Anne Arundel County New Talkgroups

[JayG1176]

But the "surplus" XTS radios that the landfill operations got will not be compatible with a P25P2 system.

Correct

 

[riveter]

But the "surplus" XTS radios that the landfill operations got will not be compatible with a P25P2 system.

Which can be selected per talkgroup as FDMA, TDMA, or DDM. Just chopping fire and police up into TDMA with a channel mix will do a lot for capacity. They'll be compatible with the system, just not with TDMA talkgroups.

 

[maus92]

Which can be selected per talkgroup as FDMA, TDMA, or DDM. Just chopping fire and police up into TDMA with a channel mix will do a lot for capacity. They'll be compatible with the system, just not with TDMA talkgroups.

Right now, the county appears to have only licensed 12 frequencies (4 new, 8 existing. excepting Greenbury Point) for their new TDMA system and towers. There are some orphans that are currently in use, but are not licensed for some of the new tower sites - perhaps those will be used in FDMA mode?

 

[riveter]

Right now, the county appears to have only licensed 12 frequencies (4 new, 8 existing. excepting Greenbury Point) for their new TDMA system and towers. There are some orphans that are currently in use, but are not licensed for some of the new tower sites - perhaps those will be used in FDMA mode?

There's still a lot of time for amendments to go in for licenses. AACo is moving slowly enough that by the time they get sites actually transmitting CQPSK/DQPSK, the FCC could decide that 800MHz is going out of style

I wouldn't make conjectures at this early a stage. Watch and see, I'd say.

 

[maus92]

There's still a lot of time for amendments to go in for licenses. AACo is moving slowly enough that by the time they get sites actually transmitting CQPSK/DQPSK, the FCC could decide that 800MHz is going out of style

I wouldn't make conjectures at this early a stage. Watch and see, I'd say.

Yea but the conjectures are the fun part! (lacking solid info...)

 

[ThePhotoGuy]

36976 is referred as "Channel 2". It appears that it is the "Central Recycling Facility" based on some discussions. This facility is connected to the landfill.

There are also a Northern Recycling Facility (Dover Rd) and a Southern Recycling Facility. I wonder if they will be switching to the system too.

 

[SpectrumKing]

Anyone ever listen to 18800? That’s animal control. They are insane. Stole my neighbor’s dog.

 

[marksmith]

Anyone ever listen to 18800? That’s animal control. They are insane. Stole my neighbor’s dog.

Listen all the time. Sometimes interesting.
Every now and then on the AACO Govt TV cable channel, they have what I call "Animal Court" where two parties fight out disputes about animals. Animal control is ocasionally on one side of the argument, but they are always the hearing officer.

Mark
SDS100&200/536/436/WS1095/996p2/996xt/325p2/396xt/psr800/396t/HP-1/HP-2 & others

 

[SpectrumKing]

I live in Howard County (moved last year) in Columbia. How difficult would it be to pickup Anne Arundel talkgroups?

Ordered a HomePatrol 2 with an aftermarket antenna. First time with my own hardware.

 

[hill]

As it's an old System very easy to hear from Columbia.

 

[maus92]

As it's an old System very easy to hear from Columbia.

For about another year or two. I was hearing it in Harford County this afternoon.

 

[maus92]

I live in Howard County (moved last year) in Columbia. How difficult would it be to pickup Anne Arundel talkgroups?

Ordered a HomePatrol 2 with an aftermarket antenna. First time with my own hardware.

You *should* be able to hear AACo in eastern Howard County with a HP-2 fairly easily. The system is a pretty powerful Moto Type II, uses omni transmit antennas, and has tower sites in Maryland City and the Jessup area. Things will change in the next two years as it transitions to a P25 Phase 2 system. The newer system designs shape their coverage footprint to remain more or less within their service area.

 

[SpectrumKing]

You *should* be able to hear AACo in eastern Howard County with a HP-2 fairly easily. The system is a pretty powerful Moto Type II, uses omni transmit antennas, and has tower sites in Maryland City and the Jessup area. Things will change in the next two years as it transitions to a P25 Phase 2 system. The newer system designs shape their coverage footprint to remain more or less within their service area.

What about with a RTL2832U pair and decent antennas?

I had the HP2 for an afternoon. Returned it though. At my house, at the second floor window which faces NE, I could only get weak PG County. No Howard County, no Baltimore County, no AA County. Now it was the stock antenna though.

 

[maus92]

What about with a RTL2832U pair and decent antennas?

I had the HP2 for an afternoon. Returned it though. At my house, at the second floor window which faces NE, I could only get weak PG County. No Howard County, no Baltimore County, no AA County. Now it was the stock antenna though.

Certain;y cheaper, but the software to run it effectively can be complex. I am surprised that you could not receive even Howard County. I would have expected you not to be able to receive Baltimore County. Anne Arundel County booms and can be received in Montgomery County. What method did you use to program the HP-2?

 

[marksmith]

Certain;y cheaper, but the software to run it effectively can be complex. I am surprised that you could not receive even Howard County. I would have expected you not to be able to receive Baltimore County. Anne Arundel County booms and can be received in Montgomery County. What method did you use to program the HP-2?

Agree. AACO should easily be heard. Same with Howard. PG County is usually harder to receive. Same with Baltimore County.

In eastern AA County, and listen to Howard all the time on an HP2

Mark
SDS100&200/536/436/WS1095/996p2/996xt/325p2/396xt/psr800/396t/HP-1/HP-2 & others

 

[SpectrumKing]

Certain;y cheaper, but the software to run it effectively can be complex. I am surprised that you could not receive even Howard County. I would have expected you not to be able to receive Baltimore County. Anne Arundel County booms and can be received in Montgomery County. What method did you use to program the HP-2?

I just used the sentinel software. I really only care about the 850 talk groups so maybe i might have picked up other stations. Don’t know cuz I locked them out.

Couldn’t justify the price for the HP2 so I returned it. Have an RTL2832U pair coming later this week with 2 telescoping antennas. From amazon.

Not worried about the setup being complex. I’m a software dev so I’m used to stuff like this.

Hey how hard would it be to pickup Baltimore city 850 from Columbia? The radioreference site has the coverage for Baltimore extending just past the city limits. But not sure how accurate it is.

 

[maus92]

I just used the sentinel software. I really only care about the 850 talk groups so maybe i might have picked up other stations. Don’t know cuz I locked them out.

Couldn’t justify the price for the HP2 so I returned it. Have an RTL2832U pair coming later this week with 2 telescoping antennas. From amazon.

Not worried about the setup being complex. I’m a software dev so I’m used to stuff like this.

Hey how hard would it be to pickup Baltimore city 850 from Columbia? The radioreference site has the coverage for Baltimore extending just past the city limits. But not sure how accurate it is.

Baltimore City coverage footprint does not extend very far from their borders; to the southeast it probably extends to the Patapsco Valley State Park area.

 

[SpectrumKing]

Baltimore City coverage footprint does not extend very far from their borders; to the southeast it probably extends to the Patapsco Valley State Park area.

Hmm.

Question for you all. How does relative elevation play into account of picking up 800Mhz? Is it better to be at a higher elevation than the transmitter or a lower elevation?

 

[maus92]

Hmm.

Question for you all. How does relative elevation play into account of picking up 800Mhz? Is it better to be at a higher elevation than the transmitter or a lower elevation?

It's "better" not to be in a valley, a high noise area, or more than 8 - 10 miles away from an omnidirectional transmit site when monitoring a "newer" 700/800 Mhz P25 simulcast system like Baltimore City or County. Being within line of sight is even better. Howard County has a relatively old SmartZone simulcast system, but is on the verge of switching to a P25 system so range to tower site will become more important (they're not adding tower sites. and P25 Phase 1 has a slightly shorter practical range.)

 

[SpectrumKing]

It's "better" not to be in a valley, a high noise area, or more than 8 - 10 miles away from an omnidirectional transmit site when monitoring a "newer" 700/800 Mhz P25 simulcast system like Baltimore City or County. Being within line of sight is even better. Howard County has a relatively old SmartZone simulcast system, but is on the verge of switching to a P25 system so range to tower site will become more important (they're not adding tower sites. and P25 Phase 1 has a slightly shorter practical range.)

Where are the transmission sites in Howard county?