Voice channel woes

[wbswetnam]

I remember when I had a RS Pro-96, I only had to program in the control channels and the scanner was able to determine the voice channel from the control channel data stream. It seems that the Uniden 325P2 and the 996P2 are still able to do this, but the 436HP, 536HP, Homepatrol and SDS series are not. This is disappointing. I just recently purchased an SDS200. Also very recently my nearest AWIN (Arkansas Wireless Information Network) control tower changed voice channel frequencies. While there are other towers I can follow traffic on, it's pretty sad that the SDS200 can't do something my RS Pro-96 could do 15 years ago.

Is there no way around this? Or am I still having to download and install Unitrunker, wait several days for it to (hopefully) suss out all of the new voice channels, then edit my favorites lists for the SDS200 to update the voice channel data? My 325P2 happily self-adjusted, but the $700 SDS200 whiz-bang scanner is mute to that tower because the voice channel data is wrong and it can't cope.

 

[werinshades]

I remember when I had a RS Pro-96, I only had to program in the control channels and the scanner was able to determine the voice channel from the control channel data stream. It seems that the Uniden 325P2 and the 996P2 are still able to do this, but the 436HP, 536HP, Homepatrol and SDS series are not. This is disappointing. I just recently purchased an SDS200. Also very recently my nearest AWIN (Arkansas Wireless Information Network) control tower changed voice channel frequencies. While there are other towers I can follow traffic on, it's pretty sad that the SDS200 can't do something my RS Pro-96 could do 15 years ago.

Is there no way around this? Or am I still having to download and install Unitrunker, wait several days for it to (hopefully) suss out all of the new voice channels, then edit my favorites lists for the SDS200 to update the voice channel data? My 325P2 happily self-adjusted, but the $700 SDS200 whiz-bang scanner is mute to that tower because the voice channel data is wrong and it can't cope.

Sounds like a programming issue as the scanners you mention can be programmed as previous models.

 

[buddrousa]

All Uniden Scanners do control channel only for P25 systems.
On the other hand DMR AND NXDN need you to provide PROPER LCN'S.

 

[tvengr]

I just recently purchased an SDS200. Also very recently my nearest AWIN (Arkansas Wireless Information Network) control tower changed voice channel frequencies.

Did you program the alternate control channel frequencies? The HomePatrol 1, HomePatrol 2, BCD436HP, BCD536HP, SDS100, and SDS200 all do control channel only programming. Check the database for the remote chance that the control channel and alternate frequencies have changed. If you export and attach your favorites list file, I will check it for problems.

 

[wbswetnam]

Did you program the alternate control channel frequencies? The HomePatrol 1, HomePatrol 2, BCD436HP, BCD536HP, SDS100, and SDS200 all do control channel only programming. Check the database for the remote chance that the control channel and alternate frequencies have changed. If you export and attach your favorites list file, I will check it for problems.

Thanks. Here it is...

 

[nessnet]

I remember when I had a RS Pro-96, I only had to program in the control channels.....
..... because the voice channel data is wrong... and it can't cope.

The whole idea of trunking is to have radios constantly 'listening' to control channels. When a channel grant is broadcast over the control channel, the radio tunes to the voice channel and the transmission happens. The CONTROL CHANNEL(s) are the only thing needed to be programmed - other than to make sure that the correct band plan is also there. (Google rebanding)

DMR AND NXDN being the exceptions.

 

[tvengr]

I see nothing wrong with the programming. It includes the control channels, alternates, and all of the voice frequencies, which are correct according to the database. Are you hearing any garbled audio?

 

[ofd8001]

Problem with control channel is you are relying on the database being perfect. Voice frequencies could be control channels.

So the memory card scanners, with increased memory capacity can accept all possible frequencies with room to spare.

I haven't seen any good reason to program just control channel frequencies unless you are up against a memory limit problem.

 

[tvengr]

I haven't seen any good reason to program just control channel frequencies

If you are suffering from simulcast distortion or poor strength and lose the control channel, the scanner can find the control channel again much quicker if it doesn't need to search through possibly 20 or 25 voice frequencies to find the control channel frequency again.

 

[ofd8001]

I could accept weak signal (if one likes intermittent reception). Simulcast I gotta disagree. The simulcast distortion is too much signal (multiple sites at once).

 

[wbswetnam]

I triple-checked that the data channels are correct, and I used SDRuno to make certain of the control channel on 769.6875. Yet, the SDS200 still doesn't work with the Russellville site. It works OK with the Hector and Katie's Knob sites , just not the Russellville site. From watching the activity of the 325P2 I have identified three of the voice channels (770.93125, 773.55625, and 774.55625) on the Russellville site. Again, the 325P2 has no problem with the Russellville site or any other site. It's the SDS200 that can't seem to manage it. I guess I'll just have to live with it, although it's going to miss a lot of calls from the city of Russellville if it can't utilize the Russellville site.

 

[phask]

I triple-checked that the data channels are correct, and I used SDRuno to make certain of the control channel on 769.6875. Yet, the SDS200 still doesn't work with the Russellville site. It works OK with the Hector and Katie's Knob sites , just not the Russellville site. From watching the activity of the 325P2 I have identified three of the voice channels (770.93125, 773.55625, and 774.55625) on the Russellville site. Again, the 325P2 has no problem with the Russellville site or any other site. It's the SDS200 that can't seem to manage it. I guess I'll just have to live with it, although it's going to miss a lot of calls from the city of Russellville if it can't utilize the Russellville site.

I'd start trying the various filters on that site. Take some time and try each one at a time.

I never used ANY for years (Had the 200 since day 1) but recently started seeing issues on my most used site. First filterI tried cleared it up. I'm guessing a new cell assignment in the area.

 

[wbswetnam]

OK I've done some more investigating. It appears that the 536HP I have in my car for mobile use, and my 436HP are suffering from the same issue: they won't track the Russellville site. However, my 325P2 and 996P2 have no problems with the Russellville site. The 325P2 and 996P2 are correctly decoding the new voice channels from the data channel. These last two are programmed by ProScan, however, while the SDS200, 436HP, and 536HP are programmed through Sentinel. Could it be some problem with Sentinel?
Oh, and my Whistler WS1095 is correctly following the new voice channels on the Russellville site, too.

 

[jtwalker]

Have you tried Analyze function on the SDS200 against these sites and compare results? Not sure how trustworthy these results are, but it may help in your troubleshooting.

 

[wbswetnam]

Have you tried Analyze function on the SDS200 against these sites and compare results? Not sure how trustworthy these results are, but it may help in your troubleshooting.

Good idea. Here are the results when I compare the Hector site to the Russellville site...

I'm hearing traffic off of the Russellville site on my 325P2 and 996P2, though. Also, the Whistler WS1095 is catching voice traffic off of the Russellville site.

 

[jtwalker]

It appears the quality of the Russellville site is suffering, so I'd go with @phask's suggestion to experiment with filters for this site and see if you can get that Q bar up.

 

[wbswetnam]

I'd start trying the various filters on that site. Take some time and try each one at a time.

I never used ANY for years (Had the 200 since day 1) but recently started seeing issues on my most used site. First filterI tried cleared it up. I'm guessing a new cell assignment in the area.

Which 'filters' are you talking about? Do you mean the global filters under "settings"?

 

[kruser]

Which 'filters' are you talking about? Do you mean the global filters under "settings"?

You should be able to edit that site in your favorites list and select a filter there. That will override whatever the global filter is.
Try the Wide Invert and Invert filters for the Russellville filter. If no help, then try the Wide Normal and Normal filters.
Don't use either of the Auto filters as they slow things down.

If your signal level is weak, the Wide filters don't reduce the signal level quite as much as the non-wide filters may do.

 

[wbswetnam]

You should be able to edit that site in your favorites list and select a filter there.

In the favorites list editor, only the digital AGC threshold can be adjusted for individual sites.
Looks like the SDS200 is going back to ScannerMaster tomorrow for a refund.

 

[R0am3r]

Looks like the SDS200 is going back to ScannerMaster tomorrow for a refund.

I don't recall if you mentioned this... What are you using for the antenna? Are you using the stock antenna or do you have something more significant that actually works?