P25RX P25 Phase 1/2/DMR Receiver With Bluetooth Audio Support

[KC1UA]

On Cape Cod, yes with the exception of the Cape Cod National Seashore. There's an increasing amount of P25 conventional in Plymouth and Bristol Counties. Nantucket has a P25 P1 system that I hear when Mother Nature feels like letting me do so, and pretty much the same for the next closest, RISCON in Rhode Island. CoMIRS is the new MA statewide system being built out from west to east, and it'll be a while yet before it gets here.

I know btt is concentrating on P2 right now but as he has also mentioned DMR options for the future, and as I have a ton of that, that's another reason why I grabbed one. It will see increasing use here as time passes and definitely when I'm elsewhere. Whenever that happens!

 

[amcferrin90]

I got mine today. It works pretty well. At work I'm a mile from one of the simulcast towers, I get around -66 dBm and the audio was pretty good. Some of the channels the audio was too loud so some tweaks are needed in the audio portion I think. With the same settings at home, I'm probably 10 miles from another of the simulcast towers and still working great at -95 to -103 dBm. I have an antenna I use with my SDR radios and it receives maybe 1 or 2 dBm better than the small antenna that came with the unit. So far so good. The ride home though I didn't have my laptop connected to see what the signal was but I noticed as I got near Sprint and Verizon cell towers I experienced a lot of desense. I may change how I do my mobile antenna in city driving, maybe keep a pad around. Maybe there's a software attenuator that can be turned on? Some more discovery needs done on that on my side. My SDS200 does the same thing too, just less.

I drive a Chevy Acadia and the device paired up quickly and easily to my radio. My radio is the higher end infotainment model. There was no display of a "track list"during playback. I thought some vehicles that did work? Not a deal breaker by any means. I'll just need my laptop handy.

talkgroups: are you guys manually pecking in talkgroup info or did I miss something that allows you to import from a CSV or XML file?

I don't know where the trunk system database comes from. I'm in Columbus OH and all four of the MARCS control channels for Columbus had to be manually entered.

Definitely a fun little item. I have some learning to do.

 

[cmjonesinc]

I'm jealous of everyone. Mine was scheduled for today but naturally the old USPS is running behind. But in their defense FedEx has me waiting another day for something else. Luckily I'll have a whole day off work tomorrow to wait eagerly.

 

[KC1UA]

I brought mine to work today, where I have the privilege of an antenna (non-resonant but it works on 800 MHz) near the top of our radio tower. I am monitoring the aforementioned Nantucket P25 system with an average signal of about -113 dBm and it is doing a nice job. Audio quality through PC speakers is overall good to excellent.

I would at some point love to see the capability of it being able to monitor a mixed mode 3600 baud TRS, although maybe that would not be in the true spirit of the radio. I know they are now almost "antiquated" systems at this point but they do exist and will be around for a while. Yes there are obviously other ways to receive these systems, but just sayin'.

I am really looking forward to taking this portable/mobile and trying to interface it with the UConnect system in my leased Jeep Compass. Not sure what level of data it will display but I'm sure it is at least connectable.

I too am interested in what the database source is, and wonder if it may be possible or in the plans to interface with the database here at RR.

 

[relicwr]

@KC1UA I'm on Uconnect 8.4 and it's a no-go for me. If you have the same then it may not work.

 

[mharris]

Hey Guys,

I'm looking for reports on simulcast performance compared with a Unication, SDS and/or real radio. Especially mobile. Any comments?

 

[relicwr]

Simulcast has drastically improved from initial firmware releases until now. The delay with manufacturing more units involved vigorous testing to resolve simulcast issues. I have a G5 as well and it's in line with reception.

 

[KC1UA]

@KC1UA I'm on Uconnect 8.4 and it's a no-go for me. If you have the same then it may not work.

Thanks. I'll give it a try this weekend but I believe that's the version I'm at as well.

 

[btt]

I know btt is concentrating on P2 right now but as he has also mentioned DMR options for the future,

I'll try to get DMR in before too much longer. It will have some issues.

but I noticed as I got near Sprint and Verizon cell towers I experienced a lot of desense.

I and others I've talked to have not had any issues with proximity to cell towers. The device also worked without any issues on top of a very busy hilltop with lots of towers. I will be interested if you continue to notice this kind of issue. Please let me know if you narrow it down any. Some details: The LNA has an OIP3 of > +40dBm, There is 21 dB of attenuator control and 18 dB of RF gain control (post LNA). You can see the total gain in the console (including the fixed 20dB of LNA gain) labeled RFG xx. By default the range is from 38dB to -1dB. This is controlled automatically by the AGC. The max gain of 38 can be changed to something lower. I'll document that soon.

I too am interested in what the database source is

The source is the FCC.

Here are the service-codes / emission designations included:

YE_8K70D1W
YW_8K70D1W
SY_8K70D1W
YO_8K70D1W
YP_8K70D1W
GE_8K70D1W
YI_8K70D1W
YU_8K70D1W
YB_8K70D1W
YJ_8K70D1W
SG_8K70D1W
YG_8K70D1W
IG_8K70D1W
GJ_8K70D1W
GO_8K70D1W
YE_8K10F1W
GI_8K10F1W
GE_8K10F1W
YU_8K10F1W
YW_8K10F1W
IG_8K10F1W
YJ_8K10F1W
YB_8K10F1W
YI_8K10F1W
YO_8K10F1W
SY_8K10F1W
YX_8K10F1W
SG_8K10F1W
YG_8K10F1W
GO_8K10F1W
GB_8K10F1W
YM_8K10F1W
YP_8K10F1W
GJ_8K10F1W
YE_8K10F1D
YI_8K10F1D
IG_8K10F1D
SY_8K10F1D
YO_8K10F1D
GJ_8K10F1D
YW_8K10F1D
GE_8K10F1D
GI_8K10F1D
GB_8K10F1D
YJ_8K10F1D
YX_8K10F1D
YG_8K10F1D
YK_8K10F1D
IK_8K10F1D
YB_8K10F1D
YU_8K10F1D
YM_8K10F1D
SG_8K10F1D
YS_8K10F1D
GU_8K10F1D
YP_8K10F1D
GO_8K10F1D
GM_8K10F1D
GX_8K10F1D
YE_8K10F1E
YW_8K10F1E
YI_8K10F1E
YG_8K10F1E
IG_8K10F1E
SY_8K10F1E
YO_8K10F1E
GJ_8K10F1E
GE_8K10F1E
GI_8K10F1E
GB_8K10F1E
YJ_8K10F1E
YX_8K10F1E
YK_8K10F1E
IK_8K10F1E
YB_8K10F1E
YU_8K10F1E
YM_8K10F1E
SG_8K10F1E
YP_8K10F1E
YS_8K10F1E
GO_8K10F1E
GU_8K10F1E
GM_8K10F1E
GX_8K10F1E
IG_8K30F1W
YG_8K30F1W
YE_8K30F1W
GI_8K30F1W
GE_8K30F1W
SY_8K30F1W
YJ_8K30F1W
IK_8K30F1W
YB_8K30F1W
YW_8K30F1W
YX_8K30F1W
SG_8K30F1W
GI_9K70F1D
GE_9K70F1D
YE_9K70F1D
YI_9K70F1D
YJ_9K70F1D
YW_9K70F1D
SY_9K70F1D
IG_9K70F1D
YG_9K70F1D
GI_9K70F1E
GE_9K70F1E
YE_9K70F1E
YI_9K70F1E
YW_9K70F1E
YJ_9K70F1E
SY_9K70F1E
IG_9K70F1E
YG_9K70F1E
YI_9K80D7W
YE_9K80D7W
YO_9K80D7W
SY_9K80D7W
GJ_9K80D7W
GB_9K80D7W
GE_9K80D7W
YJ_9K80D7W
YX_9K80D7W
YU_9K80D7W
YW_9K80D7W
YP_9K80D7W
IG_9K80D7W
YB_9K80D7W
YM_9K80D7W
SG_9K80D7W
YG_9K80D7W
YS_9K80D7W
GO_9K80D7W

 

[mharris]

Simulcast has drastically improved from initial firmware releases until now. The delay with manufacturing more units involved vigorous testing to resolve simulcast issues. I have a G5 as well and it's in line with reception.

Thank you very much. Have you driven around with the P25RX? If so does it seem to perform any less than the G5, or still the same as the G5?

 

[cmjonesinc]

So finally had a chance to sit down and play with mine. So far I absolutely love it, but have noticed one small issue. I was adding some talkgroups in the editor and noticed they would all disappear upon writing or backing up if I didn't fill out every column. It came about as I was only filling out the alpha tag column and not the description one. I understand that's a bottom of the list problem but I just thought I would mention it in case anyone else was having that issue. @btt you've done a great job and I'm really excited to be getting in early on your product. I think you've got something great here.

 

[amcferrin90]

Wowza, The Ohio MARCS Columbus control channel doesn't come up anywhere in the FCC, in any state. Whole another topic.

 

[relicwr]

Is it on an expired call sign?

 

[btt]

Let me know if there are more service codes / emission designations that I should include. Quite possible that I missed some.

 

[btt]

I don't know where the trunk system database comes from. I'm in Columbus OH and all four of the MARCS control channels for Columbus had to be manually entered.

Can you share the zipcode(s) you used and the missing frequencies that should show up? I'll see if I can figure out the issue.

 

[Stecomp]

Received mine yesterday and have been very pleased so far. The main system I will use it for also was not listed in database (46208 Indianapolis Dept Public Safety, system 1) but with typing in known control channels, away it went populating talk groups. Since I will use probably 12-15 talk groups primarily it was quick and easy to rename them manually.

The above system is known for simulcast issues for which my SDS scanners and Unication G4 take care of. In brief comparison between these scanners, the P25RX keeps up just as well. This included a brief mobile trip so I'm sure it will be similar in performance. It paired with my 2016 Kia Optima but does not display info like the video on Blue Tails website does. It also paired with a Sony SRS X11 (small cube speaker) and with the Blue RSM speaker mike which will make a neat listening option.

The talk group editor tab makes it easy to see the id and to add a tg to your list. The talk group log also works well showing more detailed info. Have not quite figured out the constellation view but its neat to watch. The supplied 850mhz antenna seems to work ok and also included is the telescopic antenna which I have not tried. All in all for the price a great option for P25 and with phase 2 implementation being worked on along with DMR possibly. Good job Todd!

 

[amcferrin90]

Can you share the zipcode(s) you used and the missing frequencies that should show up? I'll see if I can figure out the issue.

These were the frequencies, I just added them in. I also sent an email to their FCC coordinator and asked about it. I have communications with him from time to time. The zip code is 43215

773.53125a

773.78125a

774.03125a

774.28125c

My previous post about desense, I was driving around the outerbelt on the outskirts of town. As I approached the one tower on the south end the desense diminished but then came back as I continued my trip away from the tower. Yesterday I actually gave the device a shot while around the middle of the city where there's a transmitter on top of a very tall building. The signal was in the mid -60s and I was across the street from several cell towers and had no desense problems.

Back in the Nextel days even Motorola radios had desense problems around Iden sites. The FCC shifted the 800 band around and moved the iden/cellular services to the top of 800 but there's literally still a couple MHz between them. I can't believe they allowed the same for the 700 PS band and cell band 12 and now FirstNet. All that to say it's not a defect in the product just something to be overcome. Maybe a selectable pad on the AGC? On my SDS100 using an external antenna while mobile I have to use the attenuator.

On to the BT display over ASDP. By default I don't have the BT enabled on the device. It was connected to my laptop playing audio over the laptop, I enabled the BT and the TG label for the audio playing at the time showed on my radio. It never changed after that so apparently the high end GMC radios do something different with the track info.

 

[Thunderknight]

These were the frequencies, I just added them in. I also sent an email to their FCC coordinator and asked about it. I have communications with him from time to time. The zip code is 43215

773.53125a

773.78125a

774.03125a

774.28125c

Those are 700 State license channels, which are not individually site licensed and don’t appear as such in the ULS.

 

[kruser]

These were the frequencies, I just added them in. I also sent an email to their FCC coordinator and asked about it. I have communications with him from time to time. The zip code is 43215

773.53125a

773.78125a

774.03125a

774.28125c

Those 700 MHz frequencies will most likely be State Licenses which don't show up in an FCC search.
I have that problem here as well as the VHF and UHF paging band frequencies that many are using. Those also will not show up in an FCC search even if you know the callsigns.
My state uses several VHF paging frequencies for its VHF statewide P25 sites.

They must be entered manually as you did.

 

[amcferrin90]

Those 700 MHz frequencies will most likely be State Licenses which don't show up in an FCC search.
I have that problem here as well as the VHF and UHF paging band frequencies that many are using. Those also will not show up in an FCC search even if you know the callsigns.
My state uses several VHF paging frequencies for its VHF statewide P25 sites.

They must be entered manually as you did.

They do have 700 licenses that do show up. Interesting. That causes me problems professionally because I install public safety BDA/ERRCS systems and have to show the licenses I'm repeating on my site registration. Oh I see it now. They have a whole range licensed.

ULS License - Public Safety 700 MHZ Band-State License License - WPTZ770 - OHIO, STATE OF