EBRCS Question Thread

[Boscobear2005]

You will probably only pick up CoCo Central in Lafayette ,I have each site with its own QK

I only put in local talkgroups ( ccso, concord, martinez, richmond, etc ) not all talkgroups are active yet.

 

[radioalbany]

More on EBRCS

I like the idea of separate QK by site. I must admit, though, that I haven't quite
figured out QK stuff generally. I was able to assign a QK (I think) to a system or group,
but I couldn't figure out how to turn QKs on and off, either using just the number
key or main-tune-press + number key.

Thanks for your response. I'll keep poking at it!

Regards,

Andrew Ellis NO6E

 

[kma371]

Sorry, make that VHF channel 155.31. Anyway, I continue to hear lots of calls on that channel that the 996 does not pick up, even when restricted to the best EBRCS site. You're right: I can't hear most of the ALCO sites down in a valley in Lafayette.

I'm just generally disappointed. I was expecting wonderful reception on P25, and instead it seems very dicey.

I haven't tried anything in the "secret" P25 menu, and I was hoping that there might be something I could tweak there.

Yes, I imported the EBRCS system from radioreference using Freescan, and both of those seem to work fine on other stuff I've loaded (CHP, for example).

Thanks for any advice you can offer!

Andrew Ellis NO6E

you have to remember, coco west dispatch isn't generally supposed to be heard on coco central cell site. so that's why your not hearing much of coco west dispatch.

once the other cities become active you will hear concord, walnut creek, pleasant hill etc. give it some time.

its not the radio that's the issue its just how the system is set up. you dont need to tweak anything.

being in lamorinda puts you in a bad spot because of the terrain. reception isn't very good in that valley.

 

[Boscobear2005]

coco west dispatch does come through on coco central site, that's what Orinda, Lafayette, Moraga use.
I have tested that in downtown Lafayette and Orinda

 

[kma371]

coco west dispatch does come through on coco central site, that's what Orinda, Lafayette, Moraga use.
I have tested that in downtown Lafayette and Orinda

yes that may be, but as I said, coco central is not the intended cell for lamorinda area.

this happens when a radio affiliated with coco central cell is selecting sheriff west to monitor/talk. there isn't really a reason that should happen on a regular basis unless someone is constantly going to be eavesdropping on west channel from central coverage area.

 

[Boscobear2005]

yes that may be, but as I said, coco central is not the intended cell for lamorinda area.

this happens when a radio affiliated with coco central cell is selecting sheriff west to monitor/talk. there isn't really a reason that should happen on a regular basis unless someone is constantly going to be eavesdropping on west channel from central coverage area.

I don't know i cannot pick up the coco west site in the lamorinda area,so I wonder if they are using the coco central site.

 

[kma371]

well I looked at coverage and I stand corrected. central cell does cover lamorinda primarily.

on conventional coverage that wasn't the case. they relied on the western end repeaters to get in that valley.

 

[radioalbany]

More on Lamorinda

Thanks, Gentlemen!

I like the idea of some CCSO units being on the site I'm monitoring and others not. I notice that Martinez PD coverage seems much more reliable.

I'm thinking that indoor whip antenna (which, fully collapsed, is still way too long for 1/4 wave at 700 mHz) is not gonna do it for me.

I'm eyeing a Wilson directional antenna that claims 10 db gain over 700-1900 mhz. I'm sure it's a log-periodic, but, even so, that's a lot of claimed gain over a lot of bandwidth.

My guess is that there's just too much multipath hereabouts for great reception.

I need to look up where the CoC central site is. It appears that I'm actually much closer to the CoCo west site, (which is probably around the KPFA site somewhere). But since it's aiming west, there's almost nothing from it back here.

Apart from the general multipath stuff, panel antennas at this frequency have really good F/B ratios, so there isn't much spillover from the desired coverage area.

Thanks again for your thoughts. I still like the '996 really well. My homebrew 42 mHz vertical for CHP stuff works really well on it.

Regards,

Andrew Ellis NO6E

 

[radioalbany]

EBRCS DIY antenna

For those who might be interested, I posted my design of an easy-to-build coaxial dipole antenna that I built for EBRCS use on the 770 mHz band.

The antenna is described in my post in the ANTENNAS > BUILD YOUR OWN ANTENNAS forum.

Regards,

Andrew Ellis NO6E

 

[antoine]

When will the changeover be complete for ebrcs

 

[WayneH]

I don't think anyone can say exactly. There's probably a forecasted date but it's quite some time out.

 

[kma371]

When will the changeover be complete for ebrcs

and are you talking about the entire system or individual agencies?

 

[antoine]

Entire system

 

[kma371]

yeah I'd say at least the end of the year or beginning of next.

I think it was already supposed to be done.

 

[mibzzer15]

Just updated my scanner for Fremont's switchover to EBRCS today. I see them coming up on my scanner, but no audio is heard. Programmed wrong or what? I have the ALCO Southwest site programmed, along with the East site programmed in. At this time I am only scanning the SW site right now. Is there something wrong as to why i am not hearing any audio?

 

[Oakland_Tower]

Just updated my scanner for Fremont's switchover to EBRCS today. I see them coming up on my scanner, but no audio is heard. Programmed wrong or what? I have the ALCO Southwest site programmed, along with the East site programmed in. At this time I am only scanning the SW site right now. Is there something wrong as to why i am not hearing any audio?

My first thought is that you don't have the system programmed as a p25 system or for some reason the talk groups are not programmed to receive digital. Can you hear Alameda PD or anyone else on SW cell? What about East- hear anybody over there? If so, check how they are programmed and make sure Fremont looks the same.

 

[mibzzer15]

Freescan imported it as a Mot Type 2 / P25. I changed it to P25 Standard (Digital XT). It did not make any difference. I cannot hear anyone else on the SW or E cell. Its almost like I am not receiving the signal. I live like 2 miles from the Fremont PD, so I should easily be able to pick up the signal. I have never had a reception issue before.

 

[Oakland_Tower]

Verify this is the 996 you are working on.

 

[mibzzer15]

Yeah I am for sure working on the 996xt right now. I only use 1 file for it when I edit it and i know its on COM15 and I can see if being locked while updating.

 

[Oakland_Tower]

I have a 996 also. Check to see if you have more than one system assigned the same quick key. I did this the other day on a conventional system and it scanned goofy. You might have the SW cell in there twice under the same quick key, but under different names. On your freescan there is a place to print out your quick key assignments.