Delaware County (Riverview) Reception - or reception of 700mhz sites in general

[bmanosu]

Hello

I am wondering if anyone else in the Delaware County area is scanning the Riverview site with success. I live in the Alum Creek area and cannot get reception (my BC325P2 only shows NFM instead of locking on a control channel). If I head out and get to US23, things start working so I'm fairly sure my scanner is programmed correct. I have similar trouble with sites in Columbus (MARCS) when closer in to the city. The 800 sites seem to work much better than picking up 700 mhz sites.

Is this just the way it is, or is there anything else I can try to scan those sites from home?

Thanks!

 

[wa8pyr]

Hello

I am wondering if anyone else in the Delaware County area is scanning the Riverview site with success. I live in the Alum Creek area and cannot get reception (my BC325P2 only shows NFM instead of locking on a control channel). If I head out and get to US23, things start working so I'm fairly sure my scanner is programmed correct. I have similar trouble with sites in Columbus (MARCS) when closer in to the city. The 800 sites seem to work much better than picking up 700 mhz sites.

Is this just the way it is, or is there anything else I can try to scan those sites from home?

That's pretty much the way it is. Over toward Alum Creek, MARCS coverage is going to come more from the sites to the east; Riverview is intended to cover the southern Delaware/Union county area, and the way it's configured, coverage drops off pretty rapidly once you get outside the intended coverage area for the site.

When in the Dublin/Powell area, Riverview comes in fine, but once you get past US23 it drops off pretty rapidly.

If you really want to pick it up from home you should try an outside antenna.

 

[bmanosu]

Thank you. What site would you think is my best shot at picking up to get OSP and agencies in Delaware County on MARCS. Is there a site to cover East of 23?
Seems like we go to Licking, Morrow, or Knox county sites are the sites to the East.

 

[W8RMH]

When I am mobile in that area my HP-2 uses the Columbus site. When I get north of 36 it uses the Morrow County site.

 

[wa8pyr]

When I am mobile in that area my HP-2 uses the Columbus site. When I get north of 36 it uses the Morrow County site.

Those two are probably your best bet.

 

[bmanosu]

Hi again, I don’t seem to get morrow and I can get Columbus city (the 800 site) but Columbus Marcs (the 700 site) not until about 270. Seems some agencies are on the 800 while other are only on 700s so without getting a viable 700 site things like OSHP OSU some Medflight etc won’t work.
Aside from an external antenna which I’m fairly sure my wife won’t go for �� is there anything else I should look into settings antenna? I am using an 800mhz portable antenna but it seems about the same as the stock antenna that came with my scanner. I’m sure is an OSHP trooper were to visit my house their radio would still work - I hope. I seem to only be missing reception by about a mile or less!

Anyone else in the Alum Creek area having luck scanning marcs?

Thanks

 

[W8RMH]

You could try the Centerburg (Knox County) site or the Johnstown (Licking County) site. You won't hear any OSHP, OSU, or Medflight on the Columbus City site regardless of your location.

It seems you are right in between everything else. Your only alternatives may be a yagi antenna aimed at one of the towers, or a Unication pager which has very good distance reception. I easily receive some MARCS sites from 2 counties away. I receive Ross County in downtown Columbus and recently received Hamilton County while in Franklin, Ohio with just the pagers Motorola antenna.

 

[bmanosu]

Just an update, In a last ditch effort, I tried one other antenna. I had been using an after market 800Mhz antenna that I found out was a +2dB. I found a 700/800 antenna that looks almost identical but was advertized as a +6dB gain. While far from perfect, there is a difference and in a few locations/positions within my house I can lock on the control channel (Riverview) and scan. Better than nothing, but I'll take it! Thanks all for the advice!

 

[radioron231]

Just an update, In a last ditch effort, I tried one other antenna. I had been using an after market 800Mhz antenna that I found out was a +2dB. I found a 700/800 antenna that looks almost identical but was advertized as a +6dB gain. While far from perfect, there is a difference and in a few locations/positions within my house I can lock on the control channel (Riverview) and scan. Better than nothing, but I'll take it! Thanks all for the advice!

I have bcd436hp with stock antenna and I pick up Riverview site from north of Delaware city all the way across 36/37 to 71 and south almost to Columbus. If I use a 700/800 mhz antenna I get slightly better range. One thing i ran into with the 436hp was that it needs to have a factory reset done once in a while and then redownload the data to it. Seems like after awhile the favorites list will not update. I have not tried it with an external antenna yet but i imagine it would increase the range.

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[bmanosu]

So any thoughts on the SDS100? Supposed to be good in weak areas and simulcast systems. Anyone tried this in the Delaware County area? Noticeable difference over say 325 or 436?

 

[jasonhouk]

So any thoughts on the SDS100? Supposed to be good in weak areas and simulcast systems. Anyone tried this in the Delaware County area? Noticeable difference over say 325 or 436?

Very noticeable difference monitoring Riverview with the SDS100 in Delaware County. I set just North of the city off ST RT 23 Railfanning all the time with zero issues.

Houk

 

[bmanosu]

Yes! I just got the sds100 and it is night and day difference.
With the stock antenna I get Riverview, Centerberg, Columbus
Game changer. Plus the display and recording. Love it

 

[jasonhouk]

Yes! I just got the sds100 and it is night and day difference.
With the stock antenna I get Riverview, Centerberg, Columbus
Game changer. Plus the display and recording. Love it

Awesome! If you happen to have time to join us for this months meeting to share your experience. All are welcome:

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?ur...share_tid=378368&share_fid=15920&share_type=t

Houk

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