P25 digital gargling

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chadg2

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I'm locked on a P25 Simulcast system and have both a Pro-197 and Pro-106 and both have days where the P25 Armor system is so gargled that I can't make out what is being said. Signal strength is full, software is updated to Ver. 2.0 and I've tried Global Att on or off and it seems to be a weather issue. Somedays are fine with clear sound and others are very very bad. Anyone have any ideas how to correct the problem? I have a outdoor antenna installed. No gargle on WX channels or Conv. channels ever, just digital P25.
 

N1BHH

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Probably encrypted is one thought, maybe they have a sync problem. You might try some of the settings, maybe you're set to ROAM. I just don't know, I'm only offering advice, play with the settings.
 

troymail

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I'm locked on a P25 Simulcast system and have both a Pro-197 and Pro-106 and both have days where the P25 Armor system is so gargled that I can't make out what is being said. Signal strength is full, software is updated to Ver. 2.0 and I've tried Global Att on or off and it seems to be a weather issue. Somedays are fine with clear sound and others are very very bad. Anyone have any ideas how to correct the problem? I have a outdoor antenna installed. No gargle on WX channels or Conv. channels ever, just digital P25.

Which P25 system? Location?
 

KC0CSE

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KANSAS CITY NORTH....
Your garble

yes in Kansas City Mo....we or I have the same problem....full bar's...99%...and still at times it's garble...NOT ENCRYPTION....it's the system !!....the weather does seem to effect the system I do agree.....nothing at this time to tell you how to fix it...if I did I would...

PRO 106
PRO 197
 

chadg2

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Goodhue County, MN. 800 Mhz all digital. Weather effects the reception. I'm not roaming. All P25 Armor Simulcast system with all 12 freq. programmed in. full 99% signal strength. Some days perfect and some days crap!
 

chadg2

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What antenna are you using KCOCSE? The original or the 800mhz one from Radio Shack?
 

gewecke

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I have the same issue here at times. What you might be experiencing is "multipath" which are signal fluctuations usually causing the digital signal to drop out of sync when you are some distance from the system tower.
playing with some different different antenna types,locations,etc. usually solves this.

73,
n9zas
 

KC0CSE

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Yes I do agree with you...they call it the "sweet spot" here in KC...Clear day's are worse than cloudy day's....yes weather conditions just as in ham radio effect the system....Mike
 

chadg2

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exact same thing! Clear days are worse. Go figure. TV comes in better on clear days, scanner comes in worse. What do you wish for, I don't get it.
 

chadg2

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I shut off my Global Att using func & Att and it seems a little better with it off vs on.
 

gewecke

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What I found to be the trick on days like that, is to have several different antennas relative to the bands you're listening to! just dink around a bit to find the sweet spot for the signal that's playing hard to get. :)
It's a lot like fishing if you think of your antenna as the bait.
I have 2 nearby commercial towers which act like rf cannons too, so I get boatloads of intermod on some days.

73,
n9zas
 

KC0CSE

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cheaply made scanners that cannot decode....over priced....a scanner costing $300.00 or more should decode better....if it was also in a military spec housing I could some what under stand the price ...even though the decode was bad....
PRO 106
PRO 197

DON'T DROP IT!!! I can drop my Motorola HT 600 all day and it keeps on tick'in
I can drop my Maxon HT all day and it keeps on working
I can drop my Kenwood HT all day long no problems
 
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gewecke

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cheaply made scanners that cannot decode....over priced....a scanner costing $300.00 or more should decode better....if it was also in a military spec housing I could some what under stand the price ...even though the decode was bad....
PRO 106
PRO 197

DON'T DROP IT!!!

Actually they are very well designed, considering all that they are capable of even though bandpass filtering could be better. P25 audio is very readable on our starcom21 system.
I do agree, they are a bit fragile (I own both) so I even considered a cushioned wrap around the 197, something like neophrene maybe.


73,
n9zas
 

RoninJoliet

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I use three different types of antennas here monitoring the ILL-Starcom digital system, as mentioned some days are critical and some great....I do fool with the squelch and sometimes find a good medium but usually set to ten to the hour on the dial...I monitor a tower thats a "standalone" and not multipath and its always perfect 25 miles to my SW but the Chicago towers 700mgz multipath will change conditions every day as there 25 miles NW of my location....One tower is 4 miles NE of me and its usually crap....I also find cloudy days better as was told that kind of holds the signal to the earth??....
 
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