UniTrunker For Dummies

[tfr]

Hi,

can anyone give me a quick step-by-step dummy guide on how to get started tracking an EDACS system with UniTrunker? I think I have clicked through every possible option, but to no avail.

For reference - T4Win (0.94.0) works just fine on the same machine, with the only annoyance that it will create a new system and ignore all my saved radio/talkgroup IDs if the CC has changed since I last quit the program (which it quite often does).

 

[tyytor]

i also have the same problem with an EDACS system it jus does not like them for some reson it worked with the 1st beta,
also with a networked moto system when i change sites it thinks that it is a new system and
and i have to hand enter the frerquencies should it find them on its own and get the same system info with out haveing to hand enter it>>
TIA

 

[SCPD]

can anyone give me a quick step-by-step dummy guide on how to get started tracking an EDACS system with UniTrunker? I think I have clicked through every possible option, but to no avail.

Hi tfr;

I like the title. You're not alone. Someone else asked this same question. Try these steps ...

Getting Started

A program group will be added to the Start menu. To run the program, click on the taskbar, select "Start" -> "All Programs" -> "Universal Trunker" -> "UniTrunker". The program should start promptly. You will be greeted by a brief (1 to 3 seconds long) copyright notice followed by the main screen. Press "F1" to refresh the screen. At the top of the screen it should say "OFFLINE (Use Options menu to turn decoding ON)".

As the "OFFLINE" message suggests, the program will NOT start decoding right away. You will need to specify the "signal source". This could be a sound input (such as microphone or line input) or Hamcomm style data-slicer connected to a serial port. For first time users, I suggest using the Windows default WAVE audio input (usually the microphone input) for signal input (this can be changed).

So ... you've got the program running, but not decoding. Here are the steps to configuration. From the program's main menu, select [O]ptions to see the options menu. From there, select [C]onfigure. Verify that the Configure menu is set like so ...

Signal Input = Default Sound Input
Voice Radio = none
Sample Rate = 44100
Ignore the other settings for now. Press Alt-S to save (which also takes you to the main menu). Press "O" to return to the options menu, tab over to the "Decoder is OFFLINE" field and press the space bar to turn it Online. Press Alt-S to save.

The program should begin decoding. If after a minute on a known good signal - you do not see any results on screen - return to the options menu and change the signal polarity from "Normal" to "Inverted". Press Alt-S for this change to take effect.

Note: signal polarity becomes automatic in the next beta.

networked moto system when i change sites it thinks that it is a new system and and i have to hand enter the frerquencies should it find them on its own and get the same system info with out haveing to hand enter it.

Is this for Unitrunker? Post some details and we'll get it sorted out. When you switch sites (same system) on a good 100% decode ... the program can quickly detect the change and switch gears so to speak. In some cases it may erroneously add the control channel to the former site before realizing that the signal is now coming from a different site. At that point it will switch to a new site and begin populating channels under this new site. You'll have to manually clean up any cruft accidentally added to the former site. Once the new site is known ... switch gears becomes much easier. The program can actually back-out the erroneous changes and leave your data intact.

-rick

 

[tyytor]

i have a moto networked system it has several sites with the same system number but with different site numbers 1,2 ect...
unitrunker gives all of the site info and neighbering site info and frequencies
view areas but when it comes to the channel info on top you have to have enter it
LCN moto system *** site1
105 0.0000
106 0.0000
107 0.0000 ok i put that in to read
---------------------------------------||-----------------------------
LCN
105 858.6875
106 859.6875
107 860.6875 ok that site is done then i change to site 2 i get

LCN
435 0.0000
436 0.0000
437 0.0000 and i do not know the frequencies so i have to look them up again

in old trunker it use to just be in one sys file for the system TIA

 

[SCPD]

Hi Ty,

I'm wondering what type of system the program thinks it has. From the main menu ... select [V]iew -> [O]ptions. Does it say "Type II 800" or something else?

Also, does the program display anything for a bandplan (type [V]iew -> andplan to see if there is one) ?

In some cases the program can infer an 800 mhz system and fill in the channels for you. In other cases, a small hint is needed. Fill in the frequency for the control channel, save, and re-start the program. The program generates a bandplan. You will see the rest of the channels filled in. For VHF and UHF, you have to either fill out a bandplan or key in the frequencies yourself.

 

[tfr]

Rick,

Verify that the Configure menu is set like so ...

Signal Input = Default Sound Input
Voice Radio = none
Sample Rate = 44100

Not considering myself a complete n00b, that's actually exatly what I tried and it turned out to be the error. For some weird reason, I had to set the audio source to "Conexant CMA Audio" instead of the Default Sound Input.

Works fine now. Thanks.

 

[tyytor]

is this for every site because when i try to edit a site or a site name or a TG it locks up and said somethings wrong and will now close,still can not get the EDACS to work i will try a data slicer and see if that works TIA

quote:
You will see the rest of the channels filled in. For VHF and UHF, you have to either fill out a bandplan or key in the frequencies yourself.

 

[SCPD]

is this for every site.

I can't tell from your response what "this" means. You also did not answer the questions from my previous post. It's hard for me to provide a diagnosis without this extra information. My suggestions may be completely off ... here's my best guess:

For each site, you may need to fill in the control channel. You do not need to type in ALL of the frequencies.

What system is this? I'm wondering if other users have had similar experiences.

when i try to edit a site or a site name or a TG it locks up and said somethings wrong and will now close,

The problem of crashing while editing a site was covered earlier - and has likely been fixed for the next public beta. As a work-around you can edit the SIT or SYS file outside of the program (eg. Notepad) to label your systems.

You don't need to edit the site name for the program to fill in frequencies.

Are you having problems editing a talkgroup? If so, please provide a list of keystrokes used. I don't recall anyone else reporting such a problem with the 3rd beta so this is new.

Still can not get the EDACS to work

This goes back to one of the questions I asked earlier. Were you able to run an oscilloscope program to examine the actual waveform? In the documentation that comes with the program, you may want to review the section titled "Read this First".

-rick

 

[ocscan]

Fill in the frequency for the control channel, save, and re-start the program. The program generates a bandplan. You will see the rest of the channels filled in. For VHF and UHF, you have to either fill out a bandplan or key in the frequencies yourself.

I have a 900mhz Motorola ID 6908 and Unitrunk is not "auto-detecting the band plan" I have entered in the Control Channnel Freq. shut down and re-started.

Was previoulsy showing as not Type I, now showing type II 900. Profile is 1.16

Active channels are still shown as LCN's 392,293 and 939.9375(as i entered)

 

[SCPD]

I have a 900mhz Motorola ID 6908 and Unitrunk is not "auto-detecting the band plan" I have entered in the Control Channnel Freq. shut down and re-started.

Was previoulsy showing as not Type I, now showing type II 900. Profile is 1.16

Active channels are still shown as LCN's 392,293 and 939.9375(as i entered)

Thanks OC! I'll check this out. If you can, please go to the Options panel and turn Logging ON. Leave it on for at least a few minutes. Zip up the resulting log file (it's saved in the same folder as your data files) and post it here or mail it to me. If you can include your SYS, SIT, and PLN files for this system - all the better.

Meanwhile I'll double-check a few things from here.

-rick

 

[SCPD]

Hi OC;

I didn't find anything obvious with respect to the program not filling out the proper bandplan for you 900 mhz system. I only have one 900 mhz Motorola system accessible to me at the moment. If you provide a log file, I can look into the specifics of your system.

-rick