Advice on S.C. Palmetto 800 system

[SCPD]

I've been doing some work related activities in S.C. lately. I'm planning on carrying my PRO-95 along with me the next time I have to travel in S.C. I've also noticed that the Palmetto 800 system has several sites with mega-mucho frequencies.

Here's my dilemma..... for the most part I only travel to/through the counties of Aiken, Edgefield, Barnwell, Saluda, and McCormick. Should I program the conventional frequencies listed on this site as well as the Palmetto 800? Do I need to program all the frequencies in the Palmetto 800 system for the counties I mentioned or just the sites located near these counties? I'm sooooo confused!

Okay. I admit it. I live in Georgia and I don't get to Carolina often and I haven't had the need to monitor S.C. until now. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

 

[Dewey]

According to the database here, the Palmetto 800 system is Astro, so a Pro-95 is not going to monitor it. With a Pro-96, all you have to do is program the control channels for those counties that are interest to you, or near you. That's how I do it when I travel up and down I-95.

 

[brian]

Palmetto 800 is Astro-capable, but out of 600-some-odd identified talkgroups, 10% or so are digital. The other 90% or so are analog and monitorable with a PRO-95.

Out of the counties you mentioned, only Aiken has local Public Safety agencies active on Palmetto 800. So to monitor the county and other local public safety agencies in those counties, program in their conventional frequencies. In Aiken, only Aiken Co. SD has talkgroups on Palm 800, so program Aiken Co.'s conventional frequencies also.

The PRO-95 will scan conventional and trunked frequencies at the same time, so program the control channel and alternate control channel frequencies into your bank or banks of conventional frequencies. I generally program one or two counties into a single bank (eg, I'd program Edgefield/Saluda/McCormick into a single bank, and Aiken into its own bank), and then program the CCs and ACs for the Palm 800 cells in those counties into those banks as well.

The PRO-95 is capable of control-channel only scanning, so there's no need to program all of the other voice frequencies.

You'll primarily hear SCHP and other state agencies on Palm 800, so it's worth listening to.

Hope that helps. Let us know if you have any other questions.

Brian
SCScan

 

[INDY72]

Also just to clarify- On all ASTRO 3600 KBPS any trunktraker scanner will be able to hear the analog TG's. You will hear digital noise on the digital TG's unless you have a digital scanner,... On a ASTRO 25 system you won't hear anything unless you have a digital scanner. The Palmetto 800, is an ASTRO 3600 KBPS Mixed Mode type of system. Most of the other stand alone TRS in SC are also iether Analog Only, or Mixed Mode systems. The only pure digital currently will be the City of Charleston which is converting to an ASTRO format.

 

[SCPD]

Thanks fellas. I've had Aiken County DPS (Palmetto 800) programmed into my 780XLT for some time. I wasn't sure if any of the other Counties in the area were on the Palm 800 as well or if they were still using their conventional frequencies.

I'll set aside a separate bank for the Edgefield, Saluda, McCormick, etc. and see how it works for me.

 

[INDY72]

One good thing about the setup on the Palmetto 800 is that its designed for growth. Every county is going to have at least one TG on the system, and most of the counties may even fully migrate for law enforcement. Fire and EMS also are expected at least at the county level to have at least one TG, and this is a good thing for interop. Not to mention the crossovers at the NC, and GA border regions, making it fully interoperable when the NC, and GA Statewide systems fully grow out.

 

[merlin-7]

here in charleston SC most everyone is on the palm 800 dorchester and charleston countys. I am listening to them now on my rs 95-pro

 

[LarrySC]

merlin-7 you are correct. The milf statement that a 95 will receive digital noise is wrong. Only in the OPEN mode would it do this. If you PGM in the analog talk group ID's you never hear digital. I do have a 95 and a 96. Larry

 

[INDY72]

Hmm I love when someone says dude your wrong then says something will do just what I siad it will do......


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