I'm over in the Brice Rd area and I get great reception 50% of the time then I proceed to get distorted and/or no Xpatrol transmissions for several minutes. I guess getting everything programmed properly was just half the battle for listening to digital CPD.
Franklin County/Columbus P25 System Discussion
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I'm over in the Brice Rd area and I get great reception 50% of the time then I proceed to get distorted and/or no Xpatrol transmissions for several minutes. I guess getting everything programmed properly was just half the battle for listening to digital CPD.
Robert43055
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What model scanner you using?
gtaman
Member
Sounds like a typical simulcast issue. You are split between sites and your scanner is locking up. It's best to use a yagi and line it up with tower. I don't have issues using nmo pctel 800 antenna here in Groveport. It's in a perfect spot. But for the life of me, I can barely get regular MARCS-IP.
Whistler WS1080, and I will look into a directional antennae, when I do get reception the clarity is phenomenal.
Yeah. Simulcast is a pain. In Columbus you have 4 different systems to listen to. Each requires it's own monitoring characteristics. I'm spoiled, since I'm about 2 miles from a Columbus City tower. It's 100% perfect to me. COIRS is also very good. Franklin county is pretty good and Columbus MARCS is really touchy. I have 2 outdoor antennas for monitoring and 3 rtlsdr dongles. I have a lot of flexibility. I've had enough experience playing to get good reception. Of course, with all the New systems getting fully online now, they will do a lot of tweaking, so the users get good performance. This could also improve our monitoring ability. I rather enjoy experiencing how These systems evolve.
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Back in the 70s I worked car 141 and it was even then hard to transmit & receive around 256 & Refugee...Could be the C-bus MARCS is set up to just reach Brice & 70 as the furthest it needs to reach consistently.There were always jurisdiction issues on service calls as C-bus was in 2 Countries .
gtaman
Member
You are like me. My only real issue is Columbus MARCS. All others are fine.
W8RMH
Feed Provider Since 2012
Columbus P25 is set up for coverage out into each adjacent county. All these issues people are having are due to Simulcast Multi-path Distortion and not coverage.
W8RMH
Feed Provider Since 2012
For those using base scanner setups I highly recommend a Yagi directional antenna, and it doesn't necessarily need to be outdoors or up on a tower. I have mine on a torch lamp pole in my first floor bedroom. Anything that will narrow reception down to one tower only and eliminate the multi-path issues.
Now if someone could just invent a directional antenna for a portable/handheld.
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Robert43055
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From New Albany to Downtown I have no issues at all the city site comes in loud and clear on my BCD396XT using a 800 mhz antenna, When im downtown it works ok until I get to work in a high-rise building that's where I have problems with reception, Im not sure if its cause im inside a building with lots of concrete or if its because of simulcast distortion. MARCS and the Franklin county site is kind of choppy in area, Franklin county Tower seems to pick up better in spots downtown.
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Any directionals that you recommend?
W8RMH
Feed Provider Since 2012
I use a MAXRAD #21188, 6 element Yagi, but any 800MHz. Yagi should work.
bigredtruck411
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I am a newbie and don't own a scanner. I live in Columbus and want to buy a scanner. I waited until P25 so I wouldn't buy a scanner that wasn't compatible. I really want to monitor Columbus Fire and their fire ground channels. The information has been recently added to the database section. Do I enter that information into the scanner or does it pick it up on its own?
I need to homebrew myself some yagis or corner reflectors for funsies. Sometimes, an omni just isn't gonna cut it.
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gtaman
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PCTEL NMO 700,800,900Mhz antenna is what I use stuffed in a corner. It's run off a MAXRAD magmount NMO base. It's stuck to the side of an ammo can. No problems now.
Well guess I gotta head to General Merchandise on E. Broad and get a ammo can...Just thinking out loud...if I get a old steel pot ( helmet ) mag mount a mini yagi on my head that might be the answer for W8RMH looking for a yagi for his hand held.
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