Return to PDX Scanning - Want to confirm

[ScottPDX]

Hello all,
I'm in SE PDX and just dug out the old analog trunking scanner. Can you all confirm that in the older RR post shown below, that at this time my old analog trunking scanner will only be able to get the list Portland talk groups, and not the other listed Clackamas, Clark, and Washington County analog talk groups?

And I assume the Portland analog is also going away very soon?

Time for me to get a digital P25 Phase 2 scanner in PDX?

Any suggestions on best scanner brands and models to ensure compatibility with digital phase 2 rollout?

Thanks,
Scott

--------------------
The 4 contiguous counties in the Portland area all use Motorola analog systems and all the police and fire departments have interoperability on each other's systems.

Although the RR database lists many sites, you need only the simulcast sites for each system. The control channels are listed below.

PORTLAND (Multnomah county) Not affected by rebanding.
858.7125, 858.7375, 859.2625, 859.4625
FIRE TALK GROUPS
28944 Fire Dispatch for all of Multnomah county
4528 OPS-1 Routine runs - medical, accidents, etc.
4560 OPS-2 A 2nd fire in Portland
4592 OPS-3 Fire in Portland
4624 OPS-4 Fire in Gresham
4656 OPS-5 Fire in Corbett or Sauvie Island (both volly depts.)
4688 OPS-6 Major incident or pin-in
Simplex (direct) channels used in high rise or difficult buildings.
SIMPLEX 1 853.4375
SIMPLEX 2 851.0375
SIMPLEX 3 851.9500
SIMPLEX 4 851.1750

CLACKAMAS county (Need Custom Band Plan for rebanding).
852.4375, 852.8624, 853.2625, 853.7625

CLARK county, WA not affected by rebanding.
859.7625, 859.9375, 860.7625, 860.9375

WASHINGTON county not affected by rebanding.
859.2375, 859.7375, 860.2375, 860.7375

 

[taborj]

Washington, Clackamas and Newberg are still operating their Motorola Type II SmartZone trunking system, and I can pick it up just fine on both my BC246T and old BC235XLT.

Washington County / Clackamas County / Newberg Trunking System, Various, Oregon - Scanner Frequencies

 

[sparklehorse]

As indicated in the first post, Clackamas went through the re-banding process several years ago, so you need a re-band capable scanner to track it properly. That said, only two of the 10 new frequencies are mis-understood by the old trunking scanners, so you'd still hear 80% of the transmissions with an older radio. Portland has largely transitioned to its new digital P25 system already, at least police and fire have. Other agencies/departments will likely follow soon, so it's anyone's guess how much longer the old 800 analog system will continue to function. The other 3 metro counties will all be switching to their own new P25 systems likely within the next year or two.

.

 

[ScottPDX]

Thank you both for that info. Much appreciated.
Scott

 

[ScottPDX]

Some Reception Issues Questions

Just a couple more questions for you local PDX Scanner experts here:

When I lived in Tualatin 5 years ago, the last time I operated this RS Pro-95, I had a rooftop antenna. Of course I heard all counties, I believe because of my line of sight of the West Hills towers, including PPB.

Now I live in SE Portland at the East side base rise of Mt. Tabor. And as I said in my previous post, broke out the same Pro-95 in the last week after it was stored in the garage for that last five years.

So following the previous posts about still existing analog Motorola for Washington, Clackamas, Newberg, and Clark Counties, I entered the Washington Co, Clackamas Co., and Clark Co, Control channels right from the RR Oregon County database, and the posts here in this forum thread. I put each county into it's own bank so I could scan that bank and talk groups exclusively. I also used open mode to listen for any unknown and available talk groups on each of those counties control channels, but heard nothing. And the scanner just is stuck on one control channel and doesn't scan. Is it possible that now that I'm at the lower rising East side of Mt. Tabor, I just can't get reception using my scanner attached short whip indoors?

Of course I get the PPB Central, E, SE, N, and NE talk groups just fine, so I know how to program the trunking for the scanner. I'm left just thinking it's hillside I live on now.

What area tower's/repeaters East of Mt. Tabor are giving me the PPB reception? And do you concur that I just can't receive the other county systems control channels from my physical proximity and indoor radio and antenna?

Thanks for the info.
Scott

But when I

 

[oregontreehugger]

One way to see what tower(s) you can receive, is to program in all the primary and alternate control channels for each site in one bank, but as conventional frequencies (e.g., do not create a trunked bank).

Then scan through them manually, and see which control channel frequency has the stronger signal booming in to your location. Then you can match up that frequency to the trunked site listing:

Portland Public Safety Radio System Trunking System, Portland, Multi-State - Scanner Frequencies

The same approach would work for WCCCA (Washington Co., Clackamas Co., and Newberg) and CRESA (Clark Co.).

But as mentioned, re-banding has already taken place (affecting the Pro-95), and digital is on its way for the area...

 

[PaulNDaOC]

On the Portland system your likely going to get the strongest signal coming from Mt Scott on the simulcast system.

The Clackamas system also uses Mt Scott as one of the transmit sites so reception should also be fine there.

The closest site to you for Washington County is Council Crest, so I'm not sure if you'll get this except with a good antenna.

You should also receive Clark County pretty well also.

 

[ScottPDX]

Thanks, Everyone

Thanks again, everyone.

I re-programmed the Washington, Clackamas, and Clark Counties control channels manually into my Pro-95, like I did initially with the Multnomah control channels, and the three additional counties now trunk scan and I have reception now. I am going to have to figure out what I am missing as to why the Win95 software didn't program the trunks to scan properly. Probably my user error. Expectedly, I can't hear anything from Washington Co.'s system, but that doesn't surprise me using an indoor scanner-attached whip and being at the Eastside base slope of Mt. Tabor.

So thank you all for helping me re-learn the hobby again in a new listening location. Your assistance has been invaluable.

Scott

 

[ScottPDX]

Oh, and PS.

Oh,and PS.

I can receive Washington Co. over the WCCCA System, I assume because of the Mt. Scott Tower, as PaulNDaOC said.

Cool. New use for an old radio.

ScottPDX

 

[sparklehorse]

Oh,and PS.

I can receive Washington Co. over the WCCCA System, I assume because of the Mt. Scott Tower, as PaulNDaOC said.

Cool. New use for an old radio.

ScottPDX

Sounds like you're hearing WCCCA over the Clackamas Simulcast. The caveat with that, as I understand it, is that you'll usually only hear the Washington County talk groups that happen to have a mobile unit affiliating with the Clackamas towers at a given point in time. So typically Wash Co Sheriff, South Cities, TV Fire, sometimes Beaverton, these you'll often hear (but not always), and rarely Hillsboro PD. But for sure you'll at least hear some WACCCA stuff, just not as much as you would if you could monitor the WCCCA Simulcast. Which by the way I do not get a good WCCCA signal, and I'm just three miles east of Beaverton.

.

 

[ScottPDX]

Thanks, Sparklehorse

Thanks, Sparklehorse.

I went ahead and purchased an RS Pro-668 to add in with my RS Pro-95. On the Pro-95, I have noticed that I am missing parts of the conversation on the Rebanded Clackamas system, and so I'll set the Pro-668 to listen to those talkgroups, and use the Pro-95 to listen to the Portland Multicast, at least until the Portland Multicast is over to P25.

Scott

 

[PaulNDaOC]

Hearing TV Fire on the Clack simulcast should be a norm being that they cover Wilsonville and West Linn

 

[Otto]

Also, if you're curious, you should also get good reception of CCOM on the VHF patch since I believe it is also transmitted from mount Scott. In fact, I monitor the VHF stuff frequently on my Ham radio, and it comes in better at times than the 800 system.