San Diego Co/Imperial Co Regional Communications System (RCS) Question Thread
- Thread starter SCPD
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- imperial county rcs
I see the Northeast RCS site according RR Data base has been rebanded to the new freq. My ? is how do you program the site for the Uniden BCD325P2 under the band plan on the scanner 800/900 stander,800 splinter, custom, And if its custom how do you go about doing it. I know how to program these scanners by its not a problem for me. Thanks Folks For The Info
scottyhetzel
Member
Look at post # 33...
SDBud
Member
OK, want to do the reband on NE, on a 996. Proscan doesn't show anything but the freqs, but FreeScan comes up with a reband calculator (under system type Motorola Custom/Reband Type II), with high and low freqs, and offset.
Anyone know which is better, and WHAT the info Freescan wants IS??
Start with the info that is in Post #33. I used freescan to program.
If I am not mistaken, the NPSPAC (866-868MHz) frequency sites just get new control channels exactly 15MHz lower, and you unsplinter them. The non NPSPAC stuff gets the custom rebanded bandplan treatment. Can anyone confirm if that is how it works?
Paul
Paul
Paul,
In general, you are correct. In this case, an alternate control channel was swapped with a voice channel in order to comply with FCC regs that the lowest frequency in use at each site be the channel the FCC ID is broadcast on.
Don
Don, out of curiosity, when a reband occurs, does the control channel just instantly change to the new rebanded frequency, as if this were 1998 at midnight? I would guess that assuming the new control channels were in a scanner, all that would be needed to do once this was apparent would be to change the system/site splinter option to off?
Paul
Paul
That depends on the site. We're trying to spread the CCs across the retune process, so we can change the CC from a pre- to a post-reband channel at our pleasure over the process.
Correct. For the South and East cells (and IRs with CCs between 866-869 MHz), take the existing CCs and add the channel that is -15 MHz. For the 856-866 MHz sites, I will be updating the DB shortly.
Don
ProScan does show the Band Plan with a "Calculate Upper Frequency" function. The Site Type needs to be set to 800 MHz Custom first then you will see a button called "Band Plan" when the Site node is clicked.
JohnFCloyd
Newbie
Is most of San Diego still analog?
Is most of San Diego RCS still analog?
My apologies if this is the wrong place for this question. I've read through many of the discussions here trying to determine the answer to this question - here is what I've gleaned (anybody please correct me if/where I'm wrong).
- The San Diego RCS is in the middle of a multi-phase, multi-touch rebanding
- The San Diego RCS *right now* is still analog
- Sometime after 2019 (God willing and the creek don't rise) some LEO channels may go digital after the first touch and infrastructure changes (and after Mexico clears spectrum).
- FD that is analog now will probably stay analog
I'm asking all of this because I have BC898T (trunking, analog only) that I am struggling to get to work on the San Diego RCS. I have upgraded the firmware to accommodate the rebanding but am still not getting it to map the trunks correctly (I suspect pilot error rather than equipment malfunction).
Is most of San Diego RCS still analog?
My apologies if this is the wrong place for this question. I've read through many of the discussions here trying to determine the answer to this question - here is what I've gleaned (anybody please correct me if/where I'm wrong).
- The San Diego RCS is in the middle of a multi-phase, multi-touch rebanding
- The San Diego RCS *right now* is still analog
- Sometime after 2019 (God willing and the creek don't rise) some LEO channels may go digital after the first touch and infrastructure changes (and after Mexico clears spectrum).
- FD that is analog now will probably stay analog
I'm asking all of this because I have BC898T (trunking, analog only) that I am struggling to get to work on the San Diego RCS. I have upgraded the firmware to accommodate the rebanding but am still not getting it to map the trunks correctly (I suspect pilot error rather than equipment malfunction).
d119
Member
You are correct that the RCS is in the process (not middle) of a system-wide re-banding.
You are incorrect that the RCS is "still analog". Since day one of the RCS, it has been a mixed mode system with most law enforcement agencies operating in ASTRO digital mode, and fire departments, local governments, etc. operating in digital.
There is an effort to convert everyone to digital so that when the NextGen RCS hits the street, folks are used to operating in a digital environment, and their subscriber equipment is equipped with the necessary feature set to operate on it.
You may be thinking of the San Diego City 800MHz system in which most (but not all) traffic (including law enforcement) is still analog.
K6CDO can vouch that I speak with authority on these matters.
Indeed, d119 is correct on the above. However, there are things underway that he does not know about. :wink:
Don
JohnFCloyd
Newbie
Thank you Don and d119 for your quick replies.
Given that my main interest is monitoring, Calfire, Escondido and San Diego FD and I have a BC898T which is a capable analog trunking scanner and supports rebranding... in your opinion is it time to start making the case to my wife that I "need" a new digital scanner:
Given that my main interest is monitoring, Calfire, Escondido and San Diego FD and I have a BC898T which is a capable analog trunking scanner and supports rebranding... in your opinion is it time to start making the case to my wife that I "need" a new digital scanner:
d119
Member
Gee thanks Don...
Thank you Don and d119 for your quick replies.
Given that my main interest is monitoring, Calfire, Escondido and San Diego FD and I have a BC898T which is a capable analog trunking scanner and supports rebranding... in your opinion is it time to start making the case to my wife that I "need" a new digital scanner:
Yes. Fire is analog now, but will become digital sometime in the next 15 - 24 months. Getting a digital scanner now will allow you to get used to the sound quality (and expand your listening horizons to Law Enforcement). If you are going to upgrade, seriously consider a P25 Phase II compatible scanner.
Don
If you only listen to analog for the time being, I would recommend holding off as long as possible before "tapping the wife" (that came out wrong!) for permission...in a year and a half, there may be new or upgraded scanners available, and if you don't purchase a new scanner often, you may want the newest tech and hardware for your $500-600.
And I hope Don's wink is friendly, and not an evil wink towards an encrypted future.
Paul
And I hope Don's wink is friendly, and not an evil wink towards an encrypted future.
Paul
JohnFCloyd
Newbie
Thanks for the advice - I was about to "make my pitch" (and prepare to sleep on the couch for a bit). I'll hold off and work on getting my BC898 working as well as possible on fire channels here in SD.
d119
Member
There is another option...
The BK Radio KNG2-P800 is a two-way portable that supports true trunked receive only mode. By ticking the "receive only" box in the programming software, the need for a system key and radio ID is removed.
The KNG-P800 will do the same thing, but it's a bit more "junkier" of a radio than the KNG2, which reportedly has APX level audio, as well as a nice color display.
This is a true radio that will handle P25 trunking. So when the RCS and SDPD make the transition to P25 trunking, this will be the best radio on the market (IMHO) to listen to those agencies.
Unfortunately you're looking at about $2500-3000 for it. I don't care, I love listening to SDPD, so I will be buying one once the transition is made.
That is, of course, unless massive amounts of encryption becomes the new norm, in which case, screw it.
Actually listening to the RCS has never really interested me.
The BK Radio KNG2-P800 is a two-way portable that supports true trunked receive only mode. By ticking the "receive only" box in the programming software, the need for a system key and radio ID is removed.
The KNG-P800 will do the same thing, but it's a bit more "junkier" of a radio than the KNG2, which reportedly has APX level audio, as well as a nice color display.
This is a true radio that will handle P25 trunking. So when the RCS and SDPD make the transition to P25 trunking, this will be the best radio on the market (IMHO) to listen to those agencies.
Unfortunately you're looking at about $2500-3000 for it. I don't care, I love listening to SDPD, so I will be buying one once the transition is made.
That is, of course, unless massive amounts of encryption becomes the new norm, in which case, screw it.
Actually listening to the RCS has never really interested me.
I have been looking into the BK radios, particularly the KNG-M800, as my station has more of a need for mobiles than handhelds at this point. For the price we are looking at for new APX mobiles, plus monthly contract fees, those BK's could really save some us some cash.
Paul
Paul
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