National Grid - RI

[safehouse]

Hi:
Is anyone successfully monitoring National Grid RI?
Per the FCC database it looks like they have five sites;
Past posting have them as a LTR system but I have never heard a thing, monitoring their frequencies there is an active EDACS control channel on 451.1

Johnston - 6 channels
Cumberland - 2 channels
Exeter - 3 channels
Middletown - 2 channels
South Kingstown - 2 channels

Jeff..
Scituate

 

[ecps92]

National Grid has moved from a traditional LTR which a scanner could track to a Passport LTR which you can Monitor, but not Track.

When they moved to the Passport LTR they also added many Part 22 frequencies (454-455) which are licensed by Market (think on a TV/Radio markert) and are not easy to determine what sites.

Best to put them in one bank and scanner them conventionally.
However they are shared with other agencies. One of my area channels is also P25 with a local campus.

Your EDACS could be the CL&P Remote Monitoring
http://scan-ne.net/wiki/index.php?t...29_and_Hartford_Electric_Light_Co_.28HELCO.29

Hi:
Is anyone successfully monitoring National Grid RI?
Per the FCC database it looks like they have five sites;
Past posting have them as a LTR system but I have never heard a thing, monitoring their frequencies there is an active EDACS control channel on 451.1

Johnston - 6 channels
Cumberland - 2 channels
Exeter - 3 channels
Middletown - 2 channels
South Kingstown - 2 channels

Jeff..
Scituate

 

[dpincins]

Safehouse, I have tried to and have not been able to pick up any activity from national grid in this part of the state. I am also in the foster area, and have had trouble picking up the simulcast system here also. What is your experience with picking up the RISCON system around here?

 

[safehouse]

RISCON North is no problem, I do use the attenuator though because I'm a stone throw from the Chopmist site.
South Zone is pretty weak, I assume I'm picking up the Read School House site in Coventry.
Metro Zone is too weak to be able to pick it up
Overall the audio quality is good but not as good as analog. I have a BCD536HP which has much better audio than my 996XT, which I sold. I also monitor CSP and they can be difficult to monitor due to sever simulcast interference.

Jeff..

 

[dpincins]

RISCON North is no problem, I do use the attenuator though because I'm a stone throw from the Chopmist site.
South Zone is pretty weak, I assume I'm picking up the Read School House site in Coventry.
Metro Zone is too weak to be able to pick it up
Overall the audio quality is good but not as good as analog. I have a BCD536HP which has much better audio than my 996XT, which I sold. I also monitor CSP and they can be difficult to monitor due to sever simulcast interference.

Jeff..

I am also very close to the Chopmist site, on the North Scituate/Glocester side of 102. I was interested in the antenna you're using to listen to RISCON North. I took a trip up to the tower with my 536 and stock antenna, and must say it really does the job remarkably better than any of my RS scanners did. My stock antenna is no use here, and I imagine I will have to take to the roof to install another antenna as I did for my conventional monitoring.
I have tried many different yagi's with my RS scanners, but I'm thinking with the 536 it's going to be a different game. Thank you for your response.

Dan

 

[safehouse]

I use a standard discone antenna. If you are primarily interested in listening to RISCON. I find the best results are by picking up one site not multiple. Perhaps a yagi pointed at chopmist but kept low so you are not picking up more distant sites.
The 536HP decodes RISCON much better with the software upgrade earlier this year.

 

[dpincins]

I had yagis with my pro651/652's that seemed to help, but they ended up breaking out of frustration. I have another one coming in the mail, and my experience is that it helped before, but didn't get the job done completely. I know it's a trial and error deal. I will look into getting that update. I must say the quality is incredible, I sat next to the tower yesterday and everything was clear as day. Where I live, I think that my lack of elevation plays a big roll because there are quite a few big hills that bring my antenna very much more lower than the rest of the town. I will report my results when the yagi comes in Wednesday.

 

[dpincins]

Safe house,
Have you been able to track national grid? I am interested in listening during the possible storm this weekend.

Dan.

 

[safehouse]

No, I am unable to monitor National Grid
Apparently they use Passport+ which is not trunking compatible with the Uniden BCD-536HP
I have not tried listening to the channels in conventional scan mode but that is an option.
Good to try that when they are busy.

Jeff..

 

[dpincins]

No, I am unable to monitor National Grid
Apparently they use Passport+ which is not trunking compatible with the Uniden BCD-536HP
I have not tried listening to the channels in conventional scan mode but that is an option.
Good to try that when they are busy.

Jeff..

So I guess I found something the 536 doesn't do. It works wonders here on the RISCON system for me, such an upgrade over my previous radio shack units of the past. Thanks for the information, I'll go ahead and give it a try.

Dan