Simulcast in Ontario, Canada

[thumper7458]

Good day, I was wondering how the simulcast situation is in Ontario Canada?
All I found was this... Metrolinx -
System Notes
UPDATE: Kawartha Lakes and Peterborough are now East Simulcast covering East Durham Region, through the 35/115 corridor to Peterborough.

I have no issues listening to this on my BCD436 as it comes in loud and clear when I attach my discone antenna that is outside 12ft off the ground. I know I would get better reception by increasing the height but I have to live with it as is for now.
Have you found others?

Checking to see if it is worth an upgrade for my area (Durham Region Ontario Canada)

Regards
Stuart

 

[Enjoi19]

Lots of systems utilizing simulcast here. Nearby to you - Toronto, York, Peel, Halton, Niagara are all using it on their P25 systems. There are others in the province. It’s not noted in the site names is all, compared to many of the site listings on the American side of the database.

Depending where you are located and your antenna, you may be able to listen to East and South Toronto sites, maybe the north.

 

[slicerwizard]

Also Hamilton, Durham Region, London?, Guelph PS?, Kingston. And Toronto Hydro.

And across the pond, Niagara County PS, Monroe/Ontario County, Livingston County, Cattaraugus County PS, Central New York Interoperable Communications Consortium, ...

 

[gary123]

London - yes and Waterloo as well

 

[Forts]

London is not simulcast (4 multicast sites).

Windsor is believe is simulcast too.

 

[thumper7458]

Lots of systems utilizing simulcast here. Nearby to you - Toronto, York, Peel, Halton, Niagara are all using it on their P25 systems. There are others in the province. It’s not noted in the site names is all, compared to many of the site listings on the American side of the database.

Depending where you are located and your antenna, you may be able to listen to East and South Toronto sites, maybe the north.

Would be a nice addition to the site to identify the simulcast services on the Canadian side to see what I might be missing.

 

[Muxlow]

Windsor, yes (3 sites I believe). Chatham-Kent, yes (2 sites)

 

[Claudiofish4]

I have a Uniden BCD996P2. How will this work with the York Region simulcast system? Will the scanner still work?

 

[thumper7458]

I have a Uniden BCD996P2. How will this work with the York Region simulcast system? Will the scanner still work?

My understanding is that (at least with the 436) Simulcast will receive as garbled if you are to close to the towers, but I don't believe I have experienced this with my 436. Maybe I am far enough from the tower that it's not an issue.

 

[Forts]

It'll be hit or miss with the York system. But considering the bulk of that system is encrypted it might not matter much

 

[gary123]

Thumper actually its the reverse. If your close to the tower simulcast works fine. since the tower signal level 'captures' the receiver. When you move away from the tower you start to pick up other towers and the phase delay between the signals starts to create errors (garble) in the receiver.

Counter intuitively this is why sometimes a poorer antenna works better on some systems. You are reducing the antenna performance and so the weaker signal is easier to be overpowered by the stronger local signal.

 

[thumper7458]

Thumper actually its the reverse. If your close to the tower simulcast works fine. since the tower signal level 'captures' the receiver. When you move away from the tower you start to pick up other towers and the phase delay between the signals starts to create errors (garble) in the receiver.

Counter intuitively this is why sometimes a poorer antenna works better on some systems. You are reducing the antenna performance and so the weaker signal is easier to be overpowered by the stronger local signal.

Ahhh ok, I must be sitting on the tower then or I have a really crappy antenna lol

 

[gary123]

Check your bandwidth settings. (i.e. NFM vs FM). Take the system channels off auto, also double check your digital threshold. The settings from sentinel work better with a bit of tweaking.

 

[thumper7458]

Check your bandwidth settings. (i.e. NFM vs FM). Take the system channels off auto, also double check your digital threshold. The settings from sentinel work better with a bit of tweaking.

I am nervous to take things out of "Auto" I will for sure screw something up lol

 

[gary123]

Copy the micro SD then you can experiment with no concerns.

 

[thumper7458]

Finally bit the bullet and bought the SDS100 to see what I was missing. I'm glad I did. I now use the BCD436HP for air band, 2 meter, and 70cm amateur radio.... I use the SDS100 for the higher frequencies. After my totally unscientific testing the BCD436HP is better on the lower frequencies and the SDS100 is better on the higher frequencies. Tested using the same Diamond telescoping antenna on both radios to end up with that conclusion.