HP Deaf on MECA and SAFE-T in Indiana

[suebabe]

Hi, I bought the Home Patrol and I am still learning to operate it and still getting it dialed in. I have it on an outdoor antenna and I have no problems getting traffi from Montgomery and Delaware Counties. ( I live nio Noblesville in Hamilton County)

However, I have not heard anything on MECA or SAFE-T frequencies and I am wondering what I can do to get them. I am considering replacing my outdoor antenna with the Radio Shack antenna they sell for $29.99. The antenna I am using had two elements knocked off over the years and I am sure that is affecting performance.

Looking for any suggestions on how to get these frequencies to come alice. I am only 12 miles from the Pendleton ISP post and the scanner was picking up MECA just fine with the basic antenna inside the store in Fishers from where it was purchased.

 

[DaveIN]

Welcome to Radioreference, suebabe. You may want to ask this question in the Indiana forum. MECA may have some dead spots where a directional antenna is needed. See this Wiki artical for additional information: Simulcast digital distortion - The RadioReference Wiki

 

[scannerfreak]

I moved this to Indiana. Dave, we'd rather a thread be moved than cross posted to another forum

 

[GTO_04]

It's going to be difficult to get good MECA reception north of Noblesville. An outdoor antenna should help some though. As far as SAFE-T, make sure you have the District 52 talkgroups programmed and that you are monitoring the Hortonville tower. I use the 396XT, 996XT and PSR-500 so would not be aware of any issues specific to the HP.

GTO_04

 

[VASCAR2]

It makes a big difference what type of coax you use if your trying to monitor 800 range frequencies. I had a 35' tower with a 10' pole with a Antena Specialist high low band antena. I was using RG 58 and saw little if no improvement over the supplied antena on 700-800 frequencies. I've read where RG6 cable like used with Dish network satallite or other TV application will work as a low cost alternative for 800 MHz. My tower took a powerful lightning hit and my scanner antenna was blown apart. Since then I placed an old magnet mount cell phone antenna in the window. It does surprisingly well on high band and 800 and will have to do for now. Only thing in my area on low band VHF are DOT and one utility company and I can still hear them on small cell phone antena.