SDS & BCDx36 Programming Harris P25 Phase II

[tglendye]

I have programmed a Harris P25 Phase II system in the SDS and bcdx36 scanners. The system is Rockingham/ Harrisonburg (VA) here: Rockingham / Harrisonburg Trunking System, Harrisonburg, Virginia - Scanner Frequencies (radioreference.com) .

The old system was a ProVoice, which of course used LCN order for the system frequencies. So I had the sites split up into separate scanlists. I continued to use method when the system changed to P25. My question is, is there anything preventing the scanner from tracking correctly if I lump all of the 3 sites into the same system/ scanlist? I don't see any reason it wouldn't work, such as monitoring a large statewide system. The only drawback I can think of is if you wanted to monitor a particular site.

 

[sonm10]

I assume you are referring to favorites lists. And the answer depends on the use of quick keys or not. Some do, some don't.

Personally, I use QKs and enter hierarchically. For public safety, I use one favorites list, one system, then add sites to the system and turn each one on/off with QKs.

Some prefer to use favorites list as the old banks set up. Ex. Site 1, favorite 1, site 2, favorite list 2, etc. Or, LEO, favorite list 1, fire, favorite list 2, etc. The problem with the second is if you're scanning multiple lists you are scanning the same control channel more than once, which is inefficient.

But, it's a hobby, everyone's programming methods are a little different. Develop your own.

 

[tglendye]

Thanks. I do use QK's and I did mean Favorites Lists. Depending on the system, I have the FL's set up for system or site.

Something you said made me think. If I do program the three sites into the same FL and not assign QK's, I think the scanner will scan each CC that it receives. Is that right? I was hoping it would lock onto only one. If that is the case, I think I am better off the way I currently have it and manually switch QK's between sites as necessary.

 

[tvengr]

Here is a hpe favorites list file for Rockingham County. It has quick keys for the system, departments,, and sites so that you can easily select what you want to monitor. You can assign whichever quick key you would like to the favorites list. Save the attached zipped file to your computer and extract. Go to the File tab in Sentinel and Import from hpe file (Favorites List). Select New Favorites List and name it Rockingham Co VA Click on OK. In the Downloads folder of the file explorer, highlight the extracted file (Rockingham Co VA.hpe). Click on Open. It will appear as a favorites list in Sentinel. Quick keys as follows:

SYSTEM QUICK KEY:
0. Rockingham Co VA
DEPARTMENT/SITE QUICK KEYS:
0. Rock Co Fire (Dept)
1. Rock Co Sheriff (Dept)
2. Harrisonburg Fire (Dept)
3. Harrisonburg Police (Dept)
4. Rock Co Interop (Dept)
4. Rock Co Emerg Com Ctr (Dept)
5. Rock Co School Buses (Dept)
6. Harris Transit (Dept)
7. Harris Public Works (Dept)
8. James Madison Univ (Dept)
8. Bridgewater College (Dept)
9. Sentara RMH Hosp (Dept)
10. Feedstone Site
11. Valley Site
12. Mountain Site

 

[tglendye]

Thanks tvengr. I might not be able to look at it until Tuesday, but I’m looking forward to see what you have.

 

[JoeBearcat]

Sites should always be programmed as separate Sites. (not sure if that answers the question or not).

If you program multiple sites into the same Site, some will not be scanned even if in range. The scanner always checks the frequency last active first, then moves on to the next programmed Site.

 

[tglendye]

Sites should always be programmed as separate Sites. (not sure if that answers the question or not)...

It does, thanks. I do wish Uniden would add an option where you could program all CC’s for a multi site system (such as a statewide system) and then select a threshold for the signal, where it would look for another CC when the current one is weak or out of range.

 

[hiegtx]

It does, thanks. I do wish Uniden would add an option where you could program all CC’s for a multi site system (such as a statewide system) and then select a threshold for the signal, where it would look for another CC when the current one is weak or out of range.

That's something the GRE (now Whistler) scanners can do. That might also be a feature that Whistler owns the patent on (from when they acquired GRE's IP when that company ceased operations). For the Uniden's, you enter each site individually, and can use separate quick keys for them.

By the same token, the GRE/Whistler scanners do not have location based scanning, whereby you can utilize a GPS unit to enable systems and/or as they come into range, and disable them once that pass out of range. Uniden holds the patent for that process.

 

[JoeBearcat]

It does, thanks. I do wish Uniden would add an option where you could program all CC’s for a multi site system (such as a statewide system) and then select a threshold for the signal, where it would look for another CC when the current one is weak or out of range.

I will have to check into if there is a patent issue with that. It will be low on the list, but will be on the list.

Really, it can use the separate sites the same way - and more efficiently than one big list since it will not have to check the secondary control channels each sample.

 

[werinshades]

It does, thanks. I do wish Uniden would add an option where you could program all CC’s for a multi site system (such as a statewide system) and then select a threshold for the signal, where it would look for another CC when the current one is weak or out of range.

That's something the GRE (now Whistler) scanners can do. That might also be a feature that Whistler owns the patent on (from when they acquired GRE's IP when that company ceased operations). For the Uniden's, you enter each site individually, and can use separate quick keys for them.

By the same token, the GRE/Whistler scanners do not have location based scanning, whereby you can utilize a GPS unit to enable systems and/or as they come into range, and disable them once that pass out of range. Uniden holds the patent for that process.

What if you put the control & alternate frequencies into 1 site, and as you travel, the scanner would lose the weaker signal and find the next strongest?

 

[hiegtx]

What if you put the control & alternate frequencies into 1 site, and as you travel, the scanner would lose the weaker signal and find the next strongest?

That's not really going to work satisfactorily. The scanner will keep coming back to the first control channel it found (that it could decode) and will try to go back to that same one every time, even if it could barely 'feel a pulse', despite a much stronger signal on down the group of frequencies. But if you have each site separate, as they should be, it will get to the much stronger site more reliably.

 

[werinshades]

That's not really going to work satisfactorily. The scanner will keep coming back to the first control channel it found (that it could decode) and will try to go back to that same one every time, even if it could barely 'feel a pulse', despite a much stronger signal on down the group of frequencies. But if you have each site separate, as they should be, it will get to the much stronger site more reliably.

I divide the sites as well, and the only suggestion is to do a Site Hold, but that's not a wise thing to do when driving alone. GPS would be the optimal solution.

 

[tglendye]

That's something the GRE (now Whistler) scanners can do. That might also be a feature that Whistler owns the patent on (from when they acquired GRE's IP when that company ceased operations). For the Uniden's, you enter each site individually, and can use separate quick keys for them.

By the same token, the GRE/Whistler scanners do not have location based scanning, whereby you can utilize a GPS unit to enable systems and/or as they come into range, and disable them once that pass out of range. Uniden holds the patent for that process.

I like this comment. And I am referring to how GRE had it set up- because I think it is the simplest. The QK's are cumbersome while driving and the GPS is an extra step to setup. In most of my circumstances, I would rather just have all CC's in the system and let the scanner find one w/n range.

That's not really going to work satisfactorily. The scanner will keep coming back to the first control channel it found (that it could decode) and will try to go back to that same one every time, even if it could barely 'feel a pulse', despite a much stronger signal on down the group of frequencies. But if you have each site separate, as they should be, it will get to the much stronger site more reliably.

There needs to be a "threshold" setting. If it drops below x%, it looks for a stronger CC. It worked great for my applications.

I divide the sites as well, and the only suggestion is to do a Site Hold, but that's not a wise thing to do when driving alone. GPS would be the optimal solution.

I'm trying to do hands off as much as possible while driving. And I haven't had good luck with my 436 and GPS when on the road- the cord keeps becoming unplugged. My 536 does work well with the connection for GPS.

But it would be great to have a "simpler" option. Just have the scanner look through the list of CC's and find the strongest one. And hold on that CC until it drops below a certain threshold, before it looks for the next.

 

[tglendye]

I will have to check into if there is a patent issue with that. It will be low on the list, but will be on the list.

Really, it can use the separate sites the same way - and more efficiently than one big list since it will not have to check the secondary control channels each sample.

Thanks JB!

 

[werinshades]

But it would be great to have a "simpler" option. Just have the scanner look through the list of CC's and find the strongest one. And hold on that CC until it drops below a certain threshold, before it looks for the next.

I never tried programming all the frequencies under 1 Site , but this "might" work if the scanner "locks on" to the frequency and doesn't "scan" once the transmission ends.

 

[hiegtx]

I like this comment. And I am referring to how GRE had it set up- because I think it is the simplest. The QK's are cumbersome while driving and the GPS is an extra step to setup. In most of my circumstances, I would rather just have all CC's in the system and let the scanner find one w/n range.

Depending on which scanner, as well as whether portable or mounted in your vehicle, quick keys can be somewhat cumbersome to use safely while mobile. The GRE design scanners (other than the database scanners) do have a limitation in that the maximum number of site frequencies that can be programmed is 32. That would cover (control channels only) several sites, but not a large regional or statewide system.

There needs to be a "threshold" setting. If it drops below x%, it looks for a stronger CC. It worked great for my applications.

That would be handy

I'm trying to do hands off as much as possible while driving. And I haven't had good luck with my 436 and GPS when on the road- the cord keeps becoming unplugged. My 536 does work well with the connection for GPS.

I rarely use a GPS, as I don't generally take longer road trips where that would be most effective. Those that have had Jon install an internal GPS have solved that problem, but I don't travel enough to where I'd need that solution.

But it would be great to have a "simpler" option. Just have the scanner look through the list of CC's and find the strongest one. And hold on that CC until it drops below a certain threshold, before it looks for the next.

That would be good, but since day one, the Uniden DMA trunking scanners have always tried to find & stick to the first CC they see, not looking for a better option. I think that may be a patent issue, unless a different approach can be developed.

 

[Ubbe]

It does, thanks. I do wish Uniden would add an option where you could program all CC’s for a multi site system (such as a statewide system) and then select a threshold for the signal, where it would look for another CC when the current one is weak or out of range.

The squelch are always active when receiving digital systems. Turn it up to a level where it will not pass signals that cannot be decoded properly. It might be a too tight squelch level for analog reception though.

/Ubbe

 

[natedawg1604]

I will have to check into if there is a patent issue with that. It will be low on the list, but will be on the list.

Really, it can use the separate sites the same way - and more efficiently than one big list since it will not have to check the secondary control channels each sample.

I've always said it would be great if Uniden would just use the same method the big radio manufacturers have used for like 2 decades, auto roaming to the strongest site based on RSSI and BER and utilizing the adjacent site table broadcast on the control channel.

 

[lu81fitter]

I do not understand. Why would you want to program multiple CC into 1 site? Don't you want to know what site you are receiving from? Just create a system with multiple sites. Use a system quick key for the entire system. You can use dept/group QK for different entities. If a site on your selected system is not in range, the radio will quickly scan by it when no CC signal is detected.

 

[JoeBearcat]

Keep in mind when you are locked onto the strongest CC, you may be missing comms you want to hear that are only carried on lower signal strength sites. With Uniden scanners, you can monitor all sites within range - not just one. If you want to raise the threshold for evaluation, increase the squelch. The scanner will then move to a stronger site faster and will ignore weaker sites.