New Guy W/? Detroit

[GMAN12]

I have a pro-2096. I live about 3mi. south of Detroit border (Southwest Detroit) I have an 800 MHz ant. I have 23 channels for Det. set to Rx mode=MOT, no delay, no atten, I have read about simulcast and understand a little. Most of the time the channels are garrbled. I'm looking to see if there is anyway to improve this. I don't want to get into the time and expense of an outdoor ant. for 1 channel. I only want to pick up Southwest Detroit. Please keep it simple, I'm new at this. Thanks
Ps I also have the DSP 1.4 upgrade

[supernoma]

Detroit's towers have a very low range, they're set up to only really be able to be heard in Detroit.

You could try an 800MHz Yagi antenna pointed right towards one of the towers.

[Rexem]

Yeah, Im only 2mi north of detroit and sometimes my signal is horrible. Even if I'm sitting outside of the lyndon communications center it still drops out.

[rdale]

Originally Posted by GMAN12

I have a pro-2096. I live about 3mi. south of Detroit border (Southwest Detroit) I have an 800 MHz ant. I have 23 channels for Det. set to Rx mode=MOT, no delay, no atten, I have read about simulcast and understand a little. Most of the time the channels are garrbled. I'm looking to see if there is anyway to improve this.

Move the radio around, but that won't help. Your best bet is a directional antenna pointed at the closest tower.

[bigbluemsp]

Originally Posted by rdale

Move the radio around, but that won't help. Your best bet is a directional antenna pointed at the closest tower.

State the obvious that was already stated why don't you.

Originally Posted by supernoma

Detroit's towers have a very low range, they're set up to only really be able to be heard in Detroit.

You could try an 800MHz Yagi antenna pointed right towards one of the towers.

[rdale]

Originally Posted by bigbluemsp

State the obvious that was already stated why don't you.

He didn't state moving the radio around to different parts of the house. Speaking from experience - I can tell you that will help. I'm just 2 miles from the Dimondale tower, but there's a good chunk of my house where the reception is horrible. Moving the radio around to a different part of a house might help, but the best bet is a directional antenna.

[SEMTTP]

Originally Posted by GMAN12

I have a pro-2096. I live about 3mi. south of Detroit border (Southwest Detroit) I have an 800 MHz ant. I have 23 channels for Det. set to Rx mode=MOT, no delay, no atten, I have read about simulcast and understand a little. Most of the time the channels are garrbled. I'm looking to see if there is anyway to improve this. I don't want to get into the time and expense of an outdoor ant. for 1 channel. I only want to pick up Southwest Detroit. Please keep it simple, I'm new at this. Thanks
Ps I also have the DSP 1.4 upgrade

GMAN,

You did not state if you have an outdoor antenna or if you are using the rubber ducky antenna? As was stated by supernoma, your best bet to monitor Detroit is with a yagi(beam antenna) with as much gain as possible. Height will also help you out. Being that you are only a couple miles out of the City, with a yagi you should be able to pull the system in with little problems.

Now, the second issue is the PRO2096. I use to own these radios myself, however I upgraded when GRE released the PSR500 and 600. The 2096 is plauged with a problem called Motorboating. Radio Shack offered no firmware upgrades to correct this problem and left everyone hanging. I would highly recommened if you can afford it to sell your 2096 and purchase a PSR600. You will find that it does much better on the Simulcast Systems and will not motorboat. Motorboating is not the only issue, but like the others have said the Detroit Simulcast has 10 tower sites, but was designed to operate in the city and only about a mile outside or behind the tower. This was done because they could not interfere with Cananada.

Should you need more help, please PM me or post here. Hope that helps.

[SEMTTP]

Originally Posted by rdale

He didn't state moving the radio around to different parts of the house. Speaking from experience - I can tell you that will help. I'm just 2 miles from the Dimondale tower, but there's a good chunk of my house where the reception is horrible. Moving the radio around to a different part of a house might help, but the best bet is a directional antenna.

Your right he did not, so why did you ask him what I asked him rather than stating what had already been stated? Comparing the Dimondale tower to the Detroit Simulcast is like comparing apples and oranges. Two completely different beasts, same system but operation is slightly different. While it might make a bit of difference if he moved from room to room *IF* he has a telescoping antenna, his reception of that system needs an outdoor antenna and a yagi, but you know that already.

[rdale]

Originally Posted by SEMTTP

Comparing the Dimondale tower to the Detroit Simulcast is like comparing apples and oranges.

I wasn't comparing them. For those who don't know - Dimondale is NOT a simulcast CQPSK, Detroit is.

While it might make a bit of difference if he moved from room to room *IF* he has a telescoping antenna, his reception of that system needs an outdoor antenna and a yagi, but you know that already.

He may be able to improve by moving the radio in the house *REGARDLESS* of the antenna. I've tested on a CQPSK with the rubber ducky and there is noticable difference regarding where it's located in the house.

[GMAN12]

I don't want to get into the time and expense of an outdoor ant. for 1 channel. I only want to pick up Southwest Detroit. Please keep it simple, I'm new at this. Thanks

[rdale]

We're being simple. Move the radio around the house. If that doesn't help, which it probably won't, then you need a directional antenna.

There are no other choices. It has nothing to do with you wanting just one talkgroup, that still involves a dozen frequencies.

[GMAN12]

Thank's

[rdale]

No problem, if you do end up wanting a directional antenna, check the other Detroit threads on ones that have succeeded or ask again here.

[Wyandotte]

Gman:

The first thing you said in your first post is that you have entered all 33 frequencies listed in the RR database for Detroit. Which tells me you may not understand what a control channel is yet. If that's the case, instead of talking about antennas, we may need to discuss the basic concept of how these trunking systems, and how your scanner works to hear them.

[rcvmo]

I'm at metro and have no problem receiving Detroit with the stand alone ducky INSIDE!!
rcvmo