Listening from Cincy, OH

[LawnCowboy]

I'm in western Hamilton-Co, OH listening to Indiana Safe-T and have the tower sites marked in the scanner... I'm getting most of my traffic from the Sunman site and wondering why that site is coming in so much stronger than other sites that are closer - Lawrenceburg, Aurora, Guilford (the closest and yet weakest signal) and possibly Brookville is closer too.

Also, noticed Dearborn seems to be simulcasting on Safe-T and their own VHF frequency. Reason for that?

Maybe a dumb question, but think I'd get better reception for Safe-T from a house scantenna as opposed to a 800 MHz rubber ducky? hmmm

 

[Viper43]

You will always get better reception from say a properly installed discone than the duck, although I do use a RS 800Mhz in the house and does a great job.
As for why you get Sunman better than closer towers I would guess that there are things like hill, builkdings and trees blocking the signals. If I remember right Sunmans tower is on a hill and Lawrenceberg is on a building, makes a big difference on the radiation of the signals.
V

 

[scannerfreak]

I'm in western Hamilton-Co, OH listening to Indiana Safe-T and have the tower sites marked in the scanner... I'm getting most of my traffic from the Sunman site and wondering why that site is coming in so much stronger than other sites that are closer - Lawrenceburg, Aurora, Guilford (the closest and yet weakest signal) and possibly Brookville is closer too.

Also, noticed Dearborn seems to be simulcasting on Safe-T and their own VHF frequency. Reason for that?

Maybe a dumb question, but think I'd get better reception for Safe-T from a house scantenna as opposed to a 800 MHz rubber ducky? hmmm

The reason is some of the antennas are directional and some are not. For directional antennas, it's all in which direction the antenna is pointing, similar to a yagi. This is why you pick up certain towers better in certain areas, even when it's not necessarily the closest site geographically. Some sites may be putting out different power as well, depending on the area. Also, L'burg is not on a building, it's on a tower behind the steak n sheak on 50, Sunman is on as flat as ground as you can get

PS- As far as them simulcasting on VFH, not everyone in the county is fully equipped with 800 yet. There are still many volunteer firefighters/EMS with VHF radios only. BTW, howdy neighbor, I live on border

 

[z96cobra]

The "Sunman" tower is located in Franklin Co., and is about 1.5 miles north of the Dearborn Co. line. If you are familiar with this area, it is just off of State Road 1, about 2 miles north of I-74 (St. Leon exit #164). So it is probably a lot closer to you than the town of Sunman.

Roger

 

[LawnCowboy]

Hmm, Sunman Tower really isn't in Sunman then is it? lol Why don't they just call it South Gate and put it in the Franklin County sites? or name it St. Leon Still yet, Guilford I would think would be closer but directional and power output on antennas I guess would explain the difference.

thanks for all the input... and Hi scanner_freak, Colerain Twp. here. Have seen your posts before and know you are close. You have been stacking on the posts from your numbers.. thanks for your help as well as everyone else.

 

[scannerfreak]

Hmm, Sunman Tower really isn't in Sunman then is it? lol Why don't they just call it South Gate and put it in the Franklin County sites? or name it St. Leon Still yet, Guilford I would think would be closer but directional and power output on antennas I guess would explain the difference.

thanks for all the input... and Hi scanner_freak, Colerain Twp. here. Have seen your posts before and know you are close. You have been stacking on the posts from your numbers.. thanks for your help as well as everyone else.

They originally planned the site to be in St. Leon, which is why I think it's in zone 3, but settled up SR 1 a bit into Franklin County.

The way Guilford is set up you darn near have to be in the right area. I can drive up 1 from Greendale (less than 5 miles from the site) and not pick it up very well until I'm right up on it and even then, sitting under it on 1 the best I can get is 85%. I think they have pin pointed exactly what coverage area they need from it.

Lawrenceburg is pointed away from OH, so that probably explains why you don't get it with your duck. Now, I can pick it up right about the 74/275 interchange with my mobile, so I agree with you if you had an outside antenna you'd probably pick them up.