Unication G5 Programming - Any Screen Shot Examples Radio Ref Fields to PPS?

[D31245]

I am in Central Massachusetts and interested in getting a Unication G5 UHF-D w/DMR (if that is configurable in the radio) to monitor Mass State Police and other local agencies. My local hospital and city has some DMR frquencies assigned and as I travel around the state, interested in programing in other locales.

I have a question to Phil at East Coast Pagers about the DMR option (it is greyed-out on their web site).

What I can't wrap my head around is the programming. I have read some forum posts, looked at Youtube videos, read the user guide and the ~45 page programming guide and am still very confused. I guess I am having problems understanding the structural logic of programming this device. I even downloaded the PPS to poke around the interface and read a bit of the user guide in the software and looked at the examples but I am still puzzled.

I feel that if someone could provide a mapping of the fields - with scren capture examples - in Radio Reference DB to the fields in the PPS that might help me. If anyone knows of such a source or provide a starting point, that would be greatly appreciated!

These are two systems that might help me as examples? Open to any help. TIA!

Commonwealth Of Massachusetts Interoperable Radio System (CoMIRS) Trunking System, Regional, Massachusetts

Commonwealth Of Massachusetts Interoperable Radio System (CoMIRS) Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

UMass Memorial Health Alliance Trunking System, Mulitple, Massachusetts

UMass Memorial Health Alliance Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

 

[kwell528]

Is your second band the 7/800 band? CoMIRS is a P25 Phase I/II trunking system, not DMR.

Importing from RadioRefererence is the easiest way. However, I’m not sure you’ll be able to listen to a Capacity Plus system on the G5. It’s worth a shot.

 

[D31245]

Is your second band the 7/800 band? CoMIRS is a P25 Phase I/II trunking system, not DMR.

Importing from RadioRefererence is the easiest way. However, I’m not sure you’ll be able to listen to a Capacity Plus system on the G5. It’s worth a shot.

Yes. 700/800. Yes that is my understanding.

So it sounds like I wouldn’t be able to hear the hospital DMR system.

Found the reference to which DMR systems it can listen to:

All Unication G2 - G5 Pagers can receive DMR Tier I and Tier II with this paid upgrade. Tier I and Tier II are conventional modes. This upgrade does not support DMR Trunking such as Connect Plus, Capacity Plus, Capacity Max, or any other DMR trunking modes.

Unication DMR Upgrade

Add DMR to any Unication G2 - G5 Pager! All Unication G2 - G5 Pagers can receive DMR Tier I and Tier II with this paid upgrade. Tier I and Tier II are conventional modes. This upgrade does not support DMR Trunking such as Connect Plus, Capacity Plus, Capacity Max, or any other DMR trunking...

www.eastcoastpagers.com

I want to learn to program the radio manually but maybe a subscription might be the answer for me as you suggested.

 

[K9KLC]

I will only say this, if you're interested in P-25 trunking or have any simulcast in your area, the Unication's are GREAT! I have DMR on both my G5's and the times I tried it, I decided to just use something else for DMR rather than tie up a device obviously dedicated to monitoring P-25 trunking. If you really need DMR especially if it's DMR trunking, I'd look elsewhere for those systems.

 

[D31245]

I purchased a G5 UHF-D from Phil - without DMR - and it’s on its way.

General question: I’m trying to strategize how to initially program the pager. I was looking at the MSP CoMIRS sites and noticed the site mileage distance circles of all the counties do not cover into Leominster - my city. Is that a hard indication I will not pick up anything?

Any tips on what site and talk groups to initially program to test is appreciated.

I am north of Worcester about 20 miles. Just trying to understand coverage. Thanks.

 

[jgorman21]

I have an older G5 so I do not have DMR on it. But IMHO it’s a great receiver. I’m certain that it will not disappoint!

 

[K9KLC]

s that a hard indication I will not pick up anything?

Not it's not a hard indication that you will not pick up anything. I'm not from your area but, I'd put in the Worcester simulcast in there and see what happens. Pick a few appropriate talk groups and see if maybe you don't get something. If it doesn't work in the house, go outside and see if that changes. (I guess south side maybe) and see if it acquires then.

I get at least one system here (on a good day at least) that's about 30 miles away from me in the house. Also, you can get an amplified charging base for the Unication that has an external antenna port. (BNC). I highly recommend this both for charging (that usb port is a known weak point) and also if you need to mess with different antennas, that's the way to go about that.

 

[K9KLC]

Importing from RadioRefererence is the easiest way

This is absolutely correct. While I've added stuff manually here and there, with all I have on there, it would have been a nightmare to totally do that from scratch manually.

I want to learn to program the radio manually but maybe a subscription might be the answer for me as you suggested.

This is the best way. Yes, you can obviously do it manually however, You'll find that the RR database import directly to the PPS is the easiest way to get you going.

 

[blackbelter]

'I am north of Worcester about 20 miles. Just trying to understand coverage". Thanks.

It depends on the proximitiy of the transmitting antennas to your location. I seldom monitor out of my home systems , however I can monitor systems within +/- 15-20 miles with the help of their Transmitting Antennas which are 5 miles to my South or West. Needless to say all my target systems are 700/800 simulcasts.
The supplied stubby antenna is more than capable of recieving the signals, however as mentioned before I have an RS 800 antenna attached to my amp charger which provides me with an additional bars.

 

[D31245]

Thanks all.

How do you know which talk groups to associate with a site? I have a disconnect here as they seem to be listed but not associated. I don’t understand which ones to pick that would work with my site.

 

[RaleighGuy]

Thanks all.

How do you know which talk groups to associate with a site? I have a disconnect here as they seem to be listed but not associated. I don’t understand which ones to pick that would work with my site.

Pick agencies you know are in your area, or use the wildcard TG, or put the pager in monitor mode and log what you get hits on.

 

[D31245]

Thank you all. I just became a Premium Subscriber (I'll admit my limitations), connected with the PPS, and will attempt to import from the db when the radio arrives.

I'll probably have more questions later but will hold off until I attempt to import data into the radio first and see what I can hear.

When setting up the initial (new) profile, are there any steps to do other than selecting the Model Number from the drop-down - (that I get that from the radio label I'm guessing)?

 

[RaleighGuy]

When setting up the initial (new) profile, are there any steps to do other than selecting the Model Number from the drop-down - (that I get that from the radio label I'm guessing)?

If you are waiting until you get the pager to start setting it up, my suggestion is read the profile from the radio and then start editing the profile you read. Screen E on first page that opens.

 

[Nascar18]

The G5 is a great simulcast receiver. The CoMIRS P25 system is far from being fully up and running! The projected statewide date is 2027. I have monitored the Worcester system while traveling on 495. I mainly use the G5 for the RISCON system in RI which is P25 trunking. I have also monitor the CT P25 system when in the state. You can also program analog UHF systems in your area (450-512). You only get 16 analog channels a knob position or 64 TGs. It's not a scanner or can you program on the fly.

 

[D31245]

Well, I got my G5 over the weekend and did some rudimentary importing/programming from Radio Reference and had luck picking up some transmissions from Worcester County - just numbers in brackets.

Still have a long way to go, but feeling more comfortable with radio in hand and experimenting with the PPS. The instant program upload feedback - if something is working or not working - is a good learning aid.

Also, still trying to learn how to scan my conventional frequencies list and make the channel aliases appear (I’m hoping to figure that out). I know only 16 allowed per knob position.

Not sure if I should keep placing general questions here or in the Unication forum (to benefit other users) but I downloaded one of two code plug files from the Unication sharing website for Massachusetts (the one titled “Mitch” thanks Mitch) and am going through it to learn some of the programming techniques and understand the logic.

After programming it into the receiver, I was able to hear a Woburn PD channel from Leominster. One technique I noticed is when scanning, the screen text said “Landing on Woburn PD” or something to that affect.

Is that a setting in the PPS or just an automatic output from the software when hearing and landing on a frequency?