San Diego City 700MHz System

[ScanFanEd]

Those are correct...due to dispatcher staffing deficiencies. N/E, S/E, and NCW talkgroups are most commonly used for special incidents such as protests or backup when the main is active for a SWAT or such.

Paul

Thanks, Paul!

 

[SDBud]

SD Bud, about a year and a half ago, you shared the info below in regard to SDPD dispatch areas. Just curious if this is still accurate?

>> NE on Eastern, SE on Southern, NCW on Northern

Thanks!

The plan was, a few years back, to have those broken out as separate areas soon, but Covid probably helped slow that down some.
Who KNOWS now what they'll do.

 

[ScanFanEd]

The plan was, a few years back, to have those broken out as separate areas soon, but Covid probably helped slow that down some.
Who KNOWS now what they'll do.

Thanks, Bud!

 

[Elpablo]

Do other listeners experience audio dropout when listening to the new 700Mhz system on an SDS unit? An example would be missing a street name or unit ID. Probably a second at the most. I have it on both my SDS100 and 200. However, I don't notice this issue when listing to the Next Gen RCS. I am wondering if a setting change might correct this on the SD system? I generally have a solid 3+ bars on my signal display. My 100 has a Remtronix 700/800 antenna and my 200 has hardwired Motorola NMO 700/800 antenna on my SUV. Any advice is appreciated!

 

[Anderegg]

On the SDS200 mobile, make sure you set the audio timeout to something other than 100-500ms, as that can cause you to miss some audio as the audio preamp is turned back on from hum-sleep-state.

On the SDS100 and SDS200, as programmed from Sentinel RRdb, you will have 3 sites. You only want the primary Site 1, control channel 771.48125. The Point Loma and San Pasqual sites are basically dead sites. By dead I mean typically never any traffic on them. You need to AVOID the treatment plant and San Pasqual sites, as when you hold on a talkgroup or scan, it will take turns with each site and when it's off on vacation on the dead sites, you won't be able to receive any transmissions. Personally, I delete all but the primary control channels for a site, and have a backup fav list with alt control channels in the extremely rare case that they change them.

Paul

 

[Elpablo]

Thanks Paul! As for the digital waiting time, should I set for say 0 or above 500 ms? The options seem to be 0 - 1000 ms.

I have had both the Pt. Loma and San Pasqual sites avoided so I don't believe that to be the issue. I will program with only the primary CC on the Simulcast (site 1) to see if that helps. As of now, I have all the frequencies programmed for this site.

I am in a bit of valley in Clairemont so I know that doesn't help. I think the closest site is in Kearny Mesa by FS 28 which is about 2 miles East of me.

 

[Anderegg]

Digital waitijng tim eonly applies to conventional channels that you have selected ALL for audio type...it gives the receiver a chance to determine if the transmission is digital or analog before it opens squelch to white noise. Nothing in San Diego is analog and digital, except for the SWAT simplex channel, but the digital mode is encrypted so it is a mute point.

Can you record the scanner on your cell phone doing its thing and post and link a YouTube video? Make sure you have the error rate enabled on the display profile, also RSSI displayed helps too.

Paul

 

[Elpablo]

Here's a video with a few examples at the beginning and the end. Apologies for the volume being a bit loud. I noticed the RSSI which usually is around -100 dips down (or up) to about -60 when the dropout occurs. Hope this helps you get a feel for the dropout.

Thanks!

 

[Anderegg]

You are most def edge of range there...anything -100dBm or worse you will start to have RX issues, -110 and your basically lucky to get a decoded audio stream. Add the error counter to your display profile. Also, watch the FREQUENCY. 771.48125 indicates sitting on the control channel, and as soon as you see a different frequency displayed, the scaner should be decoding and receiving that talkgroup coming across on that new displayed frequency. If you see the talking frequency cutting back and forth to the control channel, that means that freq is not working for you at that signal strength. Not all frequencies on the system have the same effective radiated signal, due to which antenna for which channel is higher up on the tower and which frequencies the scanner works best with that are not being affected by cell tower band.

With the err counter active, you will be able to beter see issues. Lots of errors with -100dBm + is expected. If you see high errors at -60dBm, that is not good.

Paul

 

[Elpablo]

Great info Paul. I will do some testing. I enabled my D-Error and I am not seeing it go too high when my RSSI is around -60. The error rate is as high as 39 when my RSSI in around -110. Let me take it to another location in the city to see what good reception looks like. I appreciate the help and I understand this better now.

 

[JoeyC]

Do other listeners experience audio dropout when listening to the new 700Mhz system on an SDS unit? An example would be missing a street name or unit ID. Probably a second at the most. I have it on both my SDS100 and 200. However, I don't notice this issue when listing to the Next Gen RCS. I am wondering if a setting change might correct this on the SD system? I generally have a solid 3+ bars on my signal display. My 100 has a Remtronix 700/800 antenna and my 200 has hardwired Motorola NMO 700/800 antenna on my SUV. Any advice is appreciated!

Have you experimented with the filters? I get somewhat crappy reception on that system unless I use the W-INV filter.

 

[tsalmrsystemtech]

On my SDS-200 I pretty much use the W-AUTO and it seems to work really well on long distance 700/800mhz trunking sites.

 

[Anderegg]

Wide Invert (Wide normal just not quiet as good) is correct for 700/800, and you want Wide Normal for the DoD 380MHz trunking systems.

Paul

 

[Elpablo]

Switching from Global to Wide Invert seems to have reduced the audio dropout. At my primary location, the RSSI is still hovering around -95 to -105 and errors in the 0 - 30 range but mostly on the low end. This definitely helped the audio output. Thanks Guys!

 

[Anderegg]

The filters in most cases will show a reduction in RSSI values. For me, Wide Invert on trunking is typically around -55 to -60. When I turn filter off, it goes to -40. The ability to decode properly and have lower ERR values though is where the filters come in to play, not so much on the raw sensitivity you see for the control channel RSSI. For DoD 380MHz trunking, the difference is typically receiving the CC or not if the filter is off.

I also have an IFX list for RCS and SD 700 of troublesome frequencies...some can be fixed by adding the channels to the list, I will work on posting them later.

Paul

 

[anthonyk9]

I programmed my uniden 996p2 for the 700 system, but I don’t hear anything! I think I’m doing something wrong in the system setup. Help appreciated!

 

[anthonyk9]

I have it programmed on my BCD396XT and it is very choppy as well but it depends what antenna I have equipped on it but I do not listen much to it because it is mostly garbage trucks on it.

How did you program the system into your uniden? I used p25 and entered all CC’s yet I hear nothibg

 

[Alain]

anthony,

Have you checked the appropriate box[es] in "EDIT PROFILE"? Monitor/Download? Service Type?

 

[anthonyk9]

Hearing Mid-City currently patched on the 700 system.

Paul

anthony,

Have you checked the appropriate box[es] in "EDIT PROFILE"? Monitor/Download? Service Type?

i have a uniden 996P2. And I’m using Free Scan

 

[anthonyk9]

I don’t see any of those settings