Conventional P25 Monitoring on XTS

[honestspider]

Hello; I am new to the forum and new to this question so please beat with me. My question is regarding monitoring of a P25 system on VHF using my XTS3000 and Midland P25 portables. I'm trying to confirm that what I want to monitor is in fact NOT a trunked system. I have read many of the forums and understand that its a bad idea to program these radios on any trunked system. What throws me off is that the system is listed as trunked on radio reference, but it does not have sites? From what I can tell, the system is just digital VHF with P25.

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?ctid=1323

I should be able to monitor these with RX only without any issues; am I correct in my statement?

[wa6ylb]

Hello; I am new to the forum and new to this question so please beat with me. My question is regarding monitoring of a P25 system on VHF using my XTS3000 and Midland P25 portables. I'm trying to confirm that what I want to monitor is in fact NOT a trunked system. I have read many of the forums and understand that its a bad idea to program these radios on any trunked system. What throws me off is that the system is listed as trunked on radio reference, but it does not have sites? From what I can tell, the system is just digital VHF with P25.

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?ctid=1323

I should be able to monitor these with RX only without any issues; am I correct in my statement?

First off, welcome to the Forum. I clicked on the link and see the P25 systems you are looking to receive. I can only
assume your radios are already P25 enabled. If this is the case, your radios should hear them. The only thing that could prevent you from hearing them, is, if these systems are encrypted. If this is the case, your not going to hear much.
The listings don't appear to be for a trunked system. The real tip off is the VHF channels. While most trunking is in the
800 Mhz band (700 too I suppose), with UHF trunking possible too, VHF trunking is ultra rare... I suppose there could be one here or there, with special permission from the FCC, I personally have never heard of one. At this point, it should be a simple conventional system, voted , non voted , or perhaps simulcast.
I saw the Fargo-Moorhead Public Service Motorola Type IIi Hybrid header, but when I looked at the licenses under it, I don't see enough channels for trunking. It does look odd to see this, especially when you look at the license. I see that they have added narrow band analog and narrow band P25 to their channels. I'd just program them in and see what you hear.
In case the receive NAC isn't correct, try F7E as the value - its a wild card value that will let you hear any P25 on the channel, reguardless of what value they are transmitting.

[tvsjr]

VHF trunking is ultra-rare? Just in P25 systems alone, there are 5 systems in Texas alone (off the top of my head) that are either all-VHF or partially VHF.

Fargo-Moorhead operates an 800MHz Type IIi trunking system, which is all analog. That system appears to be all public services. The public safety channels (155.085, etc.) are all P25 conventional - not trunked. The "header" links the the services trunk, separate from the VHF TGs.

You should be able to monitor these. Take care to ensure you are configured for receive-only, unless you are an authorized system user. The NACs required are listed on the RR page.

[mike m]

F7E, NAC Monitor, doesn't work on the XTS3000 so he'll need to set his radios for DSQ or the correct NAC.

[Tom in D.C.]

FWIW, and just to keep the record straight, the entire Commonwealth of Virginia is covered by a P25, trunked, VHF,
multi-agency communications system. The switching setup is mind boggling but the system works, I am told.

[honestspider]

Awesome; thanks for the replies and welcome to the forum. I was able to get the XTS programmed successfully in RX only and it works great. The audio is much better than my BCD996XT. I like the XTS3000 so much, im already looking for a 2500, little smaller version of radio.

[radioeng462]

You will like an XTS2500. I was in the same boat, started out with a 3000 and bought a 2500. Smaller and lighter, it's a great radio!