Lake Co Trunk

[Steveofcleve]

Have noticed alot of static/inability to monitor Lake Co trunked system for the few days. Noticed no changes in the RR database. Have there been changes in the trunked frequencies that have not been posted on the database? Thanks

 

[SCPD]

Now that you mention it I haven't seen a hit on the Lake County system since the 18th.

 

[Swipesy]

Now that you mention it I haven't seen a hit on the Lake County system since the 18th.

I have not heard them either so tonight I drove to Lake County and locked on their system with my PSR500 for 1/2 hour. All I got was the squelch would periodically open on different talkgroups but no voice was heard. Driving back to Geauga County I heard two voice transmissions but they were very weak. Obviously something has changed or they have major issues with their system.

John

 

[pirate6955]

i listen to the system daily for a lot of hours each day. i am not having any problem nor have i noticed any changes, nor made any changes in programing since i got the radio over a month ago. I'm using a psr-800
i'm in painesville.

 

[SCPD]

Mabe it's the leaves? I can't even hear a control channel signal anymore down here.

 

[pirate6955]

i have to head into work soon, but when i get out i should have time to drive out of the county a bit and see if i can still hear it ok. it will be after 10pm.

 

[Swipesy]

I did some further testing this morning and this is what I found.

The control channel 856.2375 is still in use

At Rt 306 & Rt 322 (Mayfield Rd) The signal strength on the control channel avg about 25%.

At Rt 306 & Wilson Mills Rd the signal strength on the control channel avg about 40%

At Rt 306 & Rt 6 the signal strength on the control channel avg between50% and 75%

My conclusion is that Lake has either cut its power back some more or redirected it signal to a more east/west direction or perhaps both. In any case in the corridor that I listen to the weak signal has caused the signal to drop out completely here in Southwest Geauga County.

John

 

[kc8rak]

I thought it was just me. It has gone quite at time's.

 

[rr1965]

I live in Madison and normally monitor Lake County FD traffic. I listened last night and did not notice anything out of the ordinary.

 

[SCPD]

Well I suppose Lake County residents can hear it ok if they're still on the air.

I'm in Summit County a far piece away. Reception here is normally somewhat marginal. Now it's non-existant.

 

[SCPD]

Today it's there working......

 

[Swipesy]

Today it's there working......

About a year ago, Lake County reduced their output power due to issues with their system inteferring with Canadian TV stations. Since that time, reception at my location has been spotty with hearing the system despite my YAGI antenna pointed right at their tower. As the crow flies I am about 16 miles from their tower, but due to terrain the only time I really hear the system is during heaving snow storms. Hopefully once they change over to their new system and the hooking up with the new MARCS P-25 system I will once again hear them.

On the other hand I am 25 miles away from the closest Summit tower and I can hear Summit. Radio signals can be quirky.

John

 

[scannerdaddy]

i will be in euclid 2-nite picking up my elderly mother and taking her to dinner with the rest of my family. she lives right by the lakeshore near east 250th. st. it is just a very short distance from willowick. i will take my pro-106 and park it on the lake cty. system. thanks again john.

 

[ONA73]

Ive heard from some friends on fire departments that they are having issues currently too on some of their channels.

They were told its due to new antennas being installed.

 

[Thunderbolt]

Ive heard from some friends on fire departments that they are having issues currently too on some of their channels.

They were told its due to new antennas being installed.

We had the same problem with one of our systems here in Michigan. I will bet you the antennas and transmitters need to be fine tuned. Hopefully, this will correct the problem. I know Lake County has been submitting a lot of license modifications to the FCC lately. This appears to be in preparation for their migration to Ohio MARCS Project 25 TRS. I suspect Geauga County will also follow suit.


73s

Ron

 

[Sportster77]

Ive heard from some friends on fire departments that they are having issues currently too on some of their channels.

They were told its due to new antennas being installed.

An article in this week's Lake County Gazette said that there was a mistaken part number used when the antennas were ordered and therefore the wrong antennas were installed. They got and installed 4 of the correct ones and changed the others back to the originals until thecorrect new ones come in in early May. Also some Departments were slow in purchasing the new radios and the system cannot be fully programed until all the radios are in .

 

[Swipesy]

An article in this week's Lake County Gazette said that there was a mistaken part number used when the antennas were ordered and therefore the wrong antennas were installed. They got and installed 4 of the correct ones and changed the others back to the originals until thecorrect new ones come in in early May. Also some Departments were slow in purchasing the new radios and the system cannot be fully programed until all the radios are in .

Thanks for posting this. It finally identifies the real issues with the Lake County radio system weak signals. I find it interesting that those responsible sort of pooh pooh the seriousness of the failure. I could barely hear Lake County Thursday evening while parked at Rt 306 & Mayfield road. I feel for our safety forces who have to rely on back office administrators who don't own up to major mistakes.

 

[wa8pyr]

I find it interesting that those responsible sort of pooh pooh the seriousness of the failure. I could barely hear Lake County Thursday evening while parked at Rt 306 & Mayfield road. I feel for our safety forces who have to rely on back office administrators who don't own up to major mistakes.

How do you know the system administrators are at fault? As a system administrator myself, I can firmly attest to the fact that suppliers sometimes ship or specify the wrong thing, and from reading the article that appears to be the case here. The system administrators are just as concerned with proper system functioning as first responders, especially since many of them are (like me) former first responders who have moved on to new positions.

Something else to keep in mind is that those very same first responders often blame "the system" when in fact the problem is caused by something totally outside the control of the system administrators, and that also appears to be the case here, where people are blaming poor coverage on "the system" when in fact no changes were made in their area.

Building out a complex system of this nature is bound to encounter some glitches. Don't jump to conclusions, and know all the facts before you unjustly malign someone.

 

[BusterCMH]

Thanks for posting this. It finally identifies the real issues with the Lake County radio system weak signals. I find it interesting that those responsible sort of pooh pooh the seriousness of the failure. I could barely hear Lake County Thursday evening while parked at Rt 306 & Mayfield road. I feel for our safety forces who have to rely on back office administrators who don't own up to major mistakes.

Wow.... Just Wow...

 

[Swipesy]

Sorry Tom but I cannot agree with you on this one.

First off the buck stops with the Administrator. In this case the Administrator knew up front that there was confusion on the part number between what Motorola provided and what the vendor was quoting. The Administrator should have made sure there was no confusion on what the correct part should be.

Second, when the antennas arrived, the Administrator should have rechecked with Motorola that the antennas were the correct ones. He did not and allowed the antennas to be installed without checking them out.

Lastly, when the users started to comment that the signal was weak and the problem was determined that the vendor sent the wrong antennas, the Administrator pointed fingers at the vendor. The buck stops at the administrators desk. He did not check and double check what he was responsible for providing.

As to whether or not I had all the facts, maybe not since you never can rely 100% on anything printed in a newspaper, but in this case I think it is pretty clear where the responsibility lies and that is with the Administrator and not the vendor.

John