PA Statewide P25 Phase 2 System

ArloG

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I have an IC-R8600. Live in Potter. I sure could use some tips to monitor voice channels to get my skills up before tackling DSD+ Fastlane with an RSP2 again. I live in line of sight of Dutch Hill and signal is very strong. Even other digital modes and freqs. to try would be amazing.but
The 8600 has built in decoders Not so sure yet if all signals are encrypted, some open, or how to simply receive digital voice with it.
I don't really need the whole book, just a few pointers to get my toes wet. The 8600 is awesome and sets beside and R8500.
Thanks!
 

GTR8000

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I have an IC-R8600. Live in Potter. I sure could use some tips to monitor voice channels to get my skills up before tackling DSD+ Fastlane with an RSP2 again. I live in line of sight of Dutch Hill and signal is very strong. Even other digital modes and freqs. to try would be amazing.but
The 8600 has built in decoders Not so sure yet if all signals are encrypted, some open, or how to simply receive digital voice with it.
I don't really need the whole book, just a few pointers to get my toes wet. The 8600 is awesome and sets beside and R8500.
Thanks!
Not going to happen. The STARNet system uses P25 Phase II voice exclusively, which your Icom is not capable of decoding.
 

ArloG

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Hoping you don't flick me off like a booger. I know the 8600 does not trunk. Always did.
I was hoping for tips to set on one of the voice frequencies in any mode the radio does have that it does support and hopefully listen to at least fragmented chatter. Or feed audio or I/Q to DSD+ and maybe get a decode. DSD+ does support P-II.

If I were able to get that far then working on getting trunking with my RSP2 SDR would be next.

You see out here in the boonies there simply isn't much radio chatter at all like in a city. DUI stops when the bars close. Bars are closed. Forget that one and would be encrypted anyway. Any other public services using digital is sparse too and transmissions not so much.

Any helpers to just grab voice on a known freq. in any supported mode would be nice.

1612826962924.png
 

u2brent

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Hoping you don't flick me off like a booger. I know the 8600 does not trunk. Always did.
I was hoping for tips to set on one of the voice frequencies in any mode the radio does have that it does support and hopefully listen to at least fragmented chatter. Or feed audio or I/Q to DSD+ and maybe get a decode. DSD+ does support P-II.

If I were able to get that far then working on getting trunking with my RSP2 SDR would be next.

You see out here in the boonies there simply isn't much radio chatter at all like in a city. DUI stops when the bars close. Bars are closed. Forget that one and would be encrypted anyway. Any other public services using digital is sparse too and transmissions not so much.

Any helpers to just grab voice on a known freq. in any supported mode would be nice.

View attachment 98599
 

GTR8000

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Hoping you don't flick me off like a booger. I know the 8600 does not trunk. Always did.
I was hoping for tips to set on one of the voice frequencies in any mode the radio does have that it does support and hopefully listen to at least fragmented chatter. Or feed audio or I/Q to DSD+ and maybe get a decode. DSD+ does support P-II.
The lack of support for trunking aside, the STARNet P25 system is exclusively P25 Phase II voice. Your Icom does not support P25 Phase II voice, so there is no mode that you could set it to a voice frequency to listen to anything. DSD+ only supports P25 Phase II when you use it in conjunction with one of the FMPx programs, which is the counterpart tuner program distributed with DSD+. DSD+ will not decode P25 Phase II voice from an outside source like discriminator audio or I/Q.

The bottom line is that your 8600 is of no value for listening to STARNet voice frequencies. None of the modes support that ability.
 

ArloG

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The lack of support for trunking aside, the STARNet P25 system is exclusively P25 Phase II voice. Your Icom does not support P25 Phase II voice, so there is no mode that you could set it to a voice frequency to listen to anything. DSD+ only supports P25 Phase II when you use it in conjunction with one of the FMPx programs, which is the counterpart tuner program distributed with DSD+. DSD+ will not decode P25 Phase II voice from an outside source like discriminator audio or I/Q.

The bottom line is that your 8600 is of no value for listening to STARNet voice frequencies. None of the modes support that ability.
Then I'll run over the the DSD+ section and see if anything can be sorted out.
Seems like we're dialed in on P-II here yet I see NXDN transmissions here in my area also. Guess that's covered in another section here.
As for FMPx in DSD+ it was my assumption that it was the sole tuner/trunking control module you get with Fastlane.
And I'm led to believe that DSD+ (core files free version) WILL decode voice channels if you land on one that is active during trunking. Although you may experience fragmented conversations because of the frequency hopping that's going on. That I get.
Sorry. I was looking for info from anyone who noticed a more active voice frequency in the surrounding area of Potter, McKean, Tioga, and NY.
I get pretty good reception even from Lock Haven for open freqs.
I was looking to see if anyone noticed a more active voice (in any digital mode) that I could set on. And if I never get voice on it, do the proper receiver and signal strength, etc adjustments. Thanks. If you can help, cool. If not then I won't burden you.
 

u2brent

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I provided several links above.
One is P25 Phase 1.
The bottom link is NXDN with sites you may be within range of. You can decode P25 voice channels on the site I directly linked too.. It's not the same system this thread is about.
 

GTR8000

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Then I'll run over the the DSD+ section and see if anything can be sorted out.
Seems like we're dialed in on P-II here yet I see NXDN transmissions here in my area also. Guess that's covered in another section here.
You're posting in a thread that is dedicated to discussing the PA Statewide P25 Phase II system, aka PA-STARNet. If you wish to discuss other systems around you, you'll need to start your own thread.
 

IStebleton

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Do PennDOT radios have the ability to be encrypted? I heard a few seconds of encryption on D11-1 Crew 70 channel. Everything is back to normal now.
 

GTR8000

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It sounded exactly like the PSP encryption algorithm, but it could have been the bad decoding.
Sounded like on what, a scanner? Software like DSD+ or SDRTrunk or OP25? Bad digital decoding is going to sound like garbled, unintelligent nonsense, same noise as trying to listen to an encrypted transmission.
 

IStebleton

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Sounded like on what, a scanner? Software like DSD+ or SDRTrunk or OP25? Bad digital decoding is going to sound like garbled, unintelligent nonsense, same noise as trying to listen to an encrypted transmission.
I heard it on my BCD325P2.
 

HM1529

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Also, before you get too excited, the Denton Hill P25 site on the air to ground system is living on borrowed time. All of those 10 sites around the state are being converted to P25 Phase 2 and incorporated into the new radio system.

You can monitor it for the time being. If it is still on the air in the spring, you could hear DCNR forest fire observation flights. You should also hear PSP aviation units. You could hear ARNG helos if any venture up that way. But, again, we are looking at the sunset of that system. Those air to ground sites were originally scheduled to be replaced in 2020. Seems that got pushed back a bit, but it is happening. They want to dump the Harris equipment.
 

ArloG

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Also, before you get too excited, the Denton Hill P25 site on the air to ground system is living on borrowed time. All of those 10 sites around the state are being converted to P25 Phase 2 and incorporated into the new radio system.

You can monitor it for the time being. If it is still on the air in the spring, you could hear DCNR forest fire observation flights. You should also hear PSP aviation units. You could hear ARNG helos if any venture up that way. But, again, we are looking at the sunset of that system. Those air to ground sites were originally scheduled to be replaced in 2020. Seems that got pushed back a bit, but it is happening. They want to dump the Harris equipment.
Thank you for the info. Again I was just wanting to monitor any voice frequency in any digital mode to hone in on my skills.
I treaded in on a P25 only thread and thought maybe a try this freq. it's a VC in XX mode would be a bit enlightening.
I have a nice receiver, although it does not trunk, and moved here from central FL. a few years ago. From the days of discriminator taps and sound card decoding for pagers, etc. and open public service freqs.
Looks like SDR-Console will allow me to trunk, so that comes later on when I get freed up. I just don't want nor need a scanner.
And transmissions are infrequent here, so I end up listening to static for hours. Even with my RSP2 and DSD+ running.
Thanks all. Headed over to the DSD+ section. Probably get chopped up into pieces there. You scanner guys are pretty rough on noobs.
 

IStebleton

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Anyone else now hearing D11-1 Crew 40 Monroeville on 11012, Crew 70 Bridgeville stuff on 11011, and Crew 50 Lovedale stuff on 11014? It seems like they may have swapped channels around.
 
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