Charlotte County changes?

[tampatracker]

what is RR? I am new to this scanner thing and I am learning. I have moved the scanner around to no avail. There are maybe 2 channels that are garbled. I know I am not receiving Charlotte County. After I had to reprogram my scanner due to the Radio System change and I had to reprogram all my counties I use Radio Reference for my Pro 106

You might find this website, Mark's Scanners, to be helpful too ... Welcome to RR.

 

[queenie8_]

I am in Port Charlotte over the weekend I am still not picking up Charlotte county at all . Moved the scanner around if someone can help me

 

[wtp]

i hope that you put all the frequencies in for control as of last night 770.51875 is another one.
yes, i did put it in for an update.
it does not hurt to have more than one in for control, the radio just stops at the first one it hears.

 

[wtp]

have you taken the radio outside for a "walk" ?

 

[tvengr]

What software are you using to download the database? If you have ARC500 or WIN500, attach your programming file and I will check it for problems. You must right click on the file and send it to a compressed (zipped) folder to be able to attach it.

 

[I_am_Alpha1]

I am in Port Charlotte over the weekend I am still not picking up Charlotte county at all . Moved the scanner around if someone can help me

The Pro-106 is an old scanner. It was made before rebanding. I'm not familiar with that model so I can't answer specific questions, just give you some things to look at. Check the band plan and make sure it's set for rebanded systems. Enter all 12 frequencies as control channels. Also (may or may not help), I found something weird with a 996T--I had the squelch set to 7 and it was dead even when I programmed the scanner for digital only...lowered it to 1 and it started working. Double check each and every setting.

Another thing that makes monitoring this system a challenge is it's a Harris system. On other P25 systems when I call you on a specific talkgroup, the control channel assigns a frequency to our radios and I talk...then it holds the frequency for a few seconds so you can talk back. Harris systems don't do that...every time someone releases the transmit button the frequency is released and the process is repeated for every part of the conversation. Some scanners have trouble keeping up with multiple frequency changes. You can try setting the scan delay or hold time a little longer if you notice your missing replies.

 

[queenie8_]

What software are you using to download the database? If you have ARC500 or WIN500, attach your programming file and I will check it for problems. You must right click on the file and send it to a compressed (zipped) folder to be able to attach it.

I am using Radioreference ARC500 Software

 

[queenie8_]

Ok how would I enter them as control channels?

 

[tvengr]

If you right click on your programming file and send it to a compressed (zipped) folder, you will be able to attach it. I use ARC500 and will check the file for any problems.

 

[vinnienap]

Just stumbled upon this thread. To clarify some things for everyone, the new 700MHz system is operating P25 Phase 1 and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future...they will move to Phase 2 if and when they outgrow what they are using. Phase 2 is TDMA which will allow for more traffic vs Phase 1's FDMA. So don't worry about Phase 2...all counties around the country are buying these dual systems and not using the Phase 2 part. As of today there are no encrypted talkgroups...this will definitely change. What extent encryption will be used is not fully known--just EMS to Hospital has been confirmed from the fire side. I have no info from the LE side on encryption--afraid to bring up the subject as it may give them ideas. The new system is operating at 100w...so why are you hearing garbled stuff?? Well, it's called simulcast distortion and it sucks for scanner users. There are NO scanners on the market that perform great with simulcast...some are better than others and the more you pay, the better they "seem." Older 996 series may not work very well for you...newer SDS series may give you better performance. You will find posts all over this site referring to how well a certain scanner works with simulcast--take them with a grain of salt as each and every system and location will have different results. I have a 396, 996, 436, and 536 sitting next to each other and they all receive differently. Very dependent on several factors...mostly being location, location, location. There are several broadcast towers in the county, each pumping out 100w. Your scanner is sitting in between several of them and is receiving signals from them...but those signals are arriving micro-seconds apart and it confuses scanners causing them to be distorted or just not receive. There are several steps you can try to improve reception...mostly based on decreasing reception. Move the scanner around your house...somewhere reception may be bad. Try a Yagi pointed at one tower--without another on the back side. Use an out of band antenna. The basic principle is to receive only 1 tower so you don't have simulcast distortion. Sarasota is also a simulcast system, but their towers are placed differently so you should only be receiving the Englewood or North Port locations. If all else fails, there is a way to obtain near perfect reception...Motorola XTS5000 for under $100 from E-Bay. These Big M radios cost over $3,000 in the 80's and were built to receive such systems. They do have some drawbacks--you can only scan 15 TGs at a time and they have to be from the same system...at that price, you could buy 2 or 3 (Charlotte, Lee, and Sarasota) and still come out ahead compared to the $700 SDS series scanners. They are very hard to program correctly...and if not done right will end up transmitting and that is very illegal and will get you put behind bars. Get someone to program it for you and if you ever see the red light blink, shut if off immediately and have it programmed the right way.

I've been working diligently on validating the Talkgroup list. I've had an SDR dongle running Unitrunker along side a scanner to make a list and keep RR updated. I have tried several times using the Sunshine law to get a list from the county with no luck...a law group up north looking at legal action. Sarasota county gave me their full TG list with no questions asked and it's been updated on RR. You can help...submit a Sunshine request to the county for the TG list. Contact your Commissioner and push the issue. Keep your fingers crossed--the county could encrypt everything out of spite.

I brought my scanner BCD996P2 with me and took a ride to The Charlotte County transmission tower in Edgewater near 41.
The scanner picks up all of the Charlotte County channels loud and clear from about 1/8 of a mile away from the tower, which would lead me to believe that I have it programmed correctly.
Apparently it’s an antenna issue. Although it worked fine at my house, which is about a mile from the tower, until just recently. I will look into getting the Yagi antenna.

 

[KR3E]

I finally downloaded the most current RR file for Charlotte into my BCD436 and, sitting in a condo in Punta Gorda Isles, I'm able to copy all TGs well. No distortion and only occasional drop-outs.

However, the RR file shows only one TG for Fire/EMS dispatch: 3517. (Punta Gorda has two more: 2801 and 2805 listed as dispatch and tac). It also shows four EMS > hospital TGs. The old system had a number of fireground TGs which I can't find anywhere. Can someone (I_Am_Alpha1 maybe?) tell me what those TGs are?

queenie8 Note: If you're using a Pro 106 to try to receive Charlotte County I'm afraid you're out of luck. It won't decode Charlotte's new system. You'll need a more advanced, and naturally more expensive, radio.

 

[wtp]

i hate to argue, but the 106 is a digital scanner, and charlotte is still on phase 1. it will work.
or what am i hearing on my bcd396T ?
i have submitted many of the talkgroups on the system and just added the new control channel.
you , and everyone, might want to put all the frequencies in as control just in case.
i have only seen 3 used, but you never know, and it can't hurt.
yes reception is spotty. going up beacon it sounds great until i get near my house. (quasar)
769.61875 769.86875 770.51875

 

[wtp]

having a hunch, i just look up and confirmed that beacon is a straight line to the tower at edgewater and 41.

 

[KR3E]

i hate to argue, but the 106 is a digital scanner, and charlotte is still on phase 1. it will work.
or what am i hearing on my bcd396T ?
i have submitted many of the talkgroups on the system and just added the new control channel.
you , and everyone, might want to put all the frequencies in as control just in case.
i have only seen 3 used, but you never know, and it can't hurt.
yes reception is spotty. going up beacon it sounds great until i get near my house. (quasar)
769.61875 769.86875 770.51875

Not an argument and you're right. I had a Pro-96 for years and confused it with the 106. Mea culpa. (But I'm still trying to find out where the Charlotte fire/rescue talk groups are hiding.

 

[wtp]

it seems they keep changing.
i would listen in id search/open/wildcard mode.
1301 dispatch
63055 fawcett
63090 bayfront port charlotte
63095 englewood
63085 bayfront punta gorda
but like i said things change.
63077 fawcett as of 1240 PM friday 3/20, but give it time.

 

[Bolt21]

Pretty sure the 630xx's are patches, which is why they change. The "real" TGs are going to end up being the 134x's, I believe.

BF PG	-	1345
ENGLWD	-	1346
FAWCETT	-	1347
BF PC	-	1348

 

[Bolt21]

This is what I have for F/EMS:

DISP-1	-	1301
DISP-2	-	1302
F/EMS 1303	-	1303
F/EMS 1304	-	1304
TAC-1	-	1305
TAC-2	-	1306
TAC-3	-	1307
TAC-4	-	1308
PGFDTAC1	-	2801
PGFDTAC2?	-	2802
PGFDTAC3?	-	2803
PGFDTAC4?	-	2804
PGFDTAC5?	-	2805

 

[I_am_Alpha1]

This is my list as of this morning. DEC is what you are wanting. HEX is for Motorola radios. If there is something in DESCRIPTION it has been confirmed. All 5 digit Talkgroups starting with a "6" are cross patched and are dynamic--thus change until they get everything swapped to the new system. Any of the 12 frequencies can be used as the control channel--enter them all as your control channels.

DEC	HEX	DESCRIPTION	NOTES
1	1	SO Dispatch 1
2	2	SO Dispatch 2
3	3	SO Dispatch 3
4	4	SO Dispatch 4
10	A	SO Tac 1
11	B	SO Tac 2
12	C	SO Tac 3
13	D	SO Tac 4
14	E		SO Tac channel
20	14		SO Tac channel
21	15		SO Tac channel
24	18		SO Tac channel
25	19		SO Tac channel
201	C9	Jail
202	CA	Jail
203	CB	Jail
204	CC	Jail
301	12D		SO Tac channel
302	12E		poss so radio heard
303	12F		SO Tac channel
304	130		SO Tac channel
1001	3E9		Poss airport
1002	3EA		airport ops
1051	41B		animal control
1251	4E3
1301	515	Fire Dispatch
1302	516	Fire Dispatch 2
1305	519	Fire Tac 1
1306	51A	Fire tac 2
1307	51B	Fire tac 3
1308	51C		poss fire tac 4
1309	51D		poss fire tac 5
1310	51E		poss fire tac 6
1315	523	ARFF
1325	52D		Fire aining heard
1330	532		heard fire hazmat training
1345	541	EMS to Bayfront Punta Gorda Hospital
1346	542	EMS to Englewood
1347	543	EMS to Fawcett Hospital
1348	544	EMS to Bayfront Port Charlotte Hospital
1361	551	Aeromed
1364	554
1601	641
1666	682	Public Works
1671	6E1
1810	712
1813	715
1851	73B	transportation…bus
1901	76D	Water Department
2601	A29	PG Police Disp
2602	A2A		PG PD Heard
2605	A2D		PG PD Heard
2611	A33	PG Police Tac
2801	AF1	PG Fire Disp 1
2805	AF5	PG Fire Tac 1

 

[6Paul21]

Hello All, Went down to West Villages today and had no problem getting Charlotte County on my G5. The only problem is that audio goes up and down but that is a Harris System so you come to expect that.

 

[queenie8_]

how do i program DEC Into my PRO 106?