Programming a digital radio

[dcfrmp255]

Like I've said before, my county will be going digital in about a month. All county vehicles now have Motorola XTL1500's installed in them and we have been issued XTS1500's, so all we need to do is switch zones on the radios and we'll be good to go. I have a mobile in my truck now, but it won't do digital, so I bought a XTL1500... I don't have any experience programming digital, so what I plan on doing is reading one of the radios in our firetrucks to get the codeplug and writing it to my radio and then making some changes like channel names and other stuff... Each radio has an ID and it shows who's ID it is when we transmit... My question is will I have to talk to the folks up at 911 and have them assign me an ID for my mobile, or will the system automatically assign me one?

 

[FFParker]

As far as the id goes from what I understand you will have to have your own personal ID assigned to you. If not when your radio tries to affiliate with the trunking system it stands the chance of being killed. which will leave you with a very expensive door stop. this is what was explained to me when I wanted to put an 800 digital in my truck for the rescue squad I am on. Best talk to handles all of your radio service for your county. Good Luck!

 

[dcfrmp255]

As far as the id goes from what I understand you will have to have your own personal ID assigned to you. If not when your radio tries to affiliate with the trunking system it stands the chance of being killed. which will leave you with a very expensive door stop. this is what was explained to me when I wanted to put an 800 digital in my truck for the rescue squad I am on. Best talk to handles all of your radio service for your county. Good Luck!

I don't think that our system is trunked, because I haven't heard any talk about it, but I could be wrong. I'll talk to em up at 911

 

[tvsjr]

If the system is trunked, you're pretty much hosed... you'll need a system key. Yes, there are ways around this. No, you shouldn't use them. And every radio does have an individual ID.


If the system is conventional, then it still has an ID associated. You can program all of this on your own with nothing more special than the proper software and cable. However, you should definitely coordinate with whomever manages the system to make sure they are on board. You are operating under their license and they should have the final word on who is and is not permitted on the system.

 

[Ben E.]

If it is conventional (aka non-trunking) digital, you can put the same Unit ID in your mobile as you find in your portable. You can do the same thing if it is P25 trunking, but make sure you don't have both radios turned on at the same time. Having 2 radios with the same unit ID logged into a P25 trunking system can make them do some funky things.


You could have the 911 folks assign you a separate unit ID for your mobile. That's an easy thing to do if it's conventional P25, especially if the existing radios don't have alpha aliases programmed in them (ie; unit 7501401 displays "FF Jimbob" instead of "7501401" on everyone's radios). If they have aliases programmed, your 2nd unit will only show the number with no alias, until someone goes back in and reprograms all the radios in the area to ad your new Unit ID and associated alias.


If it's P25 trunked, it takes system administrative access to go in and tell the system to allow your brand new unit ID to even be able to register with the system. That may be as simple as a trusted technician from 911 plugging it into the system from the system admin PC sitting on his desk, up to having to contact the contractor that installed everything, calling them out, getting logged in, and them doing the same thing at a site. Just depends on how the whole thing is set up geographically and personnel-wise.

 

[dcfrmp255]

If it is conventional (aka non-trunking) digital, you can put the same Unit ID in your mobile as you find in your portable. You can do the same thing if it is P25 trunking, but make sure you don't have both radios turned on at the same time. Having 2 radios with the same unit ID logged into a P25 trunking system can make them do some funky things.

You could have the 911 folks assign you a separate unit ID for your mobile. That's an easy thing to do if it's conventional P25, especially if the existing radios don't have alpha aliases programmed in them (ie; unit 7501401 displays "FF Jimbob" instead of "7501401" on everyone's radios). If they have aliases programmed, your 2nd unit will only show the number with no alias, until someone goes back in and reprograms all the radios in the area to ad your new Unit ID and associated alias.


If it's P25 trunked, it takes system administrative access to go in and tell the system to allow your brand new unit ID to even be able to register with the system. That may be as simple as a trusted technician from 911 plugging it into the system from the system admin PC sitting on his desk, up to having to contact the contractor that installed everything, calling them out, getting logged in, and them doing the same thing at a site. Just depends on how the whole thing is set up geographically and personnel-wise.

That pretty much cleared things up. I will be talking to the folks up there at 911 pretty soon. Thanks for the help!

 

[chief1562]

Are all all setup with each having a unit number IE: mine was 1565 P1 and when I used the radio my number would show up on other radios and a dispatch.


It was also a way for the dispatch center to know who was abusing thier radio IE: open mic with music dispatch hasthcapability to shut your radio down.


All this was done during the programming process during the countys change over t0 P25 800.We told them how many radios were need and what to assign them.


All radios got most single number like 1561 P1 meaqning one radio assigned that number.


When I was fire police chief mine 1565 P1 but there was 5 more raidio's assigned that number P2-P6.


We also have the radios set up to scan 5 channels while we are on OPS 3 which is our disignated channel for our district.


Channel 1 is set for dispastch so it's easier to get there without looking at the radio.16 is priorty which is also dispatch


Cordination allows us to talk to LEO's.


her's a couple of scanned pictures of the setup.


It's been refined and tweeked over the past 5 yrs.

 

[dcfrmp255]

Yes, my radio ID will show on the other radio screens when I transmit and dispatch will know it's me. My portable radio ID is 2555

 

[DJIceman97]

If you have no idea, I would figure out who did your department's radios and have them do it. I've seen the software (our IT guy has the CPS for the XTS/XTL2500's, and just a conventional system programming can be a headache sometimes. Sounds like it's a digital trunked system, and unless you've had first hand experience, I wouldn't risk it IMHO.

 

[dcfrmp255]

If you have no idea, I would figure out who did your department's radios and have them do it. I've seen the software (our IT guy has the CPS for the XTS/XTL2500's, and just a conventional system programming can be a headache sometimes. Sounds like it's a digital trunked system, and unless you've had first hand experience, I wouldn't risk it IMHO.

Like I said before, I'm just gonna read one of the radios in our firetrucks and do it like that. I'm still gonna talk to 911 to get them to assign me an ID for my mobile.

 

[chief1562]

I know that our radios can be cloned.


Some how the can put to radios together use one to program another.


The exchief decided to screw with his radio and had it cverted to be able to hear ours and his buddies company radio freq to.That's how they found out why he would never answer when we tried to get ahold of him on the radio and how he was able to get them to out seens all the time before they were even toned out for mutual aide


Boy was the radio guys and the new chief pi$$ed they should have charged the old chief to have it but back the way it was.

 

[Skip Goulet]

The easiest thing to do is to take the radio to whoever maintains your radio system locally. They can program the radio for you, making sure all of the channels are put in properly and with all the ids, etc. They can also help with getting the proper ID assigned for your radio specifically. If you try doing this yourself, you may be in waaaay over your head.


Also, there was a question about not knowing if it was a trunking system. If you have separate talk groups, then it's most likely a trunking system. Whether it's an APCO P25, you'd have to ask the technician or your communications director.

 

[lafd55]

Call your municipalities communications department and get who did the system, and have them do it. You run too much of a risk of "bricking" your radio and you will have a nice paperweight.

 

[dcfrmp255]

Also, would the XPR series of radios be able to work on the system?

 

[Cam]

Also, would the XPR series of radios be able to work on the system?

If it's a P25 then no they would not work.

 

[lafd55]

If it's a P25 then no they would not work.

But Mototrbo is a digital radio, just not P25. Just to specify a little bit.


Mototrbo(XPR radios) are, in my eyes, geared more towards businesses rather than public safety. XTS/XTLs are not that hard to find and not overwhelmingly expensive. Just watch out for Ebay radios, as some are refurbished with Chinese parts, instead look on here, RadioReference, and Batboards.

 

[foxtrot5]

But Mototrbo is a digital radio, just not P25. Just to specify a little bit.
Mototrbo(XPR radios) are, in my eyes, geared more towards businesses rather than public safety. XTS/XTLs are not that hard to find and not overwhelmingly expensive. Just watch out for Ebay radios, as some are refurbished with Chinese parts, instead look on here, RadioReference, and Batboards.

Someone please explain this to my asst. chief. We've got XPR6350's in the trucks as portables on an ANALOG VHF system. The damn things suck.

 

[Cam]

Someone please explain this to my asst. chief. We've got XPR6350's in the trucks as portables on an ANALOG VHF system. The damn things suck.

The XPR's can do analog just not P25.

 

[DJIceman97]

Someone please explain this to my asst. chief. We've got XPR6350's in the trucks as portables on an ANALOG VHF system. The damn things suck.

We have an XPR4550 UHF in our engine, which was in anticipation of the county going to MotoTRBO. One local PD uses them (my buddy also has one for interop on a larger scene) and the sound quality is MUCH cleaner than P25, and the analog seems to be a bit better than our XTL's.

 

[dcfrmp255]

I got the CPS that I ordered and I read the radio in our brush truck and judging from the way it's set up, I don't think that it's trunking... It looks very similar to conventional... When I get my radio I'll just write the codeplug onto it. I've just got to talk to 911 and get me another radio ID and then figure out where to change it in the software.

 

[Skip Goulet]

But Mototrbo is a digital radio, just not P25. Just to specify a little bit.
Mototrbo(XPR radios) are, in my eyes, geared more towards businesses rather than public safety. XTS/XTLs are not that hard to find and not overwhelmingly expensive. Just watch out for Ebay radios, as some are refurbished with Chinese parts, instead look on here, RadioReference, and Batboards.

Kindly explain Mototrbo! I understand analog systems, trunking systems, and APCO P25. But some of these new systems and encryption capabilities are beyond me.


Chinese parts is an understatement! My Pro2096 digital scanner bit the dust a few weeks ago and Radio Shack couldn't repair it, claiming "parts not available", and it's less than 3 yrs old.

 

[Skip Goulet]

Someone please explain this to my asst. chief. We've got XPR6350's in the trucks as portables on an ANALOG VHF system. The damn things suck.

Are these radios on a repeater or just "line of sight" transmissions? If you're on a repeater, analog or not, you should be able to talk just fine.


Analog is almost a thing of the past, and is something I haven't looked forward to at all. I used to love the days when we had our old lowband systems up and running. Almost everyone in Texas had one channel: 37.18 (with 37.26 east of the Dallas area). Those old radios had such a long range, and at night I used to love listening to the "skip" when it would roll in.


Summer of 1966 I worked for the local ambulance co. in Big Spring, TX. Our building sat up on a small hill. Some evenings if we weren't busy I'd sit down in the front seat of our first-out unit just to listen to the lowband traffic, which was considerable, since we sat up a bit. One night I had just turned on the radio when I heard, "Dispatch! Where's that ambulance? These people are badly hurt?" The guy sounded like he was right in front of me. Our hot line hadn't rung and we hadn't been called by radio either, so I wondered what was going on. But just as I started to reach for the mic and ask our dispatch what was going on, the cop called back and said, "O.K, Dispatch, the ambulance is here now." And we still hadn't gotten a call. But when dispatch cleared the channel, I found out that it was someone down near Beaumont....over 500 mi. away!

 

[tvsjr]

But Mototrbo is a digital radio, just not P25. Just to specify a little bit.
Mototrbo(XPR radios) are, in my eyes, geared more towards businesses rather than public safety. XTS/XTLs are not that hard to find and not overwhelmingly expensive. Just watch out for Ebay radios, as some are refurbished with Chinese parts, instead look on here, RadioReference, and Batboards.

Correct. Motorola has done their best to keep a clear delineation between P25 for public safety and TRBO for business. Be careful about used radios on trunking systems... many have illegitimate serial numbers, and this can lead to some issues if your system administrator tracks such things. They should also be fully aligned, as many have been poorly hacked.

Someone please explain this to my asst. chief. We've got XPR6350's in the trucks as portables on an ANALOG VHF system. The damn things suck.

How so? The TRBO radios are actually pretty well built. The newer series (7550s, etc.) actually run the same processor and mostly the same RF as the APX series.

We have an XPR4550 UHF in our engine, which was in anticipation of the county going to MotoTRBO. One local PD uses them (my buddy also has one for interop on a larger scene) and the sound quality is MUCH cleaner than P25, and the analog seems to be a bit better than our XTL's.

TRBO uses the AMBE codec, which is a substantial improvement over IMBE. P25 Phase 2 uses the same codec and the audio sounds comparable. Also, the newer radios (APX, 7550, etc.) have better noise cancellation which makes the overall audio sound better.

Kindly explain Mototrbo! I understand analog systems, trunking systems, and APCO P25. But some of these new systems and encryption capabilities are beyond me.

Chinese parts is an understatement! My Pro2096 digital scanner bit the dust a few weeks ago and Radio Shack couldn't repair it, claiming "parts not available", and it's less than 3 yrs old.

Mototrbo is just another digital mode. It's available in a few flavors:


Standalone - just a basic repeater, except you have two talk paths (2-slot TDMA)


IP Site Connect - two or more basic repeaters, linked together via the Internet or private IP backhaul. Good for situations like power plants, where you want to link two sites together but don't really care about seamless roaming.


Capacity Plus - up to four repeaters interfaced together, for a total of 8 talk paths.


Linked Capacity Plus - Capacity Plus plus IP Site Connect.


Connect Plus - a wide-area, seamless roaming solution. Similar to Passport, Smartzone, and wide area P25 systems. Requires a controller and has a continuous data channel (one slot).


The air interface is AMBE at a 4.8Kbps gross data rate per slot (2.45Kbps voice, 1.15Kbps FEC, 1.2Kbps low speed data). Channel bandwidth is 12.5KHz, but the system meets the 6.25Khz ultra-narrow guidelines by equivalence (12.5K, but 2 slots/2 simultaneous talk paths).


It's actually a very well thought out system.

 

[Ben E.]

As cheezy as I thought it was going to be, I've come to like Harris Momentum and Hytera's DMR stuff. I haven't touched any of the MotoTRBO stuff as we're not a Moto dealer, but I assume they are similar. The functionality versus price is amazing. We've installed a 6-repeater system, IP connected, for Rockwell Collins. The repeaters are located all over the country, connected via IP so the people here in Iowa can talk on the radio to the people down in Texas and California, for example.

 

[tvsjr]

As cheezy as I thought it was going to be, I've come to like Harris Momentum and Hytera's DMR stuff. I haven't touched any of the MotoTRBO stuff as we're not a Moto dealer, but I assume they are similar. The functionality versus price is amazing. We've installed a 6-repeater system, IP connected, for Rockwell Collins. The repeaters are located all over the country, connected via IP so the people here in Iowa can talk on the radio to the people down in Texas and California, for example.

The big thing the Moto gear has going for it is Connect Plus - it's not part of the DMR standard. Seamless roaming is nice, as long as you have the money for the infrastructure ($30K for the controller being the biggest piece).

 

[foxtrot5]

I don't know the ins-and-outs of everything about my radio system but from a performance standpoint I get the best RX from my personal HT1250, best TX from my personal HT1000 and by far the worst on the department XPR6350s. This applies to both on and off repeater. Half the time I'm the only one that can reach IC on our fireground (off repeater) and that's because I'm working off my HT1000.

 

[Skip Goulet]

Correct. Motorola has done their best to keep a clear delineation between P25 for public safety and TRBO for business. Be careful about used radios on trunking systems... many have illegitimate serial numbers, and this can lead to some issues if your system administrator tracks such things. They should also be fully aligned, as many have been poorly hacked.



How so? The TRBO radios are actually pretty well built. The newer series (7550s, etc.) actually run the same processor and mostly the same RF as the APX series.


TRBO uses the AMBE codec, which is a substantial improvement over IMBE. P25 Phase 2 uses the same codec and the audio sounds comparable. Also, the newer radios (APX, 7550, etc.) have better noise cancellation which makes the overall audio sound better.


Mototrbo is just another digital mode. It's available in a few flavors:


Standalone - just a basic repeater, except you have two talk paths (2-slot TDMA)


IP Site Connect - two or more basic repeaters, linked together via the Internet or private IP backhaul. Good for situations like power plants, where you want to link two sites together but don't really care about seamless roaming.


Capacity Plus - up to four repeaters interfaced together, for a total of 8 talk paths.


Linked Capacity Plus - Capacity Plus plus IP Site Connect.


Connect Plus - a wide-area, seamless roaming solution. Similar to Passport, Smartzone, and wide area P25 systems. Requires a controller and has a continuous data channel (one slot).


The air interface is AMBE at a 4.8Kbps gross data rate per slot (2.45Kbps voice, 1.15Kbps FEC, 1.2Kbps low speed data). Channel bandwidth is 12.5KHz, but the system meets the 6.25Khz ultra-narrow guidelines by equivalence (12.5K, but 2 slots/2 simultaneous talk paths).


It's actually a very well thought out system.

I'm afraid that if the technology keeps on expanding in these directions, something's gotta give somewhere. Odessa uses a Motorola APCO )P25 system, and currently has the ambulance-to-hospital channel on EMS encrypted, claiming HIPPA issues. But HIPPA wouldn't apply unless they use the patient's name. If they just say, "We're in route with a 25-year-old male....", then HIPPA doesn't apply, and it's running the news media crazy! I vote that we scrap alll the fancy stuff and just go back to C.B.! :yes:

 

[tvsjr]

HIPPA

<bitch>


HIPAA. The fscking acronym is HIPAA, not HIPPA. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.


</bitch>


I *really* get pissy when administrators use it as a justification for things like encryption - and even THEY can't get the acronym right.


That is all. :bonk:

 

[chief1562]

I'm afraid that if the technology keeps on expanding in these directions, something's gotta give somewhere. Odessa uses a Motorola APCO )P25 system, and currently has the ambulance-to-hospital channel on EMS encrypted, claiming HIPPA issues. But HIPPA wouldn't apply unless they use the patient's name. If they just say, "We're in route with a 25-year-old male....", then HIPPA doesn't apply, and it's running the news media crazy! I vote that we scrap alll the fancy stuff and just go back to C.B.! :yes:

Roger ,10-4, over and out


Oh by the way need to take a 10-400 with a little 10-200 on the side excuse me now

 

[Skip Goulet]

<bitch>
HIPAA. The fscking acronym is HIPAA, not HIPPA. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.


</bitch>


I *really* get pissy when administrators use it as a justification for things like encryption - and even THEY can't get the acronym right.


That is all. :bonk:

Sorry for the mistake, I've never seen the acronym in print! Either way, they use it as one big excuse to screw with the media.


As I said, Odessa has the ambulance-to-hospital channel encrypted, but Midland doesn't! They make the same point that I made earlier, if they don't use the patient's name, then HIPAA, just doesn't apply!


Something else that's interesting. A few years ago when the City of Abilene went to a new digital trunking system, the police chief had the whole damned system for police traffic encrypted. The only thing you can hear in Abilene is Fire/EMS. The police chief's reason for encrypting the whole system was, "It ain't nobody's damned business what we do."


Back in the late 50s and early 60s,Odessa was the same way. Anyone wanting to listen to the Odessa police had to have permission in writing from the chief: that included the media. This only applied to mobile applications. But Odessa got to be really paranoid about it. If they saw an antenna on a vehicle other than the AM car radio antenna, they got pulled over and put through the 3rd degree: and this was when C.B. first got to be popular. One guy who was a HAM operator got arrested for having a licensed HAM radio in his car because it could tune down to the old lowband channels on receive. The cops actually destroyed the radio and damaged the guy's car. He sued and filed a complaint with the FCC and he won. But that didn't stop Odessa! In 1964 a young guy that we knew when I worked for a funeral home-based ambulance, had a "police receiver" in his cars and chased ambulances! Ooooh! For us that was o.k., because we knew the kid and would grab him if we needed extra hands at a bad wreck. But onenight the cops decided to set the kid up and put out a false call about a "car wreck" with injuries, just to lure the kid out. To make it look good, we were dispatched since we were on call. The kid was arrested, his car impounded, the radio destroyed, and the list goes on. Turns out, though, that his dad was an attorney. He had a "field day" with the city. He sued for false arrest, and filed a complaint with the FCC because OPD had transmitted a "false and deceptive signal" on their radio system, and that violated FCC R&Rs. Cost the city over $10,000 in fines and the kid's dad won the suit, and got the city ordinance tossed out. Of course, everyone and their grandma has a scanner nowadays!

 

[tvsjr]

Sorry for the mistake, I've never seen the acronym in print! Either way, they use it as one big excuse to screw with the media.
As I said, Odessa has the ambulance-to-hospital channel encrypted, but Midland doesn't! They make the same point that I made earlier, if they don't use the patient's name, then HIPAA, just doesn't apply!

Exactly. HIPAA gets you if you can tie patient information to a specific person. Transmit a name, SSN, DL, or other identifier ALONG WITH condition/medical information and it can get sticky. But both must be present.

Something else that's interesting. A few years ago when the City of Abilene went to a new digital trunking system, the police chief had the whole damned system for police traffic encrypted. The only thing you can hear in Abilene is Fire/EMS. The police chief's reason for encrypting the whole system was, "It ain't nobody's damned business what we do."

Actually, no. The Abilene system uses ProVoice digital voice for the PD talkgroups, but it's not encrypted. With a properly-configured radio, or with some open source tools, you can listen in.

 

[Skip Goulet]

Exactly. HIPAA gets you if you can tie patient information to a specific person. Transmit a name, SSN, DL, or other identifier ALONG WITH condition/medical information and it can get sticky. But both must be present.


Actually, no. The Abilene system uses ProVoice digital voice for the PD talkgroups, but it's not encrypted. With a properly-configured radio, or with some open source tools, you can listen in.

I've heard of ProVoice, but didn't know what it did (or didn't do). I had gotten the information about the Abilene system from a friend who's a now retired vollie fireman in Taylor County. I may be in Abilene in a week or two to meet a friend from Gorman who has got to there for a dr's visit.


I like what you said about infomation used. Even before HIPAA and all of this encryption stuff, I dont think I've ever heard a pt's name used over the air. I have heard them say "This is for Dr.....", etc., and I've sat on the radio a number of times in the ER at Medical Center in Odessa during my paramedic training.

 

[Ben E.]

ProVoice is Harris' (They were M/A-Com at the time) implementation of digital voice. It's exclusive to their products. It's based on the same IMBE vocoder that P25 uses, but is not the same. It's still widely used, but probably on it's way out when EDACS is gone.

 

[Skip Goulet]

ProVoice is Harris' (They were M/A-Com at the time) implementation of digital voice. It's exclusive to their products. It's based on the same IMBE vocoder that P25 uses, but is not the same. It's still widely used, but probably on it's way out when EDACS is gone.

Odessa uses a Motorola digital trunking system, but Midland is on EDACS. That's the sorriest excuse for a communciations system I've ever seen. I have a good digital trunking scanner and have no problem hearing Odessa traffic, but in Midland, I can be in one part of town and hear just fine, but turn a corner and for a few blocks not hear them well at all. I've heard cops say that if they go inside a building somewhere in Midland, sometimes they can talk and sometimes they can't. I, for one, won't cry if EDACS is gone, unless it's replaced with something that would be harder to put into a scanner.

 

[Ben E.]

I might be biased since I work for one of the biggest Harris dealers in the world, but EDACS is solid and used all over the world. We have a privately owned EDACS network of nearly 140 towers that is leased by some of the biggest public safety agencies in the Iowa/Illinois/Nebraska/Minnesota area. Our farthest-most northeast user can drive all the way from Wisconsin, across all of Iowa and into Nebraska and have 100% mobile coverage all the way, and still talk to any of their units anywhere on the network. You'll find magazine articles about our partnership with public safety, and how much those agencies have liked their EDACS systems.


The EDACS standard has nothing to do with how well your scanner receives a signal. Low power PA's, shoddy antenna work, bad feedlines, minimal transmitter sites due to budget reasons on the city's part is more likely where you'll find the problem. 800mhz is 800mhz. How far it penetrates a heavy urban area or inside buildings isn't a function of the trunking standard, or really even the voice mode. If you hooked up a couple P25 channels at their current EDACS sites, and changed nothing else about the tower site, your P25 signal would probably do the exact same thing.

 

[tvsjr]

The Midland system is simulcast. Scanners don't deal well with simulcast, whereas real radios work fine. A real EDACS radio performs well on the Midland system. In the case of Odessa, you're far enough away that you aren't hearing all of the sites at similar signal levels so you don't have this problem.

 

[Skip Goulet]

The Midland system is simulcast. Scanners don't deal well with simulcast, whereas real radios work fine. A real EDACS radio performs well on the Midland system. In the case of Odessa, you're far enough away that you aren't hearing all of the sites at similar signal levels so you don't have this problem.

I agree with you in principle, but I've heard too many MPD officers gripe about the system. Maybe it's the radios they're using and not the system, itself. I've heard them get into pursuits and have trouble talking back to dispatch simply when changing directions, etc.


A few years ago before Odessa went to their digital system I made a trip to San Angelo. My scanner then was an RS triple-trunker. On that radio with a roof-mount magnetic mobile antenna, I was able to hear the Odessa trunk all the way into the north side of San Angelo but lost the Midland trunk going into Garden City (about 30 mi. S.E. of Midland). My first digital radio was a Pro2096, which received quite well, but it "bit the dust" a few weeks ago when we had a slight power surge in my neighborhood. Replaced it with a Pro197, and while it's a good scanner,it doesn't receive nearly as well as the 2096 did. The 197 has a bit more fidelity but not the signal strength. And speaking of my 2096, it was less than 3 yrs old when it died, and neither Radio Shack's repair service or the manufacturer could replace the PC board. You'd think that they could keep parts a bit more than 3 yrs! (rant concluded).

 

[Ben E.]

The Midland system is simulcast.

That'll do it every time, when it comes to a scanner.