VIPER P25 System Discussion 2016-2017

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KE4ZNR

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With a New Year comes a chance to start fresh which is what we are doing here...
Please keep discussion in this thread to VIPER radio system only posts.
Thanks and Happy New Year!
Marshall KE4ZNR
 

dhmann1811

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Greetings,

I will be traveling through NC via I-95 and I have a bcd436hp. Is my best bet to download the VIPER system from RR for the most active listening experience?

Thanks,
Dave
 

reconrider8

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Well I would add Odom, Halifax, Brinkleyville, Rocky Mount, and Nash DOC. That's your first 3 counties for ya coming south. In fact I may still have my list of i95 through the state Ill try and find. If I do ill pm you
 

KC4YIN

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Greetings,

I will be traveling through NC via I-95 and I have a bcd436hp. Is my best bet to download the VIPER system from RR for the most active listening experience?

Yes. Your best bet is to down load the Viper system. Keep in mind you will hear some local/county traffic as some are on the Viper system as well as HP. I just did this recently on a trip from here to Ohio where I down loaded everything in Va., West Va., and Ohio. It worked pretty well.
 

dhmann1811

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Greetings,

I will be traveling through NC via I-95 and I have a bcd436hp. Is my best bet to download the VIPER system from RR for the most active listening experience?

Yes. Your best bet is to down load the Viper system. Keep in mind you will hear some local/county traffic as some are on the Viper system as well as HP. I just did this recently on a trip from here to Ohio where I down loaded everything in Va., West Va., and Ohio. It worked pretty well.

Thanks!
 

NCFireman11

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Can anyone help ID/verify these talk groups?

TG 48559-Boone PD Tactical?
TG 48555-Boone FD ops
TG 48510-unsure, only 2-3 hits
TG 48511-Watauga SO Tactical?
 
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KE4ZNR

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Can anyone help ID/verify these talk groups?

TG 48559-Boone PD Tactical?
TG 48555-Boone FD ops
TG 48510-unsure, only 2-3 hits
TG 48511-Watauga SO Tactical?

The above and other talkgroups added to the Watauga Section of the VIPER database listing...
Marshall KE4ZNR
 

NCFireman11

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The above and other talkgroups added to the Watauga Section of the VIPER database listing...
Marshall KE4ZNR

Thanks Marshall, that is a huge help! Does anyone know why there is a talkgroup for Beech Mtn EMS and who uses it? As far as I know there is no Beech Mtn EMS, medical calls are handled by Beech Mtn fire and Avery EMS or Watauga Medics depending on where the call is. Maybe the Ski patrol uses it as a common channel to talk with EMS?
 
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KE4ZNR

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Thanks Marshall, that is a huge help! Does anyone know why there is a talkgroup for Beech Mtn EMS and who uses it? As far as I know there is no Beech Mtn EMS, medical calls are handled by Beech Mtn fire and Avery EMS or Watauga Medics depending on where the call is. Maybe the Ski patrol uses it as a common channel to talk with EMS?

All I can tell you is how it is labeled. Actual use is for local folks like yourself to help us verify and change (if needed).

Marshall KE4ZNR
 

Drafin

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Thanks Marshall, that is a huge help! Does anyone know why there is a talkgroup for Beech Mtn EMS and who uses it? As far as I know there is no Beech Mtn EMS, medical calls are handled by Beech Mtn fire and Avery EMS or Watauga Medics depending on where the call is. Maybe the Ski patrol uses it as a common channel to talk with EMS?

Isn't there an EMS base on Beech Haven Road off of 184? I would think that their comms would be on Avery EMS though. Maybe that's like a tac channel for that base, although I thought that would be known as the Banner Elk base moreso than Beech Mountain... guess I got some more stuff to monitor to see if I can help figure this one out. :)

Draf
 

NCFireman11

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Isn't there an EMS base on Beech Haven Road off of 184? I would think that their comms would be on Avery EMS though. Maybe that's like a tac channel for that base, although I thought that would be known as the Banner Elk base moreso than Beech Mountain... guess I got some more stuff to monitor to see if I can help figure this one out. :)

Draf

Without getting too far off topic, Avery EMS does have a base at that location. However, Avery EMS and Fire still use their VHF frequencies for day to day ops. The only VIPER talk groups used by Avery EMS are the VMN hospital talk groups unless they have switched over within the last month.
 

NCOBX

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I have a question for you guys as I am brand new to the digital scanning world. On the NC Viper system how do you tell which sites go with which talk groups? When I use the Viper System it adds a crap load of sites that it has to scan through just to listen to the few talk groups that I use. I wind up missing half of the stuff due to scanning sites that I am sure are not important to my talk groups. Is there a way to make the sites a little easier to match up to the talk groups ?
 

KE4ZNR

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I have a question for you guys as I am brand new to the digital scanning world. On the NC Viper system how do you tell which sites go with which talk groups? When I use the Viper System it adds a crap load of sites that it has to scan through just to listen to the few talk groups that I use. I wind up missing half of the stuff due to scanning sites that I am sure are not important to my talk groups. Is there a way to make the sites a little easier to match up to the talk groups ?

Welcome to RR.com!
Knowing which exact scanner you are using to listen to VIPER will help us help you further but I can safely assume it is a scanner with the entire US/Canada database such as a HomePatrol scanner or a Radio Shack/Whistler scanner.
I would look at either avoiding or deleting sites you have no chance of monitoring on a daily basis. Once you narrow down your scanner to just the VIPER sites in your local area you should see improved performance. In the VIPER database entry you can see the local sites for your county by looking in the "County" Column.
As a general rule of thumb VIPER Talkgroups come in couple of flavors:
1) Statewide Access Talkgroups....these talkgroups have (of course) statewide access and can show up on any VIPER site at any time...examples are the Statewide Event Talkgroups Alpha-Hotel.
2) Local Access talkgroups.....these talkgroups are limited to the geographic area in which they will be used. Example is the Durham County Law Talkgroup. It works in Durham County and in one neighboring county each direction. The Durham County Law Talkgroup will not work in Guilford County as there would be no need for Durham Comms in that area.
Marshall KE4ZNR
 

NCOBX

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Thank you for the welcome Marshall and the response. I am using a Uniden BCD536HP. I would love to go in and avoid the unneeded sites but this is where my confusion sets in on how this stuff works. One of the things I wish to hear is Med Center Air from Charlotte. I am in Catawba County and have our sites figured out, but I am unsure on what site I would need to keep to still be able to hear Med Center Air. Mecklenburg has 4 different sites. Do all 4 of these need to be kept or just one ? I hate to sound like a complete noob at this, but I am. I am sure I will get the hang of this, just miss the old days of just poking in a freq. and there she be.

Shannon
 

trumpetman

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Hearing MCA from Catawba County isn't such a stretch. They have a helo based out of Hickory so you should be able to hear traffic off of the Catawba County sites (Anderson Mtn, Bakers Mtn, & Riverbend Rd). If you can hear other sites then it might not hurt to program them in as well just to gauge what talkgroups are typically on what sites.
 

Drafin

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Thank you for the welcome Marshall and the response. I am using a Uniden BCD536HP. I would love to go in and avoid the unneeded sites but this is where my confusion sets in on how this stuff works. One of the things I wish to hear is Med Center Air from Charlotte. I am in Catawba County and have our sites figured out, but I am unsure on what site I would need to keep to still be able to hear Med Center Air. Mecklenburg has 4 different sites. Do all 4 of these need to be kept or just one ? I hate to sound like a complete noob at this, but I am. I am sure I will get the hang of this, just miss the old days of just poking in a freq. and there she be.

Shannon

Welcome Shannon,

Let me see if i can help a bit.

You have to be in range of a tower to receive transmissions. I'm unaware of any Meck towers that you can get in Catawba county. Basically if a radio from MCA affiliates with (gets in range of) a tower that you are in range of you will hear and traffic on that talkgroup if you are monitoring that tower. You are correct to assume that the Meck towers are not needed (none of them) unless you are in range of those towers. this would probably require a high powered outdoor antenna and being located in the southern portion of the county.

Basically you could avoid all of the towers except for the ones near you that you can receive, unless you are travelling. I'd start with Baker, Anderson, and Riverbend and avoid any other that are in there. I imagine if you are monitoring more than a few towers it feels like a really slow scan. This is in very basic and laymen's terms, but it's a starting point.

Hope this helps,
Draf
 

SouthernRoller

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In reference to a email i received from Sergeant Michael Baker, N.C. Department of Public Safety
State Highway Patrol Public Information Office.

Ashe County is now using the VIPER 800 P25 Phase 1 system and also using 42.600 L/B as backup.
 

Flyham

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Purplexed
In reference to a email i received from Sergeant Michael Baker, N.C. Department of Public Safety
State Highway Patrol Public Information Office.

Ashe County is now using the VIPER 800 P25 Phase 1 system and also using 42.600 L/B as backup.

More specifically, they use the NCSHP VIPER TG Trp F-2, or in the radios themselves they maybe TRP F-2.
 
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