City of Houston Project 25 TRS

[RexBanner]

What do you guys think about the Pro-106/PSR-500 vs the BCD396T? The RS/GRE scanner looks like it would take a fall from my visor much better than the Uniden. My visor is very "sticky" - I've done some very hard driving with my Pro-96 up there and have never had any problems with it coming out, except when the cheap plastic belt clip has failed.

The Pro-106 and BCD396T cost about the same on eBay. One thing I like is that the Uniden has a straightforward mini USB connection while RS/GRE continues with the annoying 3.5mm style cable. But on the other hand, the RS/GRE seems like it might be sturdier.

What do you think? I'll probably start bidding on some auctions today, pending forum feedback on what would be a better option. I'm reluctant to spend 300 bucks without getting some good input.

 

[loumaag]

Hmm, I really don't have an opinion on the GRE built ones except to say that since they are not in business now, they are going to be hard to get parts for in the near future. I did notice you said that eBay prices were in the mid $300 range for a scanner that is way long in the tooth. I use it because I have owned it for almost 10 years. The replacement version (BC396XT) can be had from ScannerMaster, brand new for $430.

 

[RexBanner]

$3xx seems preferable over $4xx if the scanner will pretty much do the same thing with my use: scanning HPD and HCSO. When you say long in the tooth, how much of a difference are we talking about with my actual application?

I'm really leaning toward the Pro-106 (available for under $300) at the moment because it just looks like it'll be a bit tougher than the Uniden. I'll sleep on it...

 

[mfn002]

Uh-Oh...

Houston firefighters say problem equipment could lead to tragedy

Apparently, the new radios are having issues.

 

[loumaag]

Uh-Oh...

Houston firefighters say problem equipment could lead to tragedy

Apparently, the new radios are having issues.

I read that last night, it doesn't say that, what it says, after you strip out the channel 11 BS is that there may be a problem with coverage. It does not say that FG simplex is a problem and I think everyone recognizes that FG should not be on a repeater, much less a TRS. This is reporter that apparently knows little about fire fighting looking for story and pumped it up way out of proportion. And, as usual, the union will be ready to agree with anything that paints the city in a bad light.

 

[mfn002]

I read that last night, it doesn't say that, what it says, after you strip out the channel 11 BS is that there may be a problem with coverage. It does not say that FG simplex is a problem and I think everyone recognizes that FG should not be on a repeater, much less a TRS. This is reporter that apparently knows little about fire fighting looking for story and pumped it up way out of proportion. And, as usual, the union will be ready to agree with anything that paints the city in a bad light.

That's sort of what I thought. What kind of tipped me off that this reporter didn't really know what he was talking about was when he mentioned that the FCC had ordered all FDs to go to digital trunked. I've never heard of that before, and I highly doubt it's true.

Just to clarify things, what I meant to say was that the radio system was having issues.

 

[KevinC]

I read that last night, it doesn't say that, what it says, after you strip out the channel 11 BS is that there may be a problem with coverage. It does not say that FG simplex is a problem and I think everyone recognizes that FG should not be on a repeater, much less a TRS. This is reporter that apparently knows little about fire fighting looking for story and pumped it up way out of proportion. And, as usual, the union will be ready to agree with anything that paints the city in a bad light.

I've heard that DAS solutions are in the works for the Galleria and the downtown tunnel system, two specific areas mentioned in the story.

 

[loumaag]

...
Just to clarify things, what I meant to say was that the radio system was having issues.

Yes, I think that can be said for most systems and if you compare the current system (TxWARN) with the previous UHF POS, objective folks will agree the HFD has a much superior communications capability than before.

I've heard that DAS solutions are in the works for the Galleria and the downtown tunnel system, two specific areas mentioned in the story.

And, this is one way to iron out some of those small problems.

 

[boardirector]

Where does Colorado and Wharton counties fall in all of this? I'm told we will no longer be able to monitor them.

Tks

 

[KA5YYD]

I may be blind, but I cannot find any legend to define the "mode" column in the database for this system. The entries in this column are D,E and T. I suspect D is digital, E is encrypted, but what is T?

Thanks in advance for the answer.

 

[KevinC]

I may be blind, but I cannot find any legend to define the "mode" column in the database for this system. The entries in this column are D,E and T. I suspect D is digital, E is encrypted, but what is T?

Thanks in advance for the answer.

T = TDMA

 

[tbendick]

Does anyone know for a fact that they are trying to use fireground on the trunked system?
There has been plenty of information and research by large FD's and groups like FEMA/NFPA who say not to do this.

So far the best option I have seen to allow a dispatcher to operate a fireground is the use of mobile repeaters. Fireground stays on a simplex channel no digital used and a mobile repeater then sends that back to the dispatcher. If the members radio can't make the mobile repeater at least he can still talk to someone within range and call for help.

 

[loumaag]

I may be blind, but I cannot find any legend to define the "mode" column in the database for this system.....

If you "mouse over" the Mode title, don't you get the legend?

 

[KA5YYD]

If you "mouse over" the Mode title, don't you get the legend?

No. I went back and tried again both over the column header "Mode" and the column entry and got no legend. I am using IE 10. On another subject involving this system, I probably need to go study the PSR-800 forums and look for a solution if there is one, because even though I can copy the TDMA transmissions that are not encrypted, they are very in and out and not what I would call "communications quality." I have tried the two closest towers to my location and neither seems to do any better than the other. I have not heard similar comments from the users of the system, so I think it is on my end. From reading the other comments, I guess I should be glad I have something rather than nothing.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[loumaag]

No. I went back and tried again both over the column header "Mode" and the column entry and got no legend. I am using IE 10.

The last part is the problem.

On another subject involving this system, I probably need to go study the PSR-800 forums and look for a solution if there is one, because even though I can copy the TDMA transmissions that are not encrypted, they are very in and out and not what I would call "communications quality." I have tried the two closest towers to my location and neither seems to do any better than the other. I have not heard similar comments from the users of the system, so I think it is on my end. From reading the other comments, I guess I should be glad I have something rather than nothing.

Thanks for the reply.

Depends on what you are trying to listen to and from what site. Might I suggest you start a separate topic (in the TX forum) to discuss this specific issue.

 

[KA5YYD]

The last part is the problem.

Indeed. I tried Chrome and the "hover over" worked just fine.

Thanks and 73.

 

[RexBanner]

So, I ended up buying a Pro-106 to replace my Pro-96 with, in hopes of the P25 decoding working better. The Pro-106 came in this weekend and I'm sorry to say that it's still not perfect... some transmissions just don't decode that well. The signal strength bar on the top of the Pro-106 jumps up and down when this happens. Would a different antenna (I'm running the stock one now) help at all?

I'm really desperate to make this work now - this was supposed to be the solution for my Pro-96, but it looks like I'm basically in the same bad situation now

 

[radioshackattack]

I have taken a LOT of time browsing this thread. One thing it is missing, and what I have been searching for forever is "what is going on?" There is a lot of mumbo-jumbo. I have listened for years on my Pro-97 to the different divisions of HPD (North, NorthEast/Kingwood, CityWide, Central, Car2Car, etc). I now know that this is gone forever. Lets get to the meat and potatoes that I can only guess many other people have come here to find.
1. I assume from what I have read is that I can ONLY get anything from HPD with a PSR-800 (after ropping $600); is this correct? Is there a cheaper option?
2. What I typically did when listening was jump around to a couple of different divisions every now and then, but mainly focusing on my beat and surrounding beats. Is this now history as the TAC channels are "E-encrypted" but we can hear only division dispatch only. (I assume this is what wreckers listen for and they only get calls for wreckers and not the "good stuff" or back-and-forth)

Thanks in advance...

 

[loumaag]

...
1. I assume from what I have read is that I can ONLY get anything from HPD with a PSR-800 (after ropping $600); is this correct? Is there a cheaper option?
...

No, that is not correct, as has been pointed out a number of times in this thread. Please read the Wiki Article on the subject. Personally, I use a BC796D to listen to HPD when I bother to listen to them at all.

 

[radioshackattack]

No, that is not correct, as has been pointed out a number of times in this thread. Please read the Wiki Article on the subject. Personally, I use a BC796D to listen to HPD when I bother to listen to them at all.

Okay so that's question 1. So if I want the portability option, then I'm stuck with the Pro 96. You must understand my confusion especially since the Wiki specifically says, "As this article is being prepared, there is only one scanner available (the GRE PSR800) that is capable of monitoring P25 Phase 2 channels, and that unit is no longer in production." Later on it adds only 3 more scanners.

Any takers on question 2? Do we get mostly similar scanning? I don't want to spend all the money on a new one if I don't get any of the talk I had on the old system.