PSR-500 Failure to Track P-25 Systems Thread

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mikey60

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radios4bill said:
Hi Group; Well after having the unit for a week I have solved my tracking problem! I will try to explain. I have found both aftermarket programming softwares good, but this is where my problem came from. There is a NEW P25 System here in Parma Ohio and the tech that put the system together purchased a Pro-2096 to listen to the system in the open mode. He found that the scanner would not track the system so he changed the 9600 settings to Channel low=0, Channel high=65535, Base=851.0125, Offset=0, Step=12.50 and it worked. Well I have been using both PSR-500 aftermarket softwares to program this system and it still would not track. Here is what I found! I was trying to use "P25 Custom" Setting and then changing the "Trunking Tables" to the settings I needed and it still would not work? So I used "P25 Auto" and when you select that setting it won't give you a "Trunking Tables" option, so I went into the scanner programming and you can change the "Trunking Tables" in there. I used the setting I posted and "IT WORKS" I hope this helps GRE, Software Suppliers and End Users! Please let me know if this worked for you! Thanks, Bill

I would really like to see a control channel dump from this system to see if there are any IDEN_UP messages being transmitted on the control channel. I've seen plenty of STARS data dumps so I know that's there, but this system sounds like it's running non-standard enough that I'd really like to see the data.

Thanks,
Mike
 

mikey60

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DonS said:
Actually, I was thinking of the text dump that the PSR-500 puts out on the PC/IF port when you have the FUNC+GLOB item "CCDump" set to "Yes".
It's human-readable text, and will show the "IDEN_UP" messages in a meaningful form.

Only if you use the non-existing TG method to get the data. In the analyz mode it will only send the TSBK messages, with no explanation text.

The latest Pro96Com does have a PSR log screen however.

Mike
 

DonS

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mikey60 said:
Only if you use the non-existing TG method to get the data.
Or "P25 MANUAL", "T Tables:Custom", with no T Tables programmed. That ought to keep the radio from trunking out to any VCs, since it can't calculate their frequencies. It should stay on the CC, giving every message received.
 

rvawatch

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well for STARS for me, I seem to be able to pick up Division 1 state police pretty well, but it misses many many transmissions of div 5 units (compared to pro 96). I'm using the Petersburg and Richmond towers. I've always just set it to P25 Auto. How do you actually calculate what the base, offset, and such is?
 

fmon

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Also, the tables are collected by the scanner as Don stated via IDEN_UP. If you edit the system by changing T Tables Default to Custom, the 7 tables will be listed. STARS uses the three with 2.50 Step - same for the 20(96) scanners.

Thanks for the optimistic report on Div 1 towers. My 96 and 2096 work much better throughout Div 1. Maybe there is hope.
 

bonus1331

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Just alittle more info that may help in the elusive P25 problem.
I was up in the Greensboro/Winston Salem area today and brought the 500 and 396.
The Greensboro system is:
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&sid=291

The Winston Salem TRS is:
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&sid=1682

These two systems are within 20 miles of each other and both are mixed analog and P25.
Both were monitored with the same RS 800 antenna.

The 396 tracks both perfectly.

The 500 tracked the Winston Salem system both within WS and in Greensboro. No hiccups, or TG display and missing audio.

The 500 on the Greensboro system was horrendous, both in Greensboro city limits and in the WS area. Usual complaints we are all seeing-missing audio, TG display with no audio, etc.
500 is set to all default items.

Maybe someone can tell the difference between these two TRS and get another clue to the solution.

I'm becoming disheartened with this radio.
Cons
-no backlight squelch without individual settings
-size-large
-I continue to prefer the System/Group method of the Unidens vs banks(lists).
-I am having to use the attenuator on the local TRS's due to overload.
-SWPR gets overloaded and has many more pager hits than the Close Call.
-Who needs V scanner when you can put 99 systems in the 396?

Pros-
-like the FAV bank. Great feature
-Temporary lockout (great feature on the newer base Unidens as well).
-NAC decode...yea, once we get it to decode!!
Take this all with a grain of salt. I knew going in that I preferred the Unidens to the RS/GRE methods.
However, with the possibility of "non-tweaked" P25 reception; I'm willing to overlook my prejudices. However, firmware upgrade failure to fix this issue will have me being the first to offer this radio up for sale on these boards.
Always an early adopter, never failed....until now?
 

W4KRR

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My '500 will track/decode the Boca Raton, FL digital system with few problems, and will decode local amateur two meter P-25 repeaters with no issues. But park it on a Hollywood, FL digital talkgroup on the Broward Co. FL system (1f25), and I get complete silence, or else digital noise. I get clear voice probably 2% of the time. No such issues with the BCD396 or 996.
 

bonus1331

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W4KRR said:
My '500 will track/decode the Boca Raton, FL digital system with few problems, and will decode local amateur two meter P-25 repeaters with no issues. But park it on a Hollywood, FL digital talkgroup on the Broward Co. FL system (1f25), and I get complete silence, or else digital noise. I get clear voice probably 2% of the time. No such issues with the BCD396 or 996.
My point exactly.
This scanner is tracking certain TRS and not on certain others.
Good news is that this type of behavior makes me think it is certainly not a hardware issue, but a software issue.
 

radios4bill

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bonus1331 said:
Just alittle more info that may help in the elusive P25 problem.
I was up in the Greensboro/Winston Salem area today and brought the 500 and 396.
The Greensboro system is:
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&sid=291

The Winston Salem TRS is:
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&sid=1682

These two systems are within 20 miles of each other and both are mixed analog and P25.
Both were monitored with the same RS 800 antenna.

The 396 tracks both perfectly.

The 500 tracked the Winston Salem system both within WS and in Greensboro. No hiccups, or TG display and missing audio.

The 500 on the Greensboro system was horrendous, both in Greensboro city limits and in the WS area. Usual complaints we are all seeing-missing audio, TG display with no audio, etc.
500 is set to all default items.

Maybe someone can tell the difference between these two TRS and get another clue to the solution.

I'm becoming disheartened with this radio.
Cons
-no backlight squelch without individual settings
-size-large
-I continue to prefer the System/Group method of the Unidens vs banks(lists).
-I am having to use the attenuator on the local TRS's due to overload.
-SWPR gets overloaded and has many more pager hits than the Close Call.
-Who needs V scanner when you can put 99 systems in the 396?

Pros-
-like the FAV bank. Great feature
-Temporary lockout (great feature on the newer base Unidens as well).
-NAC decode...yea, once we get it to decode!!
Take this all with a grain of salt. I knew going in that I preferred the Unidens to the RS/GRE methods.
However, with the possibility of "non-tweaked" P25 reception; I'm willing to overlook my prejudices. However, firmware upgrade failure to fix this issue will have me being the first to offer this radio up for sale on these boards.
Always an early adopter, never failed....until now?

Hi; Both of the systems you used in this posting are not P25, they are Motorola 800 Mixed Mode. The scanner needs to be programmed 800 Motorola Type II it will decode the Analog and Digital! I have several of the same systems here in Cleveland Area and it works "GREAT" Bill
 

proquist96

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hypersight said:
Hmmmmmm....I think I'll just stick to my good 'ol 96
I think i will stick with the 96 too, banks aren't that bad and i have all my v folders untouched. This decodes everything i put into it. Sorry GRE, i think there was too much buzz about the PSR being the greatest scanner but didn't deliver. The "ease of use" is not so easy for some people. I cant believe how some are having problems with the radio from experienced scanning folks.This thing should decode digital out of the box. "No Cumbersome adjustments" yeah right!
 

DaveIN

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I'm reading that more and more people are getting the hang of the radio and are liking it. Some have mentioned that the decoded P25 is better than the PRO-96. When GRE comes out with a firmware upgrade to address some of the tracking problems some have experienced, I'm sure its going to be great. It already looks like the first two shipments are sold out and I'll bet the next one will go fast.

I wouldn't look for it to come out in black any time soon, but if there was enough demand maybe it would happen.
 

k4njk

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It would appear from my oberservations and the information posted that if the system has more than 30 channels assigned P25 reception is problematic. If the system has less than 30 channels it works properly. Any thoughts?
 

detroit780

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30 channels

Well I was having issues with just one cotrol channel assigened to the SYS. Now I have chaned the multi site option from off to STAT and also changed from the supplied rubber duck antenna to the Radio Shack 800 MHz antenna and it seems to be working very well on the one channel setup.

Now I am at work and using a v-folder with 32 channel and it seems to be working just fine once again. I'll be leaving the factory antenna in the box from now on.

It may be too early to jump to a conclusion but it sure seems fine now.



k4njk said:
It would appear from my oberservations and the information posted that if the system has more than 30 channels assigned P25 reception is problematic. If the system has less than 30 channels it works properly. Any thoughts?
 

bonus1331

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radios4bill said:
Hi; Both of the systems you used in this posting are not P25, they are Motorola 800 Mixed Mode. The scanner needs to be programmed 800 Motorola Type II it will decode the Analog and Digital! I have several of the same systems here in Cleveland Area and it works "GREAT" Bill

I'm aware and they are programmed as Mot 800 Type II.
Analog TG's receive fine. DG TG's are decoded maybe 10% of the time.
 

fmon

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I agree with Dave, it's a keeper. The scanners are selling well in spite of problems. GRE's reputation is in good standing and the expectation of DSP and firmware upgrades are apparently forthcoming. As an owner of a 96, two 2096's and this 500, I'll likely purchase two PSR-600's when they hit the street.

Uniden failed to support the 600 buck 785D (nice scanner otherwise) which hit the street in late Jan. 03, a full 7 months prior to the Pro-96. <sigh> Then the 796D...still short of its promise - think P25 VHF/UHF trunking - can't find nor set trunking tables.
 

AZScanner

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hypersight said:
Hmmmmmm....I think I'll just stick to my good 'ol 96

Yeah no kidding! At least for the next 6 months or so until all the "bugs" are worked out and the hype dies down some (so that you can actually GET one without waiting for the next shipment).

Still waiting to hear (and it may have been answered elsewhere, if so my apologies) on P25 decode ability for the PRWN systems here in Phoenix. Does it work and if so, did it work out of the box or did you have to fiddle with it? Just curious.

-AZ
 

kikito

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bonus1331 said:
Take this all with a grain of salt. I knew going in that I preferred the Unidens to the RS/GRE methods.
However, with the possibility of "non-tweaked" P25 reception; I'm willing to overlook my prejudices. However, firmware upgrade failure to fix this issue will have me being the first to offer this radio up for sale on these boards.
Always an early adopter, never failed....until now?
Good thing I wasn't that pessismistic this early about Uniden when for the second model in a row (296/396) their scanners wouldn't track our brand new P25 VHF system properly. Especially when I was the only one with this type of system and problem reporting it, so I didn't even have the "emotional backup" of other users reporting similar anomalies....
 

kikito

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proquist96 said:
I think i will stick with the 96 too, banks aren't that bad and i have all my v folders untouched. This decodes everything i put into it. Sorry GRE, i think there was too much buzz about the PSR being the greatest scanner but didn't deliver.
It is a great scanner. The problem is that you haven't heard from the other 95% of the people that are happy and the other 95% of the features that work great.

The more I use it, the more I like it and the more I get used to the "new ways". Just like we had to with the dynamic memory in the Unidens. Some people will always have problems with anything, no matter how simple or complicated.

Anyway, some of the features I'm starting to get "attached" to are:

-- Temporary Lockouts
-- NAC Decode
-- Unlimited talkgroups
-- Fast loading and saving of V-folders
-- Fast upload/download to computer software.
-- Holding on a TG and the radio keeps searching and tracking for it across ALL sites programmed not just stuck in one
-- The best P25 decoding and tracking I've come across in any scanner.
-- LTR automatic configuration (LTR Home Repeater AutoMove)
-- Individual Delay for each conventional or talkgroup channel
-- Priority feature versatility i.e. ability to interrupt TGs for conv pri, MOT subaudible pri tracking, etc.
-- Hit counters
-- CCdump feature (i.e. to use with Pro96Com, etc.)
-- "AudioBoost" feature

And many more things....
 
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