BCD325P2/BCD996P2: Uniden BCD325P2 Firmware update 6/12/24 - The same day mine quit working properly

[RockyMtnWay406]

So, I posted earlier wondering if anyone had recently experienced scanning issues in the Seattle area this week. On the 12th my BCD325P2 just got really quiet. It would pick up a transmission once in a while but missing 98% of what it would normally pick up. I have most of the greater Puget Sound programmed into it throughout 10 different systems, so that I can listen to what I want/need to depending on my location.
Today I looked up to see if there was a firmware update and indeed there was one released the same day my scanner started acting up, but I don't see how this could be possible. I haven't hooked my scanner up to my PC for weeks - no need, since everything was working as it should. For reference, I use Freescan, and I know some are going to say, "oh you should use blah blah blah Proscan", but it was what I tried first and I got my scanner to work. I'm sure Proscan or something else is better, Not the point. Point is, it was working and quit working the same day as the firmware update was released. My question is: How can that effect how my radio works if I didn't change 1 thing in the programming of my scanner?

 

[RockyMtnWay406]

I may have just figured it out but I will leave this up for a bit just to see what people say. I also noticed that it was scanning rather slow, so I did some searching for that subject. I found someone that had the same problem and their squelch was set to 1. I looked at mine and sure enough it was set to 1 and as soon as I switched the squelch to 2 it started scanning faster and started picking up more calls. I don't understand the dynamics behind this as I am a life long CB user, but whatever works.

 

[nessnet]

Did you actually write the firmware to the radio???
(I think you said you didn't...(?)

If no, then how would a firmware being released have anything to do with YOUR radio?
It doesn't just magically upload and install itself.

 

[tvengr]

Version 1.11.03 Released 6/12/24​

The following fixes and improvements have been implemented.

1. More than 16 NXDN RANs cannot be Quick Saved.
2. When restarting in Service Search mode or Band Scope mode, NXDN4800 cannot be decoded.
3. NXDX9600 Full rate cannot be decoded.
4. The P25 Phase 2 NAC was not displayed correctly on voice channels.
5. The P25 Phase 2 Unit ID was not displayed correctly.
6. Extended the allowing time for receiving P25/DMR/NXDN OFT.

New type of system in the update?

 

[GTR8000]

NXDX9600 Full rate cannot be decoded.

New type of system in the update?

I think it's pretty obvious that it was a typo....

 

[tvengr]

I think it's pretty obvious that it was a typo...

Just being facetious! Please pardon my facetiousness.

 

[n1chu]

It was just coincidental that your radio started acting up in the same day new firmware was released. You state you haven’t had a programming cable hooked up to a computer since BEFORE the firmware release so how you reasoned your radio’s problem could be caused by the firmware release is faulty. But all is well that ends well. You have realized the squelch needs to be set at a higher level than the noise floor in order for scanning to resume. Generally, a squelch level of 3 is used as a default setting. But if you have a noise floor on any channel you are scanning that is higher than what you have the squelch set for the scanner will think that noise is a signal and stop scanning until that noise goes away.

Additionally, if you run PL’s or DPL’s or NAC on anything you have programmed (which you probably do) the scanner may stop scanning if the noise floor is higher than the squelch setting. But it will stop just long enough to determine the correct PL is not being used and try to scan again, only to be stopped on the next channel that has a higher noise floor than the squelch setting. This behavior looks to us as a very slow scan rate, when in fact it’s nothing more than a low squelch setting. You can duplicate (just to experience what I write) this by turning down the squelch setting while the scanner is scanning. Turning it all the way down will slow or stop the scanning. I set all my squelch settings to 3.

 

[RockyMtnWay406]

Did you actually write the firmware to the radio???
(I think you said you didn't...(?)

If no, then how would a firmware being released have anything to do with YOUR radio?
It doesn't just magically upload and install itself.

And I quote, "My question is: How can that effect how my radio works if I didn't change 1 thing in the programming of my scanner?" and "but I don't see how this could be possible. I haven't hooked my scanner up to my PC for weeks"

Did you actually write the firmware to the radio???
(I think you said you didn't...(?)

If no, then how would a firmware being released have anything to do with YOUR radio?
It doesn't just magically upload and install itself.

 

[RockyMtnWay406]

It was just coincidental that your radio started acting up in the same day new firmware was released. You state you haven’t had a programming cable hooked up to a computer since BEFORE the firmware release so how you reasoned your radio’s problem could be caused by the firmware release is faulty. But all is well that ends well. You have realized the squelch needs to be set at a higher level than the noise floor in order for scanning to resume. Generally, a squelch level of 3 is used as a default setting. But if you have a noise floor on any channel you are scanning that is higher than what you have the squelch set for the scanner will think that noise is a signal and stop scanning until that noise goes away.

Additionally, if you run PL’s or DPL’s or NAC on anything you have programmed (which you probably do) the scanner may stop scanning if the noise floor is higher than the squelch setting. But it will stop just long enough to determine the correct PL is not being used and try to scan again, only to be stopped on the next channel that has a higher noise floor than the squelch setting. This behavior looks to us as a very slow scan rate, when in fact it’s nothing more than a low squelch setting. You can duplicate (just to experience what I write) this by turning down the squelch setting while the scanner is scanning. Turning it all the way down will slow or stop the scanning. I set all my squelch settings to 3.

Thanks .. Squelch was the answer. After searching some other threads I found someone that had the same issue one time, so I checked my squelch. Sure enough, it was on 1. Although I don't understand why it works better on 2 rather than 1, it's working again. I was originally running it on 2 and don't know how it got switched to 2. Anyways, thanks everyone for stepping up!