UPMan, any more x96XT updates likely/possible?

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Boatanchor

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Don't know if this thread will be read by anyone from Uniden, but I was wondering whether we are likely to see any further support/developments for the x96XT series scanners now that the newer models have been released?

In particular, is there any chance of a firmware update that can address the following issues:

* Restructure the system memory to permit >500 talkgroup/RID limit on individual trunk systems.
* Add an option in the Search/Close Call options menu to permit searching for Tone and NAC simultaneously.

I would bet that most x96XT owners struggle to fill more than 15-20% of the memory capacity within their scanner, so it makes sense to allocate more of the available unused memory to talkgroup/RID entries (if at all possible).

That is all - for the time being :)

Cheers,
Rick
 

XTS3000

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The 500 TG's/RID's limit is not a memory limitation, but rather a CPU speed limitation.

Let say your monitoring a TRS, and a TG becomes active. The CPU must access the memory and search for the active TG ID. The scanner may have to search through 499 programmed TG ID's to find the one that's active (if it's one that's even programmed). This all takes a small amount of time, but time none the less. Anything more than 500 TG's or RID's would most likely cause a delay to unsquelch the audio because it's still searching through the over 500 entries in memory.

PL/NAC decode at the same time is most likely due to the 2 separate decoders. The PL/DPL is decoded on one IC, while the NAC is decoded on another IC. The CPU has limited processing power.

I'm sure Uniden had to weigh speed vs memory vs CPU power consumption to come up with the 500 TG / RID limit. If Uniden doubled the CPU speed, that would take a huge hit on battery life, but allow more TG/RIDs.

Your complaints (if you can even call it a complaint) are valid ones, but just limitations to what a $500.00 scanner can accomplish.
 

mrkelso

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Give me the ability to make my own firmware changes. In this day and age we are way behind with this firmware stuff. I own Camera Lens's that i can now make my own firmware changes to.
 

GB1952

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bcd 996t/xt

I would like to see a option for increase or decrease like the hp#1 10miles/15/miles ect
 

oracavon

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Squelch Tail? On the BCD996XT/BCD396XT? Never had that problem.

I have two 996XT's and they both have a horrendous squelch tail on analog channels using carrier squelch. In fact, the tail still exists even when using PL if the PL drops off at the same time as the carrier. I can only avoid the squelch tail on channels in which the PL drops off before the carrier. That gives the radio time to mute the audio before it encounters the loss of carrier. By comparison, my 780XLT exhibits no squelch tail on any of those channels.

If you know of any 996XT settings that will eliminate the squelch tail and make it work like my 780XLT, I would love to know what they are.
 

XTS3000

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More adjustments for the Alert LED/Color. Same issues carried over to the x46HP as well.

James, what additional adjustments for the alert LED/Color are you thinking of?

Aside from the assigned color not displaying for the entire transmission, I can't think of any other issues with the colors. What are your ideas that I'm overlooking?

Thanks
 

1268

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I have two 996XT's and they both have a horrendous squelch tail on analog channels using carrier squelch. In fact, the tail still exists even when using PL if the PL drops off at the same time as the carrier. I can only avoid the squelch tail on channels in which the PL drops off before the carrier. That gives the radio time to mute the audio before it encounters the loss of carrier. By comparison, my 780XLT exhibits no squelch tail on any of those channels.

If you know of any 996XT settings that will eliminate the squelch tail and make it work like my 780XLT, I would love to know what they are.

Ditto hearing that on my 396xt. Any upgrade on simulcast systems would sure help also.
 

pepsima1

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I'd be happy if they would just eliminate the squelch tail (or, better yet, make it adjustable by a menu setting).

The only time I do not hear the squelch tail on a conventional channel is when I am using the DCS or the NAC feature. Using a PL Tone I always get a squelch tail on any radio that I have used even the new ones.
 

JamesO

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James, what additional adjustments for the alert LED/Color are you thinking of?

Aside from the assigned color not displaying for the entire transmission, I can't think of any other issues with the colors. What are your ideas that I'm overlooking?

Thanks

Alert color stay on and/or blink for the entire transmission, user adjustable of course. Easy enough to tweak in firmware, not sure why the alert LED color only will stay on for like 10 seconds then defaults back to the non colored back light.

BTW, I hope Uniden carries the Alert color over to the Siren App as this will be something I think everyone expected. This is something missing in the RH-96 remote head.
 

oracavon

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The only time I do not hear the squelch tail on a conventional channel is when I am using the DCS or the NAC feature. Using a PL Tone I always get a squelch tail on any radio that I have used even the new ones.

Try listening to any of the LA CHP channels using PL. Unlike the OC and IE channels, the PL on the LA channels drops off before the carrier does, so I get no squelch tail on my 996XT's on those channels. Those are the only ones that do that, unfortunately.
 

Boatanchor

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Hysteresis

Google "Squelch Hysteresis".

Actually, it has been discussed previously in relation to the XT series here in other threads too.

It can be a fine line between too little and too much hysteresis, but having some user control over it would be nice.

For example, more hysteresis can be helpful in a mobile situation, where signals are fading and fluctuating. On the other hand, less or even no hysteresis at all is great for fixed/base monitoring of other base/repeater sites as there is little, or no fading to be dealt with.

Reduced hysteresis usually permits the squelch to close more quickly after the carrier drops.

The other issue here is that there does appear to be some added (too much) hysteresis in the Uniden PL/CTCSS tone decoder too.

I can monitor systems locally where the tone drops about 100-200mS prior to the carrier dropping.
This is actually common industry practice in conventional, PL tone accessed systems, as it usually eliminates the squelch burst in subscriber radios.

The GRE scanners and 'real radios/transceivers' mute almost immediately the PL tone drops (assuming the correct tone is programmed in), eliminating the squelch burst when the carrier drops a few hundred mS's later. The Uniden tone decoder on the other hand often takes too long to mute after the tone drops and so you are typically subjected to the normal squelch burst when the carrier drops. If the system's 'no tone' period is long enough, probably >200mS or so, Uniden scanners will mute the squelch burst, so it really depends on the individual system and the way the PL/CTCSS tone has been configured by the engineers.

The big thing here, is that the GRE radios actually allow you to adjust the tone (and squelch from memory??) hysteresis through the advanced setup functions. In this respect, the GRE tone/squelch system is one area that does tend to work better than Uniden's fixed hysteresis system.

Ideally, there would be at least two squelch/PL tone hysteresis settings. One slow, for mobile/weak signal monitoring (as at present) and one faster for base/fixed/stronger signal monitoring monitoring. Having the ability to configure this setting on a per channel basis, would be even better, but for simplicities sake, I would just be happy with a way to adjust globally :)
 
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XTS3000

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The only time I do not hear the squelch tail on a conventional channel is when I am using the DCS or the NAC feature. Using a PL Tone I always get a squelch tail on any radio that I have used even the new ones.

Uniden needs to learn about PL Tone reverse burst. There are 2 different reverse PL bursts. Motorola and the rest of the world. Not sure if the Uniden's even check for the reverse burst to squelch the receiver.

I'd like to see the option for standard (Motorola) and non standard reverse burst features, selectable per channel.
 

JamesO

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Uniden needs to learn about PL Tone reverse burst. There are 2 different reverse PL bursts. Motorola and the rest of the world. Not sure if the Uniden's even check for the reverse burst to squelch the receiver.

I'd like to see the option for standard (Motorola) and non standard reverse burst features, selectable per channel.

Firmware tweak/add?
 
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