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XTS2500 & XTS5000 - poor repeater P25 reception

RobertI

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Sep 18, 2014
Messages
57
Location
US
Been trying to diagnose an issue with my XTS2500s and XTS5000 VHF intermittently and randomly receiving repeater transmissions

Radios are exactly as received, no fiddling aside from the normal customizations. Purchased and aligned from a reputable source.

XTS2500 (pair are identical)
H46KDF9PW6BN
580098-801488-6
Firmware: R20.50.10
DSP: R19.50.01
UCM: R05.07.15
Tuning: R01.09.14
PSDT: R04.00.00
Bootloader: R03.50.00

XTS5000
H18KEF9PW6AN
580001-000002-8
Firmware: R20.50.07
DSP: R19.50.01
UCM: R05.07.15
Tuning: R01.09.07
PSDT: R04.00.00
Bootloader: R01.04.20

I have 4 VHF frequencies I'm monitoring, or need to monitor, when this is fixed

2 - (East & West) P25 mixed mode broadcasting from multiple repeaters in the area. Same towers, just two frequencies (though it's only ever broadcasting in P25, so why the mixed mode?) NOT trunking
1 - (Single) P25 single station repeater
1 - (Direct) P25 direct HT to HT

Single and Direct work just fine

East and West are the issues. Sitting next to each other outside on a table, the radios don't receive/open/unlatch at the same time, or in some cases at all. I forget the term for receiving a a P25 transmission. It's like they randomly choose then to receive. If they do receive, they might "go digital" or I get 3/4 of the transmission out of one or more units. TX is generally brief, less than 5 seconds on average. XTS5000 gets more but XTS2500's are a nightmare. SDS100 scanner gets everything. Since the signal is good, I don't understand the inconsistencies. In order to hear every communication, I'd have to have all three HT's lined up. 2 might be silent and the third gets the whole transmission, or 1 picks it up and the other 2 are silent for a few seconds then all three start to receive and I get cool stereo. Or they all work fine and I can hear everything. It's as if they can't figure out if they got enough data to decode the communication. This is for single channel selected or on scan. I've noticed it when repeating a mobile/portable and when the base transmits.

Tried the following using the scientific method:
-Side by side checked everything. Point for point, they are all programmed the same and correctly. NAC's, PL for when I tried mixed mode, etc. No funny settings as best I know.
-New genuine antenna from an authorized dealer 8505644V02 150.8-162 (frequencies are 15x.xxx). The antenna that came with them, older floppy whip with the ball, forget the model, isn't an appreciable change.
-Changed from mixed mode to ASTRO only
-Set unmute delay to 0ms

The radios were professionally aligned prior to me receiving a few months ago and I get good audio from Single and Direct so I doubt it's that. The repeater is meticulously maintained.

And before someone says it, yes I know HT's aren't scanners, but that's not why I'm carrying it.

I'm at a loss. Hopefully the fine RadioReference gurus have an idea.
 
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