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

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W4KRR

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I have issues sometimes with starting the program. No particular release, it happens with all of them.

When I launch the software, often I will see "Discovering device. Please wait..." This is with the device connected. I will then click on "Connect to P25RX" and sometimes it connects right away, sometimes not. Sometimes it seems to be connected, showing a signal strength bar graph, but when I click on the "Signal Insights" tab, I see a solid red line and a "no sync" indication. I then go back to "Connect to P25RX", and sometimes it will then work (red line changes to green), and sometimes not. Sometimes I must repeat this several times, and sometimes I have to unplug the USB cable and re-connect it before it will start working. Is this operator error on my part?
 

W0RS

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Seems on-topic to me. Will be curious to hear how the Larson antenna does for you. Have you tried putting the 161.875 MHz frequency in as the primary? It may be that the VHF system utilizes the multi-block style messages and doesn't have time to build the base frequency table before the receiver switches to the next channel. I'm planning on adding support to keep track of up to 16 active control channels in ram persistently, but that has not been implemented yet. I'm going to take a stab at adding support for this today. Stand by.
The next time I take a ride up to Branson I will try 161.875 as primary. I will let you know what happens....thanks
 
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btt

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I have issues sometimes with starting the program. No particular release, it happens with all of them.

When I launch the software, often I will see "Discovering device. Please wait..." This is with the device connected. I will then click on "Connect to P25RX" and sometimes it connects right away, sometimes not. Sometimes it seems to be connected, showing a signal strength bar graph, but when I click on the "Signal Insights" tab, I see a solid red line and a "no sync" indication. I then go back to "Connect to P25RX", and sometimes it will then work (red line changes to green), and sometimes not. Sometimes I must repeat this several times, and sometimes I have to unplug the USB cable and re-connect it before it will start working. Is this operator error on my part?
I wouldn't call it operator error, but it does sound like a possible hardware issue? Try a different USB cable? You shouldn't need to click on "Connect to device" when you first start the software, although it shouldn't cause any issues if you do. If you don't see a sync, but you have a good signal (the constellation looks good), then you might have a frequency offset due to the reference frequency being off? Is the "Estimated Reference Frequency" shown in green? Of course this is a completely different issue from not connecting to the device..
 

btt

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The next time I take a ride up to Branson I will try 161.875 as primary. I will let you know what happens....thanks
There is a new version ready for testing. 2021-01-07_1132. I think this may solve your problems with transitioning to VHF with a roaming setup (if the issue is because of multi-block messages). You need to put all control channel frequencies you want to monitor into the roaming flash with this version (including the "primary"). This version only uses up-to the first 16 entries in the roaming records. If you set the "inactivity timeout" to 0, then it will use the control-channel IDLE/BUSY bits to determine if it is time to move to the next channel. (it verifies these bits with several reads). If there is voice activity, then it will stay on the current control channel for the defined talk group timeout (default of 2 seconds). Up to 16 control channels are kept track of dynamically and persistently across frequency changes. Let me know how it goes. I don't know if this attempt at "scanning" works with TDMA yet. If anyone tests that, please let me know. Thanks!

EDIT - edit version of release to test
 
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W0RS

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There is a new version ready for testing. 2021-01-07_1132. I think this may solve your problems with transitioning to VHF with a roaming setup (if the issue is because of multi-block messages). You need to put all control channel frequencies you want to monitor into the roaming flash with this version (including the "primary"). This version only uses up-to the first 16 entries in the roaming records. If you set the "inactivity timeout" to 0, then it will use the control-channel IDLE/BUSY bits to determine if it is time to move to the next channel. (it verifies these bits with several reads). If there is voice activity, then it will stay on the current control channel for the defined talk group timeout (default of 2 seconds). Up to 16 control channels are kept track of dynamically and persistently across frequency changes. Let me know how it goes. I don't know if this attempt at "scanning" works with TDMA yet. If anyone tests that, please let me know. Thanks!

EDIT - edit version of release to test
I will load the version and let you know my results when I drive up to Branson. Thanks for your fantastic responses! 🤗
 

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Great. I look forward to hearing how it does. There is a bug fix since the last post. The new version is 2021-01-07_1508. I need some feedback on Phase II now, but this release appears to be doing good as a scanner. Now that the CC table/parameters are persistent, it should make Phase II more reliable when monitoring multiple channels as well as the systems with multi-block messages. Other bugs that were related to the "roaming" mode have been verified to be fixed.

EDIT - forgot to mention, but this version also supports scanning multiple NXDN voice channels. The firmware is working great for this application, but the current BTConfig software has issues on some platforms during configuration of the NXDN mode that I have not been able to figure out yet.

EDIT2 - After hours of running, the latest bug I thought was fixed is still present. Keep watching the release notes for a fix. Thanks.
 
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btt

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Good Afternoon,
Does the P25RX support conventional public service analog channels (non-trunked)?
If you mean FM narrow band, it will allow you to tune an FM narrow band channel and output it from the line-out, low-level audio jack and streaming audio over Bluetooth. The current firmware does not allow changing the filter bandwidth for FMNB currently, but the HW is capable. A future firmware update will address this.
 

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Any idea when more modules will be available for sale? And when your new snazzy display module will be as well? Thanks. Standing by with anticipation!
 
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Any idea when more modules will be available for sale? And when your new snazzy display module will be as well? Thanks. Standing by with anticipation!
Parts showed up yesterday. I'll be switching modes from firmware development to assembly. Should have some P25RX receivers ready soon.

The first display prototype has been assembled and tested. Minor changes were made to the design and the first run of production boards (partial assembly) have been ordered. After there is some more verification and testing, they will become available. The code for the display will be open-sourced. I'm hoping that this will encourage users who write C code to fork the display code and create alternate functionality. I'm not planning on an enclosure for the display module at this point. Here is an image of the prototype connected to the P25RX and an external 8 ohm speaker via 3.5mm jack (speaker not shown).

p25rx_display_proto.png
 

epersson

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Parts showed up yesterday. I'll be switching modes from firmware development to assembly. Should have some P25RX receivers ready soon.

The first display prototype has been assembled and tested. Minor changes were made to the design and the first run of production boards (partial assembly) have been ordered. After there is some more verification and testing, they will become available. The code for the display will be open-sourced. I'm hoping that this will encourage users who write C code to fork the display code and create alternate functionality. I'm not planning on an enclosure for the display module at this point. Here is an image of the prototype connected to the P25RX and an external 8 ohm speaker via 3.5mm jack (speaker not shown).

View attachment 96751
My only ‘comment’/‘concern’ would be the possibility of shorting out or damaging the display or mounting it on the base module. But a wrap of electrical tape is the electronic equivalent of duck tape.
 

btt

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My only ‘comment’/‘concern’ would be the possibility of shorting out or damaging the display or mounting it on the base module. But a wrap of electrical tape is the electronic equivalent of duck tape.
I'm using these strips to attach it: "3M 17206 Command Large Picture Hanging Strips". They are easily removable without leaving residue. They provide plenty of clearance and stability. They also allow attachment/detachment. That is what is holding the display to the P25RX and also to the wall in this image.

EDIT - Just realized that the enclosure shown is black, but that isn't electrical tape. The units that I work with are in black anodized aluminum enclosures so I don't get them mixed up with the blue ones.
 
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epersson

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I'm using these strips to attach it: "3M 17206 Command Large Picture Hanging Strips". They are easily removable without leaving residue. They provide plenty of clearance and stability. They also allow attachment/detachment. That is what is holding the display to the P25RX and also to the wall in this image.

EDIT - Just realized that the enclosure shown is black, but that isn't electrical tape. The units that I work with are in black anodized aluminum enclosures so I don't get them mixed up with the blue ones.
Any idea of price? Either as an option or included with base? It’s looking great. Gotta get back to Fl. No systems in NH.
 

btt

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Any idea of price? Either as an option or included with base? It’s looking great. Gotta get back to Fl. No systems in NH.
I don't know the exact price yet, but it will be an open-design. It is a 2.4" touch-screen, color display. It has 3.5mm jacks for both a low-level-line-out and also an on-board 1W power amp for driving an external 8 ohm speaker or headphones. I will be providing open source code and hardware designs. The display is a product that several people asked for. I'm doing this for them and also in the hope of generating continued (and new) interest in the P25RX receiver.
 

W0RS

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There is a new testing version available. 2021-01-08_1833. This has highly improved roaming support. (CC scanning up to 16 channels). NXDN48 voice channels can also be scanned. Please see the P25RX Tips And Tricks page for more information.
I downloaded v1846 but it gets stuck on “discovering device”. It just keeps trying to discover by resetting itself over and over. Once I unplug and replug again it’s fine. The previous versions have worked ok........
 

btt

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I downloaded v1846 but it gets stuck on “discovering device”. It just keeps trying to discover by resetting itself over and over. Once I unplug and replug again it’s fine. The previous versions have worked ok........
Thank you for testing the new version. When you say you unplug/replug it, then it is fine, you mean the install for v1846 works and then you are up and running it ok? When you say previous versions are ok, do you mean any of the previous versions in the past 48 hours or so? Or do mean the stable version? Are you running Windows 10? or?

I haven't tested on Windows yet, but haven't heard back from many people on the latest developments. new version available.
 

shirsch101

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I have a question for you guys....I listen to Chester County Emergency Services System in Pa. The system is set up with 4 simulcast sites 5, 10, 30 and 50. I am able to receive all the site id's but I keep also getting a Site 0 show up on the console tab as the most predominate site that is being scanned. Any idea what the Site 0 could be?
 

btt

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I have a question for you guys....I listen to Chester County Emergency Services System in Pa. The system is set up with 4 simulcast sites 5, 10, 30 and 50. I am able to receive all the site id's but I keep also getting a Site 0 show up on the console tab as the most predominate site that is being scanned. Any idea what the Site 0 could be?

I'm guessing that you are still running the latest "stable" release? Since then, all of the recent changes have been working toward making scanning keep track of all the control channel configuration information persistent across frequency changes (including the site id). Please give version 2021-01-10_0617 a try. I believe this version is very close to a new "stable" release.
 
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