Interesting Question/Help

[SFD57fire]

This might be kinda a novice question having to do with abilities to pick up certain frequencies, and outside factors that effect them. Bear with me, I am no expert, but I am curious about what is to blame for a problem I am having. I currently live in Somerville and have a Radio Shack Pro-2096. I am not able to pick up anything from FDs on along the route 22 east/Union County area. Such as Plainfield FD and what I am mainly looking for...Union County Fire Mutual Aid. They don't come in at all, not even really faintly. Even closer places like North Plaifield and Dunellen rarely come in. I have checked..the frequencies are correct and I have even tried using other scanners. I used to live in Franklin Township, even further away, and I had no problem picking up Union County Mutual aid channels, even on older crappy scanner models. I pick up my area in Somerset County until Middlesex Burough, then nothing east till Newark and NYFD which come in perfectly. Is there any idea why this happens or how to fix it? I am thinking it might be some outside natural factor like the Watchung mountains or something, but honestly I have no idea. I apologize if this is a stupid question, but I am stumpted.

 

[davidgcet]

if there is now a mountain range between you and the desired stations, and where you used to be it was not, then that explains it. radio signals don't bend around a mountain real good.

 

[SFD57fire]

Well not exactly...The area of question is along a mountain range to the north, but it is not beween where I am and the location anywhere from as close as 8 to 25 miles away.

 

[Tac-1]

If Union County Fire MA is what you want try receiving them over there patch on the the counties 800 mhz TRS the county has a tower on the watchug mountain you may have a line sight to the system from somerville

link to TRS info
Union County Trunking System, Union County, New Jersey - Scanner Frequencies

also try RR Live scanner audio feeds
Union County Fire Departments Live Scanner Audio Feed

 

[SCPD]

Out Side Antenna?

You just might be located in an "RF Hole". There is such a thing as "RF Holes" and or "Dead Zones" and it could be caused by many factors: terrain, elevation, surrounding structures, foliage, hills, mountains and ground soil composition i.e. iron pyrite a substance found in Jersey soil especially in the north that tends to absorb RF.

Have you considered an external antenna? That is if you are not living in an apartment/condo or community that restricts such items.

My 2 cents! Good luck in solving your receiver situation !

 

[fineshot1]

This might be kinda a novice question having to do with abilities to pick up certain frequencies, and outside factors that effect them. Bear with me, I am no expert, but I am curious about what is to blame for a problem I am having. I currently live in Somerville and have a Radio Shack Pro-2096. I am not able to pick up anything from FDs on along the route 22 east/Union County area. Such as Plainfield FD and what I am mainly looking for...Union County Fire Mutual Aid. They don't come in at all, not even really faintly. Even closer places like North Plaifield and Dunellen rarely come in. I have checked..the frequencies are correct and I have even tried using other scanners. I used to live in Franklin Township, even further away, and I had no problem picking up Union County Mutual aid channels, even on older crappy scanner models. I pick up my area in Somerset County until Middlesex Burough, then nothing east till Newark and NYFD which come in perfectly. Is there any idea why this happens or how to fix it? I am thinking it might be some outside natural factor like the Watchung mountains or something, but honestly I have no idea. I apologize if this is a stupid question, but I am stumpted.

Per the map it looks like most of those towns are right up against the martinsville ridge which is about
4 to 500 ft high if i recall correctly. i know there are several communications towers on top of that
ridge right in your vicinity and there may be paging transmitters on them so you may be
experiencing receiver desense on at least some of the desired freqs your trying to hear.

Have you tried the attenuator function yet to see if that clears up some of your receive problems?

 

[joshua86]

you could also try opening up the squelch a little more

 

[SFD57fire]

Thanks for all of the suggestions...I will try them out. I have tried adjusting squelch, no such luck. I will give a shot at the attenuator function, but if in fact I am in a "Dead Zone" I might just go with an external antenna. I also programed the Union County 800 mhz TRS, but according to the Union County Fire/EMS talkgroup details it seems I am out of range by about 6 miles or so...o well.

 

[Tac-1]

Guess the only thing left for you to do is put up a 125 foot tower in the backyard im sure everyone in somerville wont mind

 

[joshua86]

Guess the only thing left for you to do is put up a 125 foot tower in the backyard im sure everyone in somerville wont mind

Go with 200 ft just to be safe

 

[elk2370bruce]

While you're at it, mount stacked StepIR tribanders on top and you'll have a DXCC in no time

 

[rr60]

Your Terrain Blocked

Somerville is low in elevation, just to the east (view Google maps terrain) is the intersection
of Vossler Ave and RT.22.

Note the Watchung Ridge juts out and the elevation at that point is almost 200 feet!

Any transmitter on the Watchung Ridge east of this point and Mountainside you will not hear very
well. You are path blocked by terrain.

Any transmitter east of Vossler, along Rt 22 and south of it by a couple of miles will be difficult for you to hear. Most sites such as Plainfied FD do not have much elevation @ (100') or less..

If Plainfield was on a 300' tower you would hear them, but they are not!

You are in an RF hole. You need elevation for your antenna OR how about Radio Reference Live Audio links?