PSR-800 firmware/software update available 01-9-2012

[DonS]

Turning on the "LocationSelect" feature has three effects:
1. The "Set Location" menu item is shown/enabled
2. Scan lists 151-200 are renamed based on RR tag names
3. Importing via the "Set Location" feature puts new channels and talkgroups into those 50 scan lists

Existing objects are not changed. If you had any objects in scan lists 151-200, they'll still show up there when "LocationSelect" is checked in the main settings menu. Also, if you import objects via "Set Location" and then turn off "LocationSelect", you'll still see those imported objects in scan lists 151-200.

You might notice that:
a) the "Set Location" menu has a "Backup Data" item. This copies your existing configuration to a V-Scanner folder
b) the V-Scanner interface now lets you erase folders with the SKIP key.
The intent is that you can save your current configuration, use the "Set Location" function, and also erase stored configurations.

 

[captncarp]

Just load the firmware again. It will fix the issue.

Issue is fixed. Tks.

 

[cipher66]

What is the assumed "radius" of the data pull when using location?

 

[DonS]

What is the assumed "radius" of the data pull when using location?

No "radius" apart from the RR data.

The scanner uses polygons for county and, if available, city. Those are combined with the RR point/radius data to bring in conventional channels and trunked system sites and talkgroups.

 

[cipher66]

Thanks DonS,

The reason I asked is because I am the ARTCC DB Admin, and I was curious how it decides to pull in the ARTCC RCAG sites when I enter my zip.. So, I assume that when I type in my zip, any of the RCAG sites whose radius enters my zip code will be included,.... right? So If I wanted to increase the aircraft monitoring range for ARTCC's I would use a second zipcode in the direction of the monitoring target area?

 

[dmaria]

Is anyone having a problem with the battery indicator after updating? I am showing one bar on the indicator, but i measured the batteries at 4.96 volts. Even with a fresh charge, the indicator drops to 1 bar in about 5 minutes.

 

[Junior08]

Noticing a problem here after completing all updates. When I do an import based on zip code it seems to work fine but on the Massachusetts State Police Trunk System it seems to skip Provincetown PD and FD for unknown reasons. It gets every other town that uses the trunk system but not Provincetown. I have tried this twice with the same results. P'Town definitely should be included as they are a full time user of the system and I am in the coverage area. I have posted this issue in the forums at Scan New England as well, and will await any replies.

Has anyone else checked the information that is being imported when you do this, and not just on this system?

 

[Kel]

I am noticing this to,but my radio still runs up to 6 to 7 hrs depending on amount of voice traffic,it also shows no bars after about 2 hrs,it must be the way it works,I wonder if there is anyway to go back to the previous firmware?

 

[dmaria]

I am noticing this to,but my radio still runs up to 6 to 7 hrs depending on amount of voice traffic,it also shows no bars after about 2 hrs,it must be the way it works,I wonder if there is anyway to go back to the previous firmware?

This will make it very hard to know when the batteries are about to die. Hopefully they will issue a fix very shortly.

 

[rwier]

Noticing a problem here after completing all updates. When I do an import based on zip code it seems to work fine but on the Massachusetts State Police Trunk System it seems to skip Provincetown PD and FD for unknown reasons. It gets every other town that uses the trunk system but not Provincetown. I have tried this twice with the same results. P'Town definitely should be included as they are a full time user of the system and I am in the coverage area. I have posted this issue in the forums at Scan New England as well, and will await any replies.

Has anyone else checked the information that is being imported when you do this, and not just on this system?

Hi Junior,

When you set up an import with the zip code there is a Service List to the right. It's title/name is "Import Categories". It contains 31 choices. These can be selected for on or off.

Supposing you select 02 Law Dispatch and 03 Fire Dispatch for your import. The import function can only see what the RRDB (and by proxy the program contained Library) has tagged the objects as.

For the USA and Canada, this would be an overall total of what, a million or so human tags on whatever a particular object's Service Category might be. What's your average score on a test? Do you see the problem? Any miss-marked, or unmarked object will not be seen where you expect it, if at all.

If you import with all 31 choices "on", you may pick up the desired object, but it might be "miss-filed" . Hard to find, like looking for a needle...lol. And who makes the choices on the tags between

Multi Dispatch
Fire Dispatch
EMS Dispatch
Multi Tac
Fire Tac
EMS Tac
Interop
Multi Talk
Fire Talk
EMS Talk

If I had to tag the many hundreds of scannable objects in just my County, not a single Forum reader could possibly agree with ALL of my choices for the Service Category tags.

 

[W2GLD]

Has anyone else noticed that the battery life is awful after this update has been applied? I just put a brand new set of batteries in the unit and within 15 minutes or so, the battery starts to indicate it's dying...

 

[mike_s104]

Has anyone else noticed that the battery life is awful after this update has been applied? I just put a brand new set of batteries in the unit and within 15 minutes or so, the battery starts to indicate it's dying...

Yeah, I noticed that too. You can adjust the levels for the icon now. That is the only complaint I have about the scanner. Also, even before the update, I noticed the levels would show almost dead when I would first turn it on then show full the next using the same batteries without a charge.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

 

[Kel]

Are they new rechargeables right out of the pack or did you recharge them?I have had that situation before on previous occasions,I believe they have a memory in the batteries if I am correct.

 

[Kel]

How do you adjust the icon?I tried changing the values on the software on a previous post to the numbers submitted but did not notice any difference.

 

[W2GLD]

Are they new rechargeables right out of the pack or did you recharge them?I have had that situation before on previous occasions,I believe they have a memory in the batteries if I am correct.

I have been using these batteries for the past few months. Throughout today, I have gone through three complete sets of batteries. When I recharged the first set, I placed them in the PSR-500 and they've been on for hours. Each set I put in the PSR-800 reports DOA almost immediately. I didn't see any mention of it, but does the threshold have to be adjusted in this new firmware or something? Guess I'll have to reread the guide and maybe reload the firmware once again and see what happens.

Overall, I am VERY displeased with this PSR-800 aside from it's digital decoding capability. I've had the faceplate replaced twice, and then the unit once (because of the faceplate issue). The fact that I cannot edit items from the radio is making this scanner pretty much useless for an advanced user. I've never been a fan of these database supported scanners.

I wish GRE would have put their engineering time and efforts into a revamped PSR-500/600 series with the added bells & whistles that the PSR-800 has provided.

 

[Kel]

I agree on your last sentence,but it sounds like there is a PSR 900 on display at the CES show.

 

[rwier]

I agree on your last sentence,but it sounds like there is a PSR 900 on display at the CES show.

An 800 with a port for the hockey puck?

 

[W2GLD]

I just put another new set of batteries in the PSR-800 and turned it on; after a reflash of the firmware, still the batteries immediately reported they are running low. Five minutes in and the scanner reports they are 50%; they'll be dead in no time once again. Strange...

After waiting for several months for this firmware update to release, as well as other assorted issues with the PSR-800; I think it's time I let it go and put it up for sale. What a disappointment GRE; you should have stayed with a model like the PSR-500/600 series.

I'm officially done with this radio; I'll wipe the SD-Card and then it hits the used market. I probably never buy another scanner of this type moving forward; and if this is where the scanning hobby is headed, well then I guess the hobby will go the way of ham radio as people like me decide to leave it behind for other hobbies... Thankfully my trusty Uniden BCD396XT is still serving me well...

 

[SCPD]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In CCDump, added EDN vs. EDW indicator based on current site

Thank you GRE! I've been waiting on this one for a while. This brings the 800's CC data output in line with the 310/410/500/600. I wonder if the 700 was updated too.

 

[scannerfreak]

I have deleted several off topic posts. Please take the off topic stuff to another thread. Let's keep this one focused on the topic of the thread, which is the new updates for the PSR 800.