Need help scanning Simulcast 800 trunk with BCD396XT

[kb8lkh]

I am not new to digital trunk scanning, but am new to simulcast systems. I have been scanniong trunked system now for about 11/2-2yrs.

I have looked up the Wikipedia entry on simulcast susyems, and I think I have a fair understanding of what they are. Probably a good start?

I try to scan like any other system I have successfully scanned, and it doesn't seem to work. I am using a Uniden BCD396XT, with an outside antenna up approximatly 45' feet on a tower.

My location: Sandusky, Erie County, Ohio
System to be scanned/trunked: Parma (Ohio)/Medina County (Ohio)/Ottawa County (Ohio)

I originaly want to scan/trunk the Ottawa County System (One county to west of me. Sandusky is probably 20ish or so miles from were I believe the Ottawa County transmitter to be in Port Clinton (Ohio).

Now that I see Medina County is on this system, I would also have need to scan them in my travels. I knew they were going to be going digital trunked; however, i dedn't know how and when.

The Parma Sustem is 65 or so miles east of Sandusky. Know it well, have relations in that area. Ottawa County and Medina Counties are simulcast on the Parma System.


Thamk you for your time and or assistance to my quest,
Dan KB8LKH

 

[Voyager]

Your outdoor antenna is likely picking up several sites which may cause an issue.

There may also be issues the farther away you are from the system for several reasons.

Among these reasons are because it will be more difficult to single out one site for reception.

 

[ofd8001]

As counter-intuitive as it may sound, the key to successful reception of local simulcast systems is poor reception. In other words, "less may be more".

With a simulcast system - several towers transmitting on the same frequency - the signals can arrive at the scanner a little out of sync. The result is the scanner having trouble decoding these multiple signals. Kind of like three people talking at once and you can't make anyone out very clear.

Your signal strength meter may show a strong signal, but you hear garble or nothing at all when transmissions occur. That's the decode problem.

Oddly enough, I can disconnect the antenna on my 396XT and get very clear audio on my local simulcast system. At least in some places where I know I'm in the footprint of multiple towers.

For those distant systems, you may be pressing your luck. 65 miles is a pretty far piece for 800 systems - 30 miles is more practical.

The thinking behind simulcast systems is to use several towers at a lower power instead of one tower at high power, to achieve coverage. That's so frequencies are not gobbled up.

 

[bharvey2]

As has been stated above, you are probably getting too strong of a signal, not too weak of one. I listen to the EBRCS system in the SF East Bay and had the same problem. The solution for me was to use a very directional antenna (yagi or corner reflector) and position it for the best performance. reducing the gain main help too. I don't know if you can reduce signal gain in a Uniden scanner but try that too.

 

[jaspence]

Simulcast on 396xt

I live in a simulcast area between two towers and use a 396xt. Using the standard rubber duck antenna usually gives me the best results, but even changes in atmospheric conditions can cause distortion.

 

[ofd8001]

I don't know if you can reduce signal gain in a Uniden scanner but try that too.

You can in a Uniden by turning the Attenuator On for a site's settings. There are some other things on P25 Settings than can be tweaked for possible improvement.

 

[bharvey2]

Thanks for the info. The last Uniden scanner that I purchased was probably almost 30 yrs ago. (Nothing against them since. That's just how the cards fell) I suspected that they could be adjusted but I didn't want to make assumptions or comments on something I know nothing about.

 

[kb8lkh]

The 65 miles being pressing my luck is what I figured. Radio reference does report that the are simulcast on the Parma (Ohio) system wich is about 65 miles or so to the westfrom me. More like 70 miles away from Ottawa County (Ohio)


Dan kb8lkh

 

[kb8lkh]

OK I guess I am lost.

Ottawa County uses the the controller of the Parma system in Cuyahoga County. This is 75 or so miles east of Ottawa County.

Also Medina County uses the controller of this system.

I guess I am not getting something about this system.


Dan kb8lkh

 

[ofd8001]

Statewide trunked systems have things called "Zone Controllers". Could this be what you are meaning? If so, see: Motorola Type II SmartZone - The RadioReference Wiki

Among other things, Zone Controllers help facilitate roaming users to link back to their "home" system.

In the scanning world, they are of minimal/no impact on how you program your scanner. As long as you've programmed the sites you are in range of and the talkgroups you are interested in monitoring, you are in business.

 

[W8RMH]

There is an Ohio Forum and a forum specifically for the MARCS-IP system, both linked below, where you can obtain listening tips and ask questions of others who monitor this system.

Ohio Radio Discussion Forum - The RadioReference.com Forums

http://forums.radioreference.com/oh...s-ip-new-marcs-site-talkgroup-discussion.html

 

[SCPD]

Yes Ottawa and Medina uses Parma's controller. It's not like they cover all those areas in every area.

 

[SCPD]

Oh, and the OP mentioned Parma/Medina/Ottawa not MARCS IP.

 

[kb8lkh]

A friend of mine who actually lives in Ottawa County tells me it's darn near impossible to monitor on a handheld. He also suggests something directional in terms of an antenna. Ottawa county is one county to the west of me (Erie County). Ohio

I have almost given up.


Dan, KB8LKH