Virginia State Police

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jrrob8

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just got my 536 yesterday, every FL I programmed has worked perfectly, except my Va state police. seems to be correct but does not work. anybody have a suggestion?
 

DaveIN

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Are you using a favorite you made with Sentinel or the zip code entry with the full database?
 

jrrob8

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Roanoke, Va
I made the list, included all the sites (statewide) and used the VSP id list from the Sentinel database.
 

LIScanner101

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When you say "shows signal", do you mean that the scanner stops scanning and lands on a channel and the signal strength indicator shows a few bars, but you can't hear anything?
 

jrrob8

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shows several signal bars, doesn't stop on channels and I hear nothing.

When you say "shows signal", do you mean that the scanner stops scanning and lands on a channel and the signal strength indicator shows a few bars, but you can't hear anything?
 

ofd8001

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If your scanner "shows signal" that's a good sign - you have "reception", which is half the ball game.

The following is presuming you are wishing to scan the Virginia trunked system:

Have you tried scanning with "ID:Search" set to "On"? (That allows for the reception of all talkgroups on the system. If you receive any talkgroup, that tells you that you are able to pickup all talkgroups (other than the encrypted stuff).

Also see if you have checked the appropriate Service Types (Law Dispatch and Law Tac) in your profile editor so the scanner will do its thing when a talkgroup is received with regard to the service types in your Favorites List as created in Sentinel.

Possibly Department Quick Keys could be off or the Department(s) could be in an "Avoid" state.

Possibly the Departments you wish to scan are not within the range of what your scanner's current location is. (This is kind of doubtful as the Virginia system shows a range of 238.3 miles).

You may also wish to try a Discovery Session on the scanner with this system to see what there is to see as a diagnostic tool.
 

UPMan

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It will be automatically populated as soon as the scanner reads the control channel. Doing the same thing in both the main database and a favorites list?
 

jrrob8

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not sure how to get it to do that. It is sitting beside a 106 that is receiving. I am in Roanoke and it should be receiving the Fort Lewis Mountain freqs. it shows that site on screen and is showing a signal. never had a problem before. it is a P25 VHF trunking system
 
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UPMan

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Turn off the FL, turn on the main dB and put in your location (zip code) then set range to 0. when it is scanning that system, press SYS to hold on the system.

Make sure the appropriate service types are enabled.
 

freqhopping

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I've been having problems with STARS too. Initially it wouldn't work. Not sure exactly what I changed, but it included clearing the populated band plans. Got it to work to make my recording of the pursuit on the weekend.

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Nothing is disable or avoided, location control is"Off". All service types are on.

Right now I am monitoring the Fairfax and Mt Weather sites with ID Search "On" and all depts enabled. There is activity on my 396XT but not the 436HP.


If I manually tune to a channel and wait I will hear comms when it's active.

I've just gone ahead an cleared all the site and dept QK assignments and set all sites to Avoid except the local ones for now. This is working.
 
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jrrob8

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Roanoke, Va
have done everything you suggested and it is ID searching. have 5 bars of signal, but it is not receiving. Have checked all the freqs and Id's. still no luck.
since nothing seems to be working I might try and a new favorites List.

Turn off the FL, turn on the main dB and put in your location (zip code) then set range to 0. when it is scanning that system, press SYS to hold on the system.

Make sure the appropriate service types are enabled.
 
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RF23

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have done everything you suggested and it is ID searching. have 5 bars of signal, but it is not receiving. Have checked all the freqs and Id's. still no luck.
since nothing seems to be working I might try and a new favorites List.

Have you checked RR Database to make for sure that you are not on encrypted, DMR, Provoice, etc. channels?
 

Nitsud

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Jan 5, 2007
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There are no DMR/provoice in the STARS system. I had my 536 inside my car, monitoring only one site, right beside a motorola radio programmed to stars, and the 536 was missing more than 40 % of all transmissions. A pro-106 in same vehicle/antenna/location didn't miss a beat.

Stars is a multi-site P25 system. My 996XT followed it almost 100%
 

RF23

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That Certainly is pretty good evidence that either the radio or programing has got a problem.

Have you tried posting in the VA tread to see if someone there might have a "x.hpe" file of the Vig. State Police that they know works. You could import it and see what happens. The files are small.
 
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hill2jb

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Virginia Beach, VA
Easiest thing to do is only have the sites active that are IN YOUR AREA. I had them all programmed in at first and couldn't hear anything. Now I have two programmed in, and one is locked out for now. I get 5 bars and can hear anything in my area. I think that might be your issues. Check and see which Division you are in, and ONLY have that site active. For info on which site, go to the RR page that shows the frequencies and sites and find the one closest to you.
 
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