996 and P25 audio.

[Mike Alpha]

I'm finding the 996 (and I have 3 of them) tends to have trouble decoding P25 digital audio. The audio has a fluctuating digital warble and breaks up a lot. Signal strength is 100%. A DTS96 side by side has no dramas at all with the digital audio.

Has anyone found a perfect setting for the 996's P25 Audio level?

Mike

[soupbones]

This has always been the case if you ask me. the decoding in the Pro96 has always been better.

[Bigfella237]

Yeah, it doesn't help that Uniden Australia have left us high'n dry without firmware and DSP updates!

The 996XT's I've purchased ex-US have much better DSP and they are still releasing firmware updates for them.

I also have a PSR-600 running off the same antenna/multicoupler and I have to say that the 996XT leaves it in the dust when it comes to picking up distant signals too...

Andrew

[matthewn1983]

Can you just update the 996 (.au version) with the .us firmware? anyone tried that? i did this with a DSL modem, came with AU firmware, i put some EU firmware on it and it ran like a dream.

[Bigfella237]

Can you just update the 996 (.au version) with the .us firmware? anyone tried that? i did this with a DSL modem, came with AU firmware, i put some EU firmware on it and it ran like a dream.

Nope... Been there, tried that! It tells you that it's the incorrect model.

[soupbones]

I didn't think this was possible for that reason, most firmware updaters put out by radio makers always check for the model number. This is to stop US radio's in which monitoring the 800Mhz mobile phone band is illegal. So doing this isn't allowed in the US and Uniden have to make sure their products can't be modified. This is part of the law as well.
Though I never thought about EU firmware. This may actually work. Do they have DSP upgrades for the EU models? Can anyone confirm this works with EU firmware and AU models?

[soupbones]

Mike.
I remember I had somewhere a trick for tweaking the 996 digital audio that was never listed in the manual anywhere. I remembered I stuck it in the Yahoo 996 group.
Give this a shot, see how it goes-


Here is the procedure for tweaking AGC for P25 Reference Gain and P25 Res Time for the BCD996T.

1. Power on the 996T while pressing the HOLD/RESUME button. The display will rapidly flash between red and green. The display will then appear as normal.
2. Press in the function knob. WHILE THE F IS FLASHING IN THE UPPER LEFT OF THE DISPLAY, press the volume knob ONCE.
3. The text "P25 RES TIME" appears in the bottom line of the display, with +0 next to it.
4. Rotate the scroll knob to adjust the setting. -7 was the recommended setting for the 396T.
5. Once set to the desired level, press the scroll knob.
6. Press the scroll knob again, and while the F is flashing, rotate the knob. P25 REF GAIN now appears, also with a +0 to the right of it.
7. Rotate the scroll knob to adjust the setting. +3 was the recommended setting for the 396T.
8. Once set to the desired level, press the scroll knob.

I can already tell you I like the sound better after doing this. If it matters, all of the P25 I listen to is conventional, not trunked.

P25 RES TIME and P25 REF GAIN appeared to be the only two accessible settings using this hidden feature. It appeared that these settings would remain on the display until the scanner was restarted, so I did so and went back in again to ensure that the settings held, which they did.



So I just adjusted these settings, but the local GRN digital site is very quiet today.

[Mike Alpha]

Mike.
I remember I had somewhere a trick for tweaking the 996 digital audio that was never listed in the manual anywhere. I remembered I stuck it in the Yahoo 996 group.
Give this a shot, see how it goes-.......

Good work soup. I'll start teaking this week when the sites get busy again.

Mike

[vk2fear]

i have done mine a few weeks ago and its a lot better

nath

Mike.
I remember I had somewhere a trick for tweaking the 996 digital audio that was never listed in the manual anywhere. I remembered I stuck it in the Yahoo 996 group.
Give this a shot, see how it goes-


Here is the procedure for tweaking AGC for P25 Reference Gain and P25 Res Time for the BCD996T.

1. Power on the 996T while pressing the HOLD/RESUME button. The display will rapidly flash between red and green. The display will then appear as normal.
2. Press in the function knob. WHILE THE F IS FLASHING IN THE UPPER LEFT OF THE DISPLAY, press the volume knob ONCE.
3. The text "P25 RES TIME" appears in the bottom line of the display, with +0 next to it.
4. Rotate the scroll knob to adjust the setting. -7 was the recommended setting for the 396T.
5. Once set to the desired level, press the scroll knob.
6. Press the scroll knob again, and while the F is flashing, rotate the knob. P25 REF GAIN now appears, also with a +0 to the right of it.
7. Rotate the scroll knob to adjust the setting. +3 was the recommended setting for the 396T.
8. Once set to the desired level, press the scroll knob.

I can already tell you I like the sound better after doing this. If it matters, all of the P25 I listen to is conventional, not trunked.

P25 RES TIME and P25 REF GAIN appeared to be the only two accessible settings using this hidden feature. It appeared that these settings would remain on the display until the scanner was restarted, so I did so and went back in again to ensure that the settings held, which they did.



So I just adjusted these settings, but the local GRN digital site is very quiet today.

[soupbones]

Yes I did mine after posting this. Certainly does help clean up the P25 signal coming over the new GRN. The SES became even more annoying on Sunday!