Anyone around Easton/Mansfield, MA?

StoliRaz · #1 (**permalink**) 08-29-2009, 09:50 PM

I'll be moving there in a couple of months, and I've noticed something disturbing- that I can't pick up the Boston PD/FD from that far away, at least not on my handhelds (el-cheapo Uniden, and a GRE PSR-300 with a RS 800 antenna)...I have a RadioShack "sputnik" antenna that I plan on setting up in the eaves of the attic in the townhouse that I will reside in (can't have anything on the roof/chimney), and will hook up my Radioshack 433 base scanner to it. It seems to pick up WAY more than my handhelds do, anyways. Will this be enough to pull in Boston from there? What's your range with a handheld in that area? Anything good to listen to down there? Thanks

Rickey334 · #2 (**permalink**) 08-30-2009, 12:10 AM

I`m on the south side of Brockton and I get Boston PD very well on my 785D in my basement radio room. This is without an outside antenna too. Boston FD isn`t quite as good however, but with an external antenna you shouldn`t have any problems. Plenty of activity on the PD`s of Bristol, Norfolk, and Plymouth counties, and a fair amount on the FD side. You most likely be able to pick up some RI towns as well.

martin1945 · #3 (**permalink**) 09-05-2009, 09:45 PM

I'm able to pick up several of the Boston PD channels,
as well as BFD with my GRE500 + super amplifier.

The antenna itself is an old Antenna Specialist mobile
magnetic mount which sits on my inside window sill.

martin1945 · #4 (**permalink**) 09-05-2009, 09:48 PM

PS,

Mansfield PD uses full time encryption.

The RI digital system is difficult to pick up around here.

jcop225 · #5 (**permalink**) 09-07-2009, 10:04 AM

From my location in Mansfield I monitor mostly fire, state agencies and some news media. With the stock duckie my range was local and the furthest signals were from the big VHF transmitters like Providence, Brockton and AMR. When I upgraded to an RS telescoping antenna I started to receive Boston fire dispatch and the police area wide channels. Also with that antenna I could receive Coventry, RI and Upton, MA on their VHF frequencies. In Southeast Mass where most public saftey is on UHF, I can receive as far south as Freetown and Lakeville and as far east as Kingston. I now use a mobile antenna inside on a groundplane, I can now receive many more Boston police frequencies and District 13's "Metrofire". Depending on your geographical location, your surroundings and your antenna your scanning situation may be very different, but that is an overview from our neck of the woods soon to become yours.

StoliRaz · #6 (**permalink**) 09-09-2009, 12:03 PM

Well, I just got back from down there. I happened to have my PSR-300 w/ RS800 antenna while there. Easton PD comes in clear within reason, but for some reason Brockton PD/FD comes in somewhat broken up. I did signal sweep for a little while as well, did not pick up a single transmission. Somewhat depressing knowing that I'm not going to be able to pick up Boston PD/FD and virtually everything else from within the Boston city limits that I have been tuning into for the past 11 years without having a base antenna attached to my scanner. I'm not really interested in Providence, and I know Mansfield PD isn't an option to listen to since they're digital encrypted. It would be nice to be able to hear Mansfield, my in-laws live there so I'm familiar with the town, but I plan on mainly listening to Easton PD/FD locally since that's where I'll be living.

I think I'll just have to experiment with some different setups and see what works once I move down there. Thanks for the replies to everyone. Despite having "scanner issues", I look foward to living in Easton. It's a beautiful town.

PS- Hey Martin, what is a super amplifier? Maybe that could help me tune into my regular freqs if it isn't too expensive?

martin1945 · #7 (**permalink**) 09-11-2009, 09:02 PM

Jeremy,

You should be able to pick up Fall River fire on 453.375 pl 203.5
They have a strong signal around these parts.

kennyblues · #8 (**permalink**) 09-11-2009, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StoliRaz

I think I'll just have to experiment with some different setups and see what works once I move down there. Thanks for the replies to everyone. Despite having "scanner issues", I look foward to living in Easton. It's a beautiful town.

You might have to experiment a bit with the antenna, The Shack's 800Mhz antenna, while working very good on the 800Mhz band is less than perfect on other bands, with a different antenna you should have no problems with Brockton from Easton, with the proper antenna you should be able to get some of the Boston traffic as well. Check out Scannermaster or Monitoring Times/Grove enterprises for other antennas;
VHF/UHF Antennas
Antennas
Also check out ScanNewengland for radio info for Mass:
Scan New England

jcop225 · #9 (**permalink**) 09-11-2009, 10:56 PM

I beleive that I can receive Fall River fire, I had it programmed in my "ancient" (PRO-95) scanner, which cannot discriminate PLs, and there was a strong nonpublic saftey signal on the frequency almost constantly, so I abandoned attempting monitorint that freq.
For antennas you could expirement with fashoning your own simple antennas there are numerious guides on the web, that should out perform your 800 MHz duckie on VHF/UHF.

garys · #10 (**permalink**) 09-12-2009, 03:23 AM

Brockton PD has funny radio coverage. There are some areas in adjacent towns where they can't be received, but other areas where the signal is fine. I think their output might be on the low side since the share a frequency with (I think) Burlington, MA PD.

Easton PD has a short radius as well.

N1BHH · #11 (**permalink**) 09-12-2009, 08:50 PM

The other user on the frequency is Bedford, but Brockton doesn't have any real restrictions. As for reception, if you are trying to hear them with a ducky in the car, then you'll have a problem. I have never had any problems hearing them, even here in Weymouth behind the hill that attenuates from that direction.

cja1987 · #12 (**permalink**) 09-12-2009, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StoliRaz

Well, I just got back from down there. I happened to have my PSR-300 w/ RS800 antenna while there. Easton PD comes in clear within reason, but for some reason Brockton PD/FD comes in somewhat broken up. I did signal sweep for a little while as well, did not pick up a single transmission. Somewhat depressing knowing that I'm not going to be able to pick up Boston PD/FD and virtually everything else from within the Boston city limits that I have been tuning into for the past 11 years without having a base antenna attached to my scanner. I'm not really interested in Providence, and I know Mansfield PD isn't an option to listen to since they're digital encrypted. It would be nice to be able to hear Mansfield, my in-laws live there so I'm familiar with the town, but I plan on mainly listening to Easton PD/FD locally since that's where I'll be living.

I think I'll just have to experiment with some different setups and see what works once I move down there. Thanks for the replies to everyone. Despite having "scanner issues", I look foward to living in Easton. It's a beautiful town.

PS- Hey Martin, what is a super amplifier? Maybe that could help me tune into my regular freqs if it isn't too expensive?

Easton is a great town. I'm from Randolph, very familiar with the area.

I agree with what has been said, you should really be able to get Boston PD/FD without too much trouble from Easton. I used to work at the Comcast Center in Mansfield quite often and would take my scanner on occasion. I could pick up Boston PD with the rubber duck on the GRE PSR 500. It was a little broken at times of course. Switch to the truck with a mag mount mobile antenna and its loud and clear from almost the RI border.

First switch out the 800 duck for an all band/stock type duck. If that does not help head to Ham Radio Outlet in Salem, NH and grab a Larsen 150/450/800 or similar. I have one on a mag mount, mount and antenna cost me $80 total and it performs great. I can easily pick up New Hampshire State Police from my house in Randolph, MA (always troops A & B, sometimes even D in the Concord area!). Get a mag mount, find a good flat, magnetic ground plane and throw it on a window sill or something and you will easily get Boston, if not something is wrong.

You could always go with the hundreds of dollars solution and put a nice big antenna on top of your house but that may be overkill for what you want.

It does suck that Mansfield runs encryption, no reason for it whatsoever. I'm an acquaintance of the chief and he is under the impression that they are scannable with the right scanner and "after a few years, the encryption key gets out and people can listen". The dept has too much money to throw around from Great Woods/Comcast being in town and P25 enc is one of the unfortunate consequences as they dumped tons of money into it.

Good Luck!

Junior08 · #13 (**permalink**) 09-12-2009, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cja1987

It does suck that Mansfield runs encryption, no reason for it whatsoever. I'm an acquaintance of the chief and he is under the impression that they are scannable with the right scanner and "after a few years, the encryption key gets out and people can listen". The dept has too much money to throw around from Great Woods/Comcast being in town and P25 enc is one of the unfortunate consequences as they dumped tons of money into it.

Good Luck!

Now THAT'S funny!

StoliRaz · #14 (**permalink**) 11-13-2009, 11:24 PM

Well, I've been living down here for over a month now. My handhelds still don't really get me what I want, however I had the chance to test my PRO-433 base scanner and RS antenna (the little $20 "sputnik" one) quickly in my attic. With this setup I can kinda-sorta get Boston PD and a few other Boston freqs like Independent Cab Assn. They don't come in crystal clear or anything, but at least it's a start. I didn't think of it but I'm going to try hooking up my PSR-300 handheld to said antenna. I did this before and it worked fairly well. Obviously, I won't be going anywhere with it setup like that, just an experiment. I'm in the early stages of experimenting (between painting, still unpacking, and all the other BS it takes when you move) but will update again, if I get anywhere at all.

Love the area, it's nice and quiet down here at night time, and day time too for that matter.