How to ID Skip Signals

[eriepascannist]

Lately here in western NY, we have been having a lot of skip and ducting in the early mornings. Scanning my local freqs this morning turned up dozens of signals that were coming in via skip.

With more good "skip weather" forecasted ahead, my question is, what are some suggestions you have for identifying skip signals?

I.e., a FD dispatch freq was coming in literally crystal clear this AM on 154.235. I had no way of knowing where these folks were at- they only referred to street names, not towns.

 

[mtindor]

Lately here in western NY, we have been having a lot of skip and ducting in the early mornings. Scanning my local freqs this morning turned up dozens of signals that were coming in via skip.

With more good "skip weather" forecasted ahead, my question is, what are some suggestions you have for identifying skip signals?

I.e., a FD dispatch freq was coming in literally crystal clear this AM on 154.235. I had no way of knowing where these folks were at- they only referred to street names, not towns.

Although the RRDB doesn't contain every agency/frequency out there, it contains a huge amount.

If, for instance, you hear traffic on 154.235 that you know isn't local and is some far off station, go to the RRDB search facility and type in the frequency under Frequency Search by State. Then add the PL/DPL if the transmissions were using a PL/DPL. See what comes up in the search, and see if that jives with what you were hearing.

You can select multiple states or you can tell it to give you a listing o 154.235 from every state in the DB.

RadioReference.com - Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference Database

Mike

 

[Sweetbritches]

Another way I use is accent like is it NC SC TN or sounding like OH or a western state or a northern like New England or New York plus the fcc data base alonmg with PL codes (not in Fcc data) and what areas seem to be open and i post it along with info and as seen in the 2012 posting above another user tells u from the info u supply. Also I post on my computer a skip log of stations I have heard and sometimes refer back to that list and keep a copy in my memory stick. Another thing I try to do is to know freq used a lot in other states like state wide com freq like VA is 39.54. On huighband skip it is much easier if u use one of the vhf maps hams post online

 

[n2ops]

ID'ing Distant Stations

I've used Google while receiving the signals by entering towns and other locations mentioned in the transmissions. Then I often wait a day or two and enter the same data along with the incident fire, chase, etc. to bring up news stories about the event.

 

[eriepascannist]

Mike... the DB search feature will probably be my first choice when trying to ID a freq, that should be very helpful. I also saw in another thread where a poster said after finding the suspected agency/location, he listened to the RadioReference feed covering that agency to see if the transmissions match.

Jim... Also a great idea! That could be difficult because street names are often duplicated from one location to another, and because routine traaffic would not call for a news article, but for major incidents that would be fairly reliable in conjunction with the DB search.

The radio at the time I was using doesn't have a PL/DPL display feature but if something like this happens again I'll fire up one of my other rigs and find out what it is to narrow down the search. (I'm sure there's tons of FD's on 154.235.)

 

[eriepascannist]

Oops... didn't realize freq search requires a premium subscription, which I don't have. Might it be worth my while to purchase one?

 

[nd5y]

The search box at the upper right corner of every page or FCC data search function at the bottom of the main database page are free.

 

[eriepascannist]

Found it, thanks. I'm still considering becoming a premium subscriber, not only for the advanced features but because I love RadioReference, think it's a great site, and wouldn't mind helping to support it.

 

[kruser]

Found it, thanks. I'm still considering becoming a premium subscriber, not only for the advanced features but because I love RadioReference, think it's a great site, and wouldn't mind helping to support it.

Seeing that you list the BCT8, 15X and PSR500, you could also take advantage of software programming directly from the database here by being a premium member.

I think the BCT8 is only supported by ARC8 which is a paid program by Butel.
The BCT15X should be supported by Freescan which is free as well as a few others that are paid programs and then the PSR500 can use Win500 by starrsoft which is also a paid program.
The few apps I mentioned will allow direct download right into your scanner if your are a premium member.

Being able to download directly from the database into your radios is a very neat feature. I wish there were more free programs like freescan though that worked with the GRE type radios.

As complex as todays scanners are becoming, it is worth the cost for the membership and software if you cannot find something like Freescan.
What I have in my PSR 600 and BCD396 and 996 radios would have taken me weeks or more to enter in by hand.
I do still enter some things by hand but usually I enter the info into whatever software I'm using and then save that as well as upload it to the radio.

So becoming a premium member here does have its advantages!

 

[kkn50]

Good ideas and all better than the old days of searching through microfiche.

 

[eriepascannist]

I'm blind and have to have someone punch in the freqs into my 15X and 500 as I rattle them off (the BCT8 is simple enough that I can do it myself, with surprisingly few errors.) It is very time-consuming, and frustrating for my poor sighted companion who is mindlessly punching numbers and has no clue what they mean... anyhow I think the online computer programming software would make the whole process so much easier. I think I'm going to go ahead with it, not only for that but also for the advanced freq searches and feed archives.