BCD436HP/BCD536HP: Close Call ?

[bearcatrp]

Have never used close call before. If I’m close to say a particular business and turn on close call, would the 436 pick it up while scanning if I’m close enough? Have read the easy to read 436 already. Just wondering if it works as advertised. Thanks.

 

[R0am3r]

Close Call works fine, but there are many factors involved in detecting a transmission. As with most things radio related, your antenna is key to the success of Close Call reception. You will achieve better results with a real antenna versus the rubber ducky that comes with the radio. Distance to the transmitter, power of the transmitter, and antenna height of the transmitter are also factors in successful Close Call reception. Terrain/obstacles between you and the transmitter station can also play an important role. If the business is using DMR or NXDN, your 436 won't magically decode these transmissions unless you have purchased the licenses for the modes. Don't forget to turn on the Close Call bands of interest. I use a dual band antenna when mobile and have successfully collected many Close Call transmissions. Good luck!

 

[Ubbe]

Just wondering if it works as advertised.

Yes it does. Just remember that it has to see a single frequency that are much stronger than all other signals.

/Ubbe

 

[bearcatrp]

Thanks folks. I have DMR on my 436. I'll bring my 436 to work and let it run in my vehicle while I am working. Should be close enough to a couple businesses with antennas. Appreciate your responses.

 

[wtp]

if i have it right, you can't receive the input to the repeater frequency, just the DMR base output.

 

[racingfan360]

Good advice above. wtp is right in that it won't work on DMR simplex or the input/uplink frequency of a repeater setup. For best probability of intercept I would only enable the bands in which the target transmission will be. The principle of Close Call is really about relative signal strength - it works if the signal you're targeting is relatively stronger than those around it. A setup can work perfectly if there is just one transmitter in use, but then the same setup be completely deaf if there are multiple transmitters on the go simultaneously.

 

[bearcatrp]

Gave it a try today. But can't seem to find the frequencies it logged. No voice recording. Just wanted frequencies.

 

[bearcatrp]

Anyone know where the frequencies are stored after using close call? Tried it again today but can’t find the frequencies it logged? And yes, I read the easy to read 436.

 

[wtp]

Hits with Scan
This is a special system that automatically stores the last 10 close call hits and allows you to scan them.
Accessible only in the Close Call menu, the system has to be Unavoided to view while scanning (default is Permanent Avoid).
The scanner will delete the frequencies in this system when you turn the power off.
that is from the manual
on some other unidens you can automatically save the hits in a folder/system called 'close call'

 

[bearcatrp]

Will checking other menus, I did find a avoid so selected it. It had frequencies from places over 100 miles from my place. Have no idea how they got there. Am not sure if this if from close call or not. I will try your suggestion. Thanks.

guess I won’t be able to find them if it’s deleted when powered off. Will give it a try tomorrow and view before shutting it off.

 

[wtp]

to give you an idea of how far away a transmitter can be for you to get a hit.
the mall in town is about 1500 feet long and i rarely get a hit when walking through it.
i use a pro164 to listen to things there and a uniden 396T on close call.
most hits have to be a few hundred feet away.
the farthest with the pro164 was 5 miles on a NOAA freq in an area with no other transmitters.
for uniden the signal has to be around 18dbs above any other signal. (about 100 times)
so i would not expect much from close call.

 

[bearcatrp]

Tried again today with no luck. Parked in parking lot next to business I know uses DMR. Not one hit this round. Looking into frequency counters for possibly getting frequencies close by.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Should be close enough to a couple businesses with antennas.

If no joy with Close Call & you are certain said antennas are used for radio communications I'd try an FCC ULS search or searching address or GPS coordinates via maprad.io to pinpoint potential licenses at the site location(s). Also scan through the common & itinerant business frequencies. I devote entire scan lists on my receivers to the common business frequencies and have gotten success from time to time when close call fails me.
If frequency-hopping spread spectrum radios or the like are in use at any location (seems to be a growing trend with retail) then you'll be out of luck trying to track them

 

[bearcatrp]

Its a school bus business contracted to the local school district. I found there license and frequency but zero hits on it. I know the local school they are contracted with uses DMR. I drive for the company. I work just afternoons but would like to listen to them in the morning. They got new radios this past fall. Used to listen to them last year before they upgraded. Suppose I could ask them but thats the easy way. Think I will try a different way and see what happens. I just ordered the frequency counter to try out.

 

[werinshades]

Its a school bus business contracted to the local school district. I found there license and frequency but zero hits on it. I know the local school they are contracted with uses DMR. I drive for the company. I work just afternoons but would like to listen to them in the morning. They got new radios this past fall. Used to listen to them last year before they upgraded. Suppose I could ask them but thats the easy way. Think I will try a different way and see what happens. I just ordered the frequency counter to try out.

This question sounds familiar, and might have given you an answer. If it's a DMR system and a school bus company, more likely than not it has a repeater. Since you're not having any luck going this route, try the Custom Search suggestion I made previously. You can Edit Custom Search (Try 451-455 Mhz.) one day, then maybe (461-465 Mhz.) the other day, and keep trying other bands. If you know the voices, radio traffic, schools, streets, route numbers, even kids names, this should be easy to find. If it's DMR and not Cap+, this should be even easier. Do not park around schools, especially after the recent events, to try for a Close Call hit. You're bringing unnecessary attention to yourself which might cause legal issues down the road.

 

[racingfan360]

Agree with werinshades. Run the Custom Search on the band most likely being used. Enable record on the 436. You can then run this [unattended as needs be] for a prolonged period, review the recordings later to correlate the 'right' audio with your hits.

 

[wtp]

lets try this again...
if it is DMR and you park next to the school bus base antenna, that is probably NOT the antenna for the repeater.
an office can use an input to the repeater, just like the busses/cars/handhelds/whatever.
so sitting next to them is a waste of time.
and the gate time on a frequency county would have to be faster than 30nsec. or it also is a waste of time.