Programming P25 sites

[Walter0954]

Hello I have a question about programming p25 sites.I live in the north western part of Arkansas three counties that I’m normally visit are Washington benton in Madison the system name AWIN. I have a Whistler TRX1 and also a HP436. I’ve been trying to figure out how to get the most out of each site where I can listen and Not missed too many conversations I’ve programmed all the sites in the system and have adequate reception on the departments that I listen to.also just program each site per department and noticed that I missed quite a bit of the conversation. I normally listen to State police troop L,Fayetteville PD,Springdale PD,Bentonville PD. So here’s a real question by monitoring its side in the system just say the Fayville PD I’ve noticed that when they Key on sometimes the site that they’re using is down around the central part of the state maybe Little Rock metro will pop up on my scanners sometimes Lonoke,Lake City those are over 100 miles away. I have a site within 2 1/2 miles from my house across the mountain for the county that I live in which is Madison and normally I don’t get any traffic out of that site. What’s funny at my residence I can pick up Fort Smith PD. Sebastian county sheriff.that site is 17 miles to my south. Thank you guys for any answers you may be able to give me

 

[sonm10]

I am not from your area, but I took a look - I'm guessing you are suffering from simulcast. Benton and Washington counties are simulcast with a couple fill in sites. Vaughn (Rodgers) is a fill in for Benton County and West Fork is a fill in for Washington County. Madison County is still multicast. Try programming the fill in sites, but be aware not all traffic may not be broadcast on the fill in sites.

Uniden SDS 100/200 are the only scanners designed to handle simulcast. Here is a video that might help you out.

EDIT
Reading through the rest of your post, only program 1 or 2 sites, preferably the ones closest to your location. There is a saying, the more you scan the more you miss which is why most of us have more than one scanner scanning multiple entities.

 

[tvengr]

Statewide trunked systems often reuse frequencies in sites spaced wide apart. The frequencies used in your county or adjacent counties may be used several times across the state, so you have no idea which site you are actually monitoring. The Uniden SDS scanners use site NAC codes so that you can determine which sites you are monitoring as you travel around the the state.

 

[Walter0954]

Thank you for your reply is this really helps