Railroad Monitoring with a IC-F3261DT

[TechTwo]

Hello,
I picked up a IC-F3261DT with 4.6.6 RR firmware on eBay.
This radio was sold to me as a Sales/Demo unit and as such has many systems programed into it.
I have the correct Programming Software, CS3260/5060D RR v4.6.6, and an OPC-1862 cloning cable.

I would like to set this radio up to monitor railroads in different locations, for example, I live in Pottstown, PA so this is NS territory using the ex-CR frequencies.
I would like this to be in group 1 - RX only.
Group 2 would be setup for frequencies near Steamtown - RX only.
Group 3 would be setup for Amtrak - RX only.
Group 4 for SEPTA Heavy Rail - RX only.
.
.
Group X for Weather

And I would like to scan these groups, depending where I am located.

I was wondering if anyone has a working setup similar to what I am trying to accomplish that they could email me.

Thanks In Advance!

Michael

 

[TechTwo]

Well I think I almost have everything setup the way I want it. I saved the .icf file from the radio as I received it, then I created a NEW .icf file, to set the radio to factory defaults, and built my zones and scan lists into that. Everything is set to TX inhibit, so RX only.

I purchased a new FA-SC63V antenna, hi-gain, tuned to 160MHz-162MHz, which I finally received

I haven't tried NXDN as there are no local transmitters near me. I assume the NS Police frequencies are encrypted so I didn't bother with those frequencies.

I want to try a side-by-side comparison of my Uniden BCD396T, my Kenwood TK-2360 and this radio, just to see what the real-world result is.

The only thing let to do is to figure out how to use the SET function to change the squelch level, but to be honest I haven't even tried it yet.

It's been a good learning experience!

Regards

Michael

 

[TechTwo]

The SET function was easy to setup and use for squelch.

NS is getting ready to run a tie gang through Pottstown, so there should be lots of radio traffic this week.

Off to trackside and the Railroad monitoring forum.

Best Regards to All!

Michael

 

[wa8pyr]

Well I think I almost have everything setup the way I want it. I saved the .icf file from the radio as I received it, then I created a NEW .icf file, to set the radio to factory defaults, and built my zones and scan lists into that. Everything is set to TX inhibit, so RX only.

I purchased a new FA-SC63V antenna, hi-gain, tuned to 160MHz-162MHz, which I finally received

I haven't tried NXDN as there are no local transmitters near me. I assume the NS Police frequencies are encrypted so I didn't bother with those frequencies.

I want to try a side-by-side comparison of my Uniden BCD396T, my Kenwood TK-2360 and this radio, just to see what the real-world result is.

The only thing let to do is to figure out how to use the SET function to change the squelch level, but to be honest I haven't even tried it yet.

It's been a good learning experience!

You'll like it. I picked up a used F3161DT-RR (basically the same radio) which has "Norfolk Southern Railway" on the side from eBay, and updated the firmware to almost the latest and greatest (don't recall offhand but I think it was RR4.6.4). I bought a Smiley 5/8-wave slim duck with the appropriate connector to go with it; the combination outperforms nearly every other radio I have except the new F3400DT I bought recently, which is a tad better.

5/8 Slim Duck 160 MHZ

www.smileyantenna.com

Works like a champ on analog and NXDN railroad stuff both, and quite nicely on the 2m ham band as well.

Definitely a learning experience; the software isn't exactly the user-friendliest stuff out there.

 

[Tim-B]

What is good about those Icom radios is that you can program a channel to receive both digital and analog. So if they suddenly start using NXDN on frequencies that were analog then no problem, you radio will simply pass the digital audio to the speaker and you won't have to do a thing. But you do have to program it to do so. In the programming software on the screen where you program channels into the radio and in the "CH Type" column set that channel to either MIxed-Analog or Mixed-Digital and it will receive both signal types. Your choices in that column are analog, digital, mixed-analog, mixed digital. Using one of the "mixed" options will set the radio to pass either type through to the speaker on that particular channel. So you won't have to change any programming if they suddenly switch to NXDN. You will already be good to go.
And one other thing about programming - in the RX RAN column set the RAN code to 0 for each channel and in the Squelch Type column set the squelch type to OFF. With these settings the radio will pass any NXDN signal to the speaker regardless of whether or not they use a RAN or what that RAN is.
As for using the set function to set squelch do this: In the programming software on the left where you have the folders go to the folder that says "Common" and it that folder select the item called "Set Mode." When you have the set mode screen open each item will have a setting of enable or inhibit. Select enable for any setting you want to be able to set manually on the radio. Make sure SQL Level is set to enable. That is the first step. The next thing you do is you have to assign a key on the radio to the set function. Once again go to the common folder and open the item called Key & Display. This screen allows you to assign functions to the radios keys and rotary knob. On my F3261DT I have the P4/Side1 key assigned to the set function. This is the small key above the PTT. Once you flash the radio with this programming and you are ready to use the set function you have to hold down the key you assigned for a couple of seconds and it will enter set mode. In set mode you push that certain assigned set key just for moment to scroll through the set functions that you enabled in your programming software. When you get to the SQL item just use the two up and down keys under the PTT to change the setting. When you are done just hold down the key you assigned as the set mode key again to exit the set mode.
Good luck. Hope it all works well.

 

[Tim-B]

Oops, after writing all that I see that your radio has the RR firmware so a lot of that may not apply to your radio. But if anyone else has a 3261DT that they want to program for RR monitoring then there you go. Good luck.
This is just a suggestion but the way I set up mine was to assign the rotary knob to change zones instead of changing channels. I use the two up/down buttons under the PTT to change channels. This leaves the keypad available for direct channel entry. You can't use the keypad to select channels if the rotary knob is set to channel select because the knob overrules the keypad in the firmware. So I have it set the other way around. Knob for zones not channels. So with it se that way If I want to go to AAR channel 50 then I just enter 050 on the keypad and there it is. With the rotary knob limited to 16 channels I think this way is easier. I also have the P0 key set to scan and the P1 key set to add or delete a channel from the scan list. This way when I move from one area to another if I am on the road I can easily add that area's AAR channels to the scan list.

 

[TechTwo]

Thank You both for the responses.
I really like this radio.
The instruction manual that I downloaded from Icom has a section on Programmable function keys in the Panel Description chapter. This is a great help, but is still just a starting point. I searched far and wide for a software reference manual but I cannot find one.

Tim-B I did use some of your suggestions, and the information that you provided is a great help.

This is how I "think" the scanning is configured:
Within a Zone there are Channels, each Channel can be/is a member of a ScanList.
Scan will scan a ScanList and ScanCombined will scan multiple ScanList(s).

Each Zone is totally separate from every other Zone.
Each Zone can have a ScanList 1, ScanList 2 etc.

Is this correct?

Thanks!

Michael

 

[Tim-B]

Not sure about combining scanlists but everything else is correct. I haven't seen your version of the software but the one I have which is the regular non-railroad version has brief programming explanations at the bottom of the screen. When I click in any given setting's box or field on the screen then programming instructions show up at the bottom of the screen.

 

[TechTwo]

I have the software, CS3260/5060D RR v4.6.6, installed on my Windows 7 laptop and the HELP button doesn't work and no instructions show up. So I installed the software on my Windows 10 desktop and the HELP doesn't work and no instructions show up. Bummer, I thought it was a Windows issue. I suppose the railroad version of the software has the HELP button and the pop up instructions disabled. I wonder why? I have the radio pretty much setup they way I want, but I want to further explore the scan functions. Maybe I'll pick up a non-railroad version of the software also.

One thing I did try was having Zone 1 and Zone 2 Channels both on Scanlist 1. Then I tried both SCAN and SCAN COMBINED and each scanned Zone 1 then Zone 2, I couldn't see any difference. So I assume that Scanlists are independent of Zones and, at least in this case, both scan functions are the same.

I am STILL having fun at this point! Haha!

In comparing my Icom to my Uniden BCD396T, both on AAR 050 160.860MHZ, which is NS Road Channel 3 in my area, sometimes the Uniden will break the squelch and just produce static, sometimes for hours, if I raise the squelch enough to cut off the noise then I cannot pick up any transmissions. The Icom doesn't have this issue. Also if I am close to a transmitter, say a defect detector, the Uniden audio get quiets and sounds like being in a tunnel, again the Icom doesn't have this issue. I am assuming the first issue is a Selectivity issue and the second issue is an signal overloading issue. Is this normal for a BCD396T, or is it in need of repairs?

Wondering why I didn't go to a commercial radio years ago.

 

[W2GLD]

FYI: TechTwo, the Help files in the clone software require files from Windows 7 that are no longer available in Windows 10; this is why you are seeing a broken help files in v4.6.4 of the clone software; however, this is the version I would recommend sticking with. You should maintain a matched set, which is v4.6.6 RR firmware in the radios and v4.6.4 CS-F3260 clone software for programming.