Create your own sites coverage map

[ApexMark]

I wanted to create a map with overlapping circles showing the coverage of selected sites in the database, such as on page 17 of the SDS100 manual, or here:

How it Works: Location, Location, Location

Uniden's HomePatrol-1 is the first digital TrunkTracker IV Communications Receiver that requires no user programming. Simply turn it on, enter your location, and you will immediately begin hearing communications in your area. This functionality is made possible by combining the rich radio system...

www.homepatrol.com

Here is the website I used:

Draw a circle with a radius on a map

www.mapdevelopers.com

My method was as follows:
First prepare a text file with line entries of the lat/long and distance. If a mistake is made, the subsequent work will be less tedious. An example entry from mine (which I list in alpha order so I can glance at my scanner and ensure I've got everything):

NCSHP Training Center
35.7112642 -78.6141709 15 m

North Carolina VIPER Site: NCSHP Training Center

North Carolina VIPER Site: NCSHP Training Center Details

www.radioreference.com

Go to above website. Click "Only Show Border." Then:

1. Paste Lat/Long into Address field
2. Enter Radius
3. Click "New Circle"
Repeat these 3 steps until all your entries are completed.
When finished, be sure to copy and save the link it creates below the map, so you can quickly recreate it later.

I then did a simple screenshot and sent it to my printer. Maybe this will help someone. If there's an easier way (such as simply clicking all the Sites in RR and have it generate it!) please let me know.



Regards,
Mark L in Apex NC

 

[Firekite]

That’s a great start! I’m looking to do exactly that to help sort out a local system that is entered with massive coverage areas so you’re scanning all sites with all departments at all times except at the most extreme fringes—which is very annoying. My hope is to modify the ranges so that the overlap is less overwhelming so that I can limit sites to only those nearest and hopefully departments, too, so I don’t get East Dispatch calls on the very far west side anymore.

 

[Firekite]

Actually, I take it all back. This is the system I was hoping to correct:

San Antonio/Bexar County Trunking System, San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio/Bexar County Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

If you look at the sites, they all have the exact same location and range info. Ugh. I may have to try to get it all done manually between Google Maps with Satellite view (or Google Earth?) and the "Site Location" data, though on several including the "Simulcast" sites they're missing.

 

[ApexMark]

The CSV download file for the sites and frequencies for that is also bad:

 

[Hit_Factor]

Doesn't proscan have a feature like this? And a free trial?

 

[Firekite]

The CSV download file for the sites and frequencies for that is also bad:

View attachment 75203

Good catch! Is this across all of RR or just for this system?
EDIT: Picked another random trunked system (happened to be from Fort Worth, TX), and the CSV download worked fine.

The actual data starts with a comma for some reason, which throws it all off.

Site Dec,Site Hex,Description,County Name,Lat,Lon,Range,Frequencies
,013,D,Cagnon,Bexar,29.446773,-98.500671,25.862090382232,853.812500,...

Doesn't proscan have a feature like this? And a free trial?

Does it? Does it import from RR (or elsewhere) like Sentinel and draw out the map for you, let you draw squares, etc? I tried it once a while back but was still too new to know what I was looking at.

Maybe @ProScan can help

 

[eyes00only]

Is this any better than the radius shown in the radio reference database? The database shows, power, mile coverage and
a radius circle.

 

[ProScan]

ProScan is like this. It will also do rectangles from Sentinel

 

[blantonl]

I rolled a quick fix to the comma issue in the CSVs...

 

[Firekite]

ProScan is like this.

Will it let you drag towers around for your favorites lists when RR is wrong?

It will also do rectangles from Sentinel

For clarity: does it let you easily draw multiple rectangles to define a GPS coverage area? If so that alone might be worth the price of admission.

 

[ProScan]

Will it let you drag towers around for your favorites lists when RR is wrong?

Yes

For clarity: does it let you easily draw multiple rectangles to define a GPS coverage area? If so that alone might be worth the price of admission.
[/QUOTE]
The location info comes from Sentinel and any rectangles defined in Sentinel can be modified. The map can not create a new rectangle.

I always advise to try the 30 day fully functional demo / Trial. Your questions may be answered.