EDACS Scanning Questions

[ramred]

Hi, new to scanning so forgive me for what might be some 'newbie' questions!

Scanner is Bearcat 346XT

In my area the EDACS system has two sites with the control channel being on one site. Where I live and need to scan the second site comes in good strength but the control channel is not in the frequency list for that site. I made a booster for my scanner so that I can receive some strength on the site where the control channel sits, so I get some traffic.

The questions...

Do I only need to monitor the control channel on the primary site to hear traffic? That seems to be where the scanner picks up the talk group I want to hear. Can I remove the second site from the scanning pool so I only scan the control channel?

I used a new cellular car antenna connected to a VHF-FM booster to increase my signal strength due to the area where I scan. I am on the very edge of the control channel range. Is this OK? is there a better way?

Thank you!

 

[dave3825]

What system are you talking about and what kind of booster did you make?

 

[ramred]

It is the Greater Sudbury Public Safety group I am scanning.

The booster is a VHF/UHF/FM coax booster and I made a cable to place it on the antenna. It certainly boosted signal, but not enough so that when I am moving in my truck it still does receive that well.

 

[mikewazowski]

There should be a control channel for the second site.

Using the first site's control channel with the second sites voice channels won't work properly.

Unfortunately, nobody has bothered to figure that particular system out. It's a common problem in the more remote areas of the province that don't have the population the GTA area does.

I would search around for another control channel with the same signal strength as the voice channels.

When I was out at Fairbanks PP several years ago, I was able to listen to the system on a set of frequencies that weren't in the database.

 

[ramred]

I thought there should be another control channel on the West system too, but when I thought I had it, it would scan the Talk Groups I wanted but never recieve any transmissions. When I switch back to the main control channel there was chatter. ??

 

[UPMan]

Sounds like you don't have the correct LCNs for each channel on the 2nd site. So, the control channel sees a channel grant, it isn't going to the correct voice channel frequency and you never hear anything. Sounds like a situation where the LCN finder in the HomePatrol-1 Extreme would come in handy.

 

[ramred]

So I manually listened to each channel on the second site when I know there is traffic on the first site, there is never any voice action on any channel. My theory is that the West site on that system is there but not used. Could it be for the Provoice traffic? At any rate I can listen to the Fire talk group when I am in range of the confirmed LCN and that is what I need.

I would like to also get better signal, even with my home made booster I lose signal when driving. Any thoughts on a good booster for the truck I can connect or maybe an antenna that would be better?

Thanks!