Not hearing much IMPD traffic on BCD436HP

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kb9tdj

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I have a BCD436HP and have loaded IMPD on my favorites list, but I am not hearing as much traffic as I think I should. I have not locked out any talk groups and am just using the default settings from Sentinel for everything (including the P25 settings-waiting time threshold mode, thresh level, etc). I live about 2 miles south of Fairland and am using a Rat Shack 800 MHz ducky on my scanner. I just moved so I don't have an outdoor or attic antenna installed yet. I"m not sure if it's just a signal strength issue or if there is a setting somewhere that needs tweaked. Some talk groups come in loud and clear and others fade in and out. For what it's worth, Shelby County SAFE-T comes in loud and clear with no dropouts.

Thanks in advance for any help.
 

ofd8001

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You might be at the edge coverage. Several things impact how far coverage goes and there may be times where these things work in your favor and you hear them.

If Indianapolis' system is like Louisville's, they design it to cover the county plus just a couple of miles.

They use a simulcast system with numerous towers all on the same frequencies, but with lower power to provide coverage/saturation. (That's all part of ensuring adequate frequency availability in the "great scheme of things".)

The SAFE-T system is different in that it uses fewer frequencies, one tower (or so) per county with higher power. That means the "reach" is greater.

If you are getting some Indy chatter, that suggests an outside/attic antenna might be helpful.
 

INDY72

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Load only the CCs. Play with the settings as IDPS is an P25 LSM Simulcast system and for several folks, its an PITA to get the settings right to knock out the multipath distortion. Be aware after next week also, Shelby, Boone, Hendricks County SAFE-T will all be P25 LSM Simulcasts. Just an last warning for those that still have not prepared for what that means scanner wise.
 

GTO_04

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Load only the CCs. Play with the settings as IDPS is an P25 LSM Simulcast system and for several folks, its an PITA to get the settings right to knock out the multipath distortion. Be aware after next week also, Shelby, Boone, Hendricks County SAFE-T will all be P25 LSM Simulcasts. Just an last warning for those that still have not prepared for what that means scanner wise.

Doesn't that also mean that Marion and Hamilton County SAFE-T will also be P25 LSM Simulcast? They are all part of D52.

I am having a lot of motorboating on SAFE-T with my Pro-197 the last week or so and have not changed any settings. Does this have anything to do with the P25 changeover?

GTO_04
 

INDY72

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Phase 3 of SAFE-T P25 upgrade is NOT just ISP D52. It is the entire Central IN area from IL, to OH. See the posted maps in earlier posts for each Phase of the 6 Phase upgrade. The 3 Marion County SAFE-T sites are stand alones. The Hamilton County site is an stand alone. The 2 Madison County sites are stand alones. Hancock County 2 sites are stand alones The rest of Phase 3 are stand alones. Boone County, Hendricks County, Shelby County have always been simulcast sites, but will now be P25 LSMs not Motorola Type II. There are constant changes and tweaks throughout Phase 3 as they prepare for the switchover, so anything could be causeing your issues.
 
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GTO_04

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Phase 3 of SAFE-T P25 upgrade is NOT just ISP D52. It is the entire Central IN area from IL, to OH. See the posted maps in earlier posts for each Phase of the 6 Phase upgrade. The 3 Marion County SAFE-T sites are stand alones. The Hamilton County site is an stand alone. The 2 Madison County sites are stand alones. Hancock County 2 sites are stand alones The rest of Phase 3 are stand alones. Boone County, Hendricks County, Shelby County have always been simulcast sites, but will now be P25 LSMs not Motorola Type II. There are constant changes and tweaks throughout Phase 3 as they prepare for the switchover, so anything could be causeing your issues.

Good point! Thanks for the explanation.

GTO_04
 

W9NES

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I have had the same problem( for years) here on the northwest side of Indianapolis. For IMPD/FIRE/EMS and PDS in the Indianapolis/Marion County area program the 4 control channels plus add 858.3375 and 859.3375. Cleared up my problem, Now I can hear all IMPD, FIRE/EMS/PD in my basement on a Uniden 796D, I have (2) of them running one for IMPD and the other for fire/ems/pd. This is being done with just a long pull up antenna and the other antenna is a 6 DB gain Radio Shack rubber duck that is on a bnc. I also did the same thing programed 4 control channels and added 858.3375 and 859.3375 to a Uniden 996T in my master bedroom near my bed. Works great with no outdoor antenna needed. I would like to pass along this idea to others that are having problems with IDPS Sys 1 and see what it does for you.*** This is about the post that KB9TDJ posted in the first post of this forum***. 858.3375 and 859.3375 are not listed in the data base for IDPS Sys 1.
 

kb9tdj

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milf/W9NES,

Thanks a lot for the info....I have updated my favorites for IMPD just using the control channels and will let you know how it goes. Kind of hard to tell right now since it's Sunday morning so not sure if Sunday a.m. radio traffic is normally light anyway.

milf, since I don't have a ton of experience working with the scanner, can you give me a hint on what settings I should be tweaking if the existing changes don't help (assuming digital threshold mode/level, etc)?
 

kb9tdj

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Shelbyville, IN
I brought the scanner with me in to work today and am getting lots of traffic (I work about a mile or so SW of downtown). I do notice that I will get lots of instances where the scanner will stop on a talk group but I don't hear anything and after the 2 sec delay it continues on. I'm not sure if I'm just getting unlucky and always catching the tail end of conversations or what, but it seems strange. I've had a couple of instances where the scanner will stop on a group and after a short pause of not hearing anything I'll hear a conversation start up in the middle of a word, almost like the scanner is having issues decoding the audio or something.

I didn't get a chance to do much scanning at home yesterday, so it will be interesting to see how it is acting there after work.
 

greggill

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Indianapolis, IN
I have had the same problem( for years) here on the northwest side of Indianapolis. For IMPD/FIRE/EMS and PDS in the Indianapolis/Marion County area program the 4 control channels plus add 858.3375 and 859.3375. Cleared up my problem, Now I can hear all IMPD, FIRE/EMS/PD in my basement on a Uniden 796D, I have (2) of them running one for IMPD and the other for fire/ems/pd. This is being done with just a long pull up antenna and the other antenna is a 6 DB gain Radio Shack rubber duck that is on a bnc. I also did the same thing programed 4 control channels and added 858.3375 and 859.3375 to a Uniden 996T in my master bedroom near my bed. Works great with no outdoor antenna needed. I would like to pass along this idea to others that are having problems with IDPS Sys 1 and see what it does for you.*** This is about the post that KB9TDJ posted in the first post of this forum***. 858.3375 and 859.3375 are not listed in the data base for IDPS Sys 1.



How would the frequencies 858.3375 and 859.3375 help since they are System 2 frequencies and not Control Channels? I live in north central Indy and added the frequencies but didn't notice any difference in my reception or multibanding issues.


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INDY72

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They really only would serve as a kind of filler? If it works for him as an stabilizer then cool. But they are not needed

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W9NES

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Was tested in the area of 8600 North Michigan Road, 9600 North Michigan Road, 86Th and Township Line road and 79Th and Michigan Road on Mon 9/26/16 and works GREAT. 858.3375 and 859.3375 are used by IDPS sys 1 and needs to be added along with the(4) Control channels. If anyone is having problems with hearing IDPS sys 1 please add the 2 channels listed and let us know if if helps you out. I will test in the area of 86Th and Ditch all the way over to 86Th and Westfield. I will also test in the downtown area, and also southeast near 1-465 and Emerson Ave. Also will check Northeast in the Castleton Area near 86Th and Allisonville road. ***Just a note if your add 858.3375 and 859.3375 to IDPS Sys 2 those frequencies will not work on Sys 2...Tested from the above locations will not lock up a control channel 852.1125, if these channels are taken out 852.1125 will lock up.
 
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