Moved to Burlington996XT not receiving Bell Fleetnet

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miedemabj

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Mar 11, 2011
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Location
Burlington, Ontario
Scanner: Bearcat BCD996XT
Firmware: 1.07.03
Freescan 2.17
Import from Radio Reference Trunked.

Have used this scanner for years near London and programed it using the import feature of Freescan via Radio Reference. Moved to Burlington and have been banging my head against the wall as to why this isn't working. The scanner works fine on conventional. My closest tower is Charlton07 and I'm interested in the group OPPHwySafetyDiv. There is a Niagara/Hamilton/Burlington live scanner on live audio so I can see plainly that it isn't working.

Suggestions?
 

pokey

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I live in the far west end of Milton and do not pick up any Fleetnet towers, it's frusterating. When I drive to the far east end of Milton I "may" pick up the Mississauga tower. I don't get it.
 

Jay911

Silent Key (April 15th, 2023)
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It's entirely possible that the talkgroup you're looking for is not being carried on that tower. On most trunk systems, a talkgroup will only be carried on a tower if there is a "real" radio (as opposed to a scanner) affiliated with (connecting to) that tower, tuned to that talkgroup.

Do you receive any talkgroups at all? When you hold the 996 on the control channel for that tower, do you get text on the screen with the system ID and site name/number?
 

miedemabj

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Burlington, Ontario
Actually I have tried all the Golden Horseshoe talk groups. 0 talkgroups (dozens loaded up), yet tower control channel coming in loud and clear.
 

Jay911

Silent Key (April 15th, 2023)
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If you're not getting anything, despite getting strong CC showing data (SID, site info, and talkgroups flashing) on the screen while you're holding on the CC, I would take a hard look at the Band Plan settings. Make sure it's set up per the tables shown here. If you need assistance on configuring the band plan, it's in this document.
 

torontokris

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Try Welland / Fonthill tower as it it picks up in some weak spots in Burlington / Oakville
Also try your bandplan settings, and make sure the scanner is in search mode just in case.
 
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EJB

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Downtown Hamilton
Actually I have tried all the Golden Horseshoe talk groups. 0 talkgroups (dozens loaded up), yet tower control channel coming in loud and clear.

You should be able to receive the following talkgroups:

Burlington, Niagara, sometimes Port credit and Cambridge.

Both the Burlington and Niagara talkgroups are almost always patched together, same with Port

Credit and Cambridge.
The Aurora talkgroup is always affiliated with Charlton.

Halton EMS 35792, Mississauga CACC. T3, some times the various Peel EMS talkgroups.

Hamilton City East 35600 and Hamilton Tac 4 35696.
Sometimes the Hamilton Simcoe channel.

Sometimes the various Niagara CACC talkgroups and the Burlington or Niagara MTO talkgroups.

If this scanner needs to have all talkgroups in a patch you should enter in the MTO enforcement talkgroups like Hamilton, T.O., Oshawa, Halton and Peel.


Where in Burlington are you? I am in Aldershot. Is your scanner properly set with the offset's and such?

Does your scanner ask you to enter in all talkgroups in a patch or does it allow you to enter in 1 talkgroup and it will broadcast all the talkgroups that are part of the patch?
 

miedemabj

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Burlington, Ontario
I have been using Freescan to program this scanner for years. Doing it the same way so unless there is an issue with the posted groups or control freq's there should (aside from a malfunctioning scanner) be no reason this shouldn't work. I've used RR for all of Bell Fleetnet from OPP to MOH to MTO. As well as analog. I've tried going really wide i.e. all local towers and all tags in 100 k radius. So a patch here and there shouldn't matter. I should be getting something.

I'm in Milcroft between Dundas, Applebee and Upper Middle.

I've checked the offsets, I'm wondering if there is some physical issue with the scanner.

Really appreciate the help guys, I'll keep fiddling around with it and see what happens.

Drop me a note if you want a coffee sometime. /b
 

EJB

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I have been using Freescan to program this scanner for years. Doing it the same way so unless there is an issue with the posted groups or control freq's there should (aside from a malfunctioning scanner) be no reason this shouldn't work. I've used RR for all of Bell Fleetnet from OPP to MOH to MTO. As well as analog. I've tried going really wide i.e. all local towers and all tags in 100 k radius. So a patch here and there shouldn't matter. I should be getting something.

I'm in Milcroft between Dundas, Applebee and Upper Middle.

I've checked the offsets, I'm wondering if there is some physical issue with the scanner.

Really appreciate the help guys, I'll keep fiddling around with it and see what happens.

Drop me a note if you want a coffee sometime. /b

There is absolutely nothing wrong with any of the lists and frequencies on this site. I am not familiar with your software but there were times that when I used various forms of software it would load the data I created into the scanner incorrectly. Using ARC software for various scanners of past and present I.E.The Uniden 296 and my PSR600 somehow loaded in the data incorrectly and thus the scanner wouldnt work for fleetnet.

Your band plan has to be setup correctly in order for fleetnet to work. The correct settings are as follows:

Base 141.015, Spacing 15.0, Offset 380
Base 151.730, Spacing 15.0, Offset 579
Base 154.320, Spacing 15.0, Offset 632

This has to be set up in your scanner correctly, your scanner will not pick up fleetnet properly without this set up.

Did you save your previous configuration when you used to live in Perth Co? If so, compare the settings for that configuration and see if it matches what you recently created.

Finally, I am very familiar with your area, my daughter used to go to school in Millcroft. You are not in the best area to receive a control channel, Charlton is a fair distance away, Brittania does not have good coverage with really any of my scanners in the 8 years that I lived in Halton or Hamilton. Mowat might be a better option for you and Torontokris mentioned that Fonthill is a good option. Try Ballinafad's frequencies as well.

So, see if you are getting the grinding sound on all of those towers I mentioned, with a regular scanner antenna you may simply be too far away for the scanner to hear the tower and then have fleetnet work.

Have you tried to scan the Halton P25 system? You shouldnt really have a hard time receiving the south tower, you will be able to listen to the various fire services, transit (which is boring but they are active, so you will be able to see if your scanner is working) and by-law (another snoooze fest, you'll soon learn the best Tims locations and hear the officers ask about broken meters and the laws they should be enforcing.

If you have any other problems either post here or PM me, I live in Aldershot.

E
 

miedemabj

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Location
Burlington, Ontario
Thanks for everyone's help. I did solve the problem. Although the Charlton tower came in clear, it just wouldn't lock into the channel. I broke down and installed my trusty external antennae and it's back to normal. I really appreciate the input from all of you. Happy scanning.
 
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