TP9900

[Tim118]

It’s not terrible, but it does have a pretty major learning curve. The way scan works is the biggest issue for me personally as well as everyone I’ve demoed these to.

As far as 900 ham as stated above it works fine but if you are going to be using it a lot I would buy a dedicated 900 antenna as the provided V/U/7-8 isn’t technically rated for it.

It just has trouble scanning mixed mode? Does it scan a bank of all analog ok?
I was planning on getting the 900mhz antenna. Do you know what kind of connector these radios have? Can you use other brands?

Thanks for the info!

 

[pewpew45]

It just has trouble scanning mixed mode? Does it scan a bank of all analog ok?
I was planning on getting the 900mhz antenna. Do you know what kind of connector these radios have? Can you use other brands?

Thanks for the info!

scans analog just fine and fast. Also scans analog and P25 both conventional/trunked mixed together just fine.
The Antenna is a sma male (antenna side) to female sma on the radio side

 

[groftcc]

Scan seems very unstable with the current version of firmware. Has anybody been able to get "In Zone" scanning to work with a zone of all DMR channels? I get a "Please Wait..." message but the radio never starts scanning. I am also getting "system error" messages with "talkgroup" and "standard" scanning configurations. Love the radio but the scan functionality or lack there of is a huge issue.

How are you all programming your scan button? The CPS seems to strap a single scan group to a function button.

 

[pewpew45]

Scan seems very unstable with the current version of firmware. Has anybody been able to get "In Zone" scanning to work with a zone of all DMR channels? I get a "Please Wait..." message but the radio never starts scanning. I am also getting "system error" messages with "talkgroup" and "standard" scanning configurations. Love the radio but the scan functionality or lack there of is a huge issue.

How are you all programming your scan button? The CPS seems to strap a single scan group to a function button.

I have gotten a single zone to scanall dmr, but not by in-zone. I set it up as standard scan and added dmr channels from that zone and other zones. I have a couple buttons dedicated to scan lists, but also found out the last channel in your zone is usually labeled as the scan list... example... say I have dmr zone 1 with 20 dmr channels. I set up a scan list in that zone as standard scan, label it DMR scan and add say 5 channels with the scan list editable. Channel 21 slot (for lack of better words) will list as "DMR SCAN" and enable/ toggle your scan list.

AND YES, SCAN sucks on this radio thus far, I shouldn't have to use all my buttons to enable different scan lists. The last channel scan set-up works as described above, but it's not as easy as one scan button and the scan list is assigned to each zone like say MOTO...

Hope that helps..

 

[pewpew45]

Also If someone has the latest calibration software that can share I would appreciate it.. trying to update firmware, but lacking the calibration software to do so safely. Thanks

 

[BigLebowski]

I have gotten a single zone to scanall dmr, but not by in-zone. I set it up as standard scan and added dmr channels from that zone and other zones. I have a couple buttons dedicated to scan lists, but also found out the last channel in your zone is usually labeled as the scan list... example... say I have dmr zone 1 with 20 dmr channels. I set up a scan list in that zone as standard scan, label it DMR scan and add say 5 channels with the scan list editable. Channel 21 slot (for lack of better words) will list as "DMR SCAN" and enable/ toggle your scan list.

AND YES, SCAN sucks on this radio thus far, I shouldn't have to use all my buttons to enable different scan lists. The last channel scan set-up works as described above, but it's not as easy as one scan button and the scan list is assigned to each zone like say MOTO...

Hope that helps..

In-Zone scan is the best way to do what you are trying to do (separate scan list for each zone) but as you know there is the bug with trying to scan DMR and you are limited to what's in that zone. You are also limited to 72 zones if you do that, which sounds like a lot but when building a large regional codeplug fills up fast. The issues with the way scan works are what makes it a "meh" radio in my opinion. I think it has potential but I don't see Tait changing the way it works.

 

[groftcc]

In-Zone scan is the best way to do what you are trying to do (separate scan list for each zone) but as you know there is the bug with trying to scan DMR and you are limited to what's in that zone. You are also limited to 72 zones if you do that, which sounds like a lot but when building a large regional codeplug fills up fast. The issues with the way scan works are what makes it a "meh" radio in my opinion. I think it has potential but I don't see Tait changing the way it works.

Completely agree, I really like the radio. The audio is fantastic but the scan implementation makes it a non-starter for my agency unfortunately.

 

[VK3TYG]

We have some of the TP9900 radios at work, I am pretty impressed overall, multimode & multiband is great.
Most of the options are enabled on our test radios too, except for encryption (not even basic digital encryption is enabled, odd..)
So far have just been testing these in DMR & P25 conventional modes.
Yes it is a slight annoyance that you cannot have DMR & P25 channels in the same zone.
Also, if using these radios to just RX scan P25 trunking systems using the P25 conventional mode, it appears you are not able to program the radio to selectively RX individual talkgroups. I have tried various settings, and it if set to Selective under the Basic P25 Settings page, the radio appears to just RX the TG listed in the Talkgroup column on the Channel page. Selecting another TG via the Menu has no affect on this behavior. I am guessing this will only work correctly when the radio is set up for P25 Trunking mode, which I cannot do of course without a system key. Anyway, the audio sounds very good, and is nice to have a commercial portable to play with that covers the 2m & 70cm bands !
Pity I could never afford to buy one for personal use.....

 

[groftcc]

Has anybody noticed the the SCAN menu items available on the 9800 and 9400 are missing on the 9900? The missing SCAN functions should be in the Radio Settings/Functions/Scan menu tree as it is on previous models but its missing on the 9900.

Any insight?

Craig

 

[2wayfreq]

Programming Software question- What are the Copy/Paste or Drag/Drop capabilities? Can you move programming data around easy to make short work of configs and channel building?

 

[Mile_high83]

Mine arrived yesterday, still learning

 

[2wayfreq]

Hopefully I'll have a test unit soon.

 

[2wayfreq]

I have programmer 3.5.1.20.
9960 Firmware 3.04.04.0114
9860 Firmware 3.01.01.0104
I asked Tait support if there is newer. I want the latest for testing.

Edit: Yes there is, I just got 3.05.07.

 

[ATK3]

Does the current 9960 firmware include FPP? I know its been "in the works" for the TP9900 for a little while now, and the TP9800 has had it for almost a year.

 

[2wayfreq]

Observations so far:
Both flashed up to 3.05.07 successfully. It is highly recommended that you read and save the config and tuning data BEFORE firmware updating with the Tait Calibration software. I did that and it saves it with the serial number on the end of the file. Same with the default programming in the main programming software. After the flash update, It asks you to reload the saved data. If you don't it stays in some kind of test mode. After reloading, my "Channel 1 Zone 1" came back on the display.
I am waiting on a System Key to add the system in with test conventionals and talk groups. Pretty Cool looking radio especially the 9960! No Top Displays but it's not a deal breaker. The ABC Switch has an outward protruding C Shaped finger grip on it to switch easily. Many in public safety just want to go by detent feel on the switches anyway. A few clicks and your at the channel you want.
The programming software has most of the tree items on the left so they are easy to get to. Anyway, thats as far as I got.

 

[ve2hkw]

I'm looking at getting a demo unit in the near future and have acquired the programming software to see what feature combinations will work with what ahead of time (so many things to think about lol) and I came across something that I found fascinating/confounding. I was looking at the item to program the 16 channel selector and once I add channels to the zone, the last channel in the list extends in all the position slots beyond. So if I have say 6 channels in a zone, that sixth channel will occupy position 7, 8, 9, 10....., 16. I'm wondering if I'm being a bit daft or if it isn't possible to program a "blank" channel. In the big picture it isn't the end of the world, but it is different from what I'm used to.

 

[BigLebowski]

I'm looking at getting a demo unit in the near future and have acquired the programming software to see what feature combinations will work with what ahead of time (so many things to think about lol) and I came across something that I found fascinating/confounding. I was looking at the item to program the 16 channel selector and once I add channels to the zone, the last channel in the list extends in all the position slots beyond. So if I have say 6 channels in a zone, that sixth channel will occupy position 7, 8, 9, 10....., 16. I'm wondering if I'm being a bit daft or if it isn't possible to program a "blank" channel. In the big picture it isn't the end of the world, but it is different from what I'm used to.

It’s been a while since I messed with mine but as I recall that is correct. Same on the Harris portables.

 

[wsp44]

I'm looking at getting a demo unit in the near future and have acquired the programming software to see what feature combinations will work with what ahead of time (so many things to think about lol) and I came across something that I found fascinating/confounding. I was looking at the item to program the 16 channel selector and once I add channels to the zone, the last channel in the list extends in all the position slots beyond. So if I have say 6 channels in a zone, that sixth channel will occupy position 7, 8, 9, 10....., 16. I'm wondering if I'm being a bit daft or if it isn't possible to program a "blank" channel. In the big picture it isn't the end of the world, but it is different from what I'm used to.

This is one thing i'm not a fan of, moto and kenwood/efj just say unprogrammed when you change to a channel that is blank, which is my preference.

 

[pewpew45]

Anyone have the firmware v3.05.09 release notes

 

[jayres]

Anyone have the firmware v3.05.09 release notes