Software suggestions for monitoring a "Motorola Trunk"

ecps92

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Previously in the DoS days with a tapped audio port , Slicer with a DB cable, and DoS software - trunker was great for nailing down
all of the Channels [Control, Alternate and Voice] for each Site/Zone of any of the analog motorola trunks.

Now that more are converting to P25, I'm looking to move back into something similar, but would like to use (no SDR/Dongles)
a. Tapped Audio Port
b. and something similar to DSD+

thoughts/comments ?

Tried Unitrunker, but it showed the signal, but could never get it to read the Analog trunk data :(
And since many of the newer computers don't have a DB connector, want to just feed right from the tapped audio, where I feed my DSD+ for the DMRs
 

KC1UA

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I don't think it's going to happen but someone else will chime in with something I know nothing about. :D

Why the anti-dongle stand? They are cheap and VERY effective for exactly what you're trying to accomplish, and sometimes with just one of them.

In my opinion, SDRTrunk has the best audio recovery. It is always under development and can be quirky, but it is reasonably easy to get going. DSD+ FL is great as well and of course will display trunked data with a discriminator tap but there's no trunk following that way (unless I'm totally missing something which is possible) but I don't think the audio is quite as good as SDRT. I have not used UniTrunker in a while but it has surely been a staple for years and seems to work well with the RTL dongles.

OP25 is supposed to be outstanding; I believe there are two distinct versions of it. There's a ton of info here; I've never tried to set it up.

I would strongly consider rethinking the dongles. El cheapo, no excess wiring, and portability.
 

ecps92

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Not anti, just have not gone down that path, altho based on this video
(129) Software Defined Radio (SDR) on Android Device - YouTube
I might use one of my old phones

Just wanted to rely on what I currently have in operation :)
I don't think it's going to happen but someone else will chime in with something I know nothing about. :D

Why the anti-dongle stand? They are cheap and VERY effective for exactly what you're trying to accomplish, and sometimes with just one of them.

In my opinion, SDRTrunk has the best audio recovery. It is always under development and can be quirky, but it is reasonably easy to get going. DSD+ FL is great as well and of course will display trunked data with a discriminator tap but there's no trunk following that way (unless I'm totally missing something which is possible) but I don't think the audio is quite as good as SDRT. I have not used UniTrunker in a while but it has surely been a staple for years and seems to work well with the RTL dongles.

OP25 is supposed to be outstanding; I believe there are two distinct versions of it. There's a ton of info here; I've never tried to set it up.

I would strongly consider rethinking the dongles. El cheapo, no excess wiring, and portability.
 

dave3825

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Tried Unitrunker, but it showed the signal, but could never get it to read the Analog trunk data

I used in the past, Unitrunker version 1 with a Motorola trunked that was 90% analog with just a small bit of digital. It worked good. I watch a Motorola smartzone trunked right now with Unitrunker version 2 and it works good and does not require and virtual cables for P25 phase 1. UT does not do Phase 2.

I am using dongles with UT v2 but I think the early versions of UT 2 may have allowed tapped inputs but for the time it would take me today to dig that up since I am on the road, it may just be quicker to tag @Unitrunker2 .
 

boatbod

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Boatbod op25 will track a Motorola Smartzone / Astro system (including analog channels) with two RTL dongles.
 

maus92

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I've used Unitrunker 1, Unitrunker 2(UT2), and Procom96. I used to have a tapped Uniden, but that has long since been sold. I used Procom96 with a PSR800 but found that combo to be finicky. I have settled on UT2 with Airspy and Nooelec dongles. I had no issues decoding analog EDACS or currently SmartZone P16 analog / digital systems. My latest setup uses UT2, Trunking Recorder (TR), SDR Trunk (SDRT), a Nooelec, an Airspy Mini and an Airspy R2 simultaneous capturing a 700 MHz P25 system, and an 800 MHz P16 system. UT2 logs the data for both systems and provides audio for the P16 system; SDRT provides audio for the P25 system. TR is currently configured to capture five channels of audio simultaneously, and I listen to the queued audio enabled by TR.
 
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