Ridgefield PD, Bergen County System and HP-1

dconti · #1 (**permalink**) 01-01-2013, 7:14 PM

This is what happens when you don't pay attention, and get away from the scanners for a short period of time.

I live in Ridgefield, Bergen County and enjoyed flawless monitoring of my local PD here for years. They were on a VHF frequency with a repeater and had an excellent signal in and outside of town.

Now it is all gone, sadly.

The VHF frequency is silent, and thanks to RR and these forums I learn that the dispatching went to the Bergen County system, so as an owner of an HP-1, I was briefly elated at the prospect of hearing my local PD again.

Not to be.....

I do not know what I am doing wrong, if anything. My HP-1 IS NOT the extreme upgrade model. It is fully up to date on firmware, and the frequency database. The HP-1 is connected to a Diamond Discone topside, and coupled through a Stridsberg multicoupler, the model with the signal amplification.

I set it on the Bergen County trunked system and let it rock....and nothing. I realize the County PD, Sheriff, etc. are encrypted, but it was my understanding the various towns on the trunked system were not - for now.

Dead silence. I narrowed it down to the talkgroup for Leonia and Ridgefield and let that scan.
Nothing.

There was a Burglary in progress call given out on SPEN by another town for Ridgefield, so I know there should have been radio activity. Dead silence.

Can anyone tell me what is going on? Am I doing something wrong?
Dan

dconti · #2 (**permalink**) 01-01-2013, 11:41 PM

My HP-1 has the latest firmware upgrades, (Though not the extreme upgrade - yet), and I just updated the library files.

I am trying to monitor my local PD who joined the Bergen County trunked system.

I have the HP-1 connected to a Diamond Discone topside and the Stridsberg Multicoupler.

When I set the HP-1 to monitor then entire system - nothing, dead silence. When I narrow it down to the talkgroup where my local PD is being dispatched - nothing.

I am perplexed as I am receiving everything else - conventional, trunked, all around me for miles, but not this system.

Am I doing something wrong?

Dan

dconti · #3 (**permalink**) 01-01-2013, 11:48 PM

It is the Bergen County New Jersey trunked system, BTW.

Jay911 · #4 (**permalink**) 01-02-2013, 12:53 AM

- Do you have the right Service Tag(s) enabled?
- Are you within range of a tower on this system/is it enabled?
- Is the talkgroup you want to hear being broadcast on the tower you're monitoring? (many systems don't broadcast talkgroups on a tower unless there is at least one actual radio on the system logged-in to that tower)
- Are you trying to listen to an encrypted talkgroup? The database entry for Bergen states "all law enforcement talkgroups are encrypted".

dconti · #5 (**permalink**) 01-02-2013, 8:41 AM

- Do you have the right Service Tag(s) enabled?

Yes I do...

- Are you within range of a tower on this system/is it enabled?

I live in one of the towns being dispatched through this system. I would imagine there should be a signal viable in the town.

- Is the talkgroup you want to hear being broadcast on the tower you're monitoring? (many systems don't broadcast talkgroups on a tower unless there is at least one actual radio on the system logged-in to that tower)

I have no idea, but again, I would assume that they would be broadcasting that talkgroup to this geographical area.

- Are you trying to listen to an encrypted talkgroup? The database entry for Bergen states "all law enforcement talkgroups are encrypted".

No I am not. It is my understand that the county agencies like the county police, sheriff, etc., are encrypted, but the local towns talkgroups are not.

loumaag · #6 (**permalink**) 01-02-2013, 10:48 AM

Please don't cross-post. Pick a forum and stick with it or request the topic be moved. Don't start a new one when the first one you posted doesn't get a response as soon as you think it should have.

That said, one other thing you should do is turn off location based scanning, at least until you solve all other problems. You say you live in Ridgefield, but if you have Location Based scanning on and set your location wrong you might be outside of the scope of the area to be covered. See here.

dconti · #7 (**permalink**) 01-02-2013, 1:59 PM

Thanks Jay911 for your help.

I activated some additional service tags and it is working now.

Compared to the crisp, clear, robust audio they used to have on the VHF channel, they now have garbled audio that sounds like they are under water, and they are not even encrypted.

This is progress?

Dan

Devilz311 · #8 (**permalink**) 01-03-2013, 4:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dconti

Compared to the crisp, clear, robust audio they used to have on the VHF channel, they now have garbled audio that sounds like they are under water, and they are not even encrypted.

It's actually much different listening to a digital channel on an actual radio rather than a scanner, but it does take some time to get used to. After listening to P25 out of an XTS5000 for 12 hours a day at work, it sounds crystal clear to me...

jvdet · #9 (**permalink**) 01-03-2013, 7:33 AM

i think its a simocast system and some scanners preform differently on a simo system

RadioDitch · #10 (**permalink**) 01-06-2013, 2:33 AM

Is Ridgefield/Leonia planning to go encrypted?

dconti · #11 (**permalink**) 01-06-2013, 12:20 PM

I hope not but that seems to be the trend....

alex367 · #12 (**permalink**) 01-15-2013, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dconti

I hope not but that seems to be the trend....

not yet but soon will be..... sorry i am new to website and all this... i actual a vol in Ridgefield Fire Department and might not be right place, but what radior are able to lisen to police and scanner. Also able lisen Fort Lee FIre Department.. Thank you

kc2tek · #13 (**permalink**) 01-26-2013, 7:33 PM

I'm in the same boat, in fact I'm still using an analog scanner which was good enough to hear the towns in my immediate area which is mainly what I care about. Fort Lee PD went digital a while back but I decided not to upgrade until it became clearer what other towns would be doing. Now Ridgefield PD is gone and by the comment above it sounds like they plan to eventually encrypt.

Do we know what the other towns in the surrounding area are planning yet, like Cliffside Park, Fairview, etc.?

I'd be happy enough to upgrade to an HP-1 or PSR-800, but not interested in shelling out that kind of cash if everything I want to hear is going to be encrypted in the near future.

ScanXO · #14 (**permalink**) 01-27-2013, 8:50 AM

Palisades Park wants to add county system to monitor Leonia/Ridgefiled eventually going county cause thier excellent vhf set up is now costing too much - Pal Park has borrowed a county radio since the shooting and likes it....Fairview has a radio also - many towns around the county last year were invited to and did try the system and most if not all like it but the costs of converting vs maintaining thier own are not that far apart so maybe by years end some may switch.....

radiomanNJ1 · #15 (**permalink**) 01-30-2013, 9:35 AM

For you with analog scanners the trend is towards digital. Save your nickels and dimes for a new scanner.
It's just like black and white TV.

For someone who only has 2 posts since joining how do you have any knowledge of them going encrypted?
BC PD spent a lot of tax dollars to buy AES encryption.

Alarmguy · #16 (**permalink**) 01-30-2013, 10:59 AM

I thought someone posted that they were using ADP encryption, which is supposedly added at next to nothing.

kc2tek · #17 (**permalink**) 01-30-2013, 1:20 PM

Yes I saw a discussion over at QRZ stating that new Moto APX radios have ADP for a $1 option now with one key, you can load via RSS. So it seems like a valid concern to wonder if it's worth dropping $500+ on a digital scanner right now if you still might not be able to hear much in the near future.

LYNJ_OEM3298 · #18 (**permalink**) 01-30-2013, 3:14 PM

I'd carefully think about spending the $ for the digital scanner it all depends on what you want to listen too.
The towns on the BC / P25 Trunk are currently in the clear but with the trend throughout this state especially in Ocean, Moumouth and Middlesex Counties is for going over to the "Dark Side" (Enc). The problem as for BC towns using the BC trunk P25 system is not a matter of "if" but "when".

alex367 · #19 (**permalink**) 02-02-2013, 6:41 PM

Why would any town spend a lot of $$$ not to be encrypted??? Sad to say sooner or later leonia and Ridgefield will be encrypted. My question for you is M/A COM P7170IP be able to lisen and talk to Bergen couty communication???

alex367 · #20 (**permalink**) 02-03-2013, 1:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by radiomanNJ1

For you with analog scanners the trend is towards digital. Save your nickels and dimes for a new scanner.
It's just like black and white TV.

For someone who only has 2 posts since joining how do you have any knowledge of them going encrypted?
BC PD spent a lot of tax dollars to buy AES encryption.

i havw said before i vol in the town and we been told by police chief and want be able cop give fd update about any calls ans not have delays cause a few cops are fireman too.