PRO-433 Anguish: Please help!

[skyehawke]

Hello Folks.

I posted mid-Jan asking for help programming my wife’s PRO-433, and all the replies were helpful. Per same said “help”, I have purchased the programming cable and Butel’s software for the PRO-433.

I am still not understanding what info goes where in the spread sheet, and for 2 weeks, all of my attempts at manually programming the trunk system for our locale have failed.
For example, the colums in the ARC 433 software spreadsheet are headed as follows:
FREQ. (MHz) / TRUNK / DELAY / LOCK OUT / TAG / PRIORITY, while the freq info on this website uses terms like “DEC” / “HEX” / “ALPHA TAG” vs just plain“TAG”???!?!?!???

I have joined Yahoo groups, read and followed instructions, and am still falling flat on my face (and without the added benefit of being intoxicated!)

Again I wish to say I am as lost and clueless as a fart in a hurricane!

I again ask you Masters of your craft for aid. Here is what I wish to accomplish:

Program the 433 with the Broward County, Florida, Sheriffs Office for our area. This is a Motorola Type II SmartZone trunking system.
The guide to freq’s on this website gives the following info for my area (North Lauderdale[District 15], Tamarac [District 7], Parkland [District 17].:

System ID-1F25 CONNECT TONE-97.3
DEC- 4368 HEX-111 ALPHA TAG- 8A

PRIMARY CONTROL CHANNELS:
860.23750
860.48750
860.73750
860.98750

Desired Broward County Sheriff Talkgroups:

DEC-4368 HEX-111 ALPHA TAG-7A

What the heck do I do with this stuff to make it work???

Thank you so very much in advance for any aid furnished.

Patrick

 

[mtindor]

I see you are a premium subscriber to RR, which means you have access to web-import from the software you are using. I don't own a PRO-433 and never used the ARC-433 software, but Im sure it is capable of importing systems from Radio Reference. Look in your tabs up at the top of the software.

You should be able to quickly and easily import the parts of that system that you want.

Mike

 

[n2mdk]

OK unzip and try loading this file into ARC433 and then into the scanner. See what you get.

 

[skyehawke]

Update:

Thanks for your prompt replies Folks...

About 15 minutes after my last plea for help, I figured out the software, became a premium subscriber, and successfully downloaded the freqs into the ARC-433 program. (Piece of cake once I figured it out!)

I also followed the install instructions to the letter for the driver installation (10 times, and 4 or 5 other attempts through other means).

The ARC-433 software is not recognizing the scanner, nor is it showing in Windows Explorer as a removable usb device/drive. I do not know what I have or have not done correctly, but am becoming even more frustrated than ever!!!

Patrick

 

[AlabamaWeather]

I use the same scanner and still cant figure out how to work the Trunk features.

 

[n2mdk]

Thanks for your prompt replies Folks...

About 15 minutes after my last plea for help, I figured out the software, became a premium subscriber, and successfully downloaded the freqs into the ARC-433 program. (Piece of cake once I figured it out!)

I also followed the install instructions to the letter for the driver installation (10 times, and 4 or 5 other attempts through other means).

The ARC-433 software is not recognizing the scanner, nor is it showing in Windows Explorer as a removable usb device/drive. I do not know what I have or have not done correctly, but am becoming even more frustrated than ever!!!

Patrick

The scanner isn't a USB device it's a serial one. You need to set the proper COM port in the software. With the cable plugged in open Windows Device Manager check the COM port settings then put them in the software. The Cable is a USB to Serial Adapter.

 

[skyehawke]

In Device Manager, Under "Ports (COM & LPT)" it shows one USB Serial Port on COM-18.

Where in the ARC-433 software do I input this info? I tried in the data transfer window in the com select window "Other" but it won't accept "COM18". I had been previously using the Com "Autodetect" feature to no avail.

Thanks n2mdk

 

[n2mdk]

Try putting in 18 not COM18.

 

[skyehawke]

Done, and it states: "Comport Not Available"

*Ponders Hari-Kari*

 

[marvin58]

Pro433

look in ARC433 User Manual for PRO-433 look for
2.1 Reading data from the scanner:
green ports are free
red not available
check box autodetect

it should work

 

[skyehawke]

I have. I did.

"Scanner not detected. Check cable and/or comport setting.
If scanner shows an error(it does not), cycle power off/on."

This is the message I get.

The cable is shown in my "Device Manager", so I think that it MUST be some type of com issue...

 

[skyehawke]

Update:

Tried update to latest version of ARC-433. Update took effect, still getting "Scanner not detected.." message. Done auto-detect, tried manual input of comport...unsuccessful.

Patrick

 

[skyehawke]

Eureka!

Hello again Folks

I am pleased to announce that I have at last facilitated the connection between computer and scanner...it was the ComPort.

Apparently, a BlueTooth USB adapter installed on my machine, software seemed to have commandeered nearly all of my ComPorts, and added about a bazillion more that were'nt really even there!

After uninstalling the BlueTooth software, the ARC-433 software, and the drivers for the cable, began from scratch, scanner cable occupied ComPort 5, and I have successfully retrieved all of the frequencies from my scanner via ARC-433, and shall now attempt to upload desired stuff...

Many thanks to all who responded to my pleas for assistance. I never would have considered the cable being a serial vs USB device (even though I clearly read that very thing 2 dozen times!), so would therefore have likely never gone down the ComPort road!

WOOHOO!

Patrick

 

[StoliRaz]

I just programmed my first trunking system into my 433 using this software the other day. I'm not a subscribing member, but I somehow got it to work. I just hate the fact that whenever someone talks, all I see is "51848" or something like that. I wish I could actually type in words to make it make sense. Oh well.

 

[mcema699]

Learner's Remorse or Buyer's Remorse

I just programmed my first trunking system into my 433 using this software the other day. I'm not a subscribing member, but I somehow got it to work. I just hate the fact that whenever someone talks, all I see is "51848" or something like that. I wish I could actually type in words to make it make sense. Oh well.

Unfortunately you need a scanner that does Alpha Tags such as 97,2055,96,2096, or one of several from Uniden.

Had you known you wanted Text Tags, like you do now, your choice of scanners would have been different. (unless gifted to you)

 

[n2mdk]

Hello again Folks

I am pleased to announce that I have at last facilitated the connection between computer and scanner...it was the ComPort.

Apparently, a BlueTooth USB adapter installed on my machine, software seemed to have commandeered nearly all of my ComPorts, and added about a bazillion more that were'nt really even there!

After uninstalling the BlueTooth software, the ARC-433 software, and the drivers for the cable, began from scratch, scanner cable occupied ComPort 5, and I have successfully retrieved all of the frequencies from my scanner via ARC-433, and shall now attempt to upload desired stuff...

Many thanks to all who responded to my pleas for assistance. I never would have considered the cable being a serial vs USB device (even though I clearly read that very thing 2 dozen times!), so would therefore have likely never gone down the ComPort road!

WOOHOO!

Patrick

Very good glad to hear that.

 

[kd5dga]

I was watching the post on this forum and I have to admit I was perplexed. I can understand that the bluetooth was the problem. I use both USB and serial port cables without any problems on ARC433.