LAPD (Harbor Division)

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GrandpaFrank

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Howdy folks, I'm new to scanning and I just picked up a Pro-96 scanner. I live in the Los Angeles harbor Area and I am real interested in picking up the LAPD Harbor Division frequencies. I also purchased the Win96 program and cable and Im still learning how to use it and name all my channels but I don't quite understand all the talk about tags etc.

Well, to make a long story short I am hearing talk on LAPD frequencies but I feel that I am missing a channel because sometimes someone will say something, then I hear no response, than I hear the other person say "ok,Thanks" or something to that effect. Here are the frequencies I have:

506.98750
507.1750
484.2875
506.7875
484.8750
507.2375
484.9500
506.7250
484.3375
506.9875
586.9500
507.0375
484.3125
484.7125
484.6625
484.7625
484.9875
487.8750

Can anyone who successfully monitors all of LAPD Harbor Div. let me know what I am missing? I look at the scanner frequency pages and it appears that I have them all. But like I said, I'm a beginner and there's plenty of action in my area. Any help is greatly appreciated. Maybe someone has a nice win96 file I can just load to my scanner?

Thanks All.
 

mdulrich

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In addition to the RR LAPD page http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?aid=37 check out Harry Marnell's LAPD Radio site http://harrymarnell.com/lapd-freqs.htm Try letting your scanner stay on 484.2875 and see if that doesn't help you hear all the traffic. When scanning a large busy system you will tend to miss some conversations as the scanner moves on to other conversations on different frequencies.

And welcome to Radio Reference!

Mike
 

GrandpaFrank

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Thanks Mike, I will do that, and also, I understand the frequencies that I am hearing are digital. Am I supposed to program them in some sort of digital mode, or does the scanner automatically figure it out? The reason I am asking is because when I hear a broadcast go out on a certain channel, the far top right of the screen displays DG which I am assuming means digital, then when someone responds on that same channel it will sometimes sound like fax data and the symbol switches to FM. Then it goes back to DG and I can hear them again. I should also note that I just upgraded the firmware to 1.4. I was previously using 1.2 and I don't think this happened.

Thanks again buddy!
 

Radio_Lady

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GrandpaFrank said:
Thanks Mike, I will do that, and also, I understand the frequencies that I am hearing are digital. Am I supposed to program them in some sort of digital mode, or does the scanner automatically figure it out? The reason I am asking is because when I hear a broadcast go out on a certain channel, the far top right of the screen displays DG which I am assuming means digital, then when someone responds on that same channel it will sometimes sound like fax data and the symbol switches to FM. Then it goes back to DG and I can hear them again. I should also note that I just upgraded the firmware to 1.4. I was previously using 1.2 and I don't think this happened.

Thanks again buddy!
Just program LAPD's frequencies in with their default mode, which is FM. I've tried all the software versions, and in general I use v 1.2. I seem to get the fewest dropouts with that, though the audio sometimes sounds a bit "digitally." What you're seeing and hearing is exactly what you suspect; when your scanner suddenly is unable to decode the digital signal, the DG disappears and the programmed mode (FM) is what displays.

Hot calls for nearby divisions will also be broadcast on Harbor's frequency, as will crime broadcasts from many - or even ALL divisions. Depending on the workload and staffing, Harbor is sometimes patched with Southeast Division. If you find yourself hearing a lot of "18" units in addition to Harbor's "5" units, that's probably what's going on, one RTO (RadioTelephone Operator - dispatcher) is handling both divisions.

You'll also want to keep Harbor's car-to-car "simplex" frequency programmed in, 484.875 (Ch 105), and probably the two South Bureau Tac frequencies, 507.0375 (STac 1, Ch 38), and 484.3125 (STac 2, Ch 39).
 
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GrandpaFrank

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Thank you very much for your explanation Radio_Lady! And thanks to hoser147 and mdulrich for your replies as well. This site has excellent people to help and I'm glad I found my way here. I am really starting to like this Pro-96 and I can not BELIEVE all the activity that happens in my area! There are some crazy people in this world.
 
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Inputting

Howdy folks:

The info. here was very helpful but I still have a question. When inputting the frequencies into my 396XT (using ARC-XT), should I be building a "new conventional system" or a "new truck system" using P25 system type w/ out any talkgroups?

I tried building L.A.P.D. in a "new conventional system" (using "mode FM", "audio digital", P25NAC 466) but only hear static.

Thanks!
 
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Yeah I see that too. Perhaps I'm inputting the data into my scanner incorrectly.

As I mentioned, when I use conventional system all I hear is static. Any tips how to resolve that?

Thanks.
 

kma371

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Yeah I see that too. Perhaps I'm inputting the data into my scanner incorrectly.

As I mentioned, when I use conventional system all I hear is static. Any tips how to resolve that?

Thanks.

You shouldn't hear any static if you have it set in digital mode. You might double check that.
 

inigo88

California DB Admin
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Turn the squelch up until the static stops (and no further)... The squelch knob (it's just a menu setting on the Unidens I think) acts like a gate that allows noise through to the speaker. If it's set too high, it will block legitimate radio transmissions from getting through. Too low and you'll hear background static all the time.
 

kma371

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Turn the squelch up until the static stops (and no further)... The squelch knob (it's just a menu setting on the Unidens I think) acts like a gate that allows noise through to the speaker. If it's set too high, it will block legitimate radio transmissions from getting through. Too low and you'll hear background static all the time.

If its correctly set as a P25 channel, there wouldnt be any static even if the squelch is all the way open on unidens.
 
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Thanks guys for the support and insight. I have crossed checked my inputs both in ARC-XT & the scanner itself. I can verify that I have digital correctly selected.

I should mention that the static only occurs on occasion. So the scanner will be scanning, stop on one of the freq., I hear static, and than normal scanning continues. It's almost as though it is picking up a transmission but unable to receive voice.

Thanks again.
 
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