Pro-2055 Help with Programming Trunkcing - Getting Control: ~43%

[Relkci]

Hey everyone.

So I'm trying to program my Pro-2055 to trunk frequencies found here: http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=5121

I set up Bank 0 to be Motorolla Trunked, and
Channel 0 to be the first controlling frequency
Channel 1, 2 to be the alternatives
and a couple of other channels listed in black on on the link above for our area.

The problem is when I'm in manual mode (because thats al I can figure out how to work)

I have also entered several 5 digit codes also found on that link

The display shows:

M000MO 159.39000
pri att DLY lo+
Bank 0 Chan 00
MOT: Control: 20%

MOT rotates through varying Control %s and SYS-880: never goes above 50%. I was lucky to get both around 80% at one point, but I never heard any audible change.

Sometimes the scanner will display a matching 5 digit code, but I never have audible recoginition of it (just the static).

So what am I doing wrong, or do I just have no signal? Hard to understand because the tower/location is the same as a standard FM frequency that I recieve clear as day.

I've done alot of reading to understanding trunking, and want to learn about it, just having trouble getting this to work. Did I miss a step?

Thanks!

 

[Relkci]

Basicaly, my question is what does the "Control:xx%" refer to. Does the system need to achieve 100% before it can decode the tones/codes to make audible to the signals?

 

[mcooke]

You need to read the manual on how to program a trunked radio system. If I could remember the sequence of buttons to program it I would tell you but the manual explains it. If you don't have a manual you should be able to search for it online. Basically once you figure out how to get in the programming mode you program each of those frequencies in and then press scan. The radio will pick up every talkgroup on the system. If you read further in the manual you can learn how to store talkgroups and then only scan for the talkgroups you want.

 

[Relkci]

You need to read the manual on how to program a trunked radio system. If I could remember the sequence of buttons to program it I would tell you but the manual explains it. If you don't have a manual you should be able to search for it online. Basically once you figure out how to get in the programming mode you program each of those frequencies in and then press scan. The radio will pick up every talkgroup on the system. If you read further in the manual you can learn how to store talkgroups and then only scan for the talkgroups you want.

Its a fairly complex system compared to open frequencies. Its possible my problem was that I did store talkgroup codes, and thats why I'm not recieving anything. I'mm still confused on what the Control: xx% refers. to.

Thanks for your input!

 

[ka3jjz]

That low a percentage is certainly going to inhibit getting a clean decode; whether it will inhibit trunking is very hard to say. I would say that a better antenna is a definite possibility here.

73 Mike

[edit] If you understand trunking, then perhaps this shortcut article will help (anything in blue or underlined is a link of some kind)

http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Programming_Shortcut_pro-2055

 

[dougjgray]

well at 50% there is alot of errors so it may have trouble determining the voice channel. trunking systems I listen to ussually show 90+ %. Anyway that may be your problem, the error rate is to high. Are you a long ways away? or you could try a different antenna if you using the stock one, RS 800 mhs antenna is pretty good for 800mhz stuff

 

[Relkci]

Is any "external"/replacement antenna better than the factory? Its using the factory antenna, but use the scanner for more than just the 800mhz range.

 

[gmclam]

PRO-2055 = base mode of PRO-97

Basicaly, my question is what does the "Control:xx%" refer to.

Let's say it shows the quality of the signal being received.

Does the system need to achieve 100% before it can decode the tones/codes to make audible to the signals?

No. It's hard to give you an exact minimum value required, but it is more like 20-25%.

In order for you to see the "control..." message, you must be in MAN mode and on the active CONTROL channel. The proper way to scan a trunked system is to put the scanner in SCAN mode. Make sure the control channel is set to the correct mode (MO, ED, LT) and the bank is set to that mode too. If that's all you do, and leave the bank OPEN (a plus sign will display below the bank # when scanning) then you'll hear whatever talkgroups are active. If you want to limit which talkgroups your scanner stops on, then you must program in the desired talkgroups and set the bank to closed. But first things first.