PDW/Pager Decoding Tutorial

[rochedalescan]

Hi all,

With the help of Workerboy we have attempted to create a tutorial of how to use PDW and set it up correctly.
I am hoping with the steps outlined in this tutorial all should work well.

Thanks all
And a special thanks to Workerboy for taking the time to outline the steps and pictures.

Cheers Shane

[bodyguard]

Just a couple of things not right

Where it says recommends a 92xlt, should say most scanners are recommended but preferred with a discriminator tap.
UBC T8 I have no issues with PDW .
A cheap scanner is all that is needed
Also use either the mic in I know of about 50% of people both here & in NZ that use either input, all depending on the soundcard model etc etc
I personally use the mic input on the desktop and line in on the laptop as this is what gave me the best results
Is the cable stereo to stereo or mono to mono or stereo to mono ?

A discriminator output will run all over the earphone socket, so its a recommended mod to be made
I also uncheck the 2400baud in Pocsag as I have never came across a pager stream in the last 5years that I have been decoding that uses the 2400baud.

Otherwise as a simple instruction manual, well done

[Comint]

Don't confuse the Newbies - use the correct terminology.

I don't know of any scanner that has a Discriminator port.

Some scanners have a Data port, that serves the same purpose, but most scanners require modification to fit a Discriminator Tap.

--
Comint

[rochedalescan]

Thanks guys, have made the necessary adjustments.

[youngn]

haha im thinking the same thing... does it have to be mono or stereo??? Its carrying audio hey so mono should do shouldnt it?
BODYGUARD HELP!!!

Its probably easier to go buy one than try to make one, i have the bits and its not TOO hard, but its just a pain in the rear to go find them all in the drawer. Off to DSE or Jaycar I go...

Cheers

[Stretch]

Gotta be stereo.

I just got a cheapie cable from Tandy/DSE.

Easy!

[bodyguard]

if its coming from the earphone then it should be stereo

[workerboy]

if its coming from the earphone then it should be stereo

Gotta be stereo.

I agree with BG & Stretch my newer laptop required a stereo cable yet my old banger mono worked fine till it died.

[Stretch]

I'm using a UBC60XLT. I programmed the requency in that was on the tutorial but have had the squelch open now for about 5 mins and havent heard any tones or carriers. Also should the squelch be open or closed when hooked up to the computer?

Look at the needle in the top corner.

Is it moving???

[rochedalescan]

Hes saying that he cant hear it at all, what frequency did you try ? 148.6375 or 148.5625 ? When decoding leave the squelch open.

[bodyguard]

I'm using a UBC60XLT. I programmed the requency in that was on the tutorial but have had the squelch open now for about 5 mins and havent heard any tones or carriers. Also should the squelch be open or closed when hooked up to the computer?

check ya pm

[Stretch]

I'm using a UBC60XLT. I programmed the requency in that was on the tutorial but have had the squelch open now for about 5 mins and havent heard any tones or carriers. Also should the squelch be open or closed when hooked up to the computer?

Did you ever get this resolved?

[spectreman]

Hi all.
Just started using PDW, & it is great ! I have found that the model of receiver is pretty critical as to how well the program will decode the data. I am using the soundcard audio input option.
Tried it with a Uniden UBC340CRS scanner, & it decodes the 512 Pocsag ok, but will not decode any 1200 baud signals correctly at all. All garbled, no matter what settings I use.
Then tried the Icom IC-R10 scanner, & is much better for pager decoding. Almost every page at any rate is decoded correctly.
I have the mic input setting on the PC set to very low, just 1 notch up. Volume on the R-10 is set to just under half way.
I find that 148.6375 is the most active freq where I am, even during the night. Have also found out what appears to be the VIC statewide cap code for all CFA alerts. Very cool...
Cheers, Chris.

[Stretch]

Interesting I always thought Icoms werent that good and pager decoding.

[SteveO]

I had a go at this today. I bought myself a cheap old Pro 2039 off ebay to muck around with.

The program is very easy to use. I could decode the 512 & 1200 but a bit fiddly to get the setting right to decode the alpha. Was just using the earphone and the external speaker jack. The alpha decoding was a bit hit or miss. If the setting was to high it was garbled.

I will have to try the discriminator output mod and see if it decodes any better.

[SteveO]

Did the discriminator mod this afternoon. My sound card didn't like the mic input. It was coming through the computer speakers but the level meter in the corner of the program screen didn't show any activity.
Used the aux input and worked fine. Did have to spend a bit of time to get the input level correct.

[bodyguard]

hows it going now SteveO ?
have you a comm port on the computer ?
If so, you could always try a 2 level fsk decoder .... I believe scannersplitterguy can make them, they work great.

What Freq are you monitoring ?

[SteveO]

Hi Bodyguard, it's all working good now.

It wasn't the aux. in that I was using, it was the line in socket. My scanner that I set up for this doesn't have 12.5 khz steps so I am listening to 148.640Mhz.

To tell the truth I wouldn't have a clue if the computer has a comm. port I will have to have a look.

If I want to get a bit more adventurous I can make a FSK decoder but I will see how this goes.

Do you decode pagers? I have a question - if you change to a different freq. do you need to adjust the input levels?

One of the questions above was about using mono or stereo plug. I am using a mono setup. It seemed to work better when I moved the balance setting from the middle setting to the side that the audio was on.

[bodyguard]

Yeap usually when using different freqs, the volume has to adjusted 9/10 times.
Again yeah, use a mono plug (I use an adapter that goes from mono --> stereo) going into the soundcard.
You will get better results if you use a FSK decoder (that's what I have found anyway)

Yeah I do decode with PDW and have done for a number of years

[jaskel]

anyone running this on win 7?? the slicer driver wont work on mine..it just fails when it tries to install!