Baltimore City Police Encrypted soon

WRF396

Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2021
Messages
11
I recently purchased a Uniden BCD436HP and can't get it to connect to Baltimore City PD for the life of me. Has the encryption started? Does anyone have advice on this model uniden and configuration for BC PD?
 

tvengr

Well Known Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2019
Messages
9,260
Location
Baltimore County, MD
I recently purchased a Uniden BCD436HP and can't get it to connect to Baltimore City PD for the life of me. Has the encryption started? Does anyone have advice on this model uniden and configuration for BC PD?
I just checked. Not encrypted yet. Please export hpe file of your favorites list and I will check the programming.
 

WRF396

Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2021
Messages
11
I just checked. Not encrypted yet. Please export hpe file of your favorites list and I will check the programming.

Thanks for your help. I also have a Howard County hpe centered on Ellicott City zip 21043 that doesn't pick up police either. Both are attached.
 

Attachments

  • favorites.zip
    13.1 KB · Views: 5

tvengr

Well Known Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2019
Messages
9,260
Location
Baltimore County, MD
The first thing you have to do is update the database and redo the favorites lists. Baltimore County is now a single site. It no longer has north and south sites. You have the frequencies for the old Howard County Motorola Type II system which no longer exists. They are presently using a P25 system.
 

WRF396

Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2021
Messages
11
I cleared data and favorites lists and did a fresh database load and reentered favorites. Howard County Police is working now, still monitoring BC to see if it is fully functioning yet. I think part of the problem was that I installed a firmware and database update, but was still reloading old favorites list.
 

maus92

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 23, 2004
Messages
8,037
Location
The OP
I cleared data and favorites lists and did a fresh database load and reentered favorites. Howard County Police is working now, still monitoring BC to see if it is fully functioning yet. I think part of the problem was that I installed a firmware and database update, but was still reloading old favorites list.
Right - you have to recreate the Favorites list entries using the new data from the database. The Favorites lists are not automatically updated.
 
Last edited:

WRF396

Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2021
Messages
11
Baltimore City police is still not reporting after update. Anything look different in this copy?
 

Attachments

  • BALTIMORE POLICE.zip
    1.7 KB · Views: 5

tvengr

Well Known Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2019
Messages
9,260
Location
Baltimore County, MD
If Howard County PD is working, Law Dispatch is probably enabled in the profile unless nothing was entered in the service type fields in the talkgroups. In that case, the service type defaults to custom 1. You may be suffering from simulcast distortion, especially if you live in Baltimore City. Try backing the squelch down to 2. Try turning on the attenuator. What is your location?
 

WRF396

Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2021
Messages
11
Baltimore City Fire is working. I enabled Law DISPATCH, TAC, and TALK all in "select service types", but whenever I remove monitoring of "full database" so the scanner only scans my favorites, the TAC and TALK both have "--" next to them instead of a "yes" or "no".

I'm located in Ellicott City, about 8 miles from Baltimore City. Range is set to 20 miles. Squelch was set to 2 previously. Not sure how to turn on attenuator, but i'll figure it out and try.
 

WRF396

Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2021
Messages
11
I've set the attenuator to "on" for Baltimore City broadcasts, no luck. I have heard complaints that the BCD436HP regarding simulcast. I've heard the SDS100/200 have implemented I/Q demodulation for QPSK signal. Could this just be a limitation of the BCD436HP?
 

maus92

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 23, 2004
Messages
8,037
Location
The OP
I've set the attenuator to "on" for Baltimore City broadcasts, no luck. I have heard complaints that the BCD436HP regarding simulcast. I've heard the SDS100/200 have implemented I/Q demodulation for QPSK signal. Could this just be a limitation of the BCD436HP?
If you can hear the fire side on the 800 system, then it is not a reception / simulcast issue as both services use the same trunked system. If you are hearing the fire side over VHF (sort of a backup, though unreliable,) then you may be suffering from simulcast issues.
 

tvengr

Well Known Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2019
Messages
9,260
Location
Baltimore County, MD
Set your scanner on Hold with the TGID 9002 A2/C2 Dispatch talkgroup for Baltimore City Fire and see if you hear anything. You only need the last 4 frequencies in your list of 27 (24 thru 27) for the Baltimore City trunked system. They are the control channel and alternates. I would delete the others. The scanner won't have to search through all of the voice frequencies to find the control channel. That can take a while. I don.t see any problems with the programming. You most likely have a weak signal or simulcast issues. Ellicott City is in a big hole. Reception of Baltimore City may be difficult with the attenuator off.
 
Last edited:

tvengr

Well Known Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2019
Messages
9,260
Location
Baltimore County, MD
You only need the last 4 frequencies in your list of 27
I should have said in your list of 28. The first frequency is in position 0. You only need 853.7000, 853.7375, 853.8750, and 853.9500. All of the frequency information is carried on the control channel.
 
Last edited:

maus92

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 23, 2004
Messages
8,037
Location
The OP
The current cch is 853.8750. No evidence of encryption on the routine police channels, and fire is also normal, monitoring from the UMBC campus.
 

maus92

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 23, 2004
Messages
8,037
Location
The OP
Ok, a usable signal for the city 800 system drops at around Rolling Road on Frederick Road east of Elliott City.
 

hill

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
1,444
Location
Middle River, MD
Baltimore City has many more stuff going wrong, just watch Fox Baltimore's (WBFF-TV) 10 PM each night many stories on the them.

I mainly monitor fire, but it would nice to hear police from time to time.

Going forward I don't see too many people living in Baltimore having P25 scanners to hear police. Even if they do listen it most likely on some website.
 
Top