XG-100P keeps dropping and reacquiring control channel

[W4KRR]

Unity XG-100P. On a couple of P25 systems, it will drop the control channel every few seconds; I get the message "CTRL CHANNEL SCAN" at the bottom of the display. This lasts for a second or two, then it will find the control channel again and operate normally for ten seconds or so, then repeat. The system in question is strong, -80 db or so. But the RSSI will drop to -130 until the control channel is found again. Any particular settings I should check? It only behaves this way on a couple of systems, not all of them.

Also: Any way to have the RSSI indicator come on on power up?

 

[Echo4Thirty]

How recently was the reference oscillator aligned?

 

[W4KRR]

How recently was the reference oscillator aligned?

Not since I've owned it. Which leads me to ask, who tunes/aligns these? My understanding is that Harris doesn't support them.

 

[rescue161]

If you have a service monitor, you can adjust the TCXO from the face of the radio.

 

[Echo4Thirty]

When I bought mine from Rick Thompson on eBay awhile back, I believe he mentioned it was aligned by him. I do not know if he offers it as a service, but I would suspect most Harris radios have not been aligned since they left the factory to go to their agencies. It is way past time for it to be done though. I think the procedure is spelled out in the manual but IIRC, you can go into the service mode and adjust the Ref Osc from the front panel. (Utilities -> TXCO Tuning, my password was 00000)

 

[W4KRR]

One other issue I forgot to mention on the XG-100P is, when you press the "CH INFO" button, it's supposed to show you, in the case of a trunked system, the current control channel (among other info). Frequently, the listed control channel is wrong; anyone else noted this issue?

 

[rescue161]

The only time that I have seen wrong channel info is when the IDEN tables have been wrong or if the radio is in CC or BAND SCAN.

 

[wa8pyr]

The only time that I have seen wrong channel info is when the IDEN tables have been wrong or if the radio is in CC or BAND SCAN.

Ditto. Double check the IDEN tables.

 

[W4KRR]

Ditto. Double check the IDEN tables.

I did, and I believe they are correct. If they were incorrect, wouldn't it not work at all?

 

[rescue161]

It depends on how the math works out. The IDEN tables can be wrong and work for some frequencies, but not others.

 

[W4KRR]

It depends on how the math works out. The IDEN tables can be wrong and work for some frequencies, but not others.

I confirmed the IDEN tables using PRO96COM.

BTW, is there anyone anywhere who can tune and align the XG-100P?

 

[rescue161]

You can easily check the TCXO with a frequency counter. If it is way off, you can adjust it.

 

[TDR-94]

Some service monitors also have the option to auto tune an XG-100P.

 

[W4KRR]

Some service monitors also have the option to auto tune an XG-100P.

Would you happen to know some examples? I know a few people in the two way radio business. A couple of them also own XG-100P's, but they claim special software is needed. Also, they claim the TCXO adjustment and tuning/aligning are different things.

 

[mmckenna]

Would you happen to know some examples? I know a few people in the two way radio business. A couple of them also own XG-100P's, but they claim special software is needed. Also, they claim the TCXO adjustment and tuning/aligning are different things.

Viavi 8800sx will autotest the Harris XL and XG series. It's a licensed feature in the test set, so it's something that has to be added. A radio shop that carried Harris radios would likely have it.

The Astronic Freedom service monitors will do it also.

 

[rescue161]

TCXO and alignment are different things, but if the TCXO is off frequency, it will never work correctly.

 

[rescue161]

We have XG100M, XG100P and CS7000s that will lock up talkgroups due to the TCXO being off frequency. The system will not register a dekey and will think that the offending radio is still keyed up. Then other users will get a busy bonk. I have seen these radios as far off as 5kHz off frequency. Adjusting the TCXO brought them into spec every time.

 

[W4KRR]

Interesting; thanks!

 

[wa8pyr]

Viavi 8800sx will autotest the Harris XL and XG series. It's a licensed feature in the test set, so it's something that has to be added. A radio shop that carried Harris radios would likely have it.

No joy on the Viavi 8800 for the XG100P. We've got one and the XG100P isn't included in the auto-tune set (at least, not so far). I'm not expecting it to be added since the radio is nearing end of support. Works fine for the other XL and XG radios, though.

 

[TDR-94]

No joy on the Viavi 8800 for the XG100P. We've got one and the XG100P isn't included in the auto-tune set (at least, not so far). I'm not expecting it to be added since the radio is nearing end of support. Works fine for the other XL and XG radios, though.

Unless something changed, support for the XG-100P ended 2 months ago.