Cranston FD Where Are You?

[WA1LMC]

I used to monitor Cranston Fire Department on their primary frequency of 154.010. Since COVID 19 I am monitoring again but can only hear the dispatch side of the conversation. Their occasionally simulcasting on RISCON TG 1501 or 1502. however, has the fD gone to split analog operation or is apparatus response/communications in a digital format. I am aware that the PD operates on 3 stand alone P25 non trunked repeaters. has the fire department done the same?

 

[wa1lad]

they are full time 800Mhz on RISCON. TG 1500 is dispatch.

 

[WA1LMC]

Nope. I do hear the dispatcher on 154.010 and 460.600 as usual but no longer hear the apparatus. Years ago, Taxis used split frequencies so competitors with scanners could not hear both sides of a conversation (for whatever good that did) but it sounds like they might be doing a split arrangement. But talk groups 1500 - 1504 are quiet.

 

[WA1LMC]

In addition, they sometimes simulcast on RISCON TG 1500.

 

[wa1lad]

YUP. FULL TIME on RISCON. They will sometimes simulcast on their old VHF 154.010 frequency. They currently use Motorola APX-6000 800Mhz ONLY portable radios and APX8500 All-Band VHF/UHF/700/800Mhz mobiles. TG 1500 is Cranston dispatch as I am hearing them right now on it assigning channel 2 for the responding apparatus on that call.

If you're not hearing them on TG 1500, I would check the programming in the device you use to monitor CFD.

 

[WA1LMC]

There was a web page that revealed the fact that Cranston was on RISCON on those 4 talk groups (1500 - 1503) but it just occured to me as I looked at the trunked frequencies that they are South Zone. (North Kingston, Narragansett etc.) and Cranston would be on what was called "Metro". This was in fact the way it was back when the system started being built out around 2005 when my company took over the service and installation of new sub sites. In fact I installed the Master Site on Chopmist hill. At that time the site was still managed by Narragansett PD and the Motorola console was then linked by microwave to the MGEG at that location so they had access to the three zones. Now if I am correct, the three zones are North (Providence County and north), Central Zone (Kent County) and South (South County and Washington County as well as Newport, Portsmouth, James Town, Middletown, Tiverton abnd Little Compton) The three Prime sites last I know were located at Doorley Park in Exeter, The master served as a prime site for Providence County and the north prime was located at the landfill in Smithfield.
Cranston would be on the Profidence county frequencies. And there may be my problem.

 

[wa1lad]

Cranston FD is actually NORTH ZONE, not Metro. Many changes and huge system upgrades have occurred on RISCON in the past 15 years.

 

[WA1LMC]

Tell me about it! I retired about the time that RISP took over the system. so what you are saying is the control channel frequencies from the north Zone andn ot the Providence County (Metro) should be utilized. Correct me if I am wrong... but the three zones are North zone, Kent County and WAshington County (south Zone)? The map on RAdioreference is confusing because Cranston is south east of Providence but on the may, that is Kent County.

I am getting stupid in my old age!

 

[WA1LMC]

I did filally receive some limited cranston Fire traffic on RISCON, but it appears as if dispatch operations are encrypted while simulcast on VHF is only in the clear as one would expect. I suppose during this COVID 19 crisis, keeping emergencies of this type is important. Oh to go back to the days of beating on a tree trunk to communicate so all could hear!

 

[WA1LMC]

I am listening to them now. Frankly,t hey should have done what the PD did. A few P25 repeaters on UHF atop Knightville manor. these boys are running into deep compression since their TX audio is muffled and distorted compaired to the rest of RISCON user.

 

[wa1lad]

RIEMA runs the system now. North Zone is from about RT37 north, South Zone is from about the airport connector south and Metro Zone is the city of Providence, no matter what the map shows. I have no audio issue with them and I'm using an APX-8000 700/800/VHF/UHF all-band portable. They are crystal clear, alot better than their old VHF and way better than Cranston PD. Not to mention the gigantic increase in coverage they got when they switched over to RISCON. But that's my opinion from my observations and my listening.

 

[bobruzzo]

I am listening to them now. Frankly,t hey should have done what the PD did. A few P25 repeaters on UHF atop Knightville manor. these boys are running into deep compression since their TX audio is muffled and distorted compaired to the rest of RISCON user.

Hi WA1LMC I live in Cranston too in Oaklawn section. I also noticed the awful audio quality of Cranston PD. I attached an external speaker and it sounds a little less bassy. Yeah if they had antennas on Knightville manor it might work out better. Thats a good high building. I was up near Peck Hill rd today and I think thats where a North Zone tower is. I could see a huge tower right from route 14.

 

[W1KNE]

Just heard a call on 1500 (Dispatch) and 1501. Units, dispatch. All in the clear, crystal clear from my location in Taunton, MA.

 

[WA1LMC]

I was in contact with a fellow amateur who is involved in the Cranston FD migration to RISCON and reported to him, the dispatch audio problem. He will look into it ASAP. The problem stems from a few technicians from the vendors setting microphone levels for some of the dispatchers who talk in softer voices. They will sound ok, but you get a male dispatcher with a more baritone voice and then you over drive the TX audio.

 

[WA1LMC]

In the early days of the Rhode Island RISCON system, the three zones were SOUTH which was Kent County and south as well as EAST BAY.
Cranston, Johnston like Providence were on the METRO ZONE. Woonsocket, Smithfield, Cumberland, N Smithfield and Burrilville were on the NORTH ZONE. Now, the NORTH ZONE starts from the state line to the north south to the southern border of KENT COUNTY. The old METRO ZONE is strictly Providence. Coming soon is a new zone possibly called EAST BAY which will include Portsmouth, Middletown, Newport, Little Compton, Tiverton. Right now, they are part of the SOUTH ZONE and so we will be editing these code plugs again! Can it be possible to wear out our code plugs keeping up with RISCON? haha

If you use the Radioreference feature on BUTEL software and you want to import data for Cranston Fire, be sure to delete the South Zone and Providence sites leaving ONLY North Zone. Naturally if you want to receive all RISCON, you ignore this and keep all three ZONES. Also add the talk groups for CRANSTON FD (1500-1504) and enable ID SCAN. This should speed things up a bit. But ify ou are like me and overload the scanner, you are assured to miss calls. in my case, I have a BCT15X for all analog comms and will use my old 996P1 for most RISCON duty. The 996XT will be assigned to Cranston only! What a waste of resources!

 

[wa1lad]

Hopefully, they don't make any changes on a complaint from scanner-land.

These systems are designed to work with type accepted public safety rated radio equipment. The only thing that matters is the firefighter being able to talk to and hear dispatch. It needs to sound correct on the FD radios, not on scanner type devices or anything else not specifically designed for use on a public safety radio system.

 

[wa1lad]

Proper programming of your scanner will allow you to receive all 3 zones with no issue. Many people do it. I have 2 800 scanners and 1 conventional scanner. Both 800's work just fine on RISCON, ACI LTR and Mass 800. Nothing says you HAVE to listen to everything, you WANT to. And, as such, you may have to utilize more equipment. Public safety is way busier than they were 20 years ago so the days of using a single freq for multiple depts is long gone. Although I still have 154.190 scanning.......

 

[bobruzzo]

Proper programming of your scanner will allow you to receive all 3 zones with no issue. Many people do it. I have 2 800 scanners and 1 conventional scanner. Both 800's work just fine on RISCON, ACI LTR and Mass 800. Nothing says you HAVE to listen to everything, you WANT to. And, as such, you may have to utilize more equipment. Public safety is way busier than they were 20 years ago so the days of using a single freq for multiple depts is long gone. Although I still have 154.190 scanning.......

I have a bcd996p2 and have had it about 3 weeks or so. I have tried a few different antennas, antenna positions, radio adjustments and I think now I have it working pretty good on RISCON. I guess there are many variables and everybodys situation is different. I have found that a dedicated 800mhz antenna works best. I have also discovered that mounting the antenna outside made a BIG improvement. I have the 3 separate zones on 3 separate systems. I set "hold time" to "2". I use this scanner primarily for RISCON. But I also have discovered I can hear the 388 mhz P25 system over at the Newport Navy base. The signal is low but audio comes in nice and clear. The antenna is mounted on a metal ground plane right outside my window. I previously had been using antennas indoors. When I moved my new 800mhz mag mount outside, the signals from all 3 zones went up to 5 full bars. I still get the occasional warbled audio, but for the most part its fine.

 

[WA1LMC]

that is actualy a 996XT Phase I and Phase II. The scanner has a big problem is simulcast distortion. This occurs when the scanner receives signals from multiple sub sites. For me, it is 2 signals from Eleanor Slatter Hospital and CCRI both part of NORTH ZONE. Even though they are simulcast, the scanner can not process both at the same time. The transmitters at all sites are synced by GPS and a high stability time base broadcast between sites over the microwave. THe scanner receivers are not as sophisticated. So if you experience garbled receive audio, enable the attenuator for that site to clear it up. It gets better if you attenuate your signal for that site. In simulcast, depending on your proximity to multiple sites, too much signal is a curse!

 

[WA1LMC]

THis hangs in my bedroom window and it was coupled to 3 scanners with the amplifier. But now it goes through a single splitter to the same scanners. i
was thinking of buying a Uniden SDS200 but at 700.00 it will have to prove it does better on Simulcast that the 996XT