Cannot Track and Program CHP units in BC396XT

[ezoome]

Thanks Mike for the reply,
I understand that a handheld (BC396XT) would not be my best bet for picking up CHP VHF signals. I believe currently that is what band the California CHP are using. I know a stronger external VHF antenna for the outside of my vehicle attached to my hand held would help a little bit. Can you recommend which antenna would work best for all around and help pull in VHF without it being 10 feet tall!

I travel quite extensively via the highways mainly in Northen California to repair factory car stereos, factory Cds, Navi and video systems on site. Through my travels I run accross the CHP quite a bit via car or motorcycle shooting there Lidar, Laser and K band guns hidden in nooks and crannies all along the various highways.

I thought it would be great to hear some type of traffic coming from a chipper or CHP base so I could kind of get an idea when or where to slow down since there transmission signals dont have much of a VHF radius, maybe 2 to 3 miles. My radar detector can only do so much so having a little more defensive weapons in my tool belt would possibly be helpful.

All I am asking is if there is anyone out there who has programed a BC396XT for CHP preferably in the Northern California regions.

I would like to know the steps they took to get those codes into the scanner or did they just program the base and mobile frequencies in manually just like the good ol days. I am using ARC XT Pro software in conjuntion with the Radioreference database and come up with no freqencies in regards to the CHP.

I am trying to figure out a simpler route to get these CHP channels uploaded into my BC396XT. Areas like San Joaquin, Contra Costa, Stockton, Sacramento ect. I have searched high and low in RadioReference and on line and just cannot find any information or maybe nobody can track the CHP so I am just spinning my wheels. If anyone can recommend a different type of mobile unit that would track local CHP while running around in my vehicle I am all ears.

Thanks to anyone if they have any input or solutions,

Sincerely,

Alan

 

[ka3jjz]

<sigh> You can only bend the laws of physics so far - most any mobile antenna will be something of a compromise on VHF lo. I have a similar issue to you - our local state police is on 39 mhz, and am well aware of this fact. Nevertheless, I use the Austin Spectra, with the top whip cut down for that band, and it works reasonably well for that band, but know that it is something of a compromise. Hustler also has a line of wideband scanner antennas that should also be investigated. The Universal Radio web page for antennas is here .

As recommended before, for programming CHP issues, jump on down to the California forum (I'm assuming here that you are aware of the effect that setting quick keys on/off has on hearing systems- DMA programming is very different from standard scanners). This is very much a regional issue that the California scannists - there's lots of them - should be able to point you in the right direction. They may also be able to recommend a better antenna that you can get locally - between the 2, you'll likely get as much as you can. It's really not the fault of the scanner, programming issues aside - it's the antenna that often makes or breaks what you want to hear....73 Mike

 

[ka3jjz]

Here's a thought - if all you are interested in is the VHF lo system CHP uses, then get a 6 meter amateur antenna - I used a Hustler mag mount style when F2 skip was running a few years back (often heard CHP units in College Park Maryland...) and it worked very well indeed (I was using an old Regency handheld at the time - hot as all get out on VHF lo...). Of course such an antenna will lose efficiency as you go higher in frequency, but if that's all you want to hear, then this is the way I would go....73 Mike