Frequency Coverage Question

[Burnsy]

Looking at the coverage for a pro 2096/ pro 96 I see that it covers 806-900 mhz or something of that sort. It does not seem to include the 700 mhz range. I know that in the future public saftey systems are going to go to the 700 mhz range, and my question is will these scanners be able to scan those frequencies?

Thanks

[hawkeye32]

to my knowledge it will not,nor will it in the future.. i have the 2096

[Chauffeur6]

Neither model covers any of the 700 MHz spectrum, both stop at 512 MHz and pick back up at 806 MHz. This is typical of older models manufactured prior to 2006.

The 700 MHz spectrum was still assigned to television broadcast usage up until just a few months ago, so there was no reason for scanner manufacturers to include the band in their products. That changed in early 2006 when legislation was signed into law requiring that the 700 MHz spectrum be vacated by TV broadcasters in 2009, and the spectrum be reallocated to, among other uses, public safety. 24 MHz of the 60 MHz in the Upper 700 MHz spectrum are now allocated to public safety, 763-775 MHz and 793-805 MHz.

[DaveNF2G]

There does not seem to be much need for hobbyists to worry about 700 MHz coverage. Most of the plans for those frequencies involve data transmission rather than voice. However, a few P25 trunked systems are likely to use frequencies in that range, sometimes in combination with 800 MHz frequencies. The relatively small number of such systems could make 700 MHz coverage in scanners about as easy to obtain as other features we have been wanting but can't get due to small demand.

While the two-way industry is promoting voice over broadband, the technology is not likely to be ready for public safety deployment for several more years.

[AlabamaRS]

Originally Posted by hawkeye32

to my knowledge it will not,nor will it in the future.. i have the 2096

Both will cover the 700MHZ range but will NOT Trunk track them, you can still monitor then in conventional mode

[Chauffeur6]

Originally Posted by AlabamaRS

Both will cover the 700MHZ range but will NOT Trunk track them, you can still monitor then in conventional mode

Wrong. Neither model covers any part of the 700 MHz spectrum, period. As I already stated, they stop at 512 MHz and pick back up at 806 MHz.

[Chauffeur6]

Originally Posted by DaveNF2G

There does not seem to be much need for hobbyists to worry about 700 MHz coverage. Most of the plans for those frequencies involve data transmission rather than voice. However, a few P25 trunked systems are likely to use frequencies in that range, sometimes in combination with 800 MHz frequencies. The relatively small number of such systems could make 700 MHz coverage in scanners about as easy to obtain as other features we have been wanting but can't get due to small demand.

While the two-way industry is promoting voice over broadband, the technology is not likely to be ready for public safety deployment for several more years.

I'm not sure where you're getting this from, but it's not at all accurate. For starters, practically every trunking scanner made since 2006 features 700 MHz spectrum coverage, making your statement about obtaining 700 MHz coverage in scanners rather puzzling. Perhaps it's been a few years since you've looked at the specs of the new models?

Vendors are already offering trunking repeaters and radios that operate in the 700 MHz spectrum. The 700 MHz band will be very appealing to many agencies looking for a P25 TRS solution where there isn't much spectrum available in the UHF or 800 MHz bands in their area. I personally know of one jurisdiction that is in the late planning stages of their P25 TRS, who are now looking into the possibility of returning their UHF-T frequencies to the pool in favor of a 700 MHz system.

A very quick look at the RR database reveals numerous 700 MHz P25 systems. Considering how recently the 700 MHz spectrum was opened up to public safety, this is a pretty high number of systems already adopted. I'm sure there are more systems out there, I only spent about 90 seconds looking at the database for these examples.

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=6166

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=6133

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=4744

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=6026

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=4879

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=329

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=2324

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=4742

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=4563

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=4927

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=4347

[AlabamaRS]

Originally Posted by Chauffeur6

Wrong. Neither model covers any part of the 700 MHz spectrum, period. As I already stated, they stop at 512 MHz and pick back up at 806 MHz.

Win96 - Data Management Software for the PRO-96 Digital Trunking Scanner

http://www.starrsoft.com/software/win96/FreqTest.asp

[Chauffeur6]

Originally Posted by AlabamaRS

Win96 - Data Management Software for the PRO-96 Digital Trunking Scanner

Win96 - Data Management Software for the PRO-96 Digital Trunking Scanner

Yes, I am aware of that. It's largely irrelevant, however. Just because you can tune the scanner to a particular frequency, doesn't mean it will perform on it. Take a look at the off the chart sensitivity figure at 764 MHz, do you realize how atrocious that is?!? If you were lucky, you might receive a high wattage transmitter from a mile or two away at best. To say nothing of the fact that almost all systems in the 700 MHz spectrum will be P25 trunked, not conventional, so it's largely pointless to monitor in conventional mode.

[AlabamaRS]

all interops frequencies will be conventional P25 I believe anyways you've made up your mind , So i will drop it

[Chauffeur6]

I've "made up my mind" based on facts, not just my own silly opinion. 1.36 µV reading for sensitivity at 764 MHz is horrible. All you have to do is compare it to the readings for the rest of the frequencies on that page that the scanner's front end is designed to receive, and it will be fairly obvious performance will be extremely poor on those frequencies. The best case scenario you present is that someone very nearby will be operating on some 700 MHz frequencies in conventional mode that the scanner might be able to receive, but it's not a very realistic scenario. The majority of 700 MHz activity will be on TRS, and the conventional transmissions will be made from lower powered portables and mobiles, which as we've already discussed will be tough to monitor with a receiver whose front end is severely degraded on the frequencies in question. Putting it out there that these scanners will tune to those frequencies will only confuse people who are looking for fully functional scanning ability in that part of the spectrum, which is clearly not the case.

[AlabamaRS]

OK, Bottom line is the 2096 base & mobile cover 700Mhz..

[Chauffeur6]

Why do I even bother.

[mciupa]

Originally Posted by Burnsy

Looking at the coverage for a pro 2096/ pro 96 I see that it covers 806-900 mhz or something of that sort. It does not seem to include the 700 mhz range. I know that in the future public saftey systems are going to go to the 700 mhz range, and my question is will these scanners be able to scan those frequencies?

Thanks

Avoid this issue by purchasing a Pro-197 or 106. It covers the 700 band.

[wlmr]

Originally Posted by Chauffeur6

Wrong. Neither model covers any part of the 700 MHz spectrum, period. As I already stated, they stop at 512 MHz and pick back up at 806 MHz.

These scanners won't track a trunked 700MHz system but can be unlocked to monitor/scan individual frequencies. Sensitivity performance will likely vary by individual scanner.

Why are you looking at older scanner models that aren't even supported anymore?

At last count there are 8 scanners (4 portables and their 4 mobile twins) that do 700 MHz trunking. The newest Radio shack models, their step brothers the GRE500 and GRE600, the Uniden 396T - 996T, and their updated versions the 396XT and 996XT.

[DaveNF2G]

OK, I guess I let my head cold do the talking the other day. Chauffer6 is quite right about the newer scanners (which I own even!) and their 700 MHz capabilities.

However, industry publications such as Urgent Communications and Law Enforcement Technology describe "normal" voice transmissions, including digital narrowband trunking on 700 MHz as rare. While vendors are promoting all sorts of fancy technology for that band (none of which will be monitorable by any existing scanner), industry experts advise caution in planning around or investing in such gizmos as none of them are ready for market, especially for critical public safety communications needs.

[KT4HX]

Because the rest of us like to be entertained?

But seriously, I think (a dangerous pastime) we can all agree that out of the box, the 96/2096 will not cover 700 MHz. But with the use of WIN96, it can be manipulated into doing so, albeit, with very poor specs. Trunking in that range is not gonna happen with these models though.

Originally Posted by Chauffeur6

Why do I even bother.