VSP Richmond 1 and 2

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CPerk

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Not sure if anyone has notice but In Doswell, VA I can not pick up VSP what so ever on my Pro 106 and my BC436HP and I have the RIchmond, Rumford , Glen Allen Sites Programmed and I can't hear anything at all, unless I coonect my car scanner Magent Mount Antenna and then Comes in , but I would love to pick them up, but was wondering anyone have any tips...
at my home in King William, I hear VSP clear as day, but I work in Doswell and can't hear anything on Ch 1 or 2 Richmond, You would think I hear something since Glen Allen right down the road from there not far at all.
 

tglendye

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A few questions: Are you picking up any control channel activity? Are you trying to monitor from inside a building? Do you have computers or other devices that could cause RF interference with the scanner?
 

CPerk

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A few questions: Are you picking up any control channel activity? Are you trying to monitor from inside a building? Do you have computers or other devices that could cause RF interference with the scanner?



No control activity ay all, no signal on my singal meter either and , na not inside bulding, I tend to work outside , and not that I know of anything blocking signal but I get to 301 and 30 Half way home and signal comes in perfect but 30 and Doswell the signal is gone, its very odd , thats only spot in that area of VA i havent been able to hear STARS
 

RagnarD

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Could it Be Receiver Desensing?

What brand radio are you using? I wonder if there isn't some type of front-end overload occuring when you're in that area? I live in Hampton Roads and have to use FM traps to copy most all of the VHF stuff around here. Maybe as test when you're near Doswell turn on attenuation and see if you can copy traffic then? I'm not sure how rf "rich" the Doswell area is but may be worth a try?

73
de
chris
kq4z
 

CPerk

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What brand radio are you using? I wonder if there isn't some type of front-end overload occuring when you're in that area? I live in Hampton Roads and have to use FM traps to copy most all of the VHF stuff around here. Maybe as test when you're near Doswell turn on attenuation and see if you can copy traffic then? I'm not sure how rf "rich" the Doswell area is but may be worth a try?

73
de
chris
kq4z

Im currently using the bcd436hp, I have my pro 106 scanner for back up at times but primary the bcd436hp ... I just tireid the attenuation and still doesnt come thru at all, it deff has me stump, I have tried so much and only thing works when I connect my radio shack magment mount antenna and which I cant always have that with me , that on my POV but its deff good to hear hanover but at times i wamt to hear VSP
 

tglendye

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The scanners track STARS good- to a point. I think your problem is mobile use/ stock antennas. I know when I have used a portable scanner to monitor STARS while I am in a vehicle, I have a lot of dead spots. I have much better luck with mobile antennas and STARS.

I think it is just a combination of the VHF digital system and the scanner antenna being inside the vehicle. The scanner seems to have problems receiving the control channel. 800mhz systems seem much better for scanners inside a vehicle.

I don't think it is a programming or scanner issue. Unless there is another tower that is not programmed.
 

CPerk

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The scanners track STARS good- to a point. I think your problem is mobile use/ stock antennas. I know when I have used a portable scanner to monitor STARS while I am in a vehicle, I have a lot of dead spots. I have much better luck with mobile antennas and STARS.

I think it is just a combination of the VHF digital system and the scanner antenna being inside the vehicle. The scanner seems to have problems receiving the control channel. 800mhz systems seem much better for scanners inside a vehicle.

I don't think it is a programming or scanner issue. Unless there is another tower that is not programmed.

Not sure what could be the issue but i hope can be narrorw down soon
 

CPerk

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any other tips since I don't have the money at the moment but today I tried Richmond Mobile Site , Rumford, and Richmond for STARS and Channel 1 and 2 and still NO luck picking up STARS unless I connect it to make radioshack scanner antenna , anyone have suggestions....
 

fredva

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I use a telescoping antenna on my handheld. A longer antenna like that usually works better on a VHF system than the shorter antennas commonly put on a handheld. Mine came with a PRO-197 base unit but the PRO-197 is connected to an outdoor antenna, so the telescoping antenna was available for my PRO-18.

Of course, if you are carrying the scanner on your hip instead of just setting it on a nearby table, etc., the longer antenna doesn't work so well.
 

Ghstwolf62

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any other tips since I don't have the money at the moment but today I tried Richmond Mobile Site , Rumford, and Richmond for STARS and Channel 1 and 2 and still NO luck picking up STARS unless I connect it to make radioshack scanner antenna , anyone have suggestions....

Unfortunately that or one that I believe is called the condor which is a fat handheld antenna that pulls in great.

I also found the RS 800 duckie worked great for me when I was wondering around Roanoke a few weeks ago on my 668.

The telescoping one the next poster mentioned works too. My 600 worked better in some areas with that hooked up than an outside mobile antenna did.

Good luck and sorry I can't be of more help. Those suggestions were ones I followed off here that proved to be really good ones.
 

Bote

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Until you discover what the problem is, there is no guarantee that another antenna will help you. Like a previous poster suggested it could be a nearby paging or FM broadcast transmitter overloading your scanner, so a better antenna will actually hurt you.

It could be that your scanner doesn't have programmed into it the control channel that they are using.

I just leave my scanner wide open (to a point) on VSP since they re-use frequencies across the state. If you only have a handful of sites programmed or enabled then maybe you're missing the control channel of the site that serves Doswell.

I bet it picks up Buckingham Branch loud and clear. :)
 

CPerk

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Your exactly right there, any possible idea what site i need programed, i have rumford , richmond, glen allen and richmond mobile site, which site would you all say i need into my radio
 

beastieboy101

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DrWhoVa

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Until you discover what the problem is, there is no guarantee that another antenna will help you. Like a previous poster suggested it could be a nearby paging or FM broadcast transmitter overloading your scanner, so a better antenna will actually hurt you.

It could be that your scanner doesn't have programmed into it the control channel that they are using.

I just leave my scanner wide open (to a point) on VSP since they re-use frequencies across the state. If you only have a handful of sites programmed or enabled then maybe you're missing the control channel of the site that serves Doswell.

I bet it picks up Buckingham Branch loud and clear. :)

When BBRR is in the clear. They use digital (probably NXDN since the scanner won't decode it) 30-40% of the time that I listen to them.
 

Bote

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Yep; Thornburg will be your best bet.

This Google Map of STARS is great to use as well;
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewe...=0&ptab=0&hl=en&mid=z0eTh--blMmI.kXCz3rvQe2LU

That map looks like it needs some new sites added to it. I don't see Glen Allen on there, for example.

BTW, an unhealthy number of sites have bogus coordinates on the RadRef database which is bad if you're relying on the GPS thingy to turn them on and off. Like site 129 Glen Allen is described as being at the Division 1 tower near US 1 and I-295 but the coordinates point the map over to the east side of Richmond near Laburnum and 9 Mile Rd.

So you're probably better off just entering a bunch of control channels in conventional mode and figuring out which one is strongest where you need it, then use that information to grab the needed sites.
 
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