Very new to this and just purchased a Uniden 996P2. Programming this has been more of a challenge than I anticipated. I wanted to start with CCSO 1 and 2 along with Mutual Aid. I am picking up CCSO 1 and Mutual Aid strong. I am not picking up CCSO 2 at all. Even if I lock out the others and only scan 2...not a peep. I am in the area of 1102 and Hoffmann. Any help?
Comal County
- Thread starter crjacobs
- Start date
CCSO 2 (156.000 NAC 300) should come in very well from there. I can receive it from 30 miles away most of the time, well into San Antonio, San Marcos, etc. It is active today on Broadcastify Calls as well, just click over onto the Comal County page and any frequency lit up blue with a clickable link will take you to the Calls page for that channel with audio files to replay.
If by mutual aid are you referring to 154.295 PL 203.5 which is the county fire dispatch frequency? They also use 155.880 NAC 300 now for Fire Dispatch. I know 154.295 is the old Texas Fire 3, now VFIRE23 and is used for mutual aid interop but with 156.7 PL.
When you are ready to start programming LCRA for New Braunfels Fire and EMS as well as Hays, Guadalupe and Bexar Counties (Live Oak area) let me know. That's a whole 'nother can of worms.
If by mutual aid are you referring to 154.295 PL 203.5 which is the county fire dispatch frequency? They also use 155.880 NAC 300 now for Fire Dispatch. I know 154.295 is the old Texas Fire 3, now VFIRE23 and is used for mutual aid interop but with 156.7 PL.
When you are ready to start programming LCRA for New Braunfels Fire and EMS as well as Hays, Guadalupe and Bexar Counties (Live Oak area) let me know. That's a whole 'nother can of worms.
Thank you for that reply. I have CCSO 2 set at 156.0000. I do hear all the traffic on 2 while using Broadcastify. I just don't know what I'm doing wrong or if it could be an antenna issue. I've moved the unit around to several different locations...even outside. It has not locked on 2 one single time.
I do want to add NB Fire and EMS. I'm still just getting past the learning curve. I did use 155.8800 for county fire dispatch (mutual aid is what we called it before I retired). It seems to be working ok.
Truth be told, I think terrain is working against you. That CCSO 2 repeater is northwest of the Bulverde area, and there are some serious hills between you and it. If you could find a way to elevate an antenna outside and run cable to your scanner you’d probably have better results. Also I can’t remember if it was LCRA talkgroup 11012, I know I saw it one time going through NB. It is adjacent to 11013 which is patched to CCSO 1 155.595. I never was able to confirm if it was CCSO 2 or not.
I think I will try taking up to Startzville using the mobile power cord and see if I at least have it programmed right. If I do, then I may ask about what type of antenna to try. Thank you.
Ok...so...my programming is good. I started picking up CCSO 2 a short 3 miles away from my home....before I started getting into the hills. Can anyone recommend a good replacement antenna with better reception than the one that came with the unit? I'm thinking I want to try just an indoor better antenna before I ponder an outdoor setup.
The antenna that comes with that scanner is telescoping, so you can improve reception somewhat by adjusting the length of the antenna, that should reasonably well for the the Vhf-high frequencies used by Comal County.
New Braunfels is on this system:
Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) P25 Trunking System, Various, Texas
Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) P25 Trunking System Profile
www.radioreference.com
That system uses 700 & 800MHz frequencies. An antenna such as this one would work better for that system:
REMTRONIX 800 MHz FLEX BNC Antenna | Scanner Master
REMTRONIX 800 MHz FLEX BNC Antenna
www.scannermaster.com
Some of your neighboring counties are also on the LCRA system, so an antenna as the one linked might enable you to receive at least some of their radio traffic, although an external antenna (roof top, or alternately attic mounted) would perform better for more distant sites. Note, though, that the antenna I linked is not a good choice for distant Vhf channels. It may do fine for your immediate area, but will be less effective on more distant Vhf transmit sites.
Thank you. I appreciate the reply. All I'm really interested in is Comal systems along with New Braunfels Fire and EMS. After retiring, I just miss listening to the radio traffic.The antenna that comes with that scanner is telescoping, so you can improve reception somewhat by adjusting the length of the antenna, that should reasonably well for the the Vhf-high frequencies used by Comal County.
New Braunfels is on this system:
Police talkgroups are encrypted, but you should be able to hear Fire & EMS.Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) P25 Trunking System, Various, Texas
Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) P25 Trunking System Profilewww.radioreference.com
That system uses 700 & 800MHz frequencies. An antenna such as this one would work better for that system:
REMTRONIX 800 MHz FLEX BNC Antenna | Scanner Master
REMTRONIX 800 MHz FLEX BNC Antennawww.scannermaster.com
Some of your neighboring counties are also on the LCRA system, so an antenna as the one linked might enable you to receive at least some of their radio traffic, although an external antenna (roof top, or alternately attic mounted) would perform better for more distant sites. Note, though, that the antenna I linked is not a good choice for distant Vhf channels. It may do fine for your immediate area, but will be less effective on more distant Vhf transmit sites.
Just FYI, and I am not sure if you got wind of this before retiring, but Comal County SO is supposed to be building a 6 site countywide VHF trunk system. I don’t know where they are in the process now but there were some county documents from commissioners court that were linked to here a while back that had some good info about it. That will make listening to them easier provided they don’t encrypt.
I do know there has been a tremendous amount of money already spent on upgrading the entire county radio system. I don't know when that new system will be implemented, but I don't think it will be very much longer.
There is an article in the Herald-Zeitung Comal County to approve delayed completion of radio project Dated Dec 15th, 2021 mentioning the system completion date being pushed back to July 31st, 2022.
I updated the wiki with the latest stations and apparatus for the county that I have either heard or could glean from their websites. It hadn’t been updated since Bulverde and Spring Branch were separate departments with Medic 81, etc. If you don’t mind looking it over crjacobs since you probably know more than most here.
It looks good to me...from what I can recall. I was on the SO side, but worked closely with all those FD/EMS stations and heard all the tones, stations and apparatuses all day everyday.
BSB Station 4 is going to be Spring Branch, Tx 78070...not NB, 78133
Under unit assignments:
All 930s are animal control operating on CCSO 1 and 2
1101-1120: Reserved for Pct. 1 Constable and Deputy Constables
1201-1210: Reserved for Pct. 2 Constable and Deputy Constables
1301-1310: Reserved for Pct. 3 Constable and Deputy Constables...K91302 is K9 unit
1401-1408: Reserved for Pct. 4 Constable and Deputy Constables...K91404 is K9 unit
1631-1639: Reserved for County Fire Marshal and Deputy Fire Marshals
KE5PL
Member
Story was, there just were not any VHF frequencies to be found. Discovered only after the equipment had been purchased. Now I'm hearing Marine VHF will be used.
Gonna affect the Canyon Lake party barge radio comms😂
Maybe they can get the old AstroTac’s working and have a semi decent system in the interim.
GATRRS Comal
Site 2.21, NAC 131.
161.8625 CC
161.9250 SCC
Site 2.21, NAC 131.
161.8625 CC
161.9250 SCC
Yeah, last I heard, they were considering jumping on the GATRRS system. As rattlerbb01 posted some control channels in Comal County, it might be the direction they went. Considering that New Braunfels is on the LCRA system as well as most neighboring counties besides Blanco and Bexar. It would make sense to jump on LCRA. Already a couple of towers in the county and many in the surrounding counties. But politics and money always play a part in the game.
Maybe they like Motorola, lol.
Anyways,
153.6050
153.6725
161.8000
161.8625
161.9250
162.0000
No neighbors advertised yet, and testing counts on 46203-46204 this afternoon. I’m running recording but only for today
Anyways,
153.6050
153.6725
161.8000
161.8625
161.9250
162.0000
No neighbors advertised yet, and testing counts on 46203-46204 this afternoon. I’m running recording but only for today
I’ve run DSD for 5 days and counting at home on the Comal site 2.21, no captured audio at all save for one test count on 46016. A little short keyups with encryption seen on that one and brief clear key ups on 46000 today. They are still fully on conventional P25 and analog as of this date.
