Hi Fellow Scannerheads, I’ve been using the latest version of Unication Firmware for Public Safety, which is currently 1.3. I have a few things to share that might be helpful for those using the G4/5s as scanners to get great reception on P25 trunked systems.
First: The new TG Hold and Blok functions are AWESOME! Thank you Unication! This makes the radios MUCH more enjoyable and easier to use. You must turn these on in Pre-Programming Software (PPS) Tab D8 Pager Configuration Setting, under “Talk Group Hold and Remove Setting”(in the blue zone). Simply check TG Hold Setting and TG Remove Setting, which will add those functions to the radio’s soft menus, after re-programming with PPS. While you’re in that area, you’ll probably want to disable BT Headset Incoming Call Notification, right above in the green zone. This turns off any call announcements that your Blue Tooth devices may normally use for cell phone use.
With previous versions, if I wanted to focus on a particular talk group, I dedicated multiple Zone/Channel Positions to the same system, but change the priority order of the talk groups. Doing that on a very busy systems helped me to hear the things I wanted to hear fairly well. That method caused problems for me. I had so much stuff programmed, I would have problems because of memory issues with the firmware. Often, when a transmission would start, the radios would begin a loop of rebooting. Recently, I tried using Blue Tooth earbuds again, and that too would trigger the infinite rebooting loop. Well, now that I have the TG Hold function, I don’t need all of those extra knob positions, because I can simply hold on the TG I want to monitor when the action starts. I deleted all of the duplicated channels positions, freeing up more memory for the radio to work. Yay!
When setting up the TG Hold function, you’ll notice an option for TG Hold Timeout. With that, the radio can remove the TG Hold after a set number of minutes. I’ve only checked this a little bit, but I have a feeling it’s a bit buggy still. You can also toggle a TG Un-Hold Alert beep. I guess that might help you realize that you’ve inadvertently un-held a talk group. I’m not using that function for now.
I’ve also noticed, as many others have posted about, that the audio was often delayed significantly, compared to real radios and scanners. I was thinking this was due to recording, new features and functions of the firmware, and increased overhead to support those. After reading others’ suggesting to turn off Voice Buffering(PPS Tab D6 Zone and Channel Setting), and trying it myself, I’m now enjoying close to synced audio when other radios are on in the area, AND, a much more responsive keypad on the radios.
One of the other neat new features is the ability to enter “Call Aliases” in PPS Tab D5, Member List area. If you know the radio IDs for particular users, you can have radio display the Call Alias instead of the ID. Neato!
One more feature that I really hope Unication adds is the ability to scroll to a particular talk group, and hold it, without having to wait for it to become active and then timing it just right to hold. Currently, you can use the center controller(joystick thingy), and scroll down to see system information including the up to 64 talk groups you’ve assigned. That seems like a logical place to add the ability to select a talk group, similarly to how we select zones now.
I hope all of that is useful and helpfully information for others using the great G4 and G5 like I do, and I hope Unication keeps up the great improvements.
Happy Scanning!
Ben Saladino, KCIRJ
Working Photos by Ben Saladino
First: The new TG Hold and Blok functions are AWESOME! Thank you Unication! This makes the radios MUCH more enjoyable and easier to use. You must turn these on in Pre-Programming Software (PPS) Tab D8 Pager Configuration Setting, under “Talk Group Hold and Remove Setting”(in the blue zone). Simply check TG Hold Setting and TG Remove Setting, which will add those functions to the radio’s soft menus, after re-programming with PPS. While you’re in that area, you’ll probably want to disable BT Headset Incoming Call Notification, right above in the green zone. This turns off any call announcements that your Blue Tooth devices may normally use for cell phone use.
With previous versions, if I wanted to focus on a particular talk group, I dedicated multiple Zone/Channel Positions to the same system, but change the priority order of the talk groups. Doing that on a very busy systems helped me to hear the things I wanted to hear fairly well. That method caused problems for me. I had so much stuff programmed, I would have problems because of memory issues with the firmware. Often, when a transmission would start, the radios would begin a loop of rebooting. Recently, I tried using Blue Tooth earbuds again, and that too would trigger the infinite rebooting loop. Well, now that I have the TG Hold function, I don’t need all of those extra knob positions, because I can simply hold on the TG I want to monitor when the action starts. I deleted all of the duplicated channels positions, freeing up more memory for the radio to work. Yay!
When setting up the TG Hold function, you’ll notice an option for TG Hold Timeout. With that, the radio can remove the TG Hold after a set number of minutes. I’ve only checked this a little bit, but I have a feeling it’s a bit buggy still. You can also toggle a TG Un-Hold Alert beep. I guess that might help you realize that you’ve inadvertently un-held a talk group. I’m not using that function for now.
I’ve also noticed, as many others have posted about, that the audio was often delayed significantly, compared to real radios and scanners. I was thinking this was due to recording, new features and functions of the firmware, and increased overhead to support those. After reading others’ suggesting to turn off Voice Buffering(PPS Tab D6 Zone and Channel Setting), and trying it myself, I’m now enjoying close to synced audio when other radios are on in the area, AND, a much more responsive keypad on the radios.
One of the other neat new features is the ability to enter “Call Aliases” in PPS Tab D5, Member List area. If you know the radio IDs for particular users, you can have radio display the Call Alias instead of the ID. Neato!
One more feature that I really hope Unication adds is the ability to scroll to a particular talk group, and hold it, without having to wait for it to become active and then timing it just right to hold. Currently, you can use the center controller(joystick thingy), and scroll down to see system information including the up to 64 talk groups you’ve assigned. That seems like a logical place to add the ability to select a talk group, similarly to how we select zones now.
I hope all of that is useful and helpfully information for others using the great G4 and G5 like I do, and I hope Unication keeps up the great improvements.
Happy Scanning!
Ben Saladino, KCIRJ
Working Photos by Ben Saladino
