Fairfield PD reception

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Markscan

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I monitor Fairfield police on the NJICS system. I'm using a Uniden 396xt with only the West Orange site programmed. Using the radio in my truck, reception goes from absolutely perfect to almost completely garbled and then back to perfect again. I wonder if this is due to simulcast distortion? I thought since I only programmed 1 site this would not be an issue. I work in Fairfield and get excellent signal strength from the West Orange site. Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks
Mark


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mondaro

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Mark,

Hello using the new 536 down here in Harrison, Hudson county with base and stock antenna hearing them loud and clear. hope that helps.

Tony.
 

W2SJW

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I was hearing them heading down I-280 yesterday from the I-80 split to my service call in Kearny - never heard ANY traffic on the NJICS come in garbled that entire stretch of road (and I was locked on the West Orange site).
 

APX8000

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I monitor Fairfield police on the NJICS system. I'm using a Uniden 396xt with only the West Orange site programmed. Using the radio in my truck, reception goes from absolutely perfect to almost completely garbled and then back to perfect again. I wonder if this is due to simulcast distortion?

Yep...you have to remember that the West Orange "site" is actually several sites ties together into one 6 site simulcast zone - Rikers Hill, Essex County Courthouse, Garrett Mtn, Jersey City, Johnson Dr and West Orange. I have just this site programmed in my PSR-800 for Newark Fire and I get the same thing.

W2SJW started a thread with the performance of the new 436 scanner working pretty good on Morris County's UHF P25 Phase I LSM. I asked him to comment on the 436 on the NJICS as well.
 

Markscan

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I got my 436 today. What a difference! I drove all over the place today, and there was no distortion at any time. Very nice radio.
 

W2IRT

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My house is literally on the Fairfield/West Caldwell border and I've just started listening to them on my 996xt and so far not a single problem. Like you, I only have the West Orange site programmed. Still haven't heard anything on their second talkgroup, but 2599 sounds fantastic. All I'm using is a mag-mount scanner antenna, at roughly waist level, on the ground floor of my house. Really loving the recovered P25 audio.
 

W2IRT

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And I may have spoken too soon. Nothing on 2599 or 2601 via the West Orange site since Saturday (Feb 1st). Anybody know where they went this time?
 

W2IRT

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Any chance they're in TDMA-X2 mode now? I'm sitting on 2599, on 774.78125 (West Orange), with full signal and not a whisper. In search mode I'm hearing roads crews so I'm receiving the site OK, but Fairfield is nowhere to be heard.
 

Markscan

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Can't tell from the 436 display. It doesn't show mode, but I don't think Fairfield has anything but Phase 1 radios.
 

W2IRT

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I did hear one dispatch around 4:30, so I guess it's possible they just haven't had any calls...but given we were in the middle of a major snowstorm and West Caldwell and North Caldwell's PD frequencies were jumping like made, I somehow doubt it.
 

W2IRT

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Hmm. Not a peep from them in the last three days during the times I've been listening. I have to wonder if something is mis-set on my radio--they have been very busy during the recent storm and I passed by two car stops yesterday afternoon with the radio dedicated to Fairfield PD 1 and 2 (TGs 2599 and 2601). Since the radio is now in my truck, I can't monitor all day in the background but it seems to me as if they've moved their primary comms elsewhere. One thing I did note earlier today is that I was hearing kerchunks on their 800 MHz conventional alternate channel (851.700).
 

Pursuit

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Hmm. Not a peep from them in the last three days during the times I've been listening. I have to wonder if something is mis-set on my radio--they have been very busy during the recent storm and I passed by two car stops yesterday afternoon with the radio dedicated to Fairfield PD 1 and 2 (TGs 2599 and 2601). Since the radio is now in my truck, I can't monitor all day in the background but it seems to me as if they've moved their primary comms elsewhere. One thing I did note earlier today is that I was hearing kerchunks on their 800 MHz conventional alternate channel (851.700).


Something must be wrong. Fairfield PD is very active on 2599
 

W2IRT

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Are you picking them up on the West Orange site or is there another site I should try? Maybe a control channel problem or something? Any way to see if I'm copying the CC OK? I didn't change anything when I had the radio installed, and driving through between Montclair and Fairfield itself I think I should be able to hear them full quieting.

I have site frequencies 774.7812, 774.5437, 774.3187 and 773.7937 programmed. Anything else I could/should check?
 

Pursuit

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i only have the West Orange site programmed with ALL the frequencies for that site. Could that be your problem you only have 4 frequencies programmed? I would try to program all the frequencies and then see. And when listening to only 1 system i keep the site hold time at the max 255 and put the squelch on 0. which seems to help with reception and dropping of the control channel.
 

W2IRT

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I'll try putting in all the RF frequencies but I don't hold/monitor Fairfield for the most part. They're just one system I monitor; I have the Caldwells PD/FD/WEFAS, Essex Fells, and Fairfield's FD in one system, Verona's EDACS in another, Montclair in a third and 4-COMM in a fourth, all activated at the same time--plus SPEN, I-tac, Utac, Vtac. I just thought for whatever reason that I should be hearing a ton of stuff on FPD, while everything else is coming through fine, or at least copyable. I'm really scratching my head over what's going on here.
 

shield5535

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I am using West Orange site and receiving them on TG 2599 loud and clear with RS Pro 106 and RS 800 antenna. Also the same with PSR-600 with Condor and/or Watson W-881 strung up on a beam in the attic in Bergen Co
 
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