How to scan the SC Highway Patrol

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brian

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The SC Highway Patrol uses the Palmetto 800 state-wide TRS for its primary communications across the state. Here's the link to the Palmetto 800 page in the Radio Reference Database.

Look at this map of SC showing interstates and county names to determine the counties you will pass close to our through on your route through the state.

On the Palmetto 800 page in the Radio Reference Database, find the coverage map for the system. Click on it to make it larger. The black dots represent tower sites, and most have names printed on the map. Use this map to choose the tower sites you'll want to program into your SCHP scanner bank, and then look lower down on the page to find the frequencies for the appropriate tower sites.

The SCHP is broken down into 7 geographic regions or troops. Look at the SCHP Troop Maps to determine which troops you'll pass through.

Then look at this Excel Spreadsheet that contains the channels (and talkgroups) for each SCHP troop. Program the talkgroups for each troop you'll pass through. Each troop uses 3 or 4 talkgroups for dispatch in individual counties in that troop. They also use a few talkgroups as TAC (talk-around) channels. Those are the most important ones to listen to, and you should create appropriate alpha-tags for each.
 
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dridley

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Walterboro / Richland HP??

04/12/06

I heard what sounds like Highway Patrol on Palmetto 800 today with a talkgroup ID 29971. The dispatches respond to Walterboro and Richland.

I've not heard them in the Georgetown area before, and the ID is unlisted. Anyone have any info on this?
 

brian

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That's actually talkgroup 29968 Ch. 83 Colleton/Dochester, but with a status bit of 3, which indicates the talkgroup was patched to another talkgroup. This is common with SCHP when there are fewer dispatchers working than channels, so they patch two groups together and one dispatcher handles both simultaneously.

Brian
 

bknew

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SCHP 800 frequencies

Is there a set of frequencies that you can put in a regular 800 scanner to hear the SCHP and is the new Palmetto Net other than SCHP ALL digital? I am mainly looking for Troop 2 information Greenwood, Abbeville, Laurens... If anybody can help me I would really appreciate it! lt203@yahoo.com if you care to send anything there...
 

LarrySC

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For bknew: You really have to get a trunking scanner. Hope you got email from the laptop. BTW I got my computer back. Didnt cost much but just lost a half day of doing something productive.................For Rocky, just PGM with dec codes. That will work.
 

brian

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bknew:

There are several (half-dozen or so) tower sites that cover the area you mentioned. Each tower site uses a different set of frequencies.

When you say "a regular 800 scanner," are you saying a scanner that receives 800MHHz frequencies but is not a trunk-tracker, or are you saying an analog trunk-tracker (vs. digital)? I think Larry assumed you meant a non-trunk-tracker, which is what I also assumed the first time I read you message.

You can determine the tower sites that cover the area you're interested in by looking at the coverage map on the Palmetto 800 page. Then you could program all the voice frequencies for each tower site into your radio. Don't program the control channel, or program it and lock it out.

But without a trunk-tracker, you'll hear all transmissions on the system, including the digital groups from Greenville and Laurens. You won't be able to skip those and hear the SCHP traffic you're interested in. You'll likely be disappointed.

Rocky: to start, read what I wrote in the second paragraph above to determine the sites you want to monitor. Program the frequencies for those sites by following the instruction in the owner's manual. I don't see in the manual whether the 898T is a control-channel-only-capable radio, so probably program all system frequencies for the sites you're interested in.

Once you've done that, and the scanner is tracking the system in ID search mode, press Manual, and program in the DEC talkgroups values you're interested in monitoring. Then press Scan.

Brian
 

ScanDaBands

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I took the advice and programmed what I thought would be good for around Horry County (Palmetto I mean) and waa laa , hearing all kinds of stuff out of Conway , is there SP in Conway ? Or is it actually Conway PD I'm hearing , forgive me I have just moved back in the area and am not familiar with Dispatch voices , places, etc.
 

brian

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The SCHP dispatch center identifies itself as "Conway." It covers troopers in Horry, Georgetown, Williamsburg, Dillon and maybe a couple others. Unit numbers are 2xxx.

You'll hear Conway PD on the Horry Co. TRS.
 

ScanDaBands

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brian said:
The SCHP dispatch center identifies itself as "Conway." It covers troopers in Horry, Georgetown, Williamsburg, Dillon and maybe a couple others. Unit numbers are 2xxx.

You'll hear Conway PD on the Horry Co. TRS.

Yep that is exactly the way I'm hearing it , that's why I asked......THANKS!!!!

Appreciated !!
 

Jacob

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Spartenburg SC /Freqs

I am having a little confusstion of what freqs to program in for the Spartanburg SC area on the Palmeto system can anyone help
 

LarrySC

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Depends on your scanner. If its "controller ONLY scanning" you can select the RED and BLUE freqs listed in the data base. Older scanners require all freqs. Select tower #17,18,19,35,36, or 58 depending where you live and areas you travel. Not all comms are on all towers. On 35 you can get SCHP Spartanburg, Greenville, and Anderson but cant get Spbg Co Sheriff. If you PGM more than one tower put the 800 mHz SC TAC and I-TAC freqs in between towers. Repost with type of scanner and software you are using. Stop by Harleys Electronics and ask for the Yellow Frequency Directory. Lots of info there.
 
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ScanDaBands

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bpalmer said:
I found on a Pro 97 I could put all listed contol channels for Pal 800.

Also, SCHP is using officers badge numbers for call signs


BP KE4CEV

Hey , mind posting your file ??
 
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