can call out/describe.

There are just so many variables in systems, weather, time of year, stationary vs. mobile....

On the other hand, I still find myself on occasion "carefully placing" my G5 so as to keep a good signal/decode and then reminding myself that isn't usually necessary like it is for my other radios.

I'm just back from a 1200 mile multi-state road trip - listening to various systems. A couple of other things I've noticed over the past days:

• low and then higher volume at times - most times on different talkgroups on the same system but sometimes the same talkgroup; again, this could be at least partially the users and/or subscriber radios; in one case, it was clearly the system (Harris?); on another voice call (don't remember which system), a dispatcher sounded like she was afraid to approach the mic to speak and even the field unit asked here to repeat it
  
  
• reception/decoding in "fringe" areas (or at a distance with a different antenna) sometimes now sounds different than what I recall in the past; again, I cannot really describe it beyond - in the past I'd hear alot of "squealing" - the new firmware seems to "garble" ("you went digital") but still try to receive (a common complaint from former analog users who go digital is that on analog, it might be stratchy but at least I could hear some words - maybe this is an attempt to improve in that area? I'm only speculating).
  
  
• the system in my travel route that doesn't send it's trunking table info over the control channel still does not work - still hoping Unication addresses this at some point
  
  
• encryption sometimes displays the "shield" - other times it does not; I'm told that will depend on the type of encryption being used; I'm using a simple Wildcard or TG-Monitor on some systems while traveling lately - really looking forward to an option to suppress encrypted voice calls someday but it also needs to more completely detect different types of encryption

Are you monitoring in the same location? Anecdotally, I have a dead spot in my kitchen where the pager will go out of range. Move about a foot and a half and everything is good to go again.

I live with this every day on all radios monitoring NC VIPER (not simulcast) from inside my house.

 

[LEH]

To answer a couple of the questions asked below:
1. I first noticed the problem while driving. The system is a three site simulcast system. I have moved the pager to different locations in the house while 'troubleshooting' (as it is) and it goes in and out of range regardless.
2. When it worked, signal strength was three bars, then just goes "Out of Range".
3. The weather had changed the day before, it was cooler yesterday (and today too) than on Sunday.
4. I am about 3.5 miles from the nearest site tower. Should be a strong enough signal.

I just powered the G5 on and it started up and found the CC, within a couple of minutes it went out of range.

I'll keep checking operation as I go out and move between system sites.

Thanks

 

[troymail]

2. When it worked, signal strength was three bars, then just goes "Out of Range".

I did see this at least once - solid - then out of range - then right back to solid....

 

[IAmSixNine]

Hum. you being 3.5 miles from a tower, even at lower power the site should not be giving you any issues.

Back to my original question, near a cell tower?

I know of 2 or 3 spots near me where i can drive to and several systems will go out of range.
One in particular is a Whataburger with a cell tower next to their property. Most spots in the parking lot cause Out of Range. Walk into the building and the systems come back online.
This happens on strong and weak (distant) systems.

 

[kinglou0]

I have seen some similar of what I would consider unusual or odd behavior since the upgrade but nothing consistent that I can call out/describe.

• low and then higher volume at times - most times on different talkgroups on the same system but sometimes the same talkgroup; again, this could be at least partially the users and/or subscriber radios; in one case, it was clearly the system (Harris?); on another voice call (don't remember which system), a dispatcher sounded like she was afraid to approach the mic to speak and even the field unit asked here to repeat it
  
  
• encryption sometimes displays the "shield" - other times it does not; I'm told that will depend on the type of encryption being used; I'm using a simple Wildcard or TG-Monitor on some systems while traveling lately - really looking forward to an option to suppress encrypted voice calls someday but it also needs to more completely detect different types of encryption

While I've also experienced all of the same "quirks", these two in particular are big ones.

Low volume is a head scratcher. There's just no rhyme or reason behind it. It could be someone speaking softly but I've listened to users on my local system whose audio is like that for an entire shift regardless of whether they use their HT or in-car radio. My Pro668's and 436HP don't exhibit this behavior. Maybe it's because their DAC settings are more coarse since they're scanners and not pagers designed for public safety use?

The encryption thing is annoying. On systems where there are multiple users with different types of encryption, it's enough to drive you nuts. The JIWN system out here is a prime example. You have encrypted and unencrypted traffic on the same talkgroup e.g. CBP Blaine Sector has CBP traffic but also dispatch for the local police agencies in that area. My G5 is about 60% accurate with showing the encryption shield when I monitor that system during my trips to Canada. Luckily, my local Phase 2 system has minimal encrypted traffic and uses separate talkgroups.