Unitrunker 10th Public beta

[mtindor]

Rick,

Probably not the best place for me to post this since the question isn't specific to this version....

Is there a way to have more logging (to the unitrunker screen) - such as one would get if they were running trunker or Treport. I'd like to see everything (with the exception of completely raw data like you get in the logfiles) pertaining to the system I am monitoring... like any icall information, any times that a frequency CWIDs, etc. Is there a more verbose logging to unitrunker console that can be turned on/off?

Mike

 

[Steve]

Decreased decode rate

Using the new release, I have noticed that the decode rate has gone down. This is the system that I am monitoring: http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&sid=635. Using the older versions, decode rate for this sytem was 95 to 100%. If I can remember or figure out how to get a capture from Uniscope, I will post it to see if that may be my problem.


Steve
KD4LCY
KAF9087

 

[Steve]

Decreased decode rate

Here is a screenshot of Uniscope on the system I am monitoring.

Steve
KD4LCY
KAF9087

 

[nickburns]

Rick,

Probably not the best place for me to post this since the question isn't specific to this version....

Is there a way to have more logging (to the unitrunker screen) - such as one would get if they were running trunker or Treport. I'd like to see everything (with the exception of completely raw data like you get in the logfiles) pertaining to the system I am monitoring... like any icall information, any times that a frequency CWIDs, etc. Is there a more verbose logging to unitrunker console that can be turned on/off?

Mike

I'll second that Rick. I'm the one thats been posting in the Treport forum as well. I would like to see things like busys, etc.....

JR

 

[troymail]

OK - I finally got my 396 tapped and wanted to see some P25's working... So far, things aren't going to well.

I've tried the Maryland Aviation Admin 800Mhz P25 system but the signal is somewhat weak from my location.

I also tried the new Fort Meade Maryland 380 Mhz system (does UniTrunker work on that type of system?). Strong signal but UniTrunker seems to be having trouble decoding it.

I'm guessing that at a minimum the 9600 baud systems need a much cleaner signal...

Any other recommendations?

 

[SCPD]

Any other recommendations?

Sure. Experiment with different resistor values in series and / or a buffer amplifier to isolate the computer input from the radio's discriminator circuitry (which wasn't designed for an external load).

As an example ... Greg Ella made remarks on another forum to the effect that inserting a 22kohm resistor in series removed the distortion from his PCR2500. The PCR1000, PCR1500 and PCR2500 have fairly strong "packet output" signals so no buffer amp is needed.

The P25 waveform is particularly sensitive to this. If you have a moment, post a UniScope image of the nearby P25 signal. Try "Oscillscope" and "CQPSK" modes. We'll go from there.

-rick

 

[SCPD]

Here is a screenshot of Uniscope on the system I am monitoring.

That screenshot looks very good. In fact, I've seen fuzzier pictures that produced 100% consistently. You didn't say how much decoding had been reduced. Does it fade in and out ... move from something low to 100% and back down again or is it consistent - staying around some less-than 100% rate?

 

[Steve]

Decreased decode rate

Decode rate varies between 1% to 20%. The rate changes constantly and occasionally the program will lose the signal. This happens will 2 different tapped radios. This condition started after switching to the new release. I even uninstalled then reinstalled to see if I had done something stupid when I first installed #10.



Steve
KD4LCY
KAF9087

 

[SCPD]

Hi Steve;

So this problem abruptly occurred when switching from 0.1.0.40 to 0.1.0.41 ?

Strangeness. Check you [R]eceiver configuration ... look at sample rate (44100, 48000 or 96000), sample size (8,16,24 or 32 bits) and sound input device (Default, other, and so on).

If you're not sure ... post your CFG file here.

 

[SCPD]

Is there a way to have more logging (to the unitrunker screen) - such as one would get if they were running trunker or Treport.

Mike & Nick;

That can be added in. The info is available but not currently displayed. Off the top of my head ...
registration rejections
affiliation rejections
miscellaneous site conditions
call logging (including BSI or CW ID)
AFF history

-rick

 

[blah546]

Mike & Nick;

That can be added in. The info is available but not currently displayed. Off the top of my head ...
registration rejections
affiliation rejections
miscellaneous site conditions
call logging (including BSI or CW ID)
AFF history

That's be awesome!

 

[DaveNF2G]

Several of those diagnostics would be very useful for analyzing the "true" loading on a system, and would be beyond what even MTrunker et al provide now.

 

[Steve]

Decreased decode rate

Rick,

The receiver option was the problem. I keep forgeting about that option. After I selected the correct options decode rate returned to 97% to 100%. Thanks.


Steve
KD4LCY
KAF9087

 

[mtindor]

Decode rate varies between 1% to 20%. The rate changes constantly and occasionally the program will lose the signal. This happens will 2 different tapped radios. This condition started after switching to the new release. I even uninstalled then reinstalled to see if I had done something stupid when I first installed #10.



Steve
KD4LCY
KAF9087

Make sure you didn't do what I did - I have the tap running into the Line-In on my computer. And I also have a microphone hooked up. If I forget to mute my microphone (not just mute it on the headset, but mute it in the sound controls), there is an audible (barely) hum that significantly reduces the ability of Unitrunker to decode. In my case it wasn't a Unitrunker problem at all. I stumbled with this for a month and wondered why if I touched the side of my computer case my decodes would get better. I had just opened up the scanner to go back in and re-tap it, figuring that I had done something wrong. And at the last second [and i'm not sure why] I thought to go in and check sound properties again on my XP and noticed the Microphone was not muted. I muted it (even though my headset already had the mic muted) - and voila, perfect decode ever since.

Mike

 

[mtindor]

Rick,

The receiver option was the problem. I keep forgeting about that option. After I selected the correct options decode rate returned to 97% to 100%. Thanks.


Steve
KD4LCY
KAF9087

Oops. disregard my previous post - but it may serve useful for somebody else who had the problem I had.

Mike

 

[mtindor]

Several of those diagnostics would be very useful for analyzing the "true" loading on a system, and would be beyond what even MTrunker et al provide now.

Indeed - that would be awesome to be able to selectively view that extra info. Sure there are multiple ways (multiple switches for each one) - but even if Rick used the KISS mode, just one switch for 'verbose' would be great.

Mike

 

[Audiodave1]

MMMmmmm...AFF history!

That would be a big help for my needs.

Dave

 

[troymail]

Sure. Experiment with different resistor values in series and / or a buffer amplifier to isolate the computer input from the radio's discriminator circuitry (which wasn't designed for an external load).

As an example ... Greg Ella made remarks on another forum to the effect that inserting a 22kohm resistor in series removed the distortion from his PCR2500. The PCR1000, PCR1500 and PCR2500 have fairly strong "packet output" signals so no buffer amp is needed.

The P25 waveform is particularly sensitive to this. If you have a moment, post a UniScope image of the nearby P25 signal. Try "Oscillscope" and "CQPSK" modes. We'll go from there.

-rick

OK - I now have decoding on two P25 systems in my area. Interesting observations:

For the BWI/Md Aviation Admin system (http://radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&sid=4790), my 396 is only reading 1-2 bars signal strength but UniTrunker is achieving (by it's own calculations) almost 100% decode/quality. It's a lightly used system and (as far as I know) still not fully operational so the amount of activity is somewhat limited.

For the DOD Ft. Meade System (http://radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&sid=4695 - which I should mention is a 380Mhz system), I'm getting fairly consistently 4-5 bars of strength. However, the best I seem to be able to get from this one on UniTrunker is about 30% decoding.

Is the lower decode rate on the latter due to it being a 380Mhz system? Is it because the signal is much stronger and possibly flooding the sound card/UniTrunker?

I still need more time to play and hopefully see more activity to get better handle on it. And now that I have this working, I may need to invest in another 396... (wasn't factoring that in).... maybe, this is my chance to get a 996....

 

[SCPD]

Is the lower decode rate on the latter due to it being a 380Mhz system? Is it because the signal is much stronger and possibly flooding the sound card/UniTrunker?

I'm guessing the DoD system isn't simulcast so it probably uses a C4FM waveform rather than a CQPSK waveform. The program struggles on some C4FM signals - something I haven't figured out as yet. As you've figured out ... a clean signal is more important than a strong one. As for "flooding" the input ... if the waveform isn't clipped ... you haven't saturated the computer's sound input circuit.

-rick

 

[Liverdog]

I would like to echo RandyK's comments. I thought I was having scanner issues too since using beta 10. I had been noticing that the voice radio, decoding P25 was only giving me every other transmission on the same TG and channel. Then I noticed that after the first transmission the radio would park on a blank memory channel and not go back to the same TG and channel when a voice response was sent.

Other times, when multiple TG are active on a site the voice scanner will be directed to a frequency and TG, but once that conversation ends, the voice scanner will not be directed to another frequency and TG even though there are many active ones - it will just go to the park channel until the entire site has no activity, then it will start directing the voice scanner again.