Uniden 396t and MECA Digital

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I know there has been some discussion regarding the Uniden radios and listening to MECA Digital in the "Ongoing Changes: Marion Co. MECA System" thread, but I felt a new thread concerning this specific topic was necessary.

I have a Uniden 396t with updated firmware version 2.00.07 from the site. (I've signed up on Upmans yahoo group for the beta firmware. Username - Eggmahn) I've programed the unit using BCTool and the RR database. I have no issues scanning IN-SAFET in Hendricks county, ISP districts 52 and 53, and MECA Analog. For some reason though, I get nothing with MECA Digital. I've adjusted settings as noted on the "Ongoing Changes: Marion Co. MECA System" thread and still have no luck. I've also verified the frequencies were auto programed correctly. It just doesn't seem to want to find a CC .. or so it seems. I understand that there is some distance issues from my home in Brownsburg but I'm also not getting anything downtown Indianapolis at my office either.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

ExpendableCrew
 

N9WP

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When you set it up, it's not like SAFE-T or the old MECA, you have to set the system type as Motorola P25. If that doesn't help, go to my webpage (link is in the signature) and click on my usd file link where you can download usd files that I created and one of those in that group of files is the new MECA system.
 

jerk

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I know there has been some discussion regarding the Uniden radios and listening to MECA Digital in the "Ongoing Changes: Marion Co. MECA System" thread, but I felt a new thread concerning this specific topic was necessary.

I have a Uniden 396t with updated firmware version 2.00.07 from the site. (I've signed up on Upmans yahoo group for the beta firmware. Username - Eggmahn) I've programed the unit using BCTool and the RR database. I have no issues scanning IN-SAFET in Hendricks county, ISP districts 52 and 53, and MECA Analog. For some reason though, I get nothing with MECA Digital. I've adjusted settings as noted on the "Ongoing Changes: Marion Co. MECA System" thread and still have no luck. I've also verified the frequencies were auto programed correctly. It just doesn't seem to want to find a CC .. or so it seems. I understand that there is some distance issues from my home in Brownsburg but I'm also not getting anything downtown Indianapolis at my office either.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

ExpendableCrew
Press hold, then manually step through each channel to listen for Control Channel noise.
And it must be programmed as P25 system. Safe-T and other are Type II, but this only works as P25, otherwise you will not hear or scan the system... unless of course you are out of range, but downtown should be fine. Also make sure no channels are locked out.

It should be something simple to find and fix. I've attached two files here, both worked the last time I used them, but I've made some changes to the (frequencies) channels and have not confirmed that they work with those changes.
 

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  • 42-MECA Sys 101.usd
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  • 43-MECA Sys 102.usd
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KC9NEG

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I had a PSR-500 and a BCD396T running side-by-side during the big fire today (both with their stock ducks). The GRE copied lots more comms than the Uniden (neither has been "tweaked" in any way, just basic P25 programming).

Todd/Indy
 

AK9R

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If you were listening from home, you may be too far away from the transmitters in order to get a reliable signal. Since you and I live fairly close to each other, we probably have similar reception problems.

I've been playing around with antennas for the last couple of days and still don't have a good solution. The best I've been able to do is a mobile scanner antenna at the top of a 10-foot length of conduit that's attached to my air conditioning compressor. I get 3-4 bars on a BCD996T with that set up and comms are often garbled. I have not yet tweaked any of the settings on the 996 and I'm running the latest publicly-available firmware.

I'm looking into a small Yagi antenna for the 800 MHz band. I don't think I can get the antenna higher than it is right now, so I'm hoping that more gain will help.
 
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When you set it up, it's not like SAFE-T or the old MECA, you have to set the system type as Motorola P25. If that doesn't help, go to my webpage (link is in the signature) and click on my usd file link where you can download usd files that I created and one of those in that group of files is the new MECA system.

Wow .. I feel like an idiot. Simple solution. It uploaded from RR database as a Trunk II. All I had to do was go into BCTool and change it to P25 and all is good. Thanks for the info.
 

AK9R

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I've attached two files here, both worked the last time I used them, but I've made some changes to the (frequencies) channels and have not confirmed that they work with those changes.
I'm not very familiar with the UASD programs because I don't normally use them, so I may be missing something here.

With BCD396T_UASD version 1.3.0.8, I see no frequencies, no groups, and no channels (talkgroups) in these files. Am I doing something wrong?
 

KC9NEG

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W9RXR, Antennex makes a couple neat small 800MHz yagis. I have one here (Y8063, 3dB gain) if you want to borrow/try it. PM me.

Todd/Indy
KC9NEG
 

jerk

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I'm not very familiar with the UASD programs because I don't normally use them, so I may be missing something here.

With BCD396T_UASD version 1.3.0.8, I see no frequencies, no groups, and no channels (talkgroups) in these files. Am I doing something wrong?

No groups or channels programmed, but there should be frequencies listed.
But I did not progam any groups and won't until the system settles down.
 
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I was out on the westside with the scanner today and found a solid 5 bars (signal strength, not titty) at Rockville and 465, the audio on Speedway PD was xtal clear.

Got back home and the 396T has been sounding better than it has since 6.26.08 BD (before digital). Not perfect, but a noticeable change.
 
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