Problem w/Pro-96 EDACS96 Decoding

[jimc]

I have programmed a bank with an EDACS96 system. Unitrunker is decoding it fine (99-100% quality indicator) and I have figured out the LCN using Unitrunker. When I programmed the PRO-96 with the system 90+% of the time the scanner just sits and once in a great while it will receive a talkgroup, display the correct talkgroup and ID on the display and you will hear the transmission. The system is very active and I can watch all the activity on Unitrunker but the scanner is not receiving it.

I have tried everything I can think of but have run out of idea's, any help would be appreciated .... Jim

 

[SCPD]

Hi Jim;

The system is very active and I can watch all the activity on Unitrunker but the scanner is not receiving it.

Which system is this?

 

[jimc]

It's a US Navy ship (UHF 400 Mhz system) ... Uniden BCT-8 won't track it either .. beginning to think their is something different about the Control Channel ..

 

[n2mdk]

Could it be using ESK?

 

[jimc]

What is ESK?

Can the Unitrunker Program decode ESK? If so and the scanners can't then I would guess that would be the cause.

 

[DonS]

ESK = "EDACS Security Key"

Yes, UniTrunker can handle ESK, but the scanners you've mentioned cannot.

 

[loumaag]

Another possibility is a mixed mode ProVoice/Analog system. It has been awhile, but I believe the Pro-96 (and most newer trunking scanners) skip over or ignore all ProVoice TG's.

 

[DonS]

Another possibility is a mixed mode ProVoice/Analog system. It has been awhile, but I believe the Pro-96 (and most newer trunking scanners) skip over or ignore all ProVoice TG's.

That seems to be supported by the O.P.'s initial statement that "once in a great while it [the PRO-96] will receive a talkgroup, display the correct talkgroup and ID on the display and you will hear the transmission". If ESK was in use, this shouldn't happen.

 

[jimc]

They have digital voice channels on the system but their is also plenty of analog voice and both scanners are only tracking a very small percentage of the voice traffic .. Unitrunker appears to be 100% with a quality rating of 98-100%. All the radio's are being fed via a roof discone and a VHF/UHF mulicoupler.

Any of suggestions or idea's?

 

[loumaag]

Any of suggestions or idea's?

Yes, let UniTrunker remotely control the BCT8, then you will actually see/hear what is what on what channel. Since (as you said) the system has digital on it, I am sure what is happening, is the majority of the traffic is ProVoice and is being skipped by both the Pro-96 and the BCT8. If UniTrunker were "driving" the BCT8, it should go to the channel in any case, hence you will hear the digital noise or the analog voice depending on what is on what TG.

 

[jimc]

No the majority of the traffic is analog .. problem is taking a laptop and BCT-8 mobile or portable is not realistic. I'd like to pin down the reason..

 

[loumaag]

No the majority of the traffic is analog .. problem is taking a laptop and BCT-8 mobile or portable is not realistic. I'd like to pin down the reason..

My point was to do what I suggested while also monitoring with your Pro-96. Try and figure out from what you see and what you hear what may be the problem.

 

[fmon]

Is your ship on this Tyco Roster ?

 

[jimc]

I have looked at everything I can think of and have no idea without addition information what might be the problem. I am going to post a message on the Trunker mailing list and see if anyone there has any idea's.

I have not figured out which ship it is as of yet.

 

[Skud]

if you sit on manual mode on one of the freq that is not the control you should hear traffic. Of course when they hit the talk button it came change to another LCN so you might nothear the complete conversation. if you take all LCN except the control and put it in a bank and set the bank for CONV and not EDAC and hit scan, you should hear traffic. And possbly all the traffic as long as they do x-mit on the control LCN. I used to discover the EDACS here in Michigan using my Pro 96 and it is a good scanner to do that. Of course I had my Pro 95 that I also used to help.

I also would program in a dunmmy freq of 855.00 as EDAC on all the other channels up to 19 while I searche for correct freq and LCN #'s