Erie County P25 System

[u2brent]

If anyone is considering an SDS200, I found this on Walmart's site. $599.99 is the best price I've seen.

UNIDEN - SDS200 TRUE I/Q BASE OR MOBILE SCANNER FOR IMPROVED DIGITAL PERFORMANCE IN SIMULCAST AREAS & WEAK SIGNAL ENVIRONMENTS - Walmart.com

Buy UNIDEN - SDS200 TRUE I/Q BASE OR MOBILE SCANNER FOR IMPROVED DIGITAL PERFORMANCE IN SIMULCAST AREAS & WEAK SIGNAL ENVIRONMENTS at Walmart.com

www.walmart.com

Seems to have changed to 699.99 since your post 6 hrs ago

 

[GTR8000]

Not sure if the SDS200 or 536 shows which radio is transmitting?

You have to enable Disp. Unit ID in the 536 to see them, and make sure that the Unit ID field is active somewhere on the SDS display.

Read up:

Easier to Read BCD436/536HP Digital Scanner Manual

Easier to Read SDS100/200 Digital Scanner Manual

 

[scnrfrq]

You have to enable Disp. Unit ID in the 536 to see them, and make sure that the Unit ID field is active somewhere on the SDS display.

Read up:

Easier to Read BCD436/536HP Digital Scanner Manual

Easier to Read SDS100/200 Digital Scanner Manual

Thanks - I have enabled it.

 

[Railbender]

Talk group 125 is the airport. data submitted.

 

[scnrfrq]

Talk group 125 is the airport. data submitted.

Same as 154.98 - Airport Maintenance and PD?

 

[Railbender]

Yes. The give away was the all call alarm test. My Unication will record by talk group. I just played it back this morning, after letting it run two days.

 

[scnrfrq]

Yes. The give away was the all call alarm test. My Unication will record by talk group. I just played it back this morning, after letting it run two days.

I wonder if they will keep using 154.98 also? They just went digital on that frequency a few years ago. Also, I see that frequency was removed from the Erie County database page at some point. It was correctly listed as digital, but now I don't see it on that page.

 

[scnrfrq]

Looking at the Erie County database page, there is a list of UHF onsite fire frequencies after the 2 paging channels. Are these new, or now contained in the new system somewhere?

Erie County, Pennsylvania (PA) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference for Erie County, Pennsylvania (PA)

www.radioreference.com

 

[n3obl]

I believe the on site channels are conventional off network channels for short range comms on scene of an operation.

 

[Railbender]

Looking at the Erie County database page, there is a list of UHF onsite fire frequencies after the 2 paging channels. Are these new, or now contained in the new system somewhere?

They were licensed in March 2016, over a year before any of the P25 licenses.

 

[scnrfrq]

I now have an SDS200. I'm receiving Countywide Simulcast TG's, which I haven't seen on my 536. Right now South County TAC 2 was on. Why would I get Countywide TG's on the SDS200 but not on the 536?

 

[GTR8000]

I now have an SDS200. I'm receiving Countywide Simulcast TG's, which I haven't seen on my 536. Right now South County TAC 2 was on. Why would I get Countywide TG's on the SDS200 but not on the 536?

Programming error? Simulcast distortion? Who knows, only you can answer that question, we don't know what your programming looks like or how much simulcast distortion the 536 was fighting that the SDS doesn't care about.

 

[Railbender]

I now have an SDS200. I'm receiving Countywide Simulcast TG's, which I haven't seen on my 536. Right now South County TAC 2 was on. Why would I get Countywide TG's on the SDS200 but not on the 536?

As explained before the TAC talk groups, unlike the dispatch talk groups, are only carried on the associated site. As has also been explained before reception on the rural sites is very poor in your area.

 

[vulcannomad]

If anyone is considering an SDS200, I found this on Walmart's site. $599.99 is the best price I've seen.

UNIDEN - SDS200 TRUE I/Q BASE OR MOBILE SCANNER FOR IMPROVED DIGITAL PERFORMANCE IN SIMULCAST AREAS & WEAK SIGNAL ENVIRONMENTS - Walmart.com

Buy UNIDEN - SDS200 TRUE I/Q BASE OR MOBILE SCANNER FOR IMPROVED DIGITAL PERFORMANCE IN SIMULCAST AREAS & WEAK SIGNAL ENVIRONMENTS at Walmart.com

www.walmart.com

Wow, that certainly upsets me, since I just purchased this the other day for the standard price of $699!

 

[maus92]

I now have an SDS200. I'm receiving Countywide Simulcast TG's, which I haven't seen on my 536. Right now South County TAC 2 was on. Why would I get Countywide TG's on the SDS200 but not on the 536?

Finally took my advice and bought the SDS200 - and it works!

 

[scnrfrq]

Finally took my advice and bought the SDS200 - and it works!

Yes it does! Still trying to understand why it picks up County Simulcast TAC channels, while the 536 is silent. Must be a combination of simulcast distortion and my poor location for rural sites, as Railbender mentioned.

 

[maus92]

Yes it does! Still trying to understand why it picks up County Simulcast TAC channels, while the 536 is silent. Must be a combination of simulcast distortion and my poor location for rural sites, as Railbender mentioned.

I'd have to examine your programming to rule it out as a cause - did you use the same Sentinel files to program both your 536s and the SDS200? What antenna are you using for the SDS200? Does it work well anywhere in your home? Do you have both sites programmed? It is my understanding the the Countywide TACs are only carried on the Countywide site - is that correct?

 

[scnrfrq]

I'm using Sentinel with the same favorite lists for both scanners. Both sites are programmed in. So far the 200 is only used on the 2nd floor, right next to a 536. Yes, Countywide TACS are only on the Countywide site. The 536 keeps on scanning while the 200 is stopped on a TAC channel.

 

[Railbender]

Yes the TAC talkgroups are only carries on the associated sites. Reception of the Rural sites is very poor in his area. I have been in that area and checked. Even my Unication G3 was at 3 of 4 bars. In spite of what you may think there only TWO sites providing that signal in his area. I have plotted the radiation pattern for all of the surrounding sites. A cheap Yagi would probably help the 536s and the SDS200.

 

[scnrfrq]

I'm using Sentinel with the same favorite lists for both scanners. Both sites are programmed in. So far the 200 is only used on the 2nd floor, right next to a 536. Yes, Countywide TACS are only on the Countywide site. The 536 keeps on scanning while the 200 is stopped on a TAC channel.

Both scanners have telescoping antennas. Other than the County TAC channels, reception on both scanners is pretty similar.