Grand Forks County Quiet

[BeltramiCountyScanPage]

My friends have told me Grand Forks has gone quiet on their TrunkTracker 3, did they go 800mgz or DMR?

 

[jason_58201]

I heard a rumor that the state was testing the new statewide system in GF County, if that's the case they would be on 800 phase 2 and encrypted. I'll have to pay closer attention next time I'm over there. The irony of course is that after all these years, both sides of the river will actually be able to talk to each other. It's been 20 years of one side on 800 and the other on vhf and then one side switches to 800 and the other side goes back to vhf. It's almost laughable.

 

[jason_58201]

My friends have told me Grand Forks has gone quiet on their TrunkTracker 3, did they go 800mgz or DMR?

It should be noted that GF County with great exception has been digital for a number of years now. A trunktracker iii scanner does not have digital capabilities.

 

[BeltramiCountyScanPage]

Jason, my buddy lives in crookston, he has a ws1040 which would pickup Grand Forks perfectly, he got an sds200 and now cant hear it? lilhelp?

What they do is take Cheap Chinese Radios, rebrand them with their name, and jack the price up 3-5x. It is type accepted for GMRS, from what I can gather, so you'ree good there.

In any event, here is basically what they sold you, and I'm guessing you paid a little more than $135 for it. Heck, they were going on eBay not that long ago for under $99.

Amazon.com

Don't fall for Rugged Radios' crap. You can do way better, cheaper, elsewhere.

Thanks, I was worried that I may have bought an illegal radio.

I got it for $150, they’re clearing them out. When I buy important stuff, and I have a choice to buy from a Chinese company through Amazon with no support and shipping the unit back is costly, versus rebranded but supported by a US company, I lean towards the layer. It’s just a personal preference. In this case $150 (supported in US) vs $135, I decided on the former.

I am glad you found this forum and also happy that some folks out there are smart enough to understand what they are doing. I personally do not think you much to worry about. That said and having been a CBer in the "Golden Years" (1976) who sent in his FCC license when everyone went crazy with linear amps and later trash talk, I hope you lean in the future towards getting a HAM license. Not just because it gets you a ton of capabilities but it will propel you into a whole new world of possibilities you might have never thought of before. Yes there are some curmudgeons among us but they are not the majority. GMRS or FRS is fine for now but down the road being able to communicate off road via all manner of legal means is like nothing else. Setting up an HF or High power VHF/UHF station mobile will get you really out there.

I ran a 65 watt VHF simplex station that was heard 20 miles away. Radio is an important tool to have these days if the grid gets compromised. Forget the 5 watt Chinese HT's (good for a few blocks under the best conditions). Repeaters are great as well but if the power goes, simplex is going to need power and that's where a HAM radio license will come in handy. I doubt there will be FCC agents running around enforcing rules and laws on GMRS folks during a disaster but if you have a license its less likely you will get hassled.


KJ4DGE

I’m definitely thinking about getting my HAM license after a year or two using GMRS. Right now my priority is to meet Jeep’s requirement to use GMRS. I’m pretty sure HAM is even better! My long term priority is to be prepared for disaster.

Id be curious what channels you are talking on. the Midland has all available GMRS frequencies. Not sure how one radio will talk and one wont unless your on FRS or other channels.

I wheel with a bunch of Jeep folks, some had FRS handhelds and we were trying to talk over Channel 11. Nobody could get it to work. I could hear everyone, but nobody could hear me.

In hindsight, now that I’ve done some reading up, it may have been the Midland XMT115 not being able to broadcast to that FRS channel for some reason, or something related to Privacy Codes.

GMRS is alll new to us, most are married to CB.

What our new member needs to understand and know is the radio he is using now may be on a channel he is not licensed to use and causing interference with licensed users and could be held liable.

I have my GMRS license (WRJJ303).

Does that have to be programmed/entered into the GMRS? I would be shocked if the Midland wasn’t able to broadcast over the .5W max for Channels 8-14. Learning as I go, happy to admit when I don’t know.

I just completed my annual 30 day cross country vacation. Last year I used a CB and all was good in Moab, etc. This year I didn’t get a chance to install the CB or GMRS (new Jeep), and got by with a cheap handheld CB.

Day 30 – Back Home

I do a 30 day road trip every year. My biggest fear is that my USPS mailbox might explode while I’m away. As I do every year, I toss the SPAM back into the USPS mailbox “outbox” for the…

donmontalvo.com

Unfortunately with more folks going with GMRS only, there were times I couldn’t get a spotter (someone to guide you on the difficult climbs) since none of them had CBs. I now keep a cheap set of FRS handhelds in the back of the Jeep, charged and ready for difficult climbs.

I really want to get going with GMRS. The Molle overhead panel is due in in a few daysI’ll have both GMRS/CB mounted and I can start getting serious.

I want to thank y’all for being so helpful, I like this forum!

 

[tvengr]

he has a ws1040 which would pickup Grand Forks perfectly

Can you still hear Grand Forks on the 1040? If yes, the SDS200 has a programming poblem.

 

[jason_58201]

Is he using location based scanning? if he's in Crookston and using location based scanning that may be why the sds isn't working. I don't generally listen to GF County from home, I'll try and plug it into my computer today and see if it logs any hits on my 436. I won't say with any certainty what's going on. But the first thing I would check is if he's using location based scanning. Next thing i would do is lock it onto GF SO channel and see what happens. In all honesty, I have not monitored GF County much since I moved to Crookston in 2008. I was in GF last week and while there I heard plenty of traffic on GF PD, GF SO, and even State 2. There was a search going on and GFSO was on State 2 helping the hp's look for a car. So my 436 wasn't having any issues hearing them then.

 

[jason_58201]

As long as we are on the subject of GF County let me share with you the communications mess it was 20 years ago.
GFPD 3ch's on 800 system
GFFD 2ch's on 800 system paging on vhf
Altru vhf and 800 mobiles, 800 portable
GFSO vhf portable/mobile 800 mobile for car to car/phone patch
Manvel FD 800
Thompson PD vhf
Thompson FD uhf
Emerado FD uhf
Emerado PD vhf
Northwood PD&FD vhf
all other FD's vhf
EGF/Polk CO MN VHF

Now tell me that wasn't a mess.

 

[BeltramiCountyScanPage]

As long as we are on the subject of GF County let me share with you the communications mess it was 20 years ago.
GFPD 3ch's on 800 system
GFFD 2ch's on 800 system paging on vhf
Altru vhf and 800 mobiles, 800 portable
GFSO vhf portable/mobile 800 mobile for car to car/phone patch
Manvel FD 800
Thompson PD vhf
Thompson FD uhf
Emerado FD uhf
Emerado PD vhf
Northwood PD&FD vhf
all other FD's vhf
EGF/Polk CO MN VHF

Now tell me that wasn't a mess.

Wow thats an absolute mess, my lord lol

 

[BeltramiCountyScanPage]

I wonder when the switch will be and if theyll encrypt the entire county?

 

[jason_58201]

All Law Enforcement in ND will be encrypted.

 

[RadioGuy3007]

Grandforks is on the SIRN system now. All law enforcement is encrypted. Fire/EMS is open for the time being.

 

[jason_58201]

Grandforks is on the SIRN system now. All law enforcement is encrypted. Fire/EMS is open for the time being.

did they make the big switch over the weekend? They were on both last week.

 

[RadioGuy3007]

did they make the big switch over the weekend? They were on both last week.

They have been online for a while. They are still patched with VHF but using encryption for all Law Enforcement.

 

[jason_58201]

These forums are best served when accurate information is posted here. That being said, GFPD is still on vhf and. It encrypted. I’m listening to them right now. If they are encrypted on sirn which I don’t monitor, then I suspect they are patched from vhf and it is encrypted as it is patched to sirn. I have not heard in the news or heard any information regarding GFPD purchasing radios. Maybe they wouldn’t have to if they have dual band and are compatible with sirn.
The only fact that I can say with absolute certainty is that GFPD right now is on vhf and in the open

 

[jason_58201]

These forums are best served when accurate information is posted here. That being said, GFPD is still on vhf and. It encrypted. I’m listening to them right now. If they are encrypted on sirn which I don’t monitor, then I suspect they are patched from vhf and it is encrypted as it is patched to sirn. I have not heard in the news or heard any information regarding GFPD purchasing radios. Maybe they wouldn’t have to if they have dual band and are compatible with sirn.
The only fact that I can say with absolute certainty is that GFPD right now is on vhf and in the open

Clarification, GF PD is NOT encrypted on VHF.

 

[RadioGuy3007]

These forums are best served when accurate information is posted here.

Before you come at me for accurate information you should have made sure your information was correct. SIRN is online in GF. Patched with VHF. I stated that in my last posting's. Just because you have not seen anything on the news does not mean they did not purchase radios. I suggest you do more research before coming at me. I am not responding to you any longer.