STARS / PSR-500 Setup

[alpharaysmax]

Sorry if this is rehashing too much, but I did several searches and I'm still a bit confused.

I just got a PSR-500 and downloaded the STARS data through Win500 from RadioReference. I live in Richmond, so I only selected the Richmond tower and the VSP Division 1 talkgroups. They're now in a scanlist by themselves, but I haven't heard anything in the past 30 minutes. Update: I am getting some hits where the alpha will pop up on the display, and I hear what sounds like a very brief 'open mic' sound, but no actual audio.

Are there any special settings (trunking tables, etc.) that need to be made before the PSR-500 will work with STARS? I've got it set to P25 Auto, which I thought would automatically pick up the trunking tables from the CC (according to what I read on here). Is that not the case?

Thanks for any help!

 

[fmon]

P25 Auto is correct. What DSP App and CPU is in the scanner. Check by pressing 3 on start up.

 

[alpharaysmax]

The latest - DSP 1.3, CPU 1.6.

 

[fmon]

Latest software. How is the S meter?

 

[alpharaysmax]

Basically stays at 5 bars, but flickers between 3-5 (in very quick cycles).

The "T" icon flickers off and on. It does this while monitoring the Richmond/Henrico/Chesterfield TRS as well, though.

 

[fmon]

Appears to be ok. I'm running Div 5 and it's quite active, but always found your Ric 1 & 2 groups to be active when in area, fact is, we pick them up down here at times.

 

[alpharaysmax]

I just downloaded the data back from the scanner in Win500 and it did indeed fill in the custom trunking table all by itself.

So there are no other special settings to check? Hmm. Guess I'll just keep listening and see if anything happens! Thanks for your help.

 

[fmon]

Yup, that Auto is really neat.

 

[KT4HX]

I have a PSR-600 and just downloaded the info from RR and did nothing else. I immediately started getting Div 1 traffic on the Thornburg tower. So you shouldn't need to tweak it.

 

[tglendye]

...I live in Richmond, so I only selected the Richmond tower and the VSP Division 1 talkgroups. They're now in a scanlist by themselves, but I haven't heard anything in the past 30 minutes...

How's it now? Have you loaded other towers and selected roam for your TYS? Also, do you have any other TG's besides Div. 1? Maybe it's just a slow time... it sounds like you have things set correctly.

 

[Stick0413]

Yeah you shouldn't need to tweak it, just download it from RR into Win500 and it should work. I have great reception of the Petersburg tower here in Hopewell. Actually heard a call I placed to #77 dispatched the other day. Had a big piece of metal in the middle of 295 and it was either going to cut someones tire or cause a wreck. Hard to say what the problem might be. Is it any better now than before?

 

[rvawatch]

depending on where you live in richmond (more so chesterfield), reception can be sketchy if you are using a handheld antenna. might just need better reception. the bars on the psr500 are useless imo

 

[alpharaysmax]

I ended up hearing a few transmissions last night, although they were intermittent. So obviously it's working somewhat; maybe it is just a reception issue. I'm located in the near west end of Henrico.