Is there an issue with Lake County? For the last few weeks I have heard little to nothing on my scanner (Uniden BCD996P2) prior to this I would hear Lake County all day/night long.
Lake Co. Indiana quiet?
- Thread starter OfficerJim
- Start date
I just re-downloaded everything using proscan, and to make sure everything is working, I opened the live audio here on Radioreference, I hear Lake County Sheriff here, but not on my scanner, guess I'll try again
Nothing has changed on LC. Still the same CC. The 996 is awful at receiving our system here but again if you were receiving it a few days ago and now you're not getting it, try relocating your antenna.
I provide a broadcastify calls feed for LCPS if all else fails.
I provide a broadcastify calls feed for LCPS if all else fails.
As I posted in another thread some time ago, (Lake Co. Indiana quiet?) And was given some suggestions, but I am having issues with Lake county public safety system again, I have a Uniden BCD996P2, I program with ProScan importing from RadioReference, after re-installing the system several times it worked, but then after a while I no longer hear Lake County Sheriff, but...I can hear fire dispatch just fine, I can't move my antenna, it's a discone fixed on a 30ft pole, any ideas? Can't afford to get a new scanner, yet, lol
VASCAR2
Member
I bet you are being affected by simulcast distortion. Depending on your location you might be able to use a directional antenna aimed at the closest or strongest site. If the signal is strong enough the more distant sites might be weak enough not to interrupt the data stream. Here is a link to the seven sites in Lake County. The address for each site is listed. I looked at each site on google maps and most of the antennas are mounted high which is great for hand held radios but really messes with the Uniden BCD996P2.
Your use of a discone antenna at 30 feet might be compounding the strong signal problem. The discone antenna is an omni directional antenna and will seek out the weaker signals. On a simulcast trunk signal there is usually very strong signal in the geographic area of the simulcast system. You might try using your BCD996P2 with the supplied antenna completely retracted and laying a low as possible to reduce reception. The change in atmospheric conditions can contribute to the scanner working then not working. I encounter this problem trying to receive digital TV signals which frequently change which stations I can receive.
Here is a link to a site to determine the RF pathway from two selected locations. You choose your location and the height of your antenna. You then enter the location of the Lake County antenna site and the antenna height. The graphic then shows if your scanner has line of site. This knowledge might be useful if you decide to try a directional antenna. A directional antenna pointed at the strongest antenna site might limit the interference from the other six sites. There are seven sites/antennas in the Lake County simulcast system.
www.scadacore.com
Your use of a discone antenna at 30 feet might be compounding the strong signal problem. The discone antenna is an omni directional antenna and will seek out the weaker signals. On a simulcast trunk signal there is usually very strong signal in the geographic area of the simulcast system. You might try using your BCD996P2 with the supplied antenna completely retracted and laying a low as possible to reduce reception. The change in atmospheric conditions can contribute to the scanner working then not working. I encounter this problem trying to receive digital TV signals which frequently change which stations I can receive.
FCC Callsign WQVX462 (LAKE, COUNTY OF)
FCC Callsign WQVX462 (LAKE, COUNTY OF)
www.radioreference.com
Here is a link to a site to determine the RF pathway from two selected locations. You choose your location and the height of your antenna. You then enter the location of the Lake County antenna site and the antenna height. The graphic then shows if your scanner has line of site. This knowledge might be useful if you decide to try a directional antenna. A directional antenna pointed at the strongest antenna site might limit the interference from the other six sites. There are seven sites/antennas in the Lake County simulcast system.
RF Line of Sight - SCADACore
RF Line-of-Sight provides radio path information for mapping long distance SCADA radio communications by using antenna height and topography.
www.scadacore.com
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VASCAR2
Member
Site 5 on the lake County system is a guy wire antenna at 16140 Grant Street, Indiana SR 55 north of Lowell. Looking at google maps street view it appears the 800 MHz antennas are about 100’-150’. Depending on your location aiming a low mounted directional antenna at that antenna site on SR 55 might help reduce the simulcast distortion from the other sites which are all further north.
Thanks for the responses, I live in Lake Village, I'll look into getting a directional antenna, I just thought it was strange, when I moved here over a year ago I was receiving Lake County with no problems, it's only since around April I started having issues, Thanks again.
Here's another stupid question, if I buy a directional antenna (Yagi) and point it towards Lake County, will I lose the ability to hear Newton County? right now I hear them just fine, their dispatch center is in Kentland about 26 miles south.
VASCAR2
Member
There is really no way know till you try. You might use the line of site RF line of sight signal strength web site to see how your locations relates to other towers you want to receive.
The higher the frequency the more the signal is obstructed or absorbed by foliage. When the trees are full of leaves and crops are tall in the worse signal strength for 700/800 MHz radio signals. It is entirely possible the lower height antennas north of Lowell on SR 55 is having it’s signal strength reduced to where higher elevation antennas are less obstructed and causing more simulcast distortion.
I would try using the supplied BCD996P2 antenna first to see how it works before buying a Yagi. You might be far enough south your scanner might still get Lake County but still pick up good enough on Newton County with the pull up antenna.
Some times you can drive to different areas to get an idea of signal strength with your scanner. I found for me in my location I put an old magnetic mount cell phone antenna in my window which gets good reception on VHF high band and 700/800 MHz.
Remember for long distance coax runs you need low loss coax for 700/800. The particular coax can make a difference in signal loss. Trying to deal with simulcast distortion an RG58 cable might reduce the trunked simulcast 700/800 signal strength but still have good signal strength on VHF and UHF.
The higher the frequency the more the signal is obstructed or absorbed by foliage. When the trees are full of leaves and crops are tall in the worse signal strength for 700/800 MHz radio signals. It is entirely possible the lower height antennas north of Lowell on SR 55 is having it’s signal strength reduced to where higher elevation antennas are less obstructed and causing more simulcast distortion.
I would try using the supplied BCD996P2 antenna first to see how it works before buying a Yagi. You might be far enough south your scanner might still get Lake County but still pick up good enough on Newton County with the pull up antenna.
Some times you can drive to different areas to get an idea of signal strength with your scanner. I found for me in my location I put an old magnetic mount cell phone antenna in my window which gets good reception on VHF high band and 700/800 MHz.
Remember for long distance coax runs you need low loss coax for 700/800. The particular coax can make a difference in signal loss. Trying to deal with simulcast distortion an RG58 cable might reduce the trunked simulcast 700/800 signal strength but still have good signal strength on VHF and UHF.
VASCAR2
Member
There is a Safe-T site near Morocco in Newton County which is about 13 miles from Village Lake and you should be able to pick that site up with a pull up antenna on your scanner. I really think experimentation is the key if you have the time and interest to try different options. I know some people use a cheap Uniden scanner to monitor VHF and local traffic and use their digital scanner for trunked systems. I think for users who like to listen to air band and VHF fire the cheaper analog scanner is another option.
Hit_Factor
Member
Point it in the direction that works. Don't decide now what direction you'll point it, you have 360 degrees to work with. The null of a Yagi is just as useful as the gain.
Buying a Yagi is not a simulcast fix, it's a work around
You could buy a simulcast compatible scanner and eliminate the problem. Use your current scanner for the other system you like to monitor. Or sell the current scanner and just use a SDS for everything.
Personally, I would use a unication pager for Lake County and your current scanner for everything else.
I think I may have come to the conclusion it might be the scanner, without having done anything other than reprogram I have heard dispatch a couple times today.
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