SDS100/SDS200: WX Priority not alerting when scanning DMR system

[VoicesInMyHead]

I have a single DMR system programmed and scanning, which works great. It is the only item that I am monitoring, so it stays on that system and doesn't scan anything else.

To be alerted when weather warnings are issued, I have turned on the WX Priority feature. This, of course, causes the radio to leave the DMR system every now and then to search for the 1500Hz alert tone on the analog weather frequencies before returning back to the usual monitoring. That's expected, and I can see the switch happening by the fact that the CON+ indicator (showing that the DMR system is being decoded) goes away momentarily every few seconds.

The problem is, though... it never alerts. I have been monitoring the local weather frequency on a different device, and there have been many warnings issued with the 1500Hz alert tone, and I have visually watched the scanner leave the DMR system I am monitoring to check the weather frequencies, but there's nothing.

If I monitor only analog frequencies (for example, a favorite list that I have that has only analog frequencies), the WX Priority feature will alert as expected.

There seems to be some kind of bug with the reception of weather alerts when a digital system is the only thing being monitored.

Anyone else able to reproduce this?

 

[KE4ZNR]

There seems to be some kind of bug with the reception of weather alerts when a digital system is the only thing being monitored.

Not a bug at all. If receiving weather alerts is that important to you then invest in a separate dedicated weather radio. Expecting a scanner to be able to receive weather alerts while also monitoring any other type of system (P25/DMR etc) will lead to disappointment.

 

[VoicesInMyHead]

If it's a feature on a radio, it should work reasonably well. Dismissing it because there are other methods of receiving the signal is a cop-out.

Back to the question at hand, anyone able to reproduce this behavior? It used to work, but somewhere along the way, it seems to have stopped.

 

[sadave]

If it's a feature on a radio, it should work reasonably well. Dismissing it because there are other methods of receiving the signal is a cop-out.

Back to the question at hand, anyone able to reproduce this behavior? It used to work, but somewhere along the way, it seems to have stopped.

I have an SDS100, SDS200, and BCD436HP and all have the WX Priority feature. I have used this feature as advertised in the past but generally do not leave it on because it interrupts radio traffic each time it polls for a weather alert. What I haven't encountered is the feature not working when only scanning a DMR system. I am in area with a DMR system and in range of a NOAA station. I'll give it a listen.

Shep

 

[buddrousa]

Dear Randy Orton Fan
I have many Scanners and they all work the same they either scan or go into menu and do Weather Alerts only not both at the same time.

 

[KE4ZNR]

If it's a feature on a radio, it should work reasonably well. Dismissing it because there are other methods of receiving the signal is a cop-out.

Back to the question at hand, anyone able to reproduce this behavior? It used to work, but somewhere along the way, it seems to have stopped.

Regardless, what you are describing is not a bug. It is the fact that the scanner only has one receiver in the radio and has to switch back and forth between the conventional WX freqs and the DMR system. While it is on one there stands a good chance that you will miss traffic on the other not being scanned. Just the nature of the radio.

 

[VoicesInMyHead]

Weather Priority mode checks often enough to catch the 1500Hz tone when it is being sent. And, indeed, it does... if the last thing it was scanning wasn't a DMR system. (I haven't had a chance to see if any other digital system causes the issue, like P25). It seems there's a specific issue with it interrupting to go check the weather frequencies (which are analog) while it's busy decoding a digital signal.

 

[kc2asb]

Agree with OP, does sound like a bug or design flaw. Since these radios can scan and receive traffic from digital and analog systems at the same time, seems logical that it should be able to jump to a weather channel broadcasting an alert (analog) whether the radio is on a digital or analog system at the time the alert sounds. One should not have to buy a separate radio that duplicates a function already built into the SDS and its predecessors.

 

[tzukows]

I am new on SDS, so in no way any sort of self-proclaimed expert.
But here are two menu settings (from the user manual) to at least look at to see if something is on or off in order to do what you want.

Under WX Operation Menu...

Weather Scan:
The scanner goes into weather scan mode.

WX Alt Priority:
When turned on, the scanner will check for a 1050Hz tone on the current weather channel every 5 seconds while scanning. Note that this interrupts any existing voice traffic.

Here is the link to Weather operations described in the "Easier to read" manual maintained by marksscanners.com:

Easier to Read SDS100/200 Digital Scanner Manual

Maybe look at any possibility WX was turned off in Service Types somehow?

Hope you find an answer.

 

[mc48]

Try adjusting the Global filter, weather priority scans all the weather frequencies and needs to stop on one and then check for the tone.
If it keeps scanning and does not lock, it may never hear the tone and alert before it returns to the DMR system.
I just played with this, and weather was slow to stop the scan until I changed filters, and this improved the time until scan stopped.
Just remember it's a Global filter and will affect everything not assigned a specific filter.
I'm not sure why monitoring an analog system would improve operation, but this may be worth a try.

 

[popnokick]

Watching this thread in hopes something different than my experience with my BCD536 and HomePatrol scanners is disproven. Some time ago I wanted to have my 536 work not only as a scanner but also as a weather alert radio... at the same time. My experience (and info searches) turned up that the 536 was NOT designed to do that. You can scan normally, or scan as a weather radio... but not receive SAME alerts. Hoping I'm proven incorrect....

 

[KE4ZNR]

Watching this thread in hopes something different than my experience with my BCD536 and HomePatrol scanners is disproven. Some time ago I wanted to have my 536 work not only as a scanner but also as a weather alert radio... at the same time. My experience (and info searches) turned up that the 536 was NOT designed to do that. You can scan normally, or scan as a weather radio... but not receive SAME alerts. Hoping I'm proven incorrect....

You are correct. One receiver, one monitoring target at a time. I don't know why that is so difficult for others to understand. Yes, Uniden implemented a clumsy method of switching back and forth from what you are monitoring to a VHF WX channel but you stand a good chance of missing traffic from either one. THERE IS ONLY ONE RECEIVER IN THE RADIO AND IT CAN'T MONITOR 2 DIFFERENT TARGETS AT THE SAME EXACT TIME.
My point remains: If you want dependable Weather Alert reception (something you would use to make sure your family is safe in severe weather) then buy a separate Weather Radio with alerting capability and use your scanner for other targets (such as public safety or Ham Radio Skywarn).

 

[kc2asb]

Still does not explain why the OP's radio will go to Weather when the alert goes off while scanning analog, but not digital.

I have a 536HP but never used the WX Alert. Perhaps this is something Uniden can address in a firmware update? Give users the option to have the radio interrupt normal traffic or not if WX Alert is activated? No one but an obsessed weather buff would use a $500 - $700 scanner as just a weather radio.

 

[mc48]

I tested this with a DMR one frequency system this morning and it alerted as expected with the weekly test.

 

[VoicesInMyHead]

Thank you for checking. I'm awaiting the weekly test, as well. Maybe I can figure out what's going on.

 

[mc48]

Hopefully I remember next week, and I will test on a MotoTRBO system.

 

[VoicesInMyHead]

The system I'm scanning is MotoTRBO as well. It missed this week's test alert. I think I'll start methodically going through different filters when the opportunity for alerts comes around.

Thanks, again, for looking into it.

 

[dave3825]

Keep seeing it mentioned that there is only one receiver. No debate there. But the way priority works, is that one receiver stops receiving what it’s scanning, then switches to see if there is an item with a priority, then switches back. So if it works properly on analog scanning, and not digital scanning, sure sounds like a bug. Can anyone test it out with p25 and or nxdn?

 

[mikec10]

To start with I do not consider myself as an expert on anything. My wife does not think I am either. In any case I have owned a SDS100 in the past. I now own a SDS200 and BCD536. When we have a severe weather forecast, I will set one of my scanners for weather notification's. Both works fine while they scan either digital or analog. I do not have any DMR in either scanner. I do not like to have the weather alert on 24/7 because the intermittent switching between weather and what I am scanning is annoying to me. I would think that while you set your scanner up for weather alerts it would work fine if you also monitor DMR frequencies. Just saying.

 

[MStep]

At the risk of repeating what others have mentioned, I would NOT count of the weather priority function in any of these scanners. For those who live in areas with volatile weather conditions, it would be best to have a dedicated weather alert receiver.