City of Houston Project 25 TRS

[SCPD]

For first time users of this program I have to say the documentation sucks.

This may help:

UniTrunker Guide - UtahRadio

Apologies for not making it easier to find.

I really wish the Unitrunker would read the data files directly from the scanner's SD card.

It's under consideration.

We appreciate your efforts to log these different sites. Please do not hesitate to ask questions about the software in the decoding forum on or the Unitrunker list in Google Groups.

 

[mfn002]

I think this thread should be retitled as the "Official TxWARN Thread" since the City of Houston P25 System technically no longer exists, and most of the posts here have been about TxWARN.

Anyway, this is slightly off topic for this particular thread, but since the following is about TxWARN, I've decided to put it here.

Yesterday, I was listening to my scanner when a new mystery TG appeared: 3594. It appears to be a Montgomery County Fire channel, but it isn't listed in the database anywhere. Has anyone else heard this channel?

Aside: For some odd reason, the sites up here in Brazos County catch a lot of Montgomery County stuff, and it's not too uncommon to hear several of the MCSO dispatch channels and the occasional fire channel.

 

[motorola_otaku]

Yesterday, I was listening to my scanner when a new mystery TG appeared: 3594. It appears to be a Montgomery County Fire channel, but it isn't listed in the database anywhere. Has anyone else heard this channel?

MCFD 7. FD 1 through 8 are on TxWARN, 9-16 are VHF channels.

It doesn't surprise me that Montgomery County subscribers would affiliate with Brazos County sites. Moss Hill in Liberty County carries a lot of MC traffic, and conversely Walker County is carried essentially full-time on the MC simulcast.

 

[motorola_otaku]

fake edit: Also, the new Pasadena tower is now hot, broadcasting the City Southeast simulcast (RFSS 3, site 3.)

 

[mfn002]

MCFD 7. FD 1 through 8 are on TxWARN, 9-16 are VHF channels.

I thought so. I simply went in sequence. Since 6 was 3592, but 3593 was a Galveston County channel, I figured 7 was 3594.

Why would MC radio traffic be carried here? Just FYI, the site that seems to carry most of the MC traffic is 121 (Bryan).

 

[loumaag]

I think this thread should be retitled as the "Official TxWARN Thread" since the City of Houston P25 System technically no longer exists, and most of the posts here have been about TxWARN.

Well, I don't completely disagree with your idea, but... TxWARN covers so much more than the Houston area that such a title would attract too much attention. The other point is that mostly this topic has restricted itself to the changes dealing with the city of Houston and it's migration from conventional to trunking via it's own system, then a system combined with the existing TxWARN system. Granted the actual City of Houston P25 system no longer exists in name, but in fact it exists within the TxWARN system and, as explained several times here, operates pretty much separately from the rest of the system and all on RFSS 3.

The occasional post, like yours, on other agencies really isn't on topic and as long as it doesn't drag the main thrust of the topic away from the City of Houston's move and actions, it really doesn't do much harm. The recent UniTrunker discussion was getting out of hand and had to be dealt with more directly, unfortunately I added to it so I had to slap my own wrist a bit. :wink:

In any case, there isn't a lot of mystery to layers 1 & 2 of the TxWARN system (the majority of the system), except for the occasional new TG discovered and the recent massive shift in the Waco area and those types of things should be handled in their own topics separate from this one. It is really interesting that you brought this up because over the weekend, I was considering unsticking this topic since the move has been made and the initial flurry of posting about the change and how to listen, etc. was handled the topic has started to drift a bit. It seems like I will probably unstick it unless the city does something new or different in the next month or so and then it can just drift out of the active flow.

Another thought I just had is that a new TDMA scanner coming to market would certainly up the activity in this thread. But since I don't know anything about such a scanner, I can only say that such an announcement would raise the noise level here.

 

[teknishun]

Unitrunker comment (not discussion!)

This may help:

UniTrunker Guide - UtahRadio

Apologies for not making it easier to find.

It's under consideration.

We appreciate your efforts to log these different sites. Please do not hesitate to ask questions about the software in the decoding forum on or the Unitrunker list in Google Groups.

Hey thanks! I found that quite useful. I also found the Unitrunker home page and it had some
useful links as well. Right now I am running my PSR-800 through the USB port into Unitrunker
and I am monitoring the analog TXWARN system that folks in my neck of the woods are still
using (not P25). I am getting hundreds of hits. Occasionally all channels of my site are briefly all busy at
the same time. I'm glad to see the program really does work FOR ME !!!! <lol>

Great job. Thanks for the info.

 

[KevinC]

fake edit: Also, the new Pasadena tower is now hot, broadcasting the City Southeast simulcast (RFSS 3, site 3.)

Are we positive about this statement?

 

[teknishun]

Pasadena Tower

fake edit: Also, the new Pasadena tower is now hot, broadcasting the City Southeast simulcast (RFSS 3, site 3.)

Site 3-3 is at 900 Tristar. It is quite close to the Pasadena Municipal Golf Course.
However, not really sure what CITY that thing is in! I have seen it listed as both
Houston and Webster. I guess it could be in the Pasadena city limits.

This is the tower at Dixie Farm Road and IH-45 right there by Frito-Lay and yes, that tower
is hot and alive and well spewing out the new P25 HPD and HFD. I works really great.

Read the Wiki that Lou M. posted if you need to know the trunk group numbers for
HFD and HPD that are being simulcast here.

 

[KevinC]

Site 3-3 is at 900 Tristar. It is quite close to the Pasadena Municipal Golf Course.
However, not really sure what CITY that thing is in! I have seen it listed as both
Houston and Webster. I guess it could be in the Pasadena city limits.

This is the tower at Dixie Farm Road and IH-45 right there by Frito-Lay and yes, that tower
is hot and alive and well spewing out the new P25 HPD and HFD. I works really great.

Read the Wiki that Lou M. posted if you need to know the trunk group numbers for
HFD and HPD that are being simulcast here.

"Site" 3-3 is at multiple locations (I believe 12). One subsite of site 3-3 is at the location you listed. Sites 1-5 on RFSS 3 are simulcast, so each "site" is at multiple locations.

 

[motorola_otaku]

Are we positive about this statement?

Apparently not! Either it was never there or it was a fluke, because now 03-04 has the best signal in the 'Stink. On Sunday, though, 03-03 was full scale near the new tower.

 

[KevinC]

Apparently not! Either it was never there or it was a fluke, because now 03-04 has the best signal in the 'Stink. On Sunday, though, 03-03 was full scale near the new tower.

That's more like it! If it was on air, someone would have to answer a lot of questions.

 

[teknishun]

Originally Posted by motorola_otaku View Post
Apparently not! Either it was never there or it was a fluke, because now 03-04 has the best signal in the 'Stink. On Sunday, though, 03-03 was full scale near the new tower.

That's more like it! If it was on air, someone would have to answer a lot of questions.

Exactly WHICH one of them are you referring to as the "Pasadena Tower?"
Do you have a site number or street address?

 

[loumaag]

...
Exactly WHICH one of them are you referring to as the "Pasadena Tower?"
Do you have a site number or street address?

I am pretty sure he is referring to the tower begin discussed in this topic from several months ago. Since the part of the 1a7 system isn't working there yet, you are going to find it difficult to get a signal from it.

 

[motorola_otaku]

I am pretty sure he is referring to the tower begin discussed in this topic from several months ago. Since the part of the 1a7 system isn't working there yet, you are going to find it difficult to get a signal from it.

Correct. From what I am hearing the city reversed course on decommissioning the old tower at the old police HQ on Jeff Ginn and will be keeping both towers in service. Not sure which one will be carrying the 01-52 county simulcast but the eventual plan is to have City simulcast, County P25 simulcast, and the old analog site all active. Also hearing some scuttle that Pasadena FD may keep dispatch on analog but have encrypted tac channels on the City system.

 

[Tim-in-TX]

Okay, i got my RS Pro96 all set up, following the instructions as listed earlier in this thread, site 005 and just the MA channels. All is good with the 96, I get a good signal, but it can get a little choppy at times.

So once I get to where all is good with the 96, I clone it to my 2096 in my 4Runner, and I get absolutly nothing from the new HPD channels...the 96 works fine, but nothing from the 2096. The firmware is up to date in both scanners so I dont think that is the problem. I think it may an antenna thing, as I have a generic glass-mount Rat Shack antenna. If anyone one else has an idea that may help, it would be greatly appreciated. I am in the truck a couple of hours a day, so if I can get the 2096 to receive the new HPD system, it would be nice.

 

[RexBanner]

So, I think it's time for me to grab a new scanner. My Pro-96 still gets the HPD P25 transmissions but the decoding is so bad, I don't even bother listening anymore. I used to have to change batteries every 3-5 days but I've been running the same set for a few weeks now. At this point, I'm happy to spend the money to grab a P25 scanner that will work on this system and get me back into this hobby.

My requirements are pretty straightforward:
I'd like something portable that's reasonably priced, works with AA rechargeable batteries (I use an external recharger with Eneloop cells - not looking to spend more money switching this up), and a pocket clip that will allow me to mount the scanner on the sun visor in my car.

What do you guys suggest? I take it eBay is pretty much the way to go for good deals on these?

Thanks!

 

[loumaag]

So, I think it's time for me to grab a new scanner. My Pro-96 still gets the HPD P25 transmissions but the decoding is so bad, I don't even bother listening anymore. I used to have to change batteries every 3-5 days but I've been running the same set for a few weeks now. At this point, I'm happy to spend the money to grab a P25 scanner that will work on this system and get me back into this hobby.

My requirements are pretty straightforward:
I'd like something portable that's reasonably priced, works with AA rechargeable batteries (I use an external recharger with Eneloop cells - not looking to spend more money switching this up), and a pocket clip that will allow me to mount the scanner on the sun visor in my car.

What do you guys suggest? I take it eBay is pretty much the way to go for good deals on these?

Thanks!

I have a similar problem with my Pro-96, so I don't use it for HPD/HFD; however, I don't do much "portable" scanning anyway. My main scanner set up for HPD is an old BC796D. It decodes just fine and since the "MA" channels are all on the all 800 MHz site 3-005, it works just fine. I only mention this in case you have a access to an older type scanner. My "around town" mobile is a BC396T and it handles HPD just fine. But to be frank, since I don't live in town, I don't do a lot of listening to HPD and honestly FD comms have never been my target anyway.

 

[RexBanner]

Nope, no such scanner available, unfortunately. I have a BC246T that's been assigned to desk duty - it monitors county traffic at my house. I live far away from the city limits that I don't really need to monitor HPD from my home scanner.

I was able to find the BC396T (BCD396T) on eBay and they seem to be selling in the mid $300s. How easy would you say these are to program for a layman? I really just want to monitor HPD while I drive around town and the County on my way home - that shouldn't be too difficult to accomplish with this thing, I hope.

How's the battery life? How's the volume on the built-in speaker? Do you think the pocket clip will work with my thick sun visor?

BTW, Lou, you've been great at answering all of my questions, even earlier on in this thread. I really appreciate your assistance and involvement with the community here - I could not have gotten this far without you!

 

[loumaag]

I was able to find the BC396T (BCD396T) on eBay and they seem to be selling in the mid $300s. How easy would you say these are to program for a layman? I really just want to monitor HPD while I drive around town and the County on my way home - that shouldn't be too difficult to accomplish with this thing, I hope.

Download FreeScan software for free and programing it becomes easy. Just remember that it does not handle sites/systems the same way as the rest of the BCx96 series of radios.

How's the battery life? How's the volume on the built-in speaker? Do you think the pocket clip will work with my thick sun visor?

Battery life is average if you don't keep the display lit. Volume is okay but the speaker size does limit audio output, so your mileage may vary. The clip is spring loaded and the radio is heavy for it's size so it really depends on the "stickiness" of your sun visor vs it's thickness and vibration you experience.