BCD325P2/BCD996P2: Uniden BCD996P2 programming

[RFDSpottedDog]

Hello, I am new to the site. Our County just moved to a Motorola 800 MHz P-25 digital radio system from the old 800 MHz analog system. The system administrator tells me it’s a P25 Standard (Digital XT). For our fire stations, we have bought BCD996P2 scanners. Using the free scan software, I programmed the 18 main 800 MHz frequencies and the needed talk groups for the fire departments around us that we monitor.

The scanner only finds radio transmission on the ID search mode. Nothing in the ID scan mode. The problem is the ID search mode picks up everything on the 800 MHz system from the dog catcher to the City Utilities public bus system. We have several users on the system.

I have tried about everything to get it to scan only the selected talk groups. The four talk groups’ quick keys show up on the scanner as being active. When I place it in the ID scan mode it picks up nothing.

 

[nessnet]

Suggestion: (not enough info)

Which location/system/dept are you asking about?
That way we can take a look at RR (if it is in there?) and advise.

 

[RaleighGuy]

@RFDSpottedDog as @nessnet said, we need more info. Besides what is mentioned above...

1. Is this a simulcast system? Reception of simulcast is iffy at best on many scanners (with some exceptions)
2. Are there multiple towers (sites) and is it possible you have the wrong site programmed in? Some systems only allow certain TGs on certain towers.

Keep in mind, on a P25 system you only need the control channels and alt control channels, not all channels.

 

[tvengr]

If you are receiving talkgroups cleanly in ID Search, simulcast isn't the issue. It sounds like a programming problem. Please attach your FreeSCAN programming file so that we can take a look at it. We need to know which systems you are scanning.

 

[RFDSpottedDog]

@RFDSpottedDog as @nessnet said, we need more info. Besides what is mentioned above...

1. Is this a simulcast system? Reception of simulcast is iffy at best on many scanners (with some exceptions)
2. Are there multiple towers (sites) and is it possible you have the wrong site programmed in? Some systems only allow certain TGs on certain towers.

Keep in mind, on a P25 system you only need the control channels and alt control channels, not all channels.

@RFDSpottedDog as @nessnet said, we need more info. Besides what is mentioned above...

1. Is this a simulcast system? Reception of simulcast is iffy at best on many scanners (with some exceptions)
2. Are there multiple towers (sites) and is it possible you have the wrong site programmed in? Some systems only allow certain TGs on certain towers.

Keep in mind, on a P25 system you only need the control channels and alt control channels, not all channels.

We are located in Springfield MO (Greene County) We have 7 towers across the County with one located in my city. We have 18 frequencies in use currently. The radio transmissions broadcast simulcast across all of the towers. We have just a few dead spots most in concrete buildings.

I am starting to think my problem is the fleet mapping is not correct. Our first talk group ID starts with 40,001 and the last ends with 41,040. The talk group IDs are sequential numbers. Also not to sure what the Hex ID plays into this.

 

[RFDSpottedDog]

Thank you for your help

 

[RFDSpottedDog]

Suggestion: (not enough info)

Which location/system/dept are you asking about?
That way we can take a look at RR (if it is in there?) and advise.

The information on this site is dated. I have attached the new information below in another post. Thank you for your help.

 

[RFDSpottedDog]

If you are receiving talkgroups cleanly in ID Search, simulcast isn't the issue. It sounds like a programming problem. Please attach your FreeSCAN programming file so that we can take a look at it. We need to know which systems you are scanning.

Thank you for your help and see the post below with the file attachments.

 

[donc13]

Do not put the commas in the talk group id's.

 

[hiegtx]

Thank you for your help and see the post below with the file attachments.

No attachment found.

Remember that you cannot directly post a FreeSCAN file, nor files from most other programming software. (The exception is ProScan.)

With your FreeSCAN file saved to your PC, open Windows Explorer (also known as File Explorer).
Navigate to the folder where your file is saved.
<Right><Click> on your saved file.
You'll get a pop-up menu with a number of choices.
Select Send To.
That pops out a smaller menu.
Select (Send to) Compressed (zipped) folder.

That creates a copy of your file, in compressed (zipped) format. You can attach the zipped file to a post. (You cannot attach the original 'as is' because the file extension, *.996, is not valid for forum posts.)

 

[RFDSpottedDog]

Do not put the commas in the talk group id's.

I do not place the comma in the talk group ID while programing.

 

[RFDSpottedDog]

No attachment found.

Remember that you cannot directly post a FreeSCAN file, nor files from most other programming software. (The exception is ProScan.)

With your FreeSCAN file saved to your PC, open Windows Explorer (also known as File Explorer).
Navigate to the folder where your file is saved.
<Right><Click> on your saved file.
You'll get a pop-up menu with a number of choices.
Select Send To.
That pops out a smaller menu.
Select (Send to) Compressed (zipped) folder.

That creates a copy of your file, in compressed (zipped) format. You can attach the zipped file to a post. (You cannot attach the original 'as is' because the file extension, *.996, is not valid for forum posts.)

 

[hiegtx]

donc was on the right track.

You did not have commas in your talkgroups, but you programmed, apparently, from your Fleetmap file, instead of what is in the database.

From your map file:


And your FreeSCAN file:


Now look at a section of the database entry:

For each talkgroup, you have included the 800 prefix for each talkgroup. Strip that off all your entries & the system should work correctly.

I see that you have TGIDs 40001 & 40002 in your fleetmap list, but they are not shown in the RadioReference database. If those are valid, and in use, submit that information to the database so that they will appear there as well.

 

[hiegtx]

Here's your corrected file. I edited the TGIDs to the correct length (5 characters). Save the file to your PC, then extract the contained FreeSCAN file.

For your RFD group, you had TGID 40775 listed twice. I changed the second one to 40776. However, the text tags you used do not match either your fleetmap file, nor what is in the database. There are other discrepancies between TGIDs you entered, & the text tags as in the database. When you have time, review what is in the RR database, and submit any corrections or additions needed.

 

[RFDSpottedDog]

Thank you for your help. That worked and it is now functioning properly.
Thanks again.

 

[RFDSpottedDog]

donc was on the right track.

You did not have commas in your talkgroups, but you programmed, apparently, from your Fleetmap file, instead of what is in the database.

From your map file:
View attachment 119994

And your FreeSCAN file:
View attachment 119996

Now look at a section of the database entry:
View attachment 119995
For each talkgroup, you have included the 800 prefix for each talkgroup. Strip that off all your entries & the system should work correctly.

I see that you have TGIDs 40001 & 40002 in your fleetmap list, but they are not shown in the RadioReference database. If those are valid, and in use, submit that information to the database so that they will appear there as well.

Those two files that I uploaded are the most current up to date for your system. Thank you for your help.

 

[wbloss]

WHere did you find the fleetmap?