TRX-1 Question

[Jphila20]

Before you start bashing the Whistler radios, please try and help first. :{) I know some people hate them.

I've had my TRX-1 for a while and started using SDR Trunk with a SDR. Listening to the same system and talk groups the TRX-1 misses some call when scanning.

When I leave it set to only one channel, it picks up fine. It actually receives before the SDR and sounds better.

I'm listening to a p25 phase two. I'm getting full signal.

Is there something I'm missing when setting the TRX-1 up? Dwell time, AGC on/off, Zeromatic Delay. etc.

Happy New Year and Thanks!

John

 

[tvengr]

If you attach your configuration file, I will check it for problems. EDIT: If you are closer to the Grafton C.I. Site, your scanner may be missing all of the traffic on the Elyria site which has more frequencies. You may need to setup 2 systems with the same talkgroups with one system using the Elyria site and the other using the Grafton site to scan both sites. The TRX-1 finds the site with the best signal and stays there.

 

[Jphila20]

The system is actually the Parma/Med/Ottawa system and not the MARCS system.

 

[Jphila20]

The system is actually the Parma/Med/Ottawa system and not the MARCS system.

View attachment 133575
View attachment 133576
View attachment 133577

I did just try increasing the Zeromatic Delay to see if it would help.

 

[RaleighGuy]

The system is actually the Parma/Med/Ottawa system and not the MARCS system.

You realize the Parma system is a simulcast system, and TRX scanners have trouble with simulcast. Sometimes, some locations, they work fine, other times you'll experience varying amounts of issues. At home my TRX-1 and WS-1098 work fine on simulcast, a half a mile away in any direction I get nothing.

 

[Jphila20]

Thanks for the feedback.

I am well aware of the simulcast issues. If I would known before I bought it I probably wouldn't have. I have the TRX-2 also, which I used while working and now just in my car and it's hit or miss.

I just thought it was weird that scanning mode was missing calls where having it set to just one talk group it works great.

Thoughts?

John

 

[RaleighGuy]

I just thought it was weird that scanning mode was missing calls where having it set to just one talk group it works great.

Thoughts?

Just a thought, not saying this is it, but a single TG would maybe lock on rather than searching which might make a difference.

 

[Jphila20]

I'm going to try a new configuration with just that system and see what happens.

 

[tvengr]

I'm going to try a new configuration with just that system and see what happens.

The same applies to what I suggested earlier with the MARCS system. You need 3 separate systems - one with the Parma Simul site, one with the Brooklyn Hts site and one with the Medina County site to be able to scan all 3 sites. With all 3 sites on a single system, you will scan only the site with the best signal.

 

[Jphila20]

The same applies to what I suggested earlier with the MARCS system. You need 3 separate systems - one with the Parma Simul site, one with the Brooklyn Hts site and one with the Medina County site to be able to scan all 3 sites. With all 3 sites on a single system, you will scan only the site with the best signal.

The Parma Simul and the Brooklyn Hts sites are too far away. Using a SDR I can't pickup either control channels from my home.

I live closes to the Medina location and I only have that site and the associated talk groups in the specific scanner bank.

I'll drop the two and keep just Medina site.

 

[RaleighGuy]

I live closes to the Medina location and I only have that site and the associated talk groups in the specific scanner bank.

The Medina site has six towers linked on the site, hence simulcast, you would need to figure out the closest one to you and isolate the others, the other sites weren't the problem but the other 5 Medina towers are.

 

[fredva]

"Hating" the Whistler scanners seems too harsh a word. I just think it's unfortunate that Whistler never produced the simulcast-compatible scanners that they announced but then canceled. So their top-of-the-line scanner isn't guaranteed to work on a lot of the new radio systems springing up around the country. And your story isn't unique - a lot of people have bought a scanner or received one as a gift, only to find out that it doesn't do well on the simulcast systems used in their area. That happens with older models of Uniden scanners as well.

 

[Jphila20]

The Medina site has six towers linked on the site, hence simulcast, you would need to figure out the closest one to you and isolate the others, the other sites weren't the problem but the other 5 Medina towers are.

View attachment 133594

Site 2 is about 6 miles from. Site 3 about 10.

I changed the Medina system to a Medina only and went with a smaller antenna. Doing both seemed to helped.



As for the haters, TRX series does well with conventional digital system and there are still a few around me.

RaleighGuy
Thanks for the suggests. It has helped. I'll will probably start playing with the ADC & DAC now.

Thanks again!

John