Thanks. I am on top floor of 4 floor condo east end of Toronto facing west . I replaced the short whip
antenna two weeks ago with a better one supplied( and appreciated) by another member of this forum. It is 24 inches in length and is located
6 inches away from window inside and 2 feet from scanner. It is affixed to a bracket so not easily removed .I will take scanner to another area about 100 feet away still indoors and try it with the supplied whip for a day or so and report my findings.
Other frequencies I receive:
TTC - 3 freq.- excellent copy and active
Toronto Eaton Center- noisy but decent active copy
CN Tower ( hams) -good copy but not too active
VE3 MIS- good copy but not too active
Unidentified property management-2 freq.noisy and not too active
I have given numerous other freq, from RR a trial but not successful and not many Toronto area ones left to try.
Taxis are very good but not interesting to me.
Why don't you try the following:
149.440, MOH Pagers, For EMS providers outside the 416, you might be able to pick up York (Georgian) or Durham (Oshawa) EMS pages to calls.
150.100-This is a MOH frequency used these days for the various MOH communications centres to Ornge Heli's. You should be able to listen to a communications centre like Mississauga, Hamilton or Niagara (if you are close to the lake without a wall of buildings) talking to Ornge when they are being dispatched to calls. If a Ornge heli is in your area you might be able to hear them as well. They also communicate on 413.6875.
Check out the TIA-Pearson Air frequencies, I am not sure if you are close enough to listen to the ATC's but you should be able to listen to the pilots.
Check out the OPP repeaters, OPP squad cars have repeaters, and if you are within a few Km's of them you will be able to listen to analog audio traffic. Since you are in Toronto this is a bit of a long shot but if there is for instance a OPP cruiser on the 427 or around the 401/404/DVP there is a chance that you are high enough for your scanner to hear one of these repeaters.
And finally, punch in the following frequencies for a 'one-and-done' signal strength search: 142.905, 141.420, 142.380 and 143.145. They are the control channels for the following towers that the OPP/MOH/MTO/MNR use, 142.905 is located in downtown Toronto, I can hear this tower out as far as Niagara Falls, 141.420 is located in Mississauga but it doesnt seem to have much coverage towards the east, 142.380 is in King City and the final frequency is in Whitby. You wont hear anything of interest on these frequencies, all you will hear is a grinding constant sound but it will give you a good idea of how your antenna is.
Finally if you are close to the lake you might be able to listen to some of the conventional frequencies in Niagara County and maybe Monroe, I can monitor Niagara Co activity in Aldershot.
