Fort Worth Digital System - FD

[BenScan]

Both sites that you refer to in the database (Fort Worth Layer 1 and Fort Worth Layer 2) simulcast on those frequencies from 6(I think) different physical and geographically different sites, see the locations in the thread: http://forums.radioreference.com/te...altom-city-watauga-rh-went-digital-today.html

The Northeast Tarrant "site" actually transmits on the same frequencies at 3 different locations as well.

The same goes for Johnson County(I think 3 or 4 physical locations). I'm not sure about Mansfield(I think it's two physical sites). The Texas Motor Speedway site is just one physical location. However, some of the talkgroups might be carried on Fort Worth Layer 1 or 2. It is confusing.

Bottom line, a "site" in the database that you referred to does not necessarily mean a single physical site. Looking at the site map can help, but those are not always accurate, as in this case.
Site Map: Fort Worth Regional Radio System Trunking System, Tarrant, Johnson Counties, Texas

I hope that helps.

Um, don't look like it to me?

Fort Worth Regional Radio System Trunking System, Tarrant, Johnson Counties, Texas - Scanner Frequencies

Am I missing something?

Unless you're use is mobile, you should program your scanner to only use one site.

 

[techguru]

You can't tell by looking at the database but sites 1, 2, 3 and 4 are actually simulcast from several locations. They used to be different systems.

Oh I see what you're talking about now: Johnson Co Simulcast Site Details (Fort Worth Regional Radio System)

This might be why DSD+ is having trouble clearly decoding audio. It's been sounding like a digital cell phone with weak signal for me and I have LOS to one of the towers at 1 mile.

 

[BenScan]

As I understand it some, but not all, talkgroups are configured to "roam", so that if a user was out of range from its usual operating area, it might make use of one of the other "sites".

"Sites" in the RR database is a little confusing. I think "subsystem" might be a better description, but there might be other systems where "site" is logical and correct.

They kinda still are, I am only seeing Johnson country related communications on the site 4, no Fort Worth.

 

[BenScan]

Or, if you click on the FCC call letters you get to...

WQPX822 (JOHNSON, COUNTY OF) FCC Callsign Details

Which is more helpful.

[strike]They kinda still are, I am only seeing Johnson country related communications on the site 4, no Fort Worth.[/strike]

Oh I see what you're talking about now: Johnson Co Simulcast Site Details (Fort Worth Regional Radio System)

This might be why DSD+ is having trouble clearly decoding audio. It's been sounding like a digital cell phone with weak signal for me.

 

[nd5y]

This will give you a better idea. Site Map: Fort Worth Regional Radio System Trunking System, Tarrant, Johnson Counties, Texas

I don't know how they have site 1 and 2 configured now. It used to be that the public safety analog system had 6 or 7 simulcast transmit sites and about 12 receive sites. The public works system had the same receive sites but only one transmit site.

I haven't been down there for a long time and there hasn't been a good enough band opening to receive it up here in a long time.

Somebody should find out what the NACs are for each site and submit them to the DB.

 

[techguru]

Or, if you click on the FCC call letters you get to...

WQPX822 (JOHNSON, COUNTY OF) FCC Callsign Details

Which is more helpful.

Ya, from my direction one tower is directly behind the other, so a directional antenna ain't going to help much.

How is it that the real radios can lock onto one tower or not have a problem with 3 signals while scanners and SDR's can't?

I guess my only option is to try to tune my RF Gain to only get the tower close to me without picking up the tower far from me...?

 

[techguru]

Somebody should find out what the NACs are for each site and submit them to the DB.

JC's is 440.

 

[nd5y]

As I understand it some, but not all, talkgroups are configured to "roam",

I was wondering how they are handling that. If you were in Keller you would be closer to a Ft Worth site than a NETCO site and if you were in far east Ft Worth you might be closer to a NETCO site. I wonder if they still have both systems on the tower on Trinity Blvd.

 

[nd5y]

How is it that the real radios can lock onto one tower or not have a problem with 3 signals while scanners and SDR's can't?

The scanner manufactuers insist on trying to force a cheaply designed FM receiver to recieve CQPSK modulation which P25 simulcast systems transmit. Real radio manufacturers do it the right way with the right kind of receiver. They don't lock on to only one tower, they still receive multiple signals but don't have problems doing it.

 

[BenScan]

And the end user ends up missing a bunch and spending more money, time, effort with antennas that aren't as mobile. I'd rather pay more a for scanner that worked, than have to spend more on cables, antennas, connectors, and stuff that I can't bring with me.

The scanner manufactuers insist on trying to force a cheaply designed FM receiver to recieve CQPSK modulation which P25 simulcast systems transmit. Real radio manufacturers do it the right way.

 

[techguru]

The scanner manufactuers insist on trying to force a cheaply designed FM receiver to recieve CQPSK modulation which P25 simulcast systems transmit. Real radio manufacturers do it the right way with the right kind of receiver. They don't lock on to only one tower, they still receive multiple signals but don't have problems doing it.

Even the Uniden's?

UNIDEN BCD-536HP | BCD536HP Unidens Flagship Mobile / Base Scanner

UNIDEN BCD-996XT | UNIDEN BCD-996XT P25 DIGITAL SCANNER

 

[BenScan]

For me, 436 and 536 are better, but still miss quite a bit without an antenna hitting the sweet spot.

Even the Uniden's?

UNIDEN BCD-536HP | BCD536HP Unidens Flagship Mobile / Base Scanner

UNIDEN BCD-996XT | UNIDEN BCD-996XT P25 DIGITAL SCANNER

 

[nd5y]

Many people are saying that the new Unidens still suck at receiving P25 LSM; they just suck a little less than the 396/996.

 

[6520tkp]

which site is which?

Where do you find how he sites are numbered?

 

[6520tkp]

Which site is which?

Where do you find how he sites are numbered?

Looking at the map how are the sites numbered?

The site map Iam looking at is not numbered.

 

[BenScan]

The "Loc #" field on the FCC Callsign map has the geographical site number, but again, that does not necessarily match up with the "site"(what I would call subsystem) field in the RRDB entry.

WQPX822 (JOHNSON, COUNTY OF) FCC Callsign Details

Looking at the map how are the sites numbered?

The site map Iam looking at is not numbered.

 

[ce2576]

Only analog activity I'm finding in JC now is JCFD-Alarm on 154.145 and I believe it's SIMPLEX as I only hear the dispatcher and sometimes static at the times someone would be replying.

Actually it's not SIMPLEX. About the only thing it is used for now is so that CareFlite Ground can talk to the JoCo Fire Alarm dispatchers. It's rarely used anymore for coordinating LZ's with CareFlite. Now they use JC Fire 4 on the 700 system. At one point they were using 8TAC93.

Cleburne FD moved over to the 700 system sometime around April 11th or 12th. I don't remember exactly which day it was.

I can hear the JoCo site very well from my location on my BC996XT which is connected to a RadioShack Outdoor VHF-Hi/UHF Scanner Antenna mounted on top of a Bogen monopod. It's a rather odd ball setup, but it gets the job done. Of course down here I don't have 3 to 4 other sites to cause interference. For what it's worth, the other day I was near the intersection of Sycamore School Rd. and W. Cleburne Rd. in SW Fort Worth and I could pick up Layer 1, 2 & 4 all real well using a BC396T.

 

[nd5y]

With all these new 700/800 Mhz radios around you guys should be scanning the 700 MHz Low Power/Itinerant channels for any possible users in the metroplex.

 

[techguru]

I can't afford a digital scanner, I'm stuck with my SDR which gets around 24 – 1766 MHz and my 2m/70cm HAM HT that I used to use to listen to the VHF analog.

I've been able to get my SDR to play mostly intelligible audio of P25 and also separately get Unitrunker to show info, but have not got them working together yet to actually track.

 

[techguru]

Must be something going on, wish I could hear.