AWIN in Tennessee

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Airdorn

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Mar 9, 2008
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481
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Cordova, TN
Hey all.

Lately I've been having very good results receiving AWIN here in Cordova, TN which is on the eastern edge of Memphis.

I started noticing good reception a few weeks back when a small storm rolled through the area. It was a whammy of reception; I was clearly hearing Little Rock public safety, AWIN via 3 sites (Shell Lake, Wynne, Burdette), and Jonesboro public safety. I also picked up about 10 different Entergy sites, which was weird. I usually only get a single Entergy site, the one in Southaven, MS.

Most of that faded-out pretty quick, though.. but I still receive AWIN semi-regularly.

I only seem to receive it late at night. One morning I got up at around 3am and I was receiving the Shell Lake site loud and clear with 4 bars out of 5. Audio was crystal clear with no distortion, fading, or anything else. In fact, I've noticed that even when my scanner indicates a single intermittent bar, I STILL get crystal clear audio.

But once dawn comes, it completely vanishes.

I was wondering if others in western TN were also trying to monitor AWIN and what kind of success was being had. It's some excellent listening. Via the Shell Lake site, I hear a lot of Forrest City, Crittenden Co., Lee Co., Lonoke Co., and some of the highway police.

When I can get the Burdette site, I hear Jonesboro, Craighead Co., and some Blytheville, along with some highway police.

During that tornado storm last week, there was a LOT of interop emergency management, some EMS stuff, and other chatter I didn't recognize.

It really is an excellent system to monitor. I just wish I could get it clearer more often. :)

Any tips in soaking-in the AWIN signals better are appreciated.

For my part, I am using a Uniden BCD996T with an 800 - 950Mhz mag mount antenna sitting on top of a metal vent pipe on my roof. I aimed a yagi at Shell Lake during the day but it didn't seem to help at all. Oh well.
 

tspainiv

Shelby Co DB Admin
Database Admin
Joined
Sep 26, 2004
Messages
661
Location
Collierville, TN
It all has to do with atmospheric ducting. I live in Collierville, and I can pick them up at night sometimes. Same with Jackson, TN.

Just one of those awesome things about radio waves. Enjoy it! You should try listening to the AM band, and listen through the HAM bands at night. You'll hear things from far off, like they are in your backyard.

As far as getting better reception on AWIN, you could try a yagi antenna pointed towards the Shell Lake site, but I'm not sure how much success you'll have.
 

Gatorman

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
573
Shell Lake Control Channel??????

What are you using for the CC for Shell Lake please???? I have never been able to hear it, even with a 900 MHz yagi pointed straight at the site.

I'm in East Memphis. Could be all the trees around here though.
 

Gatorman

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
573
Shell Lake Control Channel???????

What are you using for the CC for Shell Lake please???? I have never been able to hear it, even with a 900 MHz yagi pointed straight at the site.

I'm in East Memphis.
 

Gatorman

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
573
Shell Lake Control Channel????????

What are you using for the CC for Shell Lake please???? I have never been able to hear it, even with a 900 MHz yagi pointed straight at the site.

I'm in East Memphis.
 

Airdorn

Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2008
Messages
481
Location
Cordova, TN
866.175 is the Shell Lake CC.

Good luck. It's VERY faint. Most of the time, you'll never hear anything at all. I'm relatively wide-open with few trees here in Cordova, and I have a yagi aimed at it on top of my house. I still only hear it at all when the environment is right, which is maybe a couple of times a week.
 
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