Lycoming County Systems...

[troshs]

Hey all, I'm planning on purchasing a Bearcat BCT15X next week. I'm living in Hughesville and hope to be monitoring the fire/ems the most...thing is I'm hearing that Lyco is all digital now...will the BCT15X work here or do I need to wait and get the 996XT? I really hope not as I don't have the money for it at the moment...but how well should the 15 x perform around here? Thanks.

 

[fpcaptain]

The only thing I know of in Lycoming county that is digital at least voicewise is the State Radio System but that is across Pennsylvania. Some people who have Kenwoods who have the scrambler built in may use from time to time but I never hear this either.

 

[troshs]

Thanks for clearing that up. I got my scanner up and running and just finished programming so we will see how this goes

 

[n3fe]

I live up in TIoga County (between Mansfield and Wellsboro) and I just put in 154.430 which is Lycoming County fire and I am hearing them just fine.

 

[troshs]

So what type is Lycoming County anyways? Is it a Motorola? If so where can I find the parameters? I'm guessing its not conventional because I had all of my frequencies set up that way and its not broadcasting anything. I've never set up a Motorola type system before, could anyone offer me some pointers? Thanks.

 

[captclint]

I've never set up a Motorola type system before, could anyone offer me some pointers? Thanks.

Easier to Read BCT15-X Scanner Manual - Moto systems However, I don't see any trunking system in Lycoming County,
They would be at the bottom of the page where Starnet is(which can not be monitored) Lyco is conventional, so either you did not program correctly, or you have the wrong freq...see Lyco Police, fire and EMS

 

[troshs]

Okay. I guess I did something funny then because I'm not picking up any transmissions. What settings could possibly keep me from getting traffic? Nothing is locked out, and I made sure I had all the frequencies right.

 

[W3DMV]

Go to the top of the page and click on :"database" This will give you a map of the U.S. Click on
Pennsylvania, and you should get a map of Pennsylvania. Click on Lycoming county and you will
get a list of frequencies for your county.

Looks like everything is conventional FM and you should be able to receive ok. Have fun !

 

[captclint]

Okay. What settings could possibly keep me from getting traffic? Nothing is locked out, and I made sure I had all the frequencies right.

System Quick keys may be disabled. Do you see it scanning the all conventional systems? If yes, then I would do a quick search on 155.31 and hold on that police dispatch channel for a while to see if you can get that or 154.4300 fire dispatch.If you don't get anything this way, then you are too far from the towers. If you get things on these 2, then you need to enable sys quick keys. I would start by hitting 1,2,3, ..9 while scanning to see if any of the systems start scanning. If that doesn't help, you may have programmed the wrong PL tones, less likely, the attenuation settings.

 

[troshs]

System Quick keys may be disabled. Do you see it scanning the all conventional systems? If yes, then I would do a quick search on 155.31 and hold on that police dispatch channel for a while to see if you can get that or 154.4300 fire dispatch.If you don't get anything this way, then you are too far from the towers. If you get things on these 2, then you need to enable sys quick keys. I would start by hitting 1,2,3, ..9 while scanning to see if any of the systems start scanning. If that doesn't help, you may have programmed the wrong PL tones, less likely, the attenuation settings.

YES!!! I have been wondering about that Police channel. I pick that one up clear as crazy and the scanner sticks to it like glue. I get that one for sure. 154.430 I haven't gotten lately. Thats the one I wanted to monitor in the first place. Thanks. I'll try the Quick Keys deal and see what that does for me. Luckily its something easy to fix.

 

[captclint]

YES!!! I have been wondering about that Police channel. I pick that one up clear as crazy . 154.430 I haven't gotten lately.

It is likely that 154.430 is programmed in the same system as police dispatch, so quick keys may not be the problem. Did you program your scanner or did you have someone else do it?

 

[troshs]

I did it myself by hand.

 

[captclint]

I did it myself by hand.

Ok so did you put police dispatch and fire dispatch in the same system? If so, are they same group? If so, there is no reason you aren't getting fire unless you have the wrong PL (No PL is OK) or you are not within range. Did you have any luck when you sat on the fire freq for a few hours?

 

[troshs]

Yeah they were under the same system, just not the same group. I actually reprogrammed them to be separate now anyways in case I want to lock one or the other out. I'm only seeing traffic on the control channels though, is this normal or should I be hearing more? Sorry for all the questions, I am still relatively new but learning quickly on what I can.

 

[captclint]

I'm only seeing traffic on the control channels though, is this normal or should I be hearing more?

Control channels are only on trunking systems. I suspect you mean the dispatch channels. Yes, both are repeaters, and will have the majority of the traffic. A repeater is usually at a high location, and it will repeat the mobile/portables so you can hear them.

The other frequencies are mostly tactical. In other words, they are used at the scene of a fire to avoid tying up dispatch, and because they are more reliable in close quarters. Since they portable and engine radios, they are not as strong as the base station repeaters that have dispatch. Similar with Police car-to-car Tac, except sometimes they have both base and mobile, but mobiles are not repeated. Some of the other frequencies are regional and not repeated, so you may not be close enough to hear them. Leave all of them in, and you may catch some traffic from time to time.

 

[fpcaptain]

The county radio Dispatch are at several towers around the county that are simulcast like 155.310 154.430 154.800 154.980. Others are talkaround which depends on hoe close u are to them. The other repeaters that are standalone are the city repeaters. They have 2 of them at the jacks Hollow tower above duboistown which is like city pd dispatch and tac 2 codes and fire which would be the 154.3175 and 155.7675 freqs. The other 3 repeaters 155.7825 154.9275 and 154.2875 I think they are, are on skyline drive on the at the route 15 end if the mountain which does good in north east and west but not south. The same for jacks hollow. Skyline drive does get better coverage but at the eastern end of skyline doesnt do as well south as the route 554 side as the mountain curves. In hughesville you should pick up jacks hollow but that tower doesnt cover well like in muncy or montgomery etc south. The skyline one should be heard in muncy and Montgomery tho. Line of sight communications is how you have to look at it. Typing from phone so abbreviating some. The county channels u should hear anywhere in the county & beyond. They haves towers at each part of the county and simulcasts. The tower above walmart is one jacks hollow another there is one in huntersville by fire tower rd and Little bear at the top. Waterville on Ramsey mountain and trout run greys run road and English center are the main towers

 

[troshs]

Well guys I have had nothing but problems since I ordered this thing...now my antenna that I bought 2 days ago just blew. Turned on the scanner this morning had no signal from county control at all. I had it at the right length according to the formula and there wasn't any metal or anything that could have generated static electricity. I am beyond frustrated, not by programming the scanner but all of the hoops I had to jump through to get one. Thanks for your help though, until I get a new antenna I can't do jack you-know.

 

[troshs]

I actually found that WX still works clear as day but all I'm getting is static from any other channel, including County Control and Police dispatch. Guy at RS said he would exchange the antenna but not sure what the deal is. If I get another antenna and its not right it will have to be the actual scanner...which I really don't want it to be. The sale was final from Amazon and if its the scanner I don't have anymore money to put into it.

 

[troshs]

I'm getting clear transmissions every once in a while if I set it to County Control, but then it starts getting really heavy static every hour or so and will not go away. If I close the squelch all the way it still does it so I'm guessing I have a problem with the scanner itself. Had RS replace the antenna today and same problem immediately after firing up the scanner. Not sure what to do at this point. Can't return scanner as sale was final on Amazon. Can't return antenna as I don't have the original packaging. Does anyone have any ideas? I've had this thing for a week and a half and only been able to use it about 3 days.

 

[captclint]

I'm getting clear transmissions every once in a while if I set it to County Control, but then it starts getting really heavy static every hour or so and will not go away.

Could be interference from Computer, router, or other RFI source. Try moving it to totally different area, and even outside. The other thing could be a damaged antenna connection inside the radio. Does the stock antenna that came with it do the same? With the weather station, wiggle the antenna to see if you see/hear any change in the signal. Also try same thing with a weaker weather station(if you don't have one, I would suspect the antenna connection, as most people can get 2 or more weather signals).