Scanner Reception Edmonton Area

[wakeandsnow]

What kind of reception are you guys seeing in and around Edmonton on your scanners? Are you able receive outlying RCMP detachments while you are in Edmonton? How clear are your scanners and what brands are you using if you are in bedroom communities like Leduc etc?

 

[rabrol]

What kind of reception are you guys seeing in and around Edmonton on your scanners? Are you able receive outlying RCMP detachments while you are in Edmonton? How clear are your scanners and what brands are you using if you are in bedroom communities like Leduc etc?

I'm primarily using Uniden scanners. 3 x Bct 15x, 2 x BCD 996 units, 1 x BCD 436, 1 x BCD 536.

I don't monitor RCMP, but last time I checked I could receive several detachments on the VHF repeater system. Note that they will be switching to AFRRCS soon and at that point will not be able to be monitored.

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[harryshute]

I'm using Uniden scanners as well. Very good reception of surrounding RCMP in Edmonton. Leduc is close enough to Edmonton to hear quite a bit. In addition to RCMP, Edmonton Police and Fire will go to AFFRCS soon. Edmonton Fire should remain in the clear. I would get a newer Uniden or at least make sure it handles trunking.

 

[lucky644]

I'm using Uniden scanners as well. Very good reception of surrounding RCMP in Edmonton. Leduc is close enough to Edmonton to hear quite a bit. In addition to RCMP, Edmonton Police and Fire will go to AFFRCS soon. Edmonton Fire should remain in the clear. I would get a newer Uniden or at least make sure it handles trunking.

I'm new to scanning in the Edmonton/St. Albert area.

I have a Uniden BC346XT, years ago I used to listen to all the EMS stuff but it seems a lot is locked out now.

I've checked the database: https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?ctid=5032

Is this basically all that's available?

It would be nice if I could get RCMP or EPS again.

I googled around but it's difficult to figure out what's up to date anymore.

 

[harryshute]

With that scanner you should be able to get RCMP and EPS till the change to AFRRCS sometime late this year. The database is correct for EPS and RCMP. In St. Albert the RCMP channel is A13. But Yes EMS is now encrypted except for a few Mutual channels.

I think your scanner may also do 700 MHz so you could monitor what's clear on AFRRCS. Think St. Albert Fire will be going there most likely in the clear.

 

[lucky644]

With that scanner you should be able to get RCMP and EPS till the change to AFRRCS sometime late this year. The database is correct for EPS and RCMP. In St. Albert the RCMP channel is A13. But Yes EMS is now encrypted except for a few Mutual channels.

I think your scanner may also do 700 MHz so you could monitor what's clear on AFRRCS. Think St. Albert Fire will be going there most likely in the clear.

This might be really dumb question, I've read the manual for my unit, but it is pretty bad.

I only know how to add specific frequencies, how do I add a 'A13' channel?

I've never dealt with 'channels' before.

EDIT:

I might be an idiot.

https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?aid=3839

does it refer to these?

 

[rabrol]

You figured it out. A13 is the RCMP designation for that particular repeater frequency and CTCSS code.

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[harryshute]

You figured it out. A13 is the RCMP designation for that particular repeater frequency and CTCSS code.

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And Morinville will be B4.

 

[lucky644]

Thank you.

I'll be adding these in.

For future reference, if I were to buy a new unit, do you have any recommendations?

Both a portable and a mounted unit.

Everything I've read says things are moving to the new AFRRCS so I'm guessing my unit won't be useful for much longer, unless this unit I have will work? Not sure..

 

[omrail]

Everything I've read says things are moving to the new AFRRCS so I'm guessing my unit won't be useful for much longer, unless this unit I have will work? Not sure..

Not for AFRRCS. Still be good for air, rail and other things.

For future reference, if I were to buy a new unit, do you have any recommendations?

I like Uniden and as you have a Uniden already I would stay with them. The BCDx36HP Series are good from my experience. The HomePatrol-1 and 2 are good from the words of others in Alberta. If you can find a BCD996XT and/or a BCD396XT both are good also.

https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/BCDx36HP_Series

All police or most anyway and all ems in Alberta are going to be encrypted so no listening full stop. As for other users on AFRRCS time will tell.

My two cents. hope that helps.

 

[BC_Scan]

For future reference, if I were to buy a new unit, do you have any recommendations?

I would go with the Whistler, having recently purchased the TRX-2 I am blown away bye the ease in which I set it up, I have all the DMR/NXDN business, Muni, rental radio etc , Railroads etc that are using both these systems including one suprise one channel of DFO, so now I hear all that as our new 700 system is on complete lockdown,
Welcome to our new police state Canada. Even the FD's are encrypted , really ?

 

[yeg_scan]

Re the Whistler .. don't buy an older unit (anything older than a TRX1/2).

The reason .. they have super crap front ends and in Edmonton my WS-1095 will not even work in my mobile as you go within a few blocks of any cell site and it becomes a boat anchor.

 

[harryshute]

Re the Whistler .. don't buy an older unit (anything older than a TRX1/2).

The reason .. they have super crap front ends and in Edmonton my WS-1095 will not even work in my mobile as you go within a few blocks of any cell site and it becomes a boat anchor.

I held off commenting on this one as I'm still undecided because of the Simulcast issues with AFRRCS in Edmonton. Good advice from both Omrail and Yeg Scan. I recently tried the Whistler TRX 2 at my location and found it to be as bad as the Uniden 436 and 536 on Simulcast.

I see your 396T scanner can handle 700 MHz so I would put the St. Albert AFRRCS tower into your scanner in ID search mode. You are lucky that your tower won't be effected by the simulcast issues in Edmonton.

B.C. Scan have you tried your TRX on a P25 Simulcast system?

 

[BC_Scan]

B.C. Scan have you tried your TRX on a P25 Simulcast system?

I wish, we have nothing of the sort in Vancouver land, I do listen to the US P25 P1 (DOJ), but none of those issues, our 700 is (w/simulcast is on complete lock down) so its not even in my scan list any longer, and on the last cross province road trip it was 536/436 with me, next time I come to Alberta I will bring with , but purchase of trx2 was solely for NXDN, and it works like a champ,

 

[wakeandsnow]

I just picked up an old PSR-500 and I programmed what i thought was Sherwood Park fire and EMS and my scanner wont let me program the Sherwood FD frequency thats listed - (142.545) it will only let me program in 142.55 and that channel just gets continuous white noise. Anyone else tried to pick up sherwood FD?

 

[harryshute]

I just picked up an old PSR-500 and I programmed what i thought was Sherwood Park fire and EMS and my scanner wont let me program the Sherwood FD frequency thats listed - (142.545) it will only let me program in 142.55 and that channel just gets continuous white noise. Anyone else tried to pick up sherwood FD?

You won't have much luck with them until they are on AFRRCS. They are on a Passport trunked system that no scanner will handle. 142.545 is the old pager channel that I don't think is used anymore.. 142.550 will still work but you'll hear a lot of what you call white noise. The Passport trunk system is also detailed in the database just above where the pager frequency was.

 

[SCPD]

Strathcona County LTR

You can still listen to the LTR frequencies, just program in a zero delay/hold. You can't track talkgroups so your also stuck listening to all the services.

 

[rabrol]

If you use a couple of $20 SDR dongles along with the free SDR Trunk Java application, you can monitor LTR Passport, complete with talk group following I believe. Kept crashing on my computer so I never got it to work, but seems it has for lots of other people.

Maybe I'll try it with the Airspy and newer version of the software someday.

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