NXDN scanning

[mm3oqr]

Is there a directory anywhere of non-encrypted NXDN users in the UK? I listen to the pubs and shops in Aberdeen, but if I took my radio elsewhere I wouldn't know what RAN setting to put in. If I select zero, will it just work? Or will I need to know the number?

Thanks,
Paul

[radiosification]

Not really, there isn't a directory. There are those scanning directories, but they aren't much good and don't tell you the RAN.
Probably best not to keep one or publicize it either because as soon as they find out, they'll switch to encrypted. The best way it to take a laptop and programming cable with you, or ask someone who lives in the area. I don't have experience with NXDN so cannot tell you if a RAN of 0 would accept all communications or not, however I would assume not.

[mm3oqr]

Good idea, thanks.

[Andy]

I don't know much, but I have an AOR ARD300 decoder which does NXDN. AFAIK, it just lets everything through and displays something called 'RN' which I think may mean 'radio number'. This number seems to go from 0 upwards. Is this just the allocated radio number with the system or does it have a wider significance? Either way, it works.
The manual for the ARD300 is not much use....

[jhampton2000]

>If I select zero, will it just work? Or will I need to know the number?
A NXDN radio set to *precisely* the right frequency, and the right modulation (narrow or very narrow) and with RAN set to 0 will receive ALL NXDN comms on that channel. You do NOT need to know the RAN (it's the equivalent of setting no CTCSS/DCS tone in analogue). This also assumes the channel you are monitoring is unencrypted and conventional (not trunked).

>called 'RN' which I think may mean 'radio number'. This number seems to go from 0 upwards
I assume this goes from 0 to 63 in which case it is RAN. The radio number or RID (Radio ID) on a nexedge system cannot be set to 0. I must say I would be surprised if I came across a competent radio supplier that set up a NXDN system with RAN set to 0.

[Andy]

Thanks for the info, jhampton. I'll monitor one of the NXDN channels today and see what the display says. So far it seems to change number as each operator speaks, so in a two-way conversation it would go (say) RN=0, RN=3, RN=0, RN=3 as each takes their turn. I haven't paid too much attention to it, so I'll leave it on today and see what's what.
The big problem is that the ARD300 gives little info - no mention of groups, trunking etc. It just decodes the voice and gives minimal details.

[moj]

Do me a favour andy , can you inbox me the frequency that your hearing the nxdn and I,ll check if its one of the ones I,m hearing that seems to be coming from around Merseyside etc

[jhampton2000]

OK, so the RAN is highly unlikely to flip about like that. Not sure if you're on an IDAS system? It might be possible to set a Radio ID to 0 on an IDAS radio...maybe someone else could advise - moj maybe?

[moj]

OK I,ll try to help andy , with kenwood systems ive found that the ran 0 allows all audio on the frequency to be heard but on idas systems its a complete different ball game , also on kenwood systems picked up on dsdplus it will say RAN and the number next to it so if you come unstuck you can program that and again you will hear what your trying to listen to also on the nexedge system you are listening there is a few users with different id,s that are constantly changing so I,m guessing that's whats happening and what the aor decoder is showing .

[jhampton2000]

Moj - a nexedge radio set to RAN 0 will also decode all conventional idas traffic as well. Also it is not essential to program each radio on a nxdn system with different IDs though many do have this in place. Again depends on who has programmed up the system.

[moj]

Hi Jhampton your right on some systems this is true but on others ive noticed I don't hear a thing and no audio comes through and that's after changing the ran to 0 or 1 and then you have the narrow and wide band which can stop the audio from being received .

Ive still not been able to listen to the idas system ive found and ive tried every method possible and have found it not as easy as I expected it to be

I now use a nexedge or an idas radio cause dsdplus just confuses the audio when theres so many users on there so I can only imagine how hard it is to listen with the aor decoder.

[Andy]

Thanks for your comments. The 3 NXDN freqs I've found so far have been very quiet today, and the RN number has never moved off 0.
I've never heard of IDAS, any info on it?
There's a 9 pin connector on the rear of the AOR decoder, but (in the usual AOR style) we are told nowt about it, except that it can be used for firmware updates. Now if it could be re-configured to send data to a PC it might be useful!

[jhampton2000]

IDAS is Icom's implementation of NXDN (Kenwood call there's Nexedge). It's very narrow (6.25khz) only afaik, whereas Nexedge can be that or narrow (12.5khz). Both variants can be conventional or trunked, and conventional nexedge very narrow/idas are largely inoperable.