darkness975

Latrodectus
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Nov 4, 2016
Messages
850
I live in Enfield near exit 49 and last I tired to listen to the 700p25 system could only get one or two bars at best with a exterior antenna from the Avon/troop H site and no signal at all from the Tolland County site. Meanwhile, the 800 Moto system worked just fine with 2-3 bars inside on the OEM antenna on my 436HP.

Yet another confirmation that I am not alone in poor reception of CSERN. I know the Enfield area well and there is definitely no issue with reception around there, especially of Hartford County.

You could not even get a good signal with an external antenna??? Never thought I would live to see the day that I would read those words ...

Hopefully when they switch over completely the resources will strengthen the new system to where the old one was.

If not, I will be completely in the dark since no one around my area has their own PD, they are all state ...
 

SVFC462

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Feed Provider
Joined
May 30, 2006
Messages
178
Location
Connecticut
The CT Troop H feed (see picture below) is sitting on top of a desk (about 7ft in the air). The room walls are metal lathe and plaster and I am using the stock Uniden supplied telescoping antenna.

Has everyone checked their programming? Now I get that some people like to see what site the unit is talking from and others just like to listen to the talk group regardless of the site. The way I have the scanner programmed is I took all the frequencies and put them into one site. then I pick the talk group(s) Iwant to listen to and add those. I have been scanning this way (for CSP) for 13+ years and had zero issues listening to one TG or many.

0866880ad17e696f08b92030528474ff.jpg



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matt04

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Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
194
The CT Troop H feed (see picture below) is sitting on top of a desk (about 7ft in the air). The room walls are metal lathe and plaster and I am using the stock Uniden supplied telescoping antenna.

Has everyone checked their programming? Now I get that some people like to see what site the unit is talking from and others just like to listen to the talk group regardless of the site. The way I have the scanner programmed is I took all the frequencies and put them into one site. then I pick the talk group(s) Iwant to listen to and add those. I have been scanning this way (for CSP) for 13+ years and had zero issues listening to one TG or many.

0866880ad17e696f08b92030528474ff.jpg



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Where are you located? I live within a mile of 91 as the crow flies and this is what I get on the Moto system with the same stock Uniden antenna but can barely get a control channel on the P25 with an exterior antenna. IMG_1698.jpg


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darkness975

Latrodectus
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Nov 4, 2016
Messages
850
I'm still confused. What exactly is being switched.
Is the 800 MHz system getting shut down And everyone’s moving over to 700

In a nutshell, the old system is being shut down and everyone will be moved over to the new CSERN.

That is the reason I've been expressing concerns because at present I pick up no CSERN from home at all, and even in other places myself and others here only seem to get weak signals even with outdoor antennas and everything.

I am assuming when the old system is shut down they will reallocate resources to CSERN. Hopefully that will improve reception.
 

WoodburyMan

Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2017
Messages
377
Location
Woodbury, CT
In a nutshell, the old system is being shut down and everyone will be moved over to the new CSERN.

That is the reason I've been expressing concerns because at present I pick up no CSERN from home at all, and even in other places myself and others here only seem to get weak signals even with outdoor antennas and everything.

I am assuming when the old system is shut down they will reallocate resources to CSERN. Hopefully that will improve reception.
This makes... no sense with Troop B and Troop L still only on the 800mhz system? Unless someone just hasn't mapped out new B and L sites and B and L talkgroups on CSERN and they aren't in the database yet. Right now I can pick up the Plymouth and Wolcott CSERN sites here in Woodbury, but its -105db to-110db or so vs -95db with the 800mhz system. However those sites are primarily for Troop A use. When L and B get CSERN sites coverage should improve at that's more local to us. P25 II also seems to come in better on low signal. The Moto Type II gets digital and has trouble anything over -110db, where P25 Ii seems to work up to -115db to -120db fine.

As of right now there's no Troop B, D, and L Talkgroups listed in the database. The more rural areas..

Also just heard Troop L dispatched chatter about converting over to the new system today as well, something about a ticket in for a radio. Looks like we'll have to find and map the new sites.... and talk groups.

i got a SDR available, SDS200 and SDS100, and ProScan if anyone can give me some pointers on what t can do to help map these.... and hopefully find new sites they may be activating for the North West here...
 
Joined
Apr 18, 2009
Messages
6,170
Location
CT
Troop L and G Dispatchers just stated the radio changeover is "supposed to take place" at 09:00
 
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SVFC462

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Feed Provider
Joined
May 30, 2006
Messages
178
Location
Connecticut
I’m currently running my proscan on search for IDs .... every few minutes I have to mute the transit buses.

@WoodburyMan I can send you my proscan Fire if you’d like.


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CqDx

Member
Joined
May 15, 2003
Messages
1,220
Location
US
Like APX7500X2 said, you can have mixed 700/800 channels on a single site, or you can have existing SmartZone 800 channels on a site “rolled” over” into a CSERN site.

It is not necessary to have all new base radios (If they are GTR8000) or RF combiners to upgrade a SmartZone 800 site to a P25 site.
 

WoodburyMan

Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2017
Messages
377
Location
Woodbury, CT
Troop L and G Dispatchers just stated the radio changeover is "supposed to take place" at 09:00
10:13 I'm still getting L traffic on 800mhz SmartZone.
Not sure what's going on....
I’m currently running my proscan on search for IDs .... every few minutes I have to mute the transit buses.

@WoodburyMan I can send you my proscan Fire if you’d like.


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I should be able to set up my ProScan to do search for new TalkGroups. The only thing is I can only access the Plymouth and Wolcott sites. I'm not sure if the new L or B talk groups would show up there unless they happen to be pretty far South and East. I'm assuming there's unknown sites in Litchfield for P25 that we need to find somehow.
I may hook up my SDS100 and run a 2nd ProScan instance just dedicated to find new TG's tonight.. I could just review the recordings and match up the TG's later for what they are. I know all L troopers identify themselves starting with a "L" when they talk usually so it should be easy to find the L G and B TG's...
 
Joined
Apr 18, 2009
Messages
6,170
Location
CT
I'm not hearing anything different..
Same here. The volume of traffic appears to be the same.

The only difference I see is fewer UID's are visible. (I think) The radio traffic appears "normal".

I think they are working their way West to East across the state.

I don't hear a thing on CSERN. I am in the Cromwell area.
 
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WoodburyMan

Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2017
Messages
377
Location
Woodbury, CT
I just saw Talkgroup 501 on Plymouth CSERN site. This should be Troop L Dispatch.
I am still getting data and transmissions for Troop L on the 800mhz SmartZone system though.
Annotation 2019-06-11 111504.png
 

oldtimeradio

Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2003
Messages
100
Location
Stafford Springs, CT
Just quiet. Good to hear Troop H again through Troop C site. Also Troop K .
No difference in signal strength from control channel. So I guess they were already running 100 Watts on 700 MHz.
Still trying to get my BCD996P2 working on 700 MHz. I'll have to put it on the service monitor and see if it's deaf.
More testing.
Mike OTR
 

jmorrissey23

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Premium Subscriber
Joined
Mar 1, 2010
Messages
198
Location
D14
I just saw Talkgroup 501 on Plymouth CSERN site. This should be Troop L Dispatch.
I am still getting data and transmissions for Troop L on the 800mhz SmartZone system though.
View attachment 72064

What have you seen for voice channels on the Plymouth site besides 770.68125? I believe what is listed in the database includes extra frequencies that are not actually used on that site.
 

WoodburyMan

Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2017
Messages
377
Location
Woodbury, CT
What have you seen for voice channels on the Plymouth site besides 770.68125? I believe what is listed in the database includes extra frequencies that are not actually used on that site.
I'm scanning Wolcott and Plymouth right now so they're mixed together. (Trying to scan maximum sites I can see to look for Troop L stuff since honestly that's all I'm interested in
Annotation 2019-06-11 114333.png
(Ignore the Top and Bottom rows...)
I also just set temporary avoids on the CT-Transit known TG's so it doesn't flood my scanner with random stuff. Just CSP and unknowns right now.
 
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