Cannot Hear Certain Talkgroups

[Thegreatdivide83]

Hello all!

I am working on setting up an SDS200 to scan only one department in a APCO p25 phase 2 simulcast system.

Central Virginia Radio Communications System Trunking System, Various, Virginia

I am attempting to scan Lynchburg Fire Dispatch and Firegrounds 1,2,3 and 4. I am scanning the Amherst simulcast site, and have good signal from it. These are the only talkgroups I have set to scan. I receive dispatch just fine, but cannot hear any of the fireground channels. Even when held on one of the firegrounds, I cannot hear the traffic. I have updated the database in Sentinel. I have the "Fire-tac" service type set to "On".

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

*EDIT* I have a favorites list created, which only includes the Lynchburg FD dispatch and fireground channels, which is what I am scanning. All of the control freqs are programmed (its a Harris system) and I have -70 to -90 RSSI from them.

 

[BenScan]

I'm not familiar with the area, but seeing that there is a "Lynchburg City Simulcast" site, makes me think you need be checking that one instead of, or along with Amherst.

 

[Thegreatdivide83]

I'm not familiar with the area, but seeing that there is a "Lynchburg City Simulcast" site, makes me think you need be checking that one instead of, or along with Amherst.

It is a regional system, it was my assumption all involved counties/cities simulcast over all of the sites in the system. I pick up dispatch just fine from the Amherst towers, so I assumed (again) that the fireground talkgroups would also come through. They are all listed under the Amherst site in the database.

However, assumption is not always a good idea! I will give it a shot.

 

[Reconrider]

Can you upload the sentinel profile for us to look at?

Picture of the scanner face also


It's possible the groups you're scanning do not go across that site.
I would enter another site to see if that works

 

[trentbob]

I agree with the above, a couple of things, for now turn on all service types that the radio will allow you to turn on. By default out of the box they are not all enabled. Sometimes things get mislabeled, another option is to go into settings and choose ignore NAC.

I understand you putting in site 010 but I also would enter all the frequencies for site 020 and 030 which are neighbors according to site 010 details. It looks like any of the 800 MHz frequencies can be used as control channels so they all have to go in.

I too am not familiar with your system and it's the first time I'm looking at it but it looks pretty cut and dry.

 

[Thegreatdivide83]

Im delayed a bit, I guess since my post count is low everything I reply has to be admin approved (understandable). Here is a pic of the scanner while they were dispatching a call:

And you want the sentinel profile file that ends in “.cfg”?

 

[Thegreatdivide83]

You know what you do when you "assume"...

Works now! Shows how little I know about these systems. Programmed in the Lynchburg towers (even though the signal isnt quite as good...but still serviceable) and I have them all!

Thanks for the help, and please excuse my lack of knowledge.

 

[trentbob]

You are correct original poster regarding being moderated so you can expect a delay for a little while longer. One thing I wanted to tell you was put your squelch on 2, you don't want to leave it on zero.

I see site 10 you are also going to want to put in 20 and 30.

 

[tvengr]

Works now! Shows how little I know about these systems. Programmed in the Lynchburg towers (even though the signal isnt quite as good...but still serviceable) and I have them all!

Generally, you will hear a transmission only on the site where a unit affiliates. If all transmissions were carried on every site, the system would quickly run out of frequencies.

 

[drdispatch]

...Thanks for the help, and please excuse my lack of knowledge.

We were all new once...

 

[Tcp14Gd]

I agree with the above, a couple of things, for now turn on all service types that the radio will allow you to turn on. By default out of the box they are not all enabled. Sometimes things get mislabeled, another option is to go into settings and choose ignore NAC.

I understand you putting in site 010 but I also would enter all the frequencies for site 020 and 030 which are neighbors according to site 010 details. It looks like any of the 800 MHz frequencies can be used as control channels so they all have to go in.

I too am not familiar with your system and it's the first time I'm looking at it but it looks pretty cut and dry.

Ok, here’s where I get to display my lack of knowledge and understanding:

Trent Bob, when you advise adding the frequencies for the additional sites, does that mean programming the sites themselves? Or is it possible to just amend the additional frequencies to the original 010 site?

I ask because I often see advice that recommends you limit the number of sites you program, particularly if they’re farther away from your location.

mike

 

[BenScan]

Ok, here’s where I get to display my lack of knowledge and understanding:

Trent Bob, when you advise adding the frequencies for the additional sites, does that mean programming the sites themselves? Or is it possible to just amend the additional frequencies to the original 010 site?

I ask because I often see advice that recommends you limit the number of sites you program, particularly if they’re farther away from your location.

mike

You would need to add the sites. If you added all of the frequencies from all of the sites for one system into a single site, then you wouldn't be able to toggle individual sites on and off. Also, you would only ever hear the first control channel that got the scanner's attention. Meaning, you would miss out on hearing more than that site. Having multiple sites programmed in, the scanner knows to rotate through listening to each enabled site.

 

[trentbob]

I concur with the above, yes you do want to have the least amount of sites to roll through. Because you're using Sentinel you are simply programming a site.

I didn't use the names of the sites because I didn't feel like typing it all out, I just used the site number. If you look at the original site 010 and you check out the details of the site you will see that 020 and 030 are neighbors of 010.

There are all different types of systems, the worst thing in the world you want is a Statewide system that has numerous numbers of sites and you are rolling through all of them including the ones on the other side of the state.😉

 

[Tcp14Gd]

Thanks, gents.