Cherry Hill - Encrypted?

[ampulman]

It is possible that C.H. has gone to partial/full encryption (Provoice).

While monitoring this A.M., heard dispatch give alert for 2 emergencies (not the run of the mill 10-12 medical). After initial response by field units, only heard dispatch side of conversation.


While monitoring, a mobile unit replied and my display came up with: ID-1. Just checked the DB and (I never noticed before) a TG was listed:

 

[policefreak]

Any more observations on the Cherry Hill PD TRS? I am just out of reach of the TRS, but it does concern me if I ever go up that way.

 

[ampulman]

Any more observations on the Cherry Hill PD TRS? I am just out of reach of the TRS, but it does concern me if I ever go up that way.

I'm still spending quite a bit of time monitoring C.H. As I'm writing this, an I-Call just came across the radio.

Every once in a while, I will hear a brief exchange (mere seconds). As mentioned, this appeared to start when they apparently switched to Provoice during 2 emergencies, recently.

Someone either forgot to 'throw the switch' back, or decided it would be good to keep things quiet. Hopefully, they will switch back to analog. Don't know why they bother; their codes are quite puzzling and hard to follow, even with a somewhat outdated copy.

AM

P.S., Your comment about being 'out of reach' is interesting and I'd be curious where you live. I'm just over the border in Voorhees and reception becomes staticky as soon as I cross Evesham Rd.
I've tried using a home made yagi on a tripod, but makes little difference which tower I'm pointed at.

 

[policefreak]

I live just before the Rt 30/73 overpass on the Berlin side. This is a frustratingly common experience where I live. I must live in a ditch. I get dribs and drabs of the CHPD control channel, but the signal goes in and out. And the comms (If I can get them) are unintelligible at best. You may be able to get Philadelphia, Montgomery county, Bucks County from your location, but all I get are weak control channels for all those with no intelligible voice. I only have a RS 800 duck and the RS UHF/VHF duck. Tell me about these Yagis. How do they work?

 

[jcardani]

ampulman,

Are you sure that the units did not go to a patch ID duing the emergency? Patch IDs are either on the low side (001, 002, etc) or high side (2047, 2046, etc) of the ID structure.
The conversation would go to one of these groups until the emergency is reset by the dispatcher.

As far as I know, only detectives, commander, and special units have ProVoice & encryption in their radios. The regular units are analog and unencrypted.

 

[Skypilot007]

I'll be passing through Cherry Hill later today...I'll give it a listen an post what I hear. And yes this system seems weak in comparrison to Canden city's system. I can hear Camden much better than Cherry Hill. I even have a dedicated 860 MHz yagi with a preamp all pointed towards Camden and Cherry hill. Boy that VHF channel was nice Cherry Hill used to use, kinda like Vorhees....I can hear that repeated in Deleware in my mobile.

 

[policefreak]

I'll be passing through Cherry Hill later today...I'll give it a listen an post what I hear. And yes this system seems weak in comparrison to Canden city's system. I can hear Camden much better than Cherry Hill. I even have a dedicated 860 MHz yagi with a preamp all pointed towards Camden and Cherry hill. Boy that VHF channel was nice Cherry Hill used to use, kinda like Vorhees....I can hear that repeated in Deleware in my mobile.

Yes, Camden City does come in quite a bit stronger than Cherry Hill. Shame. Makes you wonder if they have dead spots within the Cherry Hill twp line. I'll be on Route 73 in Marlton tomorrow, so I'll try and listen for a while too and see find out whats going on. Wow, no kidding Skypilot, you got Voorhees PD channel in DE? Jeez, it's spotty right here in parts of Camco. Thats great!! {:>D

 

[Skypilot007]

Forgot to post last night but all seems normal. I was hearing the dispatch and the patrol units as normal at around 4PM yesterday. I had the system on for about a half hour and all seemed normal to me.

 

[ampulman]

ampulman,

Are you sure that the units did not go to a patch ID duing the emergency? Patch IDs are either on the low side (001, 002, etc) or high side (2047, 2046, etc) of the ID structure.
The conversation would go to one of these groups until the emergency is reset by the dispatcher.

As far as I know, only detectives, commander, and special units have ProVoice & encryption in their radios. The regular units are analog and unencrypted.

To jc and all: I first noticed this within the last week, when there was an emergency call 10-51(according to the code list that I have?) for a 'hostage situation'. Two units responded to the call. Shortly thereafter, was another emergency call (forget what it was).

Waiting to hear an update on the '51', heard only the dispatcher reply 10-4. Since then, have only heard a few brief exchanges on the PD groups (Public Works is still 'on the air'). Have been listening this AM for about 2 hours--haven't heard anything.

I don't know about patching, but I scan in search mode (396), so any non-programmed groups will show up. During the emergencies, the group showed at ID-1, which is listed in the DB as Emergency Dispatch. I just programmed in the patch group (2047) and Emergency (001).

AM

 

[ampulman]

I live just before the Rt 30/73 overpass on the Berlin side. This is a frustratingly common experience where I live. I must live in a ditch. I get dribs and drabs of the CHPD control channel, but the signal goes in and out. And the comms (If I can get them) are unintelligible at best. You may be able to get Philadelphia, Montgomery county, Bucks County from your location, but all I get are weak control channels for all those with no intelligible voice. I only have a RS 800 duck and the RS UHF/VHF duck. Tell me about these Yagis. How do they work?

Somewhere along the line, I read that C.H. system is not designed to provide coverage outside of the township. Well, they succeeded.

I have received one Bucks site, but don't really listen to it or Montgomery. Philadelphia comes in, but not great. Hoping the new firmware update for the 396 will improve digital reception.

The 'yagi', if you want to call it that, is a wooden dowel with 6 elements (coat hangers) including the driven element, mounted on a tripod. On the other end of the dowel, is mounted a pair of rabbit ears oriented vertically, which I adjust for VHF Lo to UHF. Each one is fed separately. I haven't really noticed much improvement in receiving C.H. (about 1 bar).

Over all, reception at this location is good, but when I lived in C.H., I was on the highest point in the twp and reception was great (on my old PRO-46). I could pick up Philly tower & departure. Oh well.

AM

 

[ampulman]

Forgot to post last night but all seems normal. I was hearing the dispatch and the patrol units as normal at around 4PM yesterday. I had the system on for about a half hour and all seemed normal to me.

Have been monitoring off and on. Just returned to the radio room. Just for the heck of it, I reviewed all settings; they were normnal. It is now 1:30 P.M., and I am now receiving normal transmissions.

I thought it might be due to having the wrong antenna hooked up, but now (with wrong antenna), I am getting my usual scratchy reception.

AM

 

[policefreak]

I don't know the system all that well, but it seems to be fine. I heard this morning a unit call in a traffic stop, and a unit go into service.