Cottage Grove reception problems?

[signguy10]

I have been making drives down to Cottage Grove lately and I can't seem to get any signal on my scanner, so i can't pick anything up. Not even analog. Anybody know why? I am using a pro-106 with a RS 800 MHz antenna. I know I have the correct control channels, I can pick transmissions up about 5 miles away in Newport.

 

[JASII]

Cottage Grove Reception Problems?

What control frequencies do you have entered in the scanner?

 

[signguy10]

For Washington County I have 851.1125, 851.3625, 851.7125, 851.9875, 852.1250, 852.2250, 852.3500, 852.4250, 853.7375, 853.1875, and 852.7875.

For Dakota County I have 851.1625, 853.0625, 853.3125 and 853.5625.

I'm pretty sure it's not the control channels, I can still pick everything up about 5 miles away, it's just in Cottage Grove.

 

[Stevemp]

You have the correct control channels, for Washington Cty you only need the control channels, 853.7375, 853.1875, and 852.7875. This is not your problem though.
Check to make sure you do not have Global attenuation on and/or attenuation on the Trksys.
If you do not have any attenuation on, stop where it is safe when you lose signal, get out of the car, if you get signal you need an antenna on the outside of your vehicle.

Hope this helps.

Steve

 

[signguy10]

You have the correct control channels, for Washington Cty you only need the control channels, 853.7375, 853.1875, and 852.7875. This is not your problem though.
Check to make sure you do not have Global attenuation on and/or attenuation on the Trksys.
If you do not have any attenuation on, stop where it is safe when you lose signal, get out of the car, if you get signal you need an antenna on the outside of your vehicle.

Hope this helps.

Steve

Ok, I will have to do that next time I am down there. I think my signal might have something to do with the elevation too, I seem to always be going downhill on my drive there. Thanks for the advice though! I will try that out next time.

 

[mmtstc]

i have found that just a small 800 Laird low profile antenna on my trunk lid had completely changed my reception while driving... i can usually get 100% unitrunker decoding while driving on some very distant systems with just that fix... i find the laird antenna works better than the 800mhz coil whip i have...

 

[signguy10]

i have found that just a small 800 Laird low profile antenna on my trunk lid had completely changed my reception while driving... i can usually get 100% unitrunker decoding while driving on some very distant systems with just that fix... i find the laird antenna works better than the 800mhz coil whip i have...

Ok, I will have to look into that if that is the case. I am guessing that is it, because I do get garbled transmissions when driving, but I just didn't get any signal at all there, so I'm not really sure. Also, I lease my car so I didn't want to drill any holes or scratch the paint up or anything. Also, I don't have an amateur license yet, so I don't want the police to be suspicious with an extra antenna on the car. Thanks for the advice though! I will look into it if that is the case.

 

[mmtstc]

I have a trunk lid mount, which doesnt damage the car at all, the only residual is 2 tiny impressions on the trunk striping where the set screws sit... I have removed it in the past to see what kind of damage it did with dirt and grime getting underneath it, but i was surprised to find absolutely no damage... the lip mount i have is a maxrad with a 12 foot coax cable terminate with a BNC connector.

 

[jdstei2]

I am about to buy one of these but was thinking about a magnetic mount instead of the lip mount. Any ideas on which mount would be better? Also, my deck lid is well below my roof line - any idea as to whether or not this would degrade the ground plane? Finally - do you have the Maxrad model number? Thanks!

 

[markgmeyer]

I must be confused. I was under the impression that using a scanner in a vehicle is illegal in Minnesota.
Am I missing something here?

 

[wogggieee]

I am about to buy one of these but was thinking about a magnetic mount instead of the lip mount. Any ideas on which mount would be better? Also, my deck lid is well below my roof line - any idea as to whether or not this would degrade the ground plane? Finally - do you have the Maxrad model number? Thanks!

Make sure that your trunk is made of a magnetic material before you guy a mag mount. I know some vehicles trunk deck lids are made of non-magnetic material, like mine.

 

[wogggieee]

I must be confused. I was under the impression that using a scanner in a vehicle is illegal in Minnesota.
Am I missing something here?

It is illegal unless you have a amateur radio license.

 

[markgmeyer]

It is illegal unless you have a amateur radio license.

Thanks for the response, your reply is spot on.
My curiosity got the best of me, so I did a little digging, and found the Minnesota Statute 299C.37
Here is the link to the statute
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=299C.37
Mark

 

[mmtstc]

The Ham exception only works when you have ham equipment that is modified to receive public safety. The only true exception to the law that you are 100% safe having a scanner in your vehicle is the either be a police officer or else have a BCA mobile monitoring permit which is designed to allow those who may need to carry their portable radios in their personal vehicle if they are in EMS or the Fire Service or soem other flavor of public safety. The BCA permit only allows you to use authorized frequencies that your agency has business on. I have a BCA permit, but really dont have any concerns about scanning without it... it isnt a primary violation and even if i do get pulled over, i can make either of my 396's disappear quickly...

I am using a Maxrad TBN... with a Laird 806-866 Phantom TRA8063...