BCD325P2/BCD996P2: Greene County, Ohio. Can't hear anything using a bcd996p2

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Abbeyroad1961

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Hello
I am new to this unit BCD996P2. Why cant I hear Fairborn Ohio/Greene County Ohio? Do i need a upgrade? I'm Lost here I can here it mostly on the broadcastify app on my phone nothing is coming through my scanner Please Can someone Help 3 days working on this issue... Thanks in advance. Mike.
 

tvengr

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hiegtx

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Hello
I am new to this unit BCD996P2. Why cant I hear Fairborn Ohio/Greene County Ohio? Do i need a upgrade? I'm Lost here I can here it mostly on the broadcastify app on my phone nothing is coming through my scanner Please Can someone Help 3 days working on this issue... Thanks in advance. Mike.
As already noted, your county uses the statewide system, MARCS-IP. However, the site listed for your county is Simulcast. In a Simulcast system, there are a number of transmit towers used in a site. These are scattered around the service area to insure reliable communications. The problem, however, is that each of these transmit sites are sending the same talkgroup, on the exact same frequency, at the same time. With sites at varying distances from your location, these signals all arrive at your location at slightly different times, since the towers are not at one single location. There is just enough difference in when they arrive that they are not in sync, and the scanner is not able to properly decode the radio traffic. You may get garbled transmissions, or nothing at all, depending on how severe the interference is. A more complete description of Simulcast, and the problems it causes can be found in the Wiki. Simulcast digital distortion - The RadioReference Wiki

For your specific location, the Greene County site has two towers to your south (from Fairborn), and another off to your east.
1656424182009.png

The best way to deal with simulcast issues is to use one of Uniden's SDS series scanners. Other receivers that work are the Unication pagers, and the Blue Tail receiver. Those two are not actually scanners, but they do handle simulcast systems, You also could use one of the SDR dongles & software on your PC, but that requires using a PC as well as the SDR. While that would be workable at home, it's not something that "travels well" for mobile use.

Your 996P2 is not the best choice in dealing with simulcast problems. Some things that might work including 'less' antenna, hoping that the strongest signal reaching you may be able to override the other, weaker, signals from other locations. In some cases, using a paper clip might work. Other things to try include using the antenna that came with the scanner, but laying it down flat instead of upright, You could also try to shield the scanner from signals in more than one location. Try placing something like a baking pan, or metallic cookie sheet along one side. In your case, that would be to place the pan or sheet to try and block the two towers to your south, and hoping that you'll get enough from the tower to your east. You may may also try moving the scanner around in your house. Simulcast is so location specific that you might try moving the scanner around in the house. In some cases, a move of only a few feet makes a difference. Your other potential solution would be to use a directional antenna, such as a yagi, aimed at one specific tower site, hoping that by concentrating on one transmitter, the scanner will ignore the weaker signals from other sites. But if you concentrate on one site, you may reduce, or lose, reception from other systems or sites in your area. Of course, these band-aid approaches are not usable if you are getting out & about with your scanner in your car or truck.
 

Abbeyroad1961

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tvengr

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Got your file. I have some things to do. Be back with you later today. You should be scanning the MARCS system. The second trunked system has no frequencies or talkgroups. It may be a simulcast issue.
 

phask

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It would really help if you would mention what software you used. I have no idea what would open a .996 file.
 

tvengr

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I don't see anything wrong with the file either. Set your squelch to 2. I agree with Steve that you are most likely suffering from simulcast distortion. Try turning on the attenuator, varying the length and orientation of the antenna, and moving the scanner around the house. You may find a sweet spot that works. There is one thing I noticed that will not solve your receive problem. Under Trunked System Setup, ID Mode is set to ID Search which is the default for FreeSCAN. Using ID Search, you would be receiving every talkgroup in the system, not just Fire and Law. It you change to ID Scan, you will receive only the talkgroups you have programmed.
 

swatpup102

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I'll take a look at the file also and see if anything can change or something specifically with config. I have this same scanner running just to your south in Hamilton county, also a simulcast site, with no receptions issues. You may need to pick the closest county frequency group if they are split like they are here so your aren't jumping to Dayton's frequencies when scanning the talkgroups.
 

brucebuck1010

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Hi Mike,

1) Are you able to get other Greene County traffic?

2) As others have mentioned, an antenna that gets you more signal is not the answer, since I think you are *in* Fairborn. I have had some simulcast distortion issues with that radio in the past, however, it usually presents itself as garbled audio and not so much missed calls. Quite literally, a paperclip might work best!

3) I looked at your file and I don't see you have the Fairborn Police Dispatch talkgroup listed. In looking at the database here at this site, I see these talkgroups:

20152 D 29FBPDIS Fairborn Police Dispatch
20156 DE 29FBPOP1 Fairborn Police Ops 1
20158 DE 29FBPDET Fairborn Police Detectives
20160 DE 29FBPADM Fairborn Police Administration

Comparing this with your file (see attached screenshot), you do have 156,158 and 160 (which you probably can't get anyhow, the "E" means encrypted :( ). But 152 is missing, which is the one you want. Now granted, if you are in the ID Search mode, you should still pick this up (would show ID as "29FBPDIS"), but could be easily lost if there is lots of traffic happening from other places. Put the 20152 talk group in there and sit on that one (hold) and let us know if you hear anything.

Hope that works!

-Bruce
 

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brucebuck1010

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Hi Mike,

1) Are you able to get other Greene County traffic?

2) As others have mentioned, an antenna that gets you more signal is not the answer, since I think you are *in* Fairborn. I have had some simulcast distortion issues with that radio in the past, however, it usually presents itself as garbled audio and not so much missed calls. Quite literally, a paperclip might work best!

3) I looked at your file and I don't see you have the Fairborn Police Dispatch talkgroup listed. In looking at the database here at this site, I see these talkgroups:

20152 D 29FBPDIS Fairborn Police Dispatch
20156 DE 29FBPOP1 Fairborn Police Ops 1
20158 DE 29FBPDET Fairborn Police Detectives
20160 DE 29FBPADM Fairborn Police Administration

Comparing this with your file (see attached screenshot), you do have 156,158 and 160 (which you probably can't get anyhow, the "E" means encrypted :( ). But 152 is missing, which is the one you want. Now granted, if you are in the ID Search mode, you should still pick this up (would show ID as "29FBPDIS"), but could be easily lost if there is lots of traffic happening from other places. Put the 20152 talk group in there and sit on that one (hold) and let us know if you hear anything.

Hope that works!

-Bruce
CRAP, you do have 152 in there!!! I wish FS would let you order things by whichever column you want!!! So anyhow, hold on that one for a bit and let us know. (Sundays are slow, but tomorrow should be hopping!)
 

Abbeyroad1961

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Fairborn, Ohio
Thanks everyone for listening and helping out a fellow radio enthusiast. I’m surely hoping to figure this one out…Do I need to upgrade the system? With one of the $75 updates? I do what it takes. I use a scanner as a ears to the ground with all of my family out there. Helps me sleep better knowing everyone is safe…lol
Greatly appreciated to all in this thread.
Mike
 

brucebuck1010

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Hi Mike, I just drove out with my SDS100 and Unication G4, I only had to drive a mile or two from my south Montgomery Co house and I could pick up 20152 Fairborn Police Dispatch, so we know it it's correct and in the clear. I looked at your file again and compared it to a freshly imported setup from RR. I noticed that your Site Type wasn't set the same. Give this a shot:

1) Go to your "[MOT2] OhioMARCSIP:Mult" level and change Type to Mot Type II/P25 and ignore any warnings you get.
2) Then under that one, go to "[M82S] Greene Co Simul" and change Site Type to Mot P25/P25 Standard

Look at the attachments to help with this.

Does that do the trick? Fingers crossed!

Bruce

Edit: as always, change your filenames when you make changes so that you never loose any settings you had before. You could just add "A" or "B" or whatever.
 

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