Cumberland County fire and EMS

dmg1969 · #1 (**permalink**) 02-16-2013, 7:20 AM

Does anyone else scan these with tones? I am having an issue. Let me explain.

I have BC125AT and generally keep the squelch on 2 because I am in a rural area with hills and mountains. I have other frequencies programmed with tones with no issues. With Cumberland fire and EMS programmed with tones, the transmission will start but then either drop or have a moment of silence and then return...almost like it is checking a priority channel. However, I have no channels programmed as priority and priority is turned off. I noticed though, if I drop my squelch down to one, the problem seems to go away. Also, if I remove the tone, the problem goes away. I need to do more experimenting with it today. I have BC355N here as we'll and it does not drop the signal. Not sure if this has something to do with those channels being patched through the Open Sky system? If you need me to clarify anything, just ask.

Dave

dmg1969 · #2 (**permalink**) 02-16-2013, 9:41 AM

Here is a quick video I uploaded to YouTube showing what I am talking about.It is at the 4 second mark. It's almost like the signal drops. It only happened a few times today and I only caught it on video this once.

BC125AT - YouTube

Another video I just got. This one is at 19 seconds. It's not a weak signal. My scanner has NO problem picking it up. It just drops for a second. It does not do this without tones.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM_j0...ature=youtu.be

Dave

kennyloatman · #3 (**permalink**) 02-16-2013, 11:10 AM

I know you said your channel priorities were off, but did you check your weather alert priority under weather operation?

dmg1969 · #4 (**permalink**) 02-16-2013, 11:45 AM

Yes, it's not on either. If it was on, the WX symbol would be on the display.

markandjere · #5 (**permalink**) 02-16-2013, 6:28 PM

I can't tell you when it happened but to me it seems like 46.06 is not near as powerful as it used to be . I used to be able to hear it loud and clear here in Franklin County ...now hardly at all. I do hear it in my travels through Cumberland an Dauphin counties and the pl even comes up on the display. I have to listen to another freq that carries dispatch as well as several other channel/patches/talk groups which can be a little noisy at times.

dmg1969 · #6 (**permalink**) 02-18-2013, 6:45 AM

With my homemade dipole, both dispatch and the mobiles comes in loud and clear over 46.06 at home for me on my base in Perry County. It is kind of weak on my portable and the bedroom scanner with just the back of the set antenna. Then again, EMS on 462.975 has static on the bedroom scanner as well.

As far as the issue I created this thread for, it is still happening and I don't know why. The signal will be strong and then the signal drops. Then it comes back.

P.S. What other frequency were you referring to that carries dispatch? And what channels/patches/talk groups were you referring to here..."as well as several other channel/patches/talk groups which can be a little noisy at times"?

Dave