What VHF Low Band skip can be heard in Ontario?

[IdleMonitor]

So other than CHP is there any other areas to cover for other services in the low band? I remember hearing Fire/EMS pages in the past in the 33 MHz range when conditions would allow (Not necessarily CA). If California is where the band is coming in from, what else is there to possibly hear in that low band area?

 

[ecps92]

So other than CHP is there any other areas to cover for other services in the low band? I remember hearing Fire/EMS pages in the past in the 33 MHz range when conditions would allow (Not necessarily CA). If California is where the band is coming in from, what else is there to possibly hear in that low band area?

Lots

Many posted in the multiple threads at

Skip / Tropospheric Ducting Forum

Discussion of Skip and Tropospheric Ducting Monitoring

forums.radioreference.com

 

[mciupa]

Last summer, I was getting Low Band fire in the 33 MHz band from: Barnstable County, Massachusetts (MA) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference near Cape Cod. Check each of the Municipalities for their Fire freq's.
As well there is the 42 MHz for the troopers in Missouri: Missouri Department of Public Safety (Missouri) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

Don't know if they still use it but I use to also listen to: Highway Patrol (THP) (Tennessee) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference 42MHz freq's.

And that is a great suggestion by Bill to check out the Skip forum, that's where I was alerted to the great conditions of late.

 

[mmckenna]

So other than CHP is there any other areas to cover for other services in the lowband? I remember hearing fire/ems pages in the past in the 33 mhz range when conditions would allow (Not necessarily CA). If California is where the band is coming in from, what else is there to possibly hear in that low band area?

California Highway Patrol is the last of the big low band users out this way.
California Department of Transportation still has some low band, but they are mostly migrating to 800MHz.
San Francisco PD has some low band channels, but they rarely use them. Mainly its a back up system that gets periodically tested.
San Francisco water department has some low band channels.

There are some businesses still on low band, but they may be harder to hear. They won't have the large systems that CHP does.

Military is using a lot of low band.

 

[IdleMonitor]

I do watch that forum from time to time. Think I'm gonna start trying to find more stuff in that range from now on just to add more to my radio lol.

Lots

Many posted in the multiple threads at

Skip / Tropospheric Ducting Forum

Discussion of Skip and Tropospheric Ducting Monitoring

forums.radioreference.com

That's perfect. That gives me something to build upon also now. I do remember hearing Missouri back in the day as well.

Last summer, I was getting Low Band fire in the 33 MHz band from: Barnstable County, Massachusetts (MA) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference near Cape Cod. Check each of the Municipalities for their Fire freq's.
As well there is the 42 MHz for the troopers in Missouri: Missouri Department of Public Safety (Missouri) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

Don't know if they still use it but I use to also listen to: Highway Patrol (THP) (Tennessee) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference 42MHz freq's.

And that is a great suggestion by Bill to check out the Skip forum, that's where I was alerted to the great conditions of late.

 

[nd5y]

Missouri and Tennessee have had statewide trunked systems for a long time. I don't think they use low band very often now.

 

[W1KNE]

Missouri and Tennessee have had statewide trunked systems for a long time. I don't think they use low band very often now.

Missouri still uses Low Band very extensively. Unfortunately someone had removed the DB listings a while back but I have picked them up on numerous occasions as late as last summer.

 

[217]

So other than CHP is there any other areas to cover for other services in the lowband? I remember hearing fire/ems pages in the past in the 33 mhz range when conditions would allow (Not necessarily CA). If California is where the band is coming in from, what else is there to possibly hear in that low band area?

For west coast you could try 33.420. Sammamish advisory radio located in King County, Washington. WQJW689 is still licensed although I have not heard it in the past 10 years. Maybe it's still broadcasting.

Sammamish advisory radio

 

[IdleMonitor]

I've programmed all the low band stuff from those links and from West Virginia as well.

Now to let the airwaves do their thing.

Last summer, I was getting Low Band fire in the 33 MHz band from: Barnstable County, Massachusetts (MA) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference near Cape Cod. Check each of the Municipalities for their Fire freq's.
As well there is the 42 MHz for the troopers in Missouri: Missouri Department of Public Safety (Missouri) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

Don't know if they still use it but I use to also listen to: Highway Patrol (THP) (Tennessee) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference 42MHz freq's.

And that is a great suggestion by Bill to check out the Skip forum, that's where I was alerted to the great conditions of late.

 

[IdleMonitor]

So when the CHP isn't coming in like it is now. When do the other regions tend to show up? Missouri, TN, West Virginia, and the North East?

 

[mciupa]

I caught the Cape Cod and Missouri stuff last summer during humid weather. I haven't heard Tennessee in a while and didn't even know about West Virginia. I used to listen to North Carolina troopers but I think they abandoned VHF Lo.

In the 47 MHz area, California has CALTRANS and North Carolina has the Dept. of Transportation. for highway assistance. I put those in but haven't heard anything yet.

FYI - CHP's is rolling in again on both 39 and 42 @ 3PM EDT

 

[IdleMonitor]

I caught the Cape Cod and Missouri stuff last summer during humid weather. I haven't heard Tennessee in a while and didn't even know about West Virginia. I used to listen to North Carolina troopers but I think they abandoned VHF Lo.

In the 47 MHz area, California has CALTRANS and North Carolina has the Dept. of Transportation. for highway assistance. I put those in but haven't heard anything yet.

I've loaded up some low band stuff from MA for State Police, Barnstable, Dukes, Essex, Hampden, Middlesex, and Worcestor Counties. Any other areas that can be found creeping into the airwaves of Ontario?

Having this database available along with Tone search has made things alot easier in ID'ing.

 

[sprman1955]

THP is digital and encrypted now .Have not heard any analog stuff on 42 MHz here in TN. FYI.

 

[mciupa]

One thing I haven't heard in a while but might be there is Range Control in Fort Hood, Texas on 30.45 MHz.

Fort Hood (Bell County) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference for Fort Hood (Bell County)

www.radioreference.com

 

[Aviator747]

What is everyone using for antennas? Outdoor discone? Eventually I will put up a discone. I typically use my 2m whip.

 

[Saint]

I use both a Discone on my 4th floor balcony and also have a long wire antenna.
Steve

 

[IdleMonitor]

What is everyone using for antennas? Outdoor discone? Eventually I will put up a discone. I typically use my 2m whip.

I'm using a Diamond D130J Discone antenna up about 30 ft. to my 436HP.

 

[Aviator747]

I have a 40' tower to put one on top of. Do you bother feeding it with 50Ω cable? I would probably just use 75Ω as I am Rx only.

 

[IdleMonitor]

I have a 40' tower to put one on top of. Do you bother feeding it with 50Ω cable? I would probably just use 75Ω as I am Rx only.

75 ohm RG6 is fine. I'm using LMR 400 myself.

 

[Aviator747]

LMr 400 is what I have on my 2M \ 440 antenna.