Buying a TRX for northern Virginia

[KM4OBL]

I'm new here, also considering the choice between TRX-1 and 436hp - and I can see there are people who seem to get better performance out of one or the other scanner in different locations on P25 systems. I have no idea which scanner to purchase, as of today, due to the conflicting reports, even considering the free firmware upgrades that cover whole systems that Whistler provides, and the superior sound out of the Whistler.

I do have one basic question I'm embarrassed to ask: how does one find out if the P25 system in the local area (and I have several such systems to monitor here in northern Virginia) is a simulcast system? The RR database doesn't mention simulcast in the local frequency descriptions that apply to my area - does that mean they are not simulcast systems? Thanks for the newbie help!

 

[HankFrank]

It sounds like you are worried about which scanner will receive the simulcast systems up there the best... it may be "cut and try" honestly. I know people have had a lot of trouble monitoring the new Fairfax County system. (It is definitely LSM) You may end up having to play with where you locate your scanner, and different antennas.

For your second question, one way is to look at how the system is in the database. If the system has one "site" listed in the table listing, but you click on it and see a bunch of tower locations on the map, then it's likely simulcast.

Another way is to look for the emissions destinations in the FCC license, and then look them up in the wiki.

Emission Designator - The RadioReference Wiki

Modes with "simulcast" in the name are obvious.

Edit to add: Some simulcast systems will be easier to monitor due to the type of modulation used, or number of sites, etc. FFX is supposedly a real b-word. Anything with mode 8K70D1W (ASTRO LSM) will be especially tricky.

 

[bep]

I have clicked on anything that will allow in the database and I only see one tower listed. I did Fairfax Project 16, and ORION site 2 for Va. Beach City

What am I missing?

 

[HankFrank]

Project 16 for Fairfax has only one "site" named "Simulcast"

If you click on "Simulcast" in the table, and then click on the FCC license links (WQCP394, for instance) you will actually see a list of 6 or 7 tower sites. So you can tell it's probably a full Simulcast system.

ORION is interesting, you can see off the bat there are three site IDs listed. I am not familiar with the system at all, but the database says in the description that at least Site 1 (a 700mhz one) is probably a simulcast cell. Hopefully someone who knows more can chime in.

In a multi-site wide-area trunked system, you can actually have more than one tower acting together as a simulcast cell in the system, making up a "site."

It looks like the "sites" in the ORION system are actually a collection of simulcast cells, but the database info seems to be limited.

 

[KM4OBL]

Thanks for the help!

Thanks for the help! At least I'm fully aware of the problems I might have before I start to try. Here in Alexandria I might be totally unable to monitor the local systems, but I'll ask the members of my ham radio club if they have found a way to monitor the local simulcast systems before deciding if I should give it a try. I'm willing to work hard to make things work, but if it's impossible, that is a different story.

Thanks again for the help!

 

[fredva]

Project 16 was mentioned, but I believe the Project 25 system is where you'll find fire, rescue, and police now. And that is probably going to be the more challenging system to receive due to it being P25 simulcast.

 

[LeSueurC]

Project 16 for Fairfax has only one "site" named "Simulcast"

If you click on "Simulcast" in the table, and then click on the FCC license links (WQCP394, for instance) you will actually see a list of 6 or 7 tower sites. So you can tell it's probably a full Simulcast system.

ORION is interesting, you can see off the bat there are three site IDs listed. I am not familiar with the system at all, but the database says in the description that at least Site 1 (a 700mhz one) is probably a simulcast cell. Hopefully someone who knows more can chime in.

In a multi-site wide-area trunked system, you can actually have more than one tower acting together as a simulcast cell in the system, making up a "site."

It looks like the "sites" in the ORION system are actually a collection of simulcast cells, but the database info seems to be limited.

ORION is setup as followed, the 2 700 mhz sites are for interop, so Site 1 and Site 3. Site 2; the 800 mhz site is what the city of Va Beach primarily uses, Fire, EMS, PD, Sheriff

 

[n4jri]

I had pretty good luck with Prince William on the TRX-1 the day I bought it. However, I just let it run on the car seat with the duckie....no outside antenna.

I'm very pleased with the TRX-1, but it's not immune to LSM.

73/Allen (N4JRI)

 

[KM4OBL]

Thanks

Thanks for responding to my original post - I appreciate the information. I am just starting to learn about the various systems and their operation, so the information you all provide is very helpful. I will do more research about the systems in this area, and I'll ask people at the next radio club meeting if anyone's had success in this area.

 

[KI4SXZ]

Excuse my ignorance guys, but what is LSM?


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[JD21960]

Buying a TRX for Northern Virginia

@KI4SXZ I'll let the others give that answer. But here's where it's explained well on unication's products at scanner master.
Unication G5 Dual Band VHF & 700-800MHz Voice Pager-Receiver | ScannerMaster.com

scroll down to the "DETAILS" tab and it tells why THIS happens to all scanners today JUST *like in this video of a LSM or simulcast site

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsxxUoLDLEk

 

[KM4OBL]

Excuse my ignorance guys, but what is LSM?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am just learning, like you, but I believe LSM stands for Linear Simulcast Modulation. It is a form of digital modulation that allows receivers to decode identical signals coming from multiple sites.