GRE PSR-500C issues in Australia?

[Jay911]

Hi all,

I'm planning a trip "down under" later this year and intend to take my PSR500C (Canadian version) with me to do some scanning. It'll mainly be my source radio for Unitrunker, but depending on how well it receives, it might be pressed into service for other uses.

I am wondering if there are any issues with the Australian bandplan that will cause me grief. As an example, they use 70MHz FM conventional in a number of places, with what looks like 12.5kHz spacing. Will the PSR500 handle that?

Their VHF bandplan appears to be closer to the US (12.5kHz spacing in the 160s instead of 5kHz like in Canada), so I presume that shifting to that spacing will make things work in that section of the band.

There's at least one trunk system (QANTAS Information Technology Trunking System, Sydney, New South Wales - Scanner Frequencies) that I clearly won't be able to track properly because some of its frequencies lie inside the "forbidden" North American cell band. I'm cool with that. The trunks I want to monitor (mainly http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=1987) are in the 406-520MHz range. Any problems tuning that one in?

Thanks in advance

 

[safetypro79]

Sydney FD on

70-80 mhz range. High rise ops is 460 mhz

I believe PD uses the EU TETRA system fully encrypted.

 

[Jay911]

Hi,

I know where the users are, what frequencies they're on; I'm trying to find out if the PSR500 will accept those frequencies.

 

[rustynswrail]

Hi all, I'm planning a trip "down under" later this year and intend to take my PSR500C (Canadian version) with me to do some scanning. It'll mainly be my source radio for Unitrunker, but depending on how well it receives, it might be pressed into service for other uses. I am wondering if there are any issues with the Australian bandplan that will cause me grief. As an example, they use 70MHz FM conventional in a number of places, with what looks like 12.5kHz spacing. Will the PSR500 handle that? Their VHF bandplan appears to be closer to the US (12.5kHz spacing in the 160s instead of 5kHz like in Canada), so I presume that shifting to that spacing will make things work in that section of the band. There's at least one trunk system (QANTAS Information Technology Trunking System, Sydney, New South Wales - Scanner Frequencies) that I clearly won't be able to track properly because some of its frequencies lie inside the "forbidden" North American cell band. I'm cool with that. The trunks I want to monitor (mainly NSW Department of Commerce (NSWGRN) Trunking System, Various, New South Wales - Scanner Frequencies) are in the 406-520MHz range. Any problems tuning that one in? Thanks in advance

G'day,

First up the police use encrypted Motorola conventional P25, not TETRA in most of the capital cities. Various other systems, such as 78 MHz is used in country NSW, 160 MHz in country Victoria. 468 MHz is used across several states, state wide. Tasmania use 800 MHz EDACS amongst other frequencies. Ecryption outside the capital cities is used here and there, or extensively, it is dependant on where you are.

Second the VHF Mid band (66-88 MHz) is 12.5 kHz spacing, however rounding off will still allow you to hear services. The same applies to the VHF Hi band, it is 12.5 kHz spacing in 99 percent of locations. A few remote areas still have 15 kHz spaced channels, but are few and far between. Again rounding off will occur with the PSR500, but it should not be a bother.

All our 800 analogue trunking systems will be out of bounds to a point. Our 800 trunking band is, output 865-870 MHz. There is no 700 MHz trunking, likewise there are no non trunking 800 MHz services. As far as trunking 400-500 MHz, there should be no problem. We have a mixture of Motorola, LTR and some non trunkable systems like TETRA, like Smartrunk and MPT1327 to mention but a few. New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria have government radio networks in the 400-430 MHz, they are either 3600 baud Motorola Smartzone systems or in the case of Victoria a P25 Motorola system. Both NSW and SA are migrating to P25 slowly over the next few years. There is also trunking on the 160 MHz band, same rules apply to this as to the 400 MHz band. A mixture of systems.

Make sure you bring or purchase a 240 Volt AC charger, the 117 VAC "wall wart" as you call them will no doubt let the special smoke out of you try to use it here.

Russell

 

[Jay911]

Hi again -

The majority of my scanning is, I think, going to be NSWGRN and some 78MHz services (other than various racing frequencies that don't really factor in to this discussion). I know what frequencies are in use, from the database here and other sources.

My issue is wondering whether or not the scanner, built for the Canadian (and/or American) market, will take the programming for these 78MHz frequencies and the GRN trunk's 500MHz sites. These frequencies are not used in Canada (or in most parts of the US) so they may or may not be accessiblee or configured in the Canadian market PSR500.

 

[rustynswrail]

Hi again - The majority of my scanning is, I think, going to be NSWGRN and some 78MHz services (other than various racing frequencies that don't really factor in to this discussion). I know what frequencies are in use, from the database here and other sources. My issue is wondering whether or not the scanner, built for the Canadian (and/or American) market, will take the programming for these 78MHz frequencies and the GRN trunk's 500MHz sites. These frequencies are not used in Canada (or in most parts of the US) so they may or may not be accessiblee or configured in the Canadian market PSR500.

G'day,

From memory the 500 cannot do the 78 MHz band can it? Trunking the GRN 500 MHz link sites is a bit of a waste of time. They are only linking small sites back to a main site. You really don't hear that much unless something is happening in a shopping centre, which is where they are located. But if you really want to, you can track the 500 MHz stuff.

R

 

[Air490]

PSR500 handles the GRN very well. You just need to add the three base and offset pairs. 78MHz is out of the question with the PSR500. If you want to listen to NSW Police in Bathurst, there is (was?) a UHF repeater in use on 468.475MHz.