Has anyone had any success programming this system into a scanner? I am using ARC-XT to download from the RR database into my Uniden BCD996P2. I am getting a good strong signal from the system but it never locks into a control channel. Any suggestions?
Livingston County P25
- Thread starter rgemerson
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chrisdenker
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I've never used the 996, but had horrible luck with the 536 because of simulcast. Switched to SDS200 and it's miles better. You could try throwing more antenna at it.
See this thread:
forums.radioreference.com
That should help but the scanner will probably still have poor reception due to the simulcast, depending on your location.
Nothing received until analyze mode entered & exited?
Hi folks, Has anyone seen an issue where the 536HP will not receive anything from a system until you've gone into analyze mode and then exited it (FUNC+SYSTEM)? I'm only monitoring one system and it is in ID Search mode. For some reason it doesn't pick up any transmissions on the system after...
That should help but the scanner will probably still have poor reception due to the simulcast, depending on your location.
(Lima) I live at the end of Livingston county and the beginning of Monroe and Ontario county’s . Monroe being the strongest to the end of the county versus Livingston and Ontario simulcast speaking Monroe is stronger and clearer using the sds100 and sds200. The 536 I had did a good job but no where near like the sds does
tvengr
Well Known Member
If you would please attach your ARC-XT programming file for Livingston Co, I would be happy to check it for any problems. You will have to send the file to a compressed (zipped) folder to be able to attach it.
hatch97
Member
Sorry if I'm replying to a thread that's too old, but I'm having similar issues with receiving the Livingston County P25 system. I have an SDS200 and the signal seems passable but after trying for about a month I've yet to hear anything.
I'm at the south end of Monroe County about four miles north of the Livingston County line. I can hear the Genesee/Orleans system loud and clear, so it's a bit surprising that I'm not receiving Livingston.
I'm at the south end of Monroe County about four miles north of the Livingston County line. I can hear the Genesee/Orleans system loud and clear, so it's a bit surprising that I'm not receiving Livingston.
chrisdenker
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If you haven't gotten anything in a month, you're not going to, it's a pretty busy system. What are you using for an antenna? Make sure you have all the database updates, and service types enabled. What do you mean by passable signal? I'm a mile south of Monroe/LivCo border with an external omni antenna about 15 feet up, I get 5 bars and even with that still get warbling dropouts with SDS200 but it's about 80% readable.
The best way to troubleshoot reception problems with the SDS100/200 is to use the ANALYZE mode on the Main Menu. Run System Status. If you had the system selected, just press ENTER when it asks you to Input System name and it should show the system name under Select System. Press enter again if the correct system is highlighted.
It will should show system details and bar graphs for S, Q, and A. Q (quality) is most important, assuming you see a reading for S (signal strength). A indicates system activity. If you have weak S and Q then you are out of range and need to find a better location and/or antenna.
I find, in some directions, the Livingston signal does not extend much beyond the county line. I do get Genesee/Orleans in southern Monroe County with a SDS100 handheld at many locations. Livingston is marginal in the E River Rd area until almost to the county line.
It will should show system details and bar graphs for S, Q, and A. Q (quality) is most important, assuming you see a reading for S (signal strength). A indicates system activity. If you have weak S and Q then you are out of range and need to find a better location and/or antenna.
I find, in some directions, the Livingston signal does not extend much beyond the county line. I do get Genesee/Orleans in southern Monroe County with a SDS100 handheld at many locations. Livingston is marginal in the E River Rd area until almost to the county line.
Have you tried the various filter settings? May not help, but certainly won't hurt ....
hatch97
Member
I do have the latest database updates, firmware, etc. and the relevant service types are enabled. Since I only recently got the scanner I am currently just using the antenna that came with it. This is my first digital/trunking capable scanner so I wasn't quite sure what to expect.
As far as signal strength usually I will see 3-5 bars on the RSSI meter in the upper right hand corner of the display. In analyze mode the signal bar might reach 50% of maximum most of the time and there's no movement from the quality or activity bars at all. Occasionally signal will jump up higher, but quality or activity still don't move.
Based on what I'm hearing it appears I may simply be out of range. If the signal tends to be weak past the county line it sounds like a better antenna may not help much.
As far as signal strength usually I will see 3-5 bars on the RSSI meter in the upper right hand corner of the display. In analyze mode the signal bar might reach 50% of maximum most of the time and there's no movement from the quality or activity bars at all. Occasionally signal will jump up higher, but quality or activity still don't move.
Based on what I'm hearing it appears I may simply be out of range. If the signal tends to be weak past the county line it sounds like a better antenna may not help much.
That sounds like what I have experienced with a handheld SDS100 at a high location on E River Rd where I can see the Livingston Lacey Road tower in the distance but the received signal strength is low and unstable unless I move around to a few critical locations. Reception at that location of Genesee is solid and Orleans generally good, depending on where I stand, although Orleans signal strength is not great.
The Genesee Bergen tower puts a nice signal over much of SW Monroe County.
I find Livingston reception on a SDS100 handheld is generally very spotty in the W Rush area once you are north of Honeoye Falls #6 Rd.
The Genesee Bergen tower puts a nice signal over much of SW Monroe County.
I find Livingston reception on a SDS100 handheld is generally very spotty in the W Rush area once you are north of Honeoye Falls #6 Rd.
The Remtronix antenna is big step up over the stock Uniden antenna for the P25/2 system in Monroe county, I'm sure it would be an improvement for LIvingston county as well.
I use the Remtronix 800 antenna and it works better than the stock antenna on 450 as well as 700/800. Also not too bad on VHF, about equal to the stock antenna. But, it won't help for Livingston since the system is VHF. I have tried a dedicated VHF antenna (Laird EXH-155) and, while it brings the Livingston signal up a bit in Rush, the situation is still as I described.
I didn't realize that Livingston was VHF, I guess I should connect up my attic antenna to my SDS-200 and see if I can receive them with that. I looked at the system once but never checked site info.
Reception of Livingston is variable depending on location in Monroe County. I am in Brighton and can usually receive the CC but the SDS100 desense and selectivity problems breaks up reception of the voice channels especially if any Cobbs Hill VHF Fire or EMS transmitters are active. If you are not near any FM or TV transmitters or strong in-band VHF signals then SDS100/200 reception may be OK.
My 436 can receive the Livingston system here but can't handle the simulcast so the audio is mostly unreadable.
Handheld scanner reception of Livingston in the southern part of Monroe County is very spotty. In addition to what I reported in the Rush area, it can not be received in the Tractor Supply Co parking lot in Honeoye Falls (only a few miles from the Livingston County line) but it is good signal in the Eastview Mall parking lot.
My 436 can receive the Livingston system here but can't handle the simulcast so the audio is mostly unreadable.
Handheld scanner reception of Livingston in the southern part of Monroe County is very spotty. In addition to what I reported in the Rush area, it can not be received in the Tractor Supply Co parking lot in Honeoye Falls (only a few miles from the Livingston County line) but it is good signal in the Eastview Mall parking lot.
I'm on the west side and often go out into the Churchville, Riga, Caledonia area so I guess next time I will take the 100 and see if I can hear them in my truck. My 436 works great at times and other times it's terrible, I guess that's the simulcast so that's my current garage scanner.
hatch97
Member
Out of pure curiosity I've been playing around with some of the display settings on the scanner. Analyze mode doesn't report an RSSI value (or at least not that I can find) but if you go on detail view in scan mode and hold on the system/site you can get an indication that way. Best I ever saw on Livingston was a couple blips at -99. Most of the time it reported nothing at all, so it's safe to say I just don't get signal here.
After doing some more testing I found that I seem to receive Genesee/Orleans inconsistently, not necessarily "loud and clear" like I said in my earlier post. The signal is there but is pretty weak most of the time.
I have a better antenna on the way (not to try to pick up Livingston, that's looking like a lost cause). Eager to see what this can do with something better than just the stock telescoping job on the back of it.
After doing some more testing I found that I seem to receive Genesee/Orleans inconsistently, not necessarily "loud and clear" like I said in my earlier post. The signal is there but is pretty weak most of the time.
I have a better antenna on the way (not to try to pick up Livingston, that's looking like a lost cause). Eager to see what this can do with something better than just the stock telescoping job on the back of it.
I imagine Erie County is to far to receive this system?
In the right conditions, I've been able to pull in a weak CC, but definitely not strong enough to track. Its plausible with the right location, conditions and setup
hatch97
Member
Seems pretty unlikely. The Tractor Supply Company store k2hz mentions is only a couple thousand feet north of the Livingston County line and he can't even get it there, so I'd imagine Erie County is out.
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