Franklin County Sheriff Tone Squelch...

[rbritton1201]

Within the Radio Reference data base, the tone squelch number that is programmed into the data base for Franklin County Sheriff's Department, Channel 2, 154.6725 Mhz., is actually blocking FCSD traffic, if programming your scanner from the RR data base (Uniden Sentinel Programming), because the FCSD isn't apparently using tone squelch on their Channel 2, as well as some other frequencies in the data base.

As for the other "conventional" frequencies in the RR data base for FCSD, I'm not sure whether any of the other frequencies listed in RR, which include the remote links listed for outlying areas, actually have tone squelch programmed into those frequencies by FCSD, and/or whether programming those tone squelch numbers from the RR data base into your scanner will serve to also block the other "conventional" frequencies as well.

My suggestion would be to remove the tone squelch entries for FCSD when programming your scanner via the RR data base, so the tone squelch entries in the data base don't inadvertently block reception of radio traffic on some FCSD channels. If it's determined that interference exists on some frequencies, and FCSD has tone squelch installed on certain other "conventional" frequencies, then the tone squelch programming can always be added back into scanner programming for channels where they might be needed due to skip interference, or whatever.

Furthermore, for several weeks, FCSD has been pretty consistently dispatching on Channel 1, 151.340 Mhz., no tone squelch, but today they're on their Channel 2, 154.6725 Mhz., no tone squelch. They continue to switch between these two channels when dispatching calls , apparently when radio techs are working on their system. I'm not sure which of these two channels will eventually be the main dispatch frequency for FCSD.

I suspect that any of the commercially available services, like Broadcastify, have these same RR tone squelch codes entered into their programming as well, which is probably also blocking traffic from FCSD with respect to their feeds.

 

[Starcom21]

I was in Franklin County this morning from 6:30 until 11:30 or so, 154.6725 was using a PL time the whole time I was in the area. Even spent a half hour (while I was in Sullivan), monitoring for what the possible input frequency may be, while they were dispatching. I monitored 151.34 for a short time and didn't receive anything (in case it was possibly the input frequency)

 

[rbritton1201]

Hi Terry,

I have three radios programmed to monitor both channel 1 and channel 2, a Uniden BCD536HP scanner, a Retevis RT-90 mobile radio, and a Retevis RT-84 handheld.

The Uniden BCD536HP scanner didn't pick anything up on channel 1 or channel 2 for quite some time, and I realized that they're just never that quiet. The scanner is programmed using RR through Uniden's Sentinel program, which has the tone codes automatically in the data base.

I was out in the car around 1pm, and monitoring channel 1 with my Retevis RT-90 (DMR, VHF/UHF), which I programmed manually, no tone codes, and I monitored it until about 2:30pm. I must admit, I got distracted and didn't monitor channel 2 to see if they had switched over to channel 2, and also since they've been consistently on channel 1 for a few weeks.

Then, I was monitoring both channels from about 2:30pm, for about an hour, with my Uniden BCD536HP scanner, and didn't hear anything. It has tone codes programmed into it from RR via the data base download to the Uniden Sentinel program.

Then, I decided to monitor both of their channels using my Retevis RT-84 handheld, which I manually programmed without tone codes, and that's when I discovered they were on channel 2, around 4pm.

So, I just thought that my inability to received signals on my scanner had something to do with tone codes being programmed into the scanner via RR. I suspected that FCSD wasn't using tone codes because the Retevis RT-84 doesn't have any tone codes programmed into it, and I was receiving their transmissions on the Retevis RT-84, but not on the scanner that has the tone codes automatically programmed into it via the RR data base through Uniden's Sentinel program.

By the way, they just switched back over to channel 1, 151.340 Mhz., around 7:35pm...and I'm monitoring them now via my Retevis RT-84, and there are no tone codes programmed into it. So, who knows what they're up to half the time, LOL! Maybe the anomalies are due to radio techs messing with things, tone codes included.

I was in Franklin County this morning from 6:30 until 11:30 or so, 154.6725 was using a PL time the whole time I was in the area. Even spent a half hour (while I was in Sullivan), monitoring for what the possible input frequency may be while they were dispatching. I monitored 151.34 for a short time and didn't receive anything (in case it was possibly the input frequency)

 

[rbritton1201]

I did just now change the Uniden BCD536HP programming by removing the tone codes within Sentinel for channel 1 and 2, and I'm receiving channel 1, no problem. As I mentioned, they switched back over to channel 1 from channel 2 around 4pm. So, that solved it with respect to the scanner not receiving any signals from them most of the day. It's channel 2 I still wonder about, whether the tone code is accurately recorded in Radio Reference or not, and until they switch back over to channel 2, I won't know whether the scanner is picking them up on channel 2 for sure. But, it sounds like you were receiving channel 2 with the RR database tone code programmed into your equipment when you were in Franklin County today. So, that would indicate the tone code is correct for channel 2. I removed the tone codes from both channel 1 and 2 within Sentinel, so theoretically, the scanner should pick up both channels now regardless of the tone codes. I just won't have the luxury of blocking interference from skip, etc...but, that's not usually a problem. If that condition develops, I can add the tone codes back in for both channels.

 

[Starcom21]

Sounds good. Hopefully whatever the issue is it will be figured out soon. If you can possibly find the input frequency to the new repeater it would be great. Also have you noticed any activity on the two feiertag channel repeaters that are listed in the database

 

[kruser]

Sounds good. Hopefully whatever the issue is it will be figured out soon. If you can possibly find the input frequency to the new repeater it would be great. Also have you noticed any activity on the two feiertag channel repeaters that are listed in the database

The tone is listed wrong in the RRDB for Franklin County Ch 2 on 154.6725. The correct tone was found by someone back in July and that's what I've been using.
The correct tone is PL 151.4 for 154.6725

Ch 1 or 151.340 has the correct tone listed.

 

[Starcom21]

It's been corrected, thank you

The tone is listed wrong in the RRDB for Franklin County Ch 2 on 154.6725. The correct tone was found by someone back in July and that's what I've been using.
The correct tone is PL 151.4 for 154.6725

Ch 1 or 151.340 has the correct tone listed.

 

[rbritton1201]

Hi Terry,

I made some inquiries that may produce some results, but frankly, I've been retired from the Sheriff's Department for about 6+ years, and all of the technically knowledgeable individuals I knew there in the past have retired, died, or moved on. Those that knew something about the technologies have been away from it so long that they no longer have the expertise to answer questions about their present direction at the Sheriff's Department with respect to radio questions. If I get some answers from some of my other contacts outside the Sheriff's Department, I'll get back to you.

I'm confused by your reference to "feirtag" channel repeaters. Can you send me the FCC link that shows those repeater references, not sure where or how to find that within the FCC database.

Sounds good. Hopefully whatever the issue is it will be figured out soon. If you can possibly find the input frequency to the new repeater it would be great. Also have you noticed any activity on the two feiertag channel repeaters that are listed in the database

 

[FIRE321FIGHTER1985]

Is this Franklin County, Ms. It would be nice to post County and State so that everybody is on the same page.

Thank you and God bless

 

[KevinC]

Is this Franklin County, Ms. It would be nice to post County and State so that everybody is on the same page.

Thank you and God bless

Seeing how it's in the Missouri state forum I'm going with it's Franklin County, Missouri...but I could be wrong.

 

[rbritton1201]

Yep, I think almost every State in the USA has a Franklin County. Since it is in the Missouri forum, assume that it is for Franklin County, Missouri.

 

[Starcom21]

Voice to text fail. I was referring to the 2 Fire Tac repeaters that are listed currently on the database page. At one point, there was a submission that these were in use, but there's been no verification of tones or anyting

Hi Terry,

I made some inquiries that may produce some results, but frankly, I've been retired from the Sheriff's Department for about 6+ years, and all of the technically knowledgeable individuals I knew there in the past have retired, died, or moved on. Those that knew something about the technologies have been away from it so long that they no longer have the expertise to answer questions about their present direction at the Sheriff's Department with respect to radio questions. If I get some answers from some of my other contacts outside the Sheriff's Department, I'll get back to you.

I'm confused by your reference to "feirtag" channel repeaters. Can you send me the FCC link that shows those repeater references, not sure where or how to find that within the FCC database.

 

[rbritton1201]

LOL, I thought "feirtag" was some little german township around here where they named a tower or something in the name of a township that no longer existed. I'll see what I can find out about the Fire Repeaters too, if anything.

Voice to text fail. I was referring to the 2 Fire Tac repeaters that are listed currently on the database page. At one point, there was a submission that these were in use, but there's been no verification of tones or anyting

 

[rbritton1201]

Terry, Check your private message page for some additional information...

Voice to text fail. I was referring to the 2 Fire Tac repeaters that are listed currently on the database page. At one point, there was a submission that these were in use, but there's been no verification of tones or anyting