WARRS In Carroll, Haralson and Heard Counties

[bonus1331]

I doubt very much that it's a bum radio.

I have had nothing but issues with monitoring the WARRS system for Coweta since thet went live.

This is with both a Uniden (HP) and an RS (500).

It all has to do with the multi-site TRS.

The worst part?... I live in Coweta, and have about a 60-70% decode rate at the house.

When I take the 500 in the car and drive about 2 miles from the house I get 95% decoding.

The fun of digital monitoring.

 

[brumac]

So adjusting P25 levels doesn't really do anything? Whats funny is, I sometimes here WG EMS on a conventional freq, then they will same the exact same thing on digital channel. Anyway, if you have any suggestions to improve my decode please let me know.

 

[trunktracker71]

its just the system 800 mhz p 25 systems are not all they are up to be give me a good ole vhf system and convert it over to digital any day its way better than an 800 system way better

 

[brumac]

P25 Adjust Mode to 11 and Mode to 200 and I am picking waaaay more now, but its still garbled or sounds like its underwater. Would a better antenna help? I've got a small rubber duckie 800MHz antenna from radio shack. Should I invest in something bigger??

 

[SkiBob]

It's hard to determine if a better antenna would do the trick. My 800mhz rubber ducky isn't all that great, but it's the best thing if you are mobile. When I hook up my Yagi it makes a world of difference. I am more than willing to come out and bring my equipment to see what works best for you. It beats trial and error. I'm 30 min away. Let me know.

 

[WK4U]

I too have had troubles with multi-site P25 TRS radios. So far, I'm only using a 396XT with the latest firmware and default settings. I'm in NE Cobb county, and have a difficult time decoding ... Cobb county! Even with a full strength signal. Crazy.

Honestly, decoding this stuff is like the rules of Real Estate (location, location, location). If I travel a few miles from my home, or other parts of the city (even well outside of Cobb county), I get almost perfect decoding of their TRS. Our radios are getting confused with multiple binary 1's and 0's coming in at the same time, but from different sites. Possibly a little later in time, causing bad decoding. I guess the commercial radios have proprietary software that work out these problems.

Here at home where reception is not good, I have decoded my local TRS out on the back porch with NO antenna hooked up! The signals are that strong. But in my home, often the comms are very broken. Putting the radio horizontal often helps. Perhaps using a very small rubber (stub) duck antenna? I've also used an 800 MHz only antenna with good (but not very good) results. Anything to get your radio to only hear one site.

We can't comment on using a "better" antenna, because nobody knows. You have to try it out for yourself. Again here at home, I mounted a commercial grade 800 MHz omni directional antenna on the roof. Got it for free Fed it with LMR-400, which is about 75 feet total. I'm certain it hears multiple sites up there, but for some reason, when I hook up my 396XT to that antenna on the roof, I get perfect decoding all the time. I'm not really sure why, but if I really want to listen in on my own county, I'll be down here in the radio room using the antenna on the roof! Perhaps something like that would work at your house too?

Good luck, and if you do find a combination of software settings that work better than the default, please let us all know.

Tim

 

[brumac]

Are there any antenna's online that you guys can recommend I try? I don't mind installing an antenna on the top of the house and running cable, just don't have any experience with antenna's...

 

[N8IAA]

P25 Adjust Mode to 11 and Mode to 200 and I am picking waaaay more now, but its still garbled or sounds like its underwater. Would a better antenna help? I've got a small rubber duckie 800MHz antenna from radio shack. Should I invest in something bigger??

Are you referring to the GRE/RS 800MHz antenna that is about 6" long? Or, are you using the 450MHz racing duck?
As I stated in an earlier post, the problem is how the radio decodes the signal. Have you tried the right angle antenna that came with the radio? Closed all the way down, it should work. The towers make and break how the signal is received. I can get my county (Gwinnett) without an antenna attached.
Larry

 

[N8IAA]

So adjusting P25 levels doesn't really do anything? Whats funny is, I sometimes here WG EMS on a conventional freq, then they will same the exact same thing on digital channel. Anyway, if you have any suggestions to improve my decode please let me know.

This is due to the VHF/UHF signal being rebroadcast on the trunked system. There will always be a time lag when there is simulcasting being done.
HTH,
Larry

 

[brumac]

800MHz Scanner Antenna - RadioShack.com

The link above is the antenna I am using...

 

[brumac]

I bought three different antenna's and to be honest I pick up the best reception with the shortest of all 3, the little 800MHz rubber duckie antenna. But even after the firmware update the police department is still garbled.....sigh...

 

[brumac]

Hey SkiBob where do you live? I live smack dab in Carrollton near the High School...What type of equipment would you have to test?

 

[SkiBob]

I am in D-ville. I have a Yagi and an omnidirectional of which both are easily portable. What I mean by that is I have them mounted to where I can pick them up and go. I also have 4 other portables simliar to what you already have I'm sure.

824-960 MHz 13 dBi Yagi Antenna with N-Style Jack Connector - 900 MHz Yagi Antennas - TerraWave Online
800/900 MHz 6 dBi Omnidirectional Antenna - HGV-906U

Private message me and we'll get together sometime if you would like.