Luke AFB

[Phoenix805]

Originally Posted by caz345

I have been wanting to listen to Luke AFB, it looks like its in my scanner but have yet to pick up a single transmission from them. I have a GRE PSR-500 anybody have any ideas why its not working? Im in north phx so if somebody wants to meet up that would be great. Or I can email the file and if someone could edit it that would be awesome too.

Thanks

This is what I use and it works for me. I'm at 43 Ave & Northern and can hear Luke fine at home and around NW Phoenix and Glendale.

Type: MOT VHF/UHF
Control frequencies:
408.9625
409.3625
409.5625
410.1625
Fleet map: Type II

Trunking tables: (band plan not selected)
Lo Chan: 380
Hi Chan: 759
Offset: 380
Base frequency: 406.000
Step: 12.500

I have 35 talk groups entered, I think I got them from the RR database, but you can always use a wildcard to get hits then save the TG. So far I've had hits on about 20 of the TGs.

Hope this helps, good luck!

[Phoenix805]

Hmmm, I don't know how much power they use, according to RadioReference data it looks like it's low power and only supposed to reach about a 2 mile radius.

LAFB Site Details (Luke Air Force Base)

But I'm 13 miles away and can receive them fine on my stock rubber duckie antenna. (I have a PSR-500 also.)

[rpgaun]

I must be doing something wrong. I'm close, 111th & Olive and I don't hear a thing. Time to review my programing...LOL

[Phoenix805]

Originally Posted by rpgaun

I must be doing something wrong. I'm close, 111th & Olive and I don't hear a thing. Time to review my programing...LOL

At that distance you should be able to hear them without a radio!

[Phoenix805]

I don't remember what I had wrong, but I tried in the past and could never receive them. I just assumed they used low power and I was too far away. Someone on another thread posted what I wrote above and I reprogrammed it and it's been working ever since. I assumed I'd have to drive close to the base to hear anything and was surprised when I found I could hear them at home.

[caz345]

Originally Posted by Phoenix805

This is what I use and it works for me. I'm at 43 Ave & Northern and can hear Luke fine at home and around NW Phoenix and Glendale.

Type: MOT VHF/UHF
Control frequencies:
408.9625
409.3625
409.5625
410.1625
Fleet map: Type II

Trunking tables: (band plan not selected)
Lo Chan: 380
Hi Chan: 759
Offset: 380
Base frequency: 406.000
Step: 12.500

I have 35 talk groups entered, I think I got them from the RR database, but you can always use a wildcard to get hits then save the TG. So far I've had hits on about 20 of the TGs.

Hope this helps, good luck!

Under Trunking Tables I have an option for custom, default and splinter from the RR directory it was set to custom is that right? also do you have a delay selected? mine is set at 2000

Thanks

[Phoenix805]

Originally Posted by caz345

Under Trunking Tables I have an option for custom, default and splinter from the RR directory it was set to custom is that right? also do you have a delay selected? mine is set at 2000

Thanks

Yep, That's what I have, Custom and 2000 delay. I also have Multi-site mode: off and the Delay box checked.

I'll be honest with you, I'm no expert, I don't know what half that stuff means. I just know it works for me.

A few other thoughts - if you still can't get them maybe you are too far away or possibly need a better antenna. If you're in the house, maybe going outside will make a difference. There are 'dead zones' around for what ever reason. Sometimes just walking to the end of the block can make all the difference. Another thing - how long have you listened? For example if you're listening to Fire dispatch you probably hear a call once a minute or so. With Luke you might go 15-20 minutes with no activity. Do you have the right talk groups programmed in? I think I saw some outdated Luke info still in the RR database. Without listing them all, the correct ones range from about 35216 to 43326.

If you have everything set the same and still can't get them, I don't know what else to add.

[caz345]

is the 35216 to 43326 the frequency? in the RR database Base control is 400.xxx something and all the squadrons seem like they are in the 200.xxx -3xx.xxx something range.
I wish I could compare notes with you, If you get some free time sometime and want to chill hit me up, im totally new to all this. I also interested in getting into some Amateur Radio on a small scale and dont even know where to start, lol.

[Phoenix805]

This is the page you should be using:

Luke Air Force Base Trunking System, Glendale, Arizona - Scanner Frequencies

I think the other list with the squadrons in the 200.xxx - 300.xxx range is outdated, although I think those are aircraft frequencies. They might use them in the air, but I have heard the other trunked squadron talk groups being use, so I'm just not sure.

The Talk Group numbers are listed in the first column under DEC (for decimal number).
Talk groups are similar to channels. In older systems you were assigned a channel, or a specific frequency. For instance if you were a CBer, maybe you used channel 10 with a frequency of 27.xxx MHz. The newer 'trunked' systems use a whole bunch of different frequencies. Each time you transmit you'll probably be on a different frequency. So they changed the terminology. Now instead of using a channel you use a talk group.

When I was working we put our radios on C-7. In the old system/old days you could say we were on channel C-7 and it would operate on one frequency. Now C-7 is used for the Talk Group assigned a number 2363 also known as 'Traffic 1'. Everyone with a radio set to C-7 can talk to/hear everyone else. But every time you transmit the radio is on a different frequency. I know, it can be confusing, and it's actually more complicated than my short description.

How are you programming your radio? Manually, using the radio buttons? Software, like WIN 500? Or downloading the RadioReference data files?

Maybe next week we can get together for a bit and discuss things.

edit/add: the 35216 to 43326 are the Talk Group numbers, not frequencies.

[clover509]

With regards to the 200-300 MHz freqs listed for individual squadrons, those are the "squadron interflight" freqs, often used for aircraft to aircraft comms on the ground or in flight. Because I live somewhat close to the Bagdad and Gladden MOAs, the only time I've heard any activity on those UHF-AM freqs have been those training flights into and out of the MOA as they coordinate with each other. Once inside the MOA, they typcially use a single freq for airspace coordination and then a VHF interflight freq for tactics.

This may seem really obvious to some, but I hope that helps clarify.

[AirScan1]

I had them on my gre 310 but their transmissions are scramabled nothing but noise.

[Phoenix805]

That makes sense. Thanks for the reply.

[rpgaun]

Originally Posted by Phoenix805

This is what I use and it works for me. I'm at 43 Ave & Northern and can hear Luke fine at home and around NW Phoenix and Glendale.

Type: MOT VHF/UHF
Control frequencies:
408.9625
409.3625
409.5625
410.1625
Fleet map: Type II

Trunking tables: (band plan not selected)
Lo Chan: 380
Hi Chan: 759
Offset: 380
Base frequency: 406.000
Step: 12.500

I have 35 talk groups entered, I think I got them from the RR database, but you can always use a wildcard to get hits then save the TG. So far I've had hits on about 20 of the TGs.

Hope this helps, good luck!

OK, so I'm using FreeScan to program my BC996XT.

On the Trunk System Setup I have

MotType II / P25
Enable Analog AGC
Enable Digital AGC

On the Site Setup I have

I have Mot UHF Band
Low Freq 380.00000
Upper Freq 759.0000
Step 12.5
Offset 380
I don't see a place to enter the "Base Frequency"
I have all four of the control frequencies entered.

The radio seems to be capturing the control frequencies as I am seeing the siginal meter reacting when it the radio is scanning the System.

So the question is...... What am I missing????????

[Phoenix805]

And the answer is... I don't know!

All kidding aside, I wish I had better answers for you. It looks like you have what you need. Unfortunately I really don't know much about the scanner (I have the GRE PRS-500) and don't know much about the software (I use WIN-500).

I'm not sure what the base frequency refers to, but I doubt it's important (famous last words). It's probably something that GRE uses and Bearcat doesn't.

Maybe I'm just lucky for some reason, seems like I can get Luke with no problem, and several other people seem to be using the same settings and can't get anything. I've gotten the most hits on their security talkgroup (127), 4 of their squadron TGs have 100 to 125 hits, fueling has 100 hits, and 8 TGs have none to 4-5 hits. Strange......

Can I assume you read some of my other thoughts, like Luke using low power and you might not be close enough? Or have you listened long enough? I often don't hear anything for 15-20 minutes, especially in the evenings.

Hopefully someone with more insight than me will offer some better answers.

[rpgaun]

Thanks for the thoughts! I do not have the TGs loaded that you do. I only have the Fire TGs so I maybe missing them when they are on the air. I'll add the others to see if I do in fact have the setup right and go from there. Thanks Again!!

[caz345]

Originally Posted by Phoenix805

This is the page you should be using:

Luke Air Force Base Trunking System, Glendale, Arizona - Scanner Frequencies

I think the other list with the squadrons in the 200.xxx - 300.xxx range is outdated, although I think those are aircraft frequencies. They might use them in the air, but I have heard the other trunked squadron talk groups being use, so I'm just not sure.

The Talk Group numbers are listed in the first column under DEC (for decimal number).
Talk groups are similar to channels. In older systems you were assigned a channel, or a specific frequency. For instance if you were a CBer, maybe you used channel 10 with a frequency of 27.xxx MHz. The newer 'trunked' systems use a whole bunch of different frequencies. Each time you transmit you'll probably be on a different frequency. So they changed the terminology. Now instead of using a channel you use a talk group.

When I was working we put our radios on C-7. In the old system/old days you could say we were on channel C-7 and it would operate on one frequency. Now C-7 is used for the Talk Group assigned a number 2363 also known as 'Traffic 1'. Everyone with a radio set to C-7 can talk to/hear everyone else. But every time you transmit the radio is on a different frequency. I know, it can be confusing, and it's actually more complicated than my short description.

How are you programming your radio? Manually, using the radio buttons? Software, like WIN 500? Or downloading the RadioReference data files?

Maybe next week we can get together for a bit and discuss things.

edit/add: the 35216 to 43326 are the Talk Group numbers, not frequencies.

Thanks, Ill double check my settings again. Im using WIN500 / GRE PSR-500 . let me know if you get some time freed up next week.

[Phoenix805]

Originally Posted by rpgaun

Thanks for the thoughts! I do not have the TGs loaded that you do. I only have the Fire TGs so I maybe missing them when they are on the air. I'll add the others to see if I do in fact have the setup right and go from there. Thanks Again!!

I have 4 Luke fire TGs - Fire, Crash, EMS, Response and between the 4 of them I only had about 20 hits in the last couple of months. I can only assume they don't have a lot of fire/emergency calls on the base.

My suggestion is to add all the TGs with a name so you know what the group is. You can enter a wildcard and get all the radio traffic, but you have to hit Store to keep it, and you have to go back and look up the TG number to find out what group is using it.

[Phoenix805]

Originally Posted by caz345

Thanks, Ill double check my settings again. Im using WIN500 / GRE PSR-500 . let me know if you get some time freed up next week.

I could probably send you a copy of my WIN-500 file, but I probably have stuff you don't want, and might not have stuff you do want, so I don't know how that would work out. I suppose you could save your file, then upload mine and see if it works, and you can always re-enter yours if you want to.

I'll contact you on Monday and see if we can get together for a bit, maybe at a McDonalds or Dennys or something. I'm at 43 Ave & Northern, where are you? Maybe we can find something about half way between us.

[AirScan1]

but those frequencies list are scambaled?

[FLANO]

I don't own the radio in question, but I looked on the Uniden site, since this sounded like you didn't have the Trunk System type setup correct. I've had a similar problem on a GRE radio in the past.

The is a Motorola Type II Smartnet. It is not a P25 Trunk System, even though you will hear Digital only on this system.

Even though all of the System Voice channels are APCO 25, this system, and others like it, is correctly programmed as a Motorola Type II Smartnet system.

I am attaching a screen capture of what Uniden says a Motorola UHF System should like like for you when done correctly. This example is an Analog example, but should look very similar to what yours looks like for Luke.

Give that a try and see if it helps.

Originally Posted by rpgaun

OK, so I'm using FreeScan to program my BC996XT.

On the Trunk System Setup I have

MotType II / P25
Enable Analog AGC
Enable Digital AGC

On the Site Setup I have

I have Mot UHF Band
Low Freq 380.00000
Upper Freq 759.0000
Step 12.5
Offset 380
I don't see a place to enter the "Base Frequency"
I have all four of the control frequencies entered.

The radio seems to be capturing the control frequencies as I am seeing the siginal meter reacting when it the radio is scanning the System.

So the question is...... What am I missing????????