Best CC for Fed. Heights / Thornton area

[aok]

I am using Thorodin 686.9750 . I know that even "system" radios don't sound that great, but Thornton and Fed Heights sound like transmitter is under water. N'Glenn and Commerce City sound okay. Analog Westy sounds great (diff. system). I hope someone has information about a better location to tune to the CC for my location in FH. I don't think the Motorola rep. or the radio officer are in that great a mood to "share".
I love what my Pro-96 can do, But am really going to miss the old "primary" function.
Thanks for any help anyone can offer! Looks like there is a large hole in the state system on this north end, in terms of towers.
Does anyone have info on Thorntons comming 700MHZ system.?

 

[BobWeb]

I am using Thorodin 686.9750 . I know that even "system" radios don't sound that great, but Thornton and Fed Heights sound like transmitter is under water. N'Glenn and Commerce City sound okay. Analog Westy sounds great (diff. system). I hope someone has information about a better location to tune to the CC for my location in FH. I don't think the Motorola rep. or the radio officer are in that great a mood to "share".
I love what my Pro-96 can do, But am really going to miss the old "primary" function.
Thanks for any help anyone can offer! Looks like there is a large hole in the state system on this north end, in terms of towers.
Does anyone have info on Thorntons comming 700MHZ system.?

Try the Golden CC, it is the one I use routinely and don't have any problems with it. Where did you hear Thornton was going 700?

 

[aok]

Trying Golden 868.7750

I put Golden in one bank and F/H and Thornton improved, Commerce City, N'Glenn got worse. Might need to split these to get the best of both worlds. Just seems like "Golden" is an awful long ways away.

Fed Heights council members were asking for radios. PD saying that that would be a bad idea because in six months they are joining Thornton on thier new 700MHZ system and councils radios will be "no good", Give them a break they listen to Motorola salesmen. I am a proponent of UHF first (agree with Adcom), waiting for 700MHZ second and buying 800MHZ now, way last. The radios F/H bought are 800/700MHZ? The 700MHZ tower is supposed to be in construction near miller stockman. I believe that the sixth month may be sometime in 2007 after the band is wrestled from the TV channels. As long as it is APCO-25 - the PRO-96 should have no problem with 700MHZ.

 

[vcorlone]

Federal Heights

I disagree with Fed Heights even going to a 700 MHZ system, It took them way too long to even get on the states digital system, & since Fed heights is consisdered a home city, lets see if the city will kick in more money or even Homeland security will again to replace the current system. I think that the new system has issues but I don't think the city will go to a 700 mhz system. I happen to be a citizen of this city. Also I don't think Thornton will be going to a 700 mhz system due to adcom is moving towards staying on this system for a while & does have other cities like Commerce City, Northglenn & Brighton on the statewide system & have converted most of their cars & equipment over to the new system.

 

[jimmnn]

Re: Federal Heights

I disagree with Fed Heights even going to a 700 MHZ system, It took them way too long to even get on the states digital system, & since Fed heights is consisdered a home city, lets see if the city will kick in more money or even Homeland security will again to replace the current system. I think that the new system has issues but I don't think the city will go to a 700 mhz system. I happen to be a citizen of this city. Also I don't think Thornton will be going to a 700 mhz system due to adcom is moving towards staying on this system for a while & does have other cities like Commerce City, Northglenn & Brighton on the statewide system & have converted most of their cars & equipment over to the new system.

My radio friend with Federal Heights is going out to buy eight Pro-96's for the city council members today.

Jim<

 

[jimmnn]

Re: Federal Heights

I disagree with Fed Heights even going to a 700 MHZ system, It took them way too long to even get on the states digital system, & since Fed heights is consisdered a home city, lets see if the city will kick in more money or even Homeland security will again to replace the current system. I think that the new system has issues but I don't think the city will go to a 700 mhz system. I happen to be a citizen of this city. Also I don't think Thornton will be going to a 700 mhz system due to adcom is moving towards staying on this system for a while & does have other cities like Commerce City, Northglenn & Brighton on the statewide system & have converted most of their cars & equipment over to the new system.

I'm listening to Federal Heights PD now from downtown Denver on Thordin control channel and the audio is loud and clear.

Jim<

 

[aok]

RE: Federal Heights - best CC location

I put in Golden Primary and secondary followed by thorodin primary, I don't know thorodin secondary cc. The radio uses golden most of the time and thorodin sometimes. I think that the signal strength of these two locations are pretty even at my location, with the strongest one changing from time to time. It seems that letting the scanner find the strongest one is working fairly well.
My first reaction when hearing about 700MHZ was just like Jim's. I was thinking about a totally different system. I agree that to ask for any substancial additional money in F/H would be a problem. Departure from the "state" system at this point would most likely not be an option. I have to believe that when the upper 700MHZ band is released for PS use it will become an extension of the "state" system. 2.4MHZ of that is earmarked for "interoperability". Maybe when they finish the tower they can use it for a 800MHZ site until 700MHZ is available and coverage will be greately improved.

 

[BobWeb]

Re: Trying Golden 868.7750

I put Golden in one bank and F/H and Thornton improved, Commerce City, N'Glenn got worse. Might need to split these to get the best of both worlds. Just seems like "Golden" is an awful long ways away.

That's very strange. I have done just fine with both Golden and Thorodin. For me, Golden ranges from 80-99 with about 90 being average. Thorodin goes 90-99 with about 95 being average. What sort of decode percentage are you getting on them respectively? Are you possibly in a low reception area? Have you tried moving around at all to see if the situation improves?

 

[aok]

Thanks Bob

That was good advice. I can find areas of the shop where numbers average in the mid to high 90%s. I can also move just a foot or so and get them to consistently drop to 30%, and even to loose the cc altogether. It seams repeatable and only takes small changes in position. I went outside a little (Of course it is poring down rain) and was suprised that the situation did not seem to change much outside, still wide variations with movement of a foot or so one way or the other. This was true with both towers, however the patterns are different. I will need to experiment a lot more, But I think Bob was on to something. Maybe the steel building?
THANKS
Does anyone know the secondary control channel for Thorodin?

 

[BobWeb]

It certainly sounds as though the building you're in may be the problem if just moving around in causes your decode percentage to move between 30 - 90. That would be unfortunate since there isn't much you can do about it.

As far as Thorodin goes, it doesn't appear from the rr database that there is a secondary CC although Golden has one you might try. You could also try Smokey Hill to see if it performs any better for you (I average about 90 on that one).

 

[jimmnn]

It certainly sounds as though the building you're in may be the problem if just moving around in causes your decode percentage to move between 30 - 90. That would be unfortunate since there isn't much you can do about it.

As far as Thorodin goes, it doesn't appear from the rr database that there is a secondary CC although Golden has one you might try. You could also try Smokey Hill to see if it performs any better for you (I average about 90 on that one).

Had Thordin loud and clear in Woodland Park today, so don't think it's the control channel.

Jim<

 

[BobWeb]

It certainly sounds as though the building you're in may be the problem if just moving around in causes your decode percentage to move between 30 - 90. That would be unfortunate since there isn't much you can do about it.

As far as Thorodin goes, it doesn't appear from the rr database that there is a secondary CC although Golden has one you might try. You could also try Smokey Hill to see if it performs any better for you (I average about 90 on that one).

Had Thordin loud and clear in Woodland Park today, so don't think it's the control channel.
Jim<

Agreed. I don't think the control channel is the problem here. Sounds like he may be trying to scan in an area that isn't very good. There may be other CC's that can be used though.

 

[scanlist]

Re: Thanks Bob

That was good advice. I can find areas of the shop where numbers average in the mid to high 90%s. I can also move just a foot or so and get them to consistently drop to 30%, and even to loose the cc

If you are in the Eastern area of Fed Heights (East of Federal Blvd and West of Huron Street) Thorodin and Lookout site signals are very poor. Try the DRDC site on 868.9625 as that site had the best signal the last time I drove through that area.

Another problematic factor in the Fed Heights area is the Cell tower at the N.E. corner area of 92nd and Federal that does cause problems for scanners on 800 MHz.

Also check to make sure that your digital audio AGC is turned on (The display will show "DG" when turned on and "Dg" when turned off). Some of the audio issues you described are apparent when it is turned off.

Does anyone know the secondary control channel for Thorodin?

Last time the site went to secondary control it was using 868.550.