Cant get Hamilton in Cayuga?

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Inssomniak

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is it possible to get Hamilton Public Safety police/fire in Cayuga? ive tried everything.

I have an external roof mounted antenna, that has NO problems receiving as far away as guelph/niagara falls fleetnet towers.

Anyone else out this way that can?
 

exkalibur

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From what I recall, the Hamilton PS system is on the same building as the Hamilton Fleetnet tower (although this could be wrong). That building barely gets it's antennas over the escarpment so that would certainly explain why you are having a hard time from Cayuga.

Last time I was in Caledonia, I had a hell of a time trying to get the Hamilton PS system on a Motorola Spectra with proper antennas...I imagine a scanner would have a much harder time.

The Niagara Falls fleetnet tower is above the escarpment (it's on the Skylon Tower), so it's more or less line of sight (at least, as in, there are no obstructions). No idea about the Guelph tower, but I would imagine that it's more or less direct with nothing in the way.

Try and see how the Hamilton fleetnet tower fairs for you...if it comes in equally as crappy as the Hamilton PS tower, that's why.
 

jellotor

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Well there isn't really a whole ton of topography in between the brow of the mountain and Cayuga...so I'll ask the obvious question: are you using a good 800 MHz antenna?

All things being equal, however, you still are a fair distance away from even the outlying areas of Hamilton...perhaps an 800 MHz yagi would help...?
 

mrweather

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Yeah, I'd suggest a yagi mounted up high and the lowest-loss coax you can get (LMR-400 or better).
 

homerjay

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Ok all this said, how come out here on the Niagara/Hamiton/Haldimand (Caistorville) border I can receive the Hamilton PS no problem with no errors nothing. I have a maksift antenna too using RG6 cable. However I've never been able to receive the Fleetnet tower? I herd rumor that the Fire Dept dispatch is in St. 4 on Upper Sherman, is this true?
 

mikewazowski

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I used to get Hamilton in Brantford without many problems.

There are many tower sites that the system transmits on.

However, it is not a true simulcast system. City talkgroups are usually broadcast only on the sites within the city while the rural talkgroups are broadcast on the sites farther out.

I was able to listen to the Dundas and Stoney Creek police channels without any problems however Central police came in quite noisy. The first couple of police tac channels were also noisy however the last tac group was broadcast from the rural channels so it was loud and clear.

Same with the old City FS and the old Regional FS channels.

The Hamilton Fleetnet channel is located near the city core and is not meant to be heard very far outside Hamilton.
 

Inssomniak

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Maybe Im reading the database wrong, but I only see one tower for fleetnet, and one tower for Hamilton TRS (police/fire). And one tower for hamilton police services (the one that has everything encrypted).

What are these rural towers? Or is there just more than one tower that have the same frequenceis?

Im still kinda n00bish :)
 

mikewazowski

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Fleetnet has multiple towers but it's not a simulcast system. Each tower uses different frequencies.

Hamilton's system is a simulcast system so there's only one set of frequencies you need to enter to get every talkgroup.
 
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