Analog scanner in Missoula?

[Progline]

Hi Folks,
My nephew recently moved to Missoula. He has a BC210XL that served him well at his prior residence in rural New Mexico. I'm trying to come up with a list of freqs he can use in that older scanner. In looking at the listings, it appears while the County is still analog, the city has moved (?) to P25, and there is a statewide P25 (VHF-Hi) system in the area as well which might have local govt subscribing to it???
Is there still a purpose to having an analog scanner in Missoula? Was also thinking of getting him an analog scanner with more than 16 channels from the surplus scanners I have here.
Thanks in advance,
Rob.

 

[WX4JCW]

i was there last month, it was Analog there

 

[jjwhite29]

Yes as of right now Missoula PD is only one that sometimes uses Digital but not on the State System. Everything else Analog in the Missoula area.

 

[Progline]

Thank you guys. I'll proceed with setting him up with the freqs as listed in the DB for local & County.

 

[AlaskaRadar]

Missoula and Ravalli county still use analogue and as stated above Missoula PD and sometimes Missoula Sheriff uses encrypted P25. Rumor has it that 800Mhz is coming to Missoula some times towards fall but no official info on that is avail yet or confirmed. The freqs shown for Missoula and ravalli are accurate at this time.

 

[jjwhite29]

I don't see any FCC Grants for Missoula area yet that would support them moving anytime soon. But I have heard they just got some money to upgrade radios so I would not be surprised if this does happen soon.

 

[Progline]

Thanks all. I think we'll stick with the BC210XL for now, and see if that works out for them.

 

[Progline]

To follow up, I'm setting up a BC760XLT for them, with 5 banks of 20 channels each. I'm going by a map to try to figure out what County and State Freqs to program in which looks like no problem. But there are so many forests in the area, which ones would be heard in Missoula? I'm guessing the Lolo at least, but there are several that surround the area (Clearwater, Beaverhead, Deerlodge, etc) and I cant tell if their mountaintop sites would be heard in Missoula.

Tried looking for a Missoula scan list, but no luck. Does anyone have any suggestions for the Greater Missoula area?

-Rob

 

[jjwhite29]

I would just worry about Lolo they stay pretty busy and than State DNRC but saying that they are slowly moving to digital.

 

[AlaskaRadar]

What greater Missoula area are you looking for? south or north? Norht of missoula is trunked/P25.. south is still analogue and like it has been said, Lolo moving to P25 and most of the forest service is headed that route as well.

 

[Progline]

I would just worry about Lolo they stay pretty busy and than State DNRC but saying that they are slowly moving to digital.

Thank you very much! That simplifies things.

 

[Progline]

What greater Missoula area are you looking for? south or north? Norht of missoula is trunked/P25.. south is still analogue and like it has been said, Lolo moving to P25 and most of the forest service is headed that route as well.

I have the city and county stuff from the DB. My only familiarity with the area is via a AAA State Map. So, beyond the County systems and State (Hiway Patrol & DNRC) was there anything (State, USFS, NPS, BLM, etc) that would be worth adding? I dont know what the topography of the area would allow for signals in the Missoula area (they live in the "Westview Park" neigborhood). They are outdoors-oriented people so I'd guess Resource Management type traffic would interest them. I'm going to ship them the scanner in a couple months with as much as I can program in it and then go up there and fine-tune the frequency list in the summer when I visit and help put up an outdoor antenna.

 

[AlaskaRadar]

So Lolo national forest should be able to be heard from that area with minimal issue and they are starting to move to P25. Depending on the antenna... you may hear the Montana State system.. and MHP shows 800 MHZ grant in the FCC data posted for the area. Other than that with an indoor setup, sounds like your set up overall with what you can hear. I know there are some DMR systems like the university but other than that not much digital adoption in the area like stated before.

 

[Progline]

Thank you very much. I'll start programming the radio next week and send it up there with the pull-up antenna and power supply. It does not have the CTCSS decoder module in it, but I don't think that should be much of problem.