Three sites using same control channel

ih784

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RaleighGuy

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I’m using SDRTrunk with Viper P25. I’m able to pick up at least four separate sites. Three of the sites share some of the same control channels. When I click on the details in SDRT, they all show the exact same data. This is specifically for CC
853.675c
Is there any way to differentiate between the three sites?

North Carolina VIPER Site: South Mills

North Carolina VIPER Site: Elizabeth City

North Carolina VIPER Site: Barco





While all three do have the frequency as a CC it doesn't mean it is the Primary control channel for each, but if it is, each site number is different and should be displayed when it is decoded with SDR software. I know DSD+ displays the NAC (all different) and site number (also all different). It may be that SDRTrunk isn't displaying all the information you are looking for, I don't use it so I don't know.

Additionally, coverage of the three sites is different, if you click on the site name in RR Database you can see the coverage maps.
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GTR8000

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Forget about the coverage maps in the RRDB, those are "best guess/intended coverage" not real life RF propagation.

Not the best planning of frequency re-usage with three sites so close together. Are those three sites all using the same frequency for the active control channel concurrently? Ideally each site should be setup so that 853.675 would be the least preferred control channel to avoid that, which I suspect is the case here.

In any event, and assuming that only one site is using 853.675 at any given time, SDRTrunk is simply looking for any valid control channel. That is why it's showing the same details for all three "sites" you've programmed when you start those channels, because the SDRTrunk channel definitions are kind of dumb and there is no criteria to weed out unwanted sites such as by using a NAC or even the System ID. Find control channel = start decoding, it's really that simple.

Frankly, the only thing you can do in this situation is to remove 853.675 from the channel pool of the two sites (channel definitions) that aren't actually using that frequency on a consistent basis, leaving it only in the channel pool of whichever site it's the active control channel for. This will prevent SDRTrunk from finding it when rotating through the control channels for those other two sites.
 

ih784

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Absolutely, I noticed the coverage was different different for the three sites. Also, I know that DSD and my sds100 list different details like site and NAC. that’s why I was curious about them all displaying the same details. Theres a simulcast selection that can be made in SDRTrunk and I wonder if I should use it. The primary cc may not be the same but it is listed as an alternate for the other two sites and vice versa amongst the three.
 

ih784

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Nice. I had removed 853.675 from two of them BUT, 853.675 is listed as an alternate? So, I just used my two SDRs to listen two different sites that don’t share the same frequency pool. I guess the ones using the same frequencies are in simulcast?
 

dave3825

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Is there any way to differentiate between the three sites?
Each of those sites has a different site number.

Barco is site 3
Elizabeth City is site 19
South Mills is site 60


When I click on the details in SDRT, they all show the exact same data.
It should display what it sees in the control channel stream including the site number and nac being decoded.



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View attachment 154909



Theres a simulcast selection that can be made in SDRTrunk and I wonder if I should use it.
If the sites are simulcast, yes. If not, no.
 
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