Unitrunker Third Public Beta

[Jay911]

Hi Rick,

How's this for odd:

I have a .RID file that's over 600kb in size - around 9100 lines - with all the radio IDs entered. When I run the program, at some point (at which I'm not sure yet, haven't watched), radio IDs past a certain point get wiped out. The current example of this involves the file being truncated (so it seems) at line 5294, or 391416 bytes. All the IDs after that appear 'new' - blank text aliases, new "first seen" dates, etc. To the best of my knowledge, my reception has remained around 99 to 100%, but it could have dropped while I wasn't watching. Would this be the result of the file getting improperly written to disk while the signal was lost? Or perhaps a reboot computer during a write, thanks to either power failure or the lovely Windows Update mechanism?

I've taken to keeping a copy of my UT data files in a safe/separate place because this seems to happen with regularity. Once I get time to repopulate my data files with the 'lost' information, I'll try to keep an eye on it and at the first sign of data loss, grab the latest debug look and peek at it. (I run the logging pretty much constantly.) Ultimately, the question is, does this sound like a bug or just abnormal program termination as I described above?

 

[Go-24]

Will unitrunker work with a dataslicer or does it require a soundcard input?

 

[SCPD]

radio IDs past a certain point get wiped out. The current example of this involves the file being truncated (so it seems) at line 5294, or 391416 bytes.

There are a number of possible causes. At this point all I can do is gather information looking for a pattern. Do you have auto-save turned on?

All the IDs after that appear 'new' - blank text aliases, new "first seen" dates, etc. To the best of my knowledge, my reception has remained around 99 to 100%, but it could have dropped while I wasn't watching. Would this be the result of the file getting improperly written to disk while the signal was lost? Or perhaps a reboot computer during a write, thanks to either power failure or the lovely Windows Update mechanism?

Disk full, closing the program or logout / shut-down / power-down while it is trying to save data are possible examples.

I've taken to keeping a copy of my UT data files in a safe/separate place because this seems to happen with regularity. Once I get time to repopulate my data files with the 'lost' information, I'll try to keep an eye on it and at the first sign of data loss, grab the latest debug look and peek at it. (I run the logging pretty much constantly.) Ultimately, the question is, does this sound like a bug or just abnormal program termination as I described above?

I'll need more info ... but I consider this a bug until proven otherwise.

Will unitrunker work with a dataslicer or does it require a soundcard input?

Go to the configuration menu (from the main menu, select ALT-O, ALT-C), tab over to "Signal Input" and press the spacebar to cycle through the choices available for your system.

If you see input signal choices like "CTS pin on COM1", then the program may work with a slicer. I've gotten mixed reports on the device driver used to support this. Most folks find direct sound input easier.

-rick

 

[Go-24]

If you see input signal choices like "CTS pin on COM1", then the program may work with a slicer. I've gotten mixed reports on the device driver used to support this. Most folks find direct sound input easier.

-rick

I am confident that I have it set up correctly, but the program just wont work. For my tap its [DSR Pin of Com1] normal - I have tried just abotu every setting all I get is "No Signal" - I fire up standard mtrunker it works like a charm. I am confusabobbled for sure.

 

[SCPD]

I am confusabobbled for sure.

I'm assuming you have Windows 2K or XP - this won't work on 95/98/ME.

The program needs admin rights to load & start the device driver as a service.

To see if the device driver is functioning ... try this from a command window.

net start LogicAnalyzer
net stop LogicAnalyzer

You will see either an error or some sort of "operation success" message after each command. The error message may be that you're doing this from a lesser priviledged user login.
-rick

 

[Jay911]

Rick -

I have a fellow in Red Deer who's trying to use Unitrunker but it's reporting the frequency 0.0125mhz too high. (See this thread for more information.) I told him how to edit the UT .PLN file, but he's still showing the wrong frequencies. (I told him to edit the PLN file directly because I'm at work and don't have UT handy to tell him what keystrokes to press to edit the bandplan from within the running program.) Did I give him the right instructions for the ultimate goal of getting tracking right on the system referenced (linked here)?

 

[SCPD]

Did I give him the right instructions for the ultimate goal of getting tracking right on the system referenced (linked here)?

Short answer - yes, I think so give or take a few details. The edits you suggested don't look right but I'm not in a convenient place to grab the right numbers.

Are most of the systems in his area using the "splinter" bandplan? For future reference, you can set the default 800 mhz bandplan to the splinter plan. If the program detects an 800 mhz system, it will use that. There's also an 800 mhz Australia bandplan for the folks down there. To do this from the main menu, select ALT-O (options menu), then ALT-M (Motorola menu) and choose your default 800 mhz bandplan.

I can think of four ways to do this.

Way #1: If your friend knows which entries to edit, yeah he can edit the band plan. The program does not normally replace existing frequencies (in case you've manually typed in the correct frequencies). You can select the "Apply" menu option to force the bandplan onto your channels.

Way #2: The other way 'round this is to (a) set the default Motorola 800 bandplan Splinter, (b) exit the program, (c) zero out all frequences in the HZ file, and (d) re-start.

Way #3: Does your friend have an RR DB subscription?

Way #4: (best?) Exit program; delete the PLN file; zero out the frequencies on ALL channels EXCEPT the control channel. Edit the control channel to the correct frequenciy. Re-start the program.

#3 might not work. I mainly use the DB for talkgroups, not channel data.

-rick

 

[Go-24]

I'm assuming you have Windows 2K or XP - this won't work on 95/98/ME.

The program needs admin rights to load & start the device driver as a service.

To see if the device driver is functioning ... try this from a command window.

net start LogicAnalyzer
net stop LogicAnalyzer

You will see either an error or some sort of "operation success" message after each command. The error message may be that you're doing this from a lesser priviledged user login.
-rick

Yes, I am on XP ... this is what I got runing those commands >

net start LogicAnalyzer

The requested service has already been started.

More help is available by typing NET HELPMSG 2182

net stop LogicAnalyzer

The LogicAnalyzer has been stopped successfully.

 

[SCPD]

The LogicAnalyzer has been stopped successfully.

Good sign.

Is your slicer externally powered or does it "steal" power from the serial port.

-rick

 

[Go-24]

Good sign.

Is your slicer externally powered or does it "steal" power from the serial port.

-rick

It's not a powered slicer - got it from Brett at dataslicers.com.

 

[SCPD]

It's not a powered slicer - got it from Brett at dataslicers.com.

That might be the problem. The program is supposed to set one pin high and another pin low to provide +/- 12 volts (give or take a few volts) to power the circuit. Some slicers use a bridge (four diodes) so it does not matter which way the pins are set (eg. + - or - +). Other slicers use only two diodes so either they work or they don't.

It's been ages since I touched that code ... I'll take a look.

If you have a voltmeter - check that the circuit is receiving power while Unitrunker is running. If so, great ... we can move on.

Most likely either (1) the device driver isn't working, or (2) some other program has the port open. Make sure a program called "NTVDM" is not running. This program provides DOS emulation services for running DOS trunker on Windows NT/2K/XP. It may hang on to the serial port for some time after the last DOS program has exited.

-rick

 

[Go-24]

I got unitrunker running on and older laptop win98, I also got it running on a newer laptop with XP, but never did have any luck getting it running on my desktop XP. Tried it both using the slicer into DSR pin of COM1 and direct into soundcard input (mircophone). No dice. Guess Ill stick with basic "Trunker" on my desktop. Hate having to drag out that ancient laptop clunker, and the newer laptop is 17" no room on my desk to run it full time. Must be some sort of incompatibility with my soundcard - beats me.

 

[SCPD]

I got unitrunker running on and older laptop win98, I also got it running on a newer laptop with XP, but never did have any luck getting it running on my desktop XP.

Run Uniscope or similar program on the desktop and laptop to compare. Does the signal on the desktop look anything like the laptop?

 

[Go-24]

I got it up and running on my Desktop now too .... I was turning over every leaf today and found that for some reason my microphone input was set on mute in the audio settings.

 

[SCPD]

Glad you got it figured out.
-rick