Looking for help setting up scanner

[JKS3613]

Would anyone in the Baton Rouge/Zachary area be willing to help me set up my scanner for this area? I have a Uniden bcd396 handheld. I last used it about 5-6 years ago but put it up when my local SO (Ascension) went encrypted. I tried to figure it out again but so much has changed that I am just lost. I would be more than willing to pay you for your time and effort. All I want to do is monitor Zachary PD and Fire.
Thanks

 

[JKS3613]

Ok, so after 229 views and no takers, lol, maybe someone can help me from this point. Here's my specific issue. I set up a "P25 System" and entered the control frequencies for the tower that I think is closest to my house. I then set up a talk group under that system and then entered the talk group ID's for what I want to listen to. The scanner says it is receiving data on the CC, but I never hear any audio. I have set up systems for every tower within 50 miles of my house with same result. I feel like I am close to getting it set up correctly, but obviously, I'm still missing something. Any ideas?
Thanks!!

 

[wtp]

i will start then

which radio is it the T or XT model ?

 

[JKS3613]

Thanks so much for replying! It's the T model.

 

[JKS3613]

Update: In the last hour I have received 2 transmissions on one of the TGID's I set up. Obviously, there should be more traffic than that, but at least I finally heard SOMETHING!!!!

 

[wtp]

is the firmware updated ?

3.02.02 is the latest, but if older may not matter.

 

[hiegtx]

Ok, so after 229 views and no takers, lol, maybe someone can help me from this point. Here's my specific issue. I set up a "P25 System" and entered the control frequencies for the tower that I think is closest to my house. I then set up a talk group under that system and then entered the talk group ID's for what I want to listen to. The scanner says it is receiving data on the CC, but I never hear any audio. I have set up systems for every tower within 50 miles of my house with same result. I feel like I am close to getting it set up correctly, but obviously, I'm still missing something. Any ideas?
Thanks!!

JKS,
I'm not in your state, but I'll give it a shot.

You say that you have a BCD396. Is that the first version, BDC396T, or it's replacement, the BCD396XT.

Are you using software? Or programming manually via the keypad. If you are using software (which program?), if you'll post your programming file, I'll take a look at it. To do that, you need to use a file type acceptable on the forums. But you can work around that.

[FONT=&quot]To upload your file, to the Forums, you must change the file extension to one acceptable per forum requirements. To do that, note where your file is saved on your PC.
Using Windows Explorer, find the file.
There are two ways to do this. You can either change the file extension itself, or compress the file using 7-Zip or other file utility. The *.zip file extension can be attached to a post and uploaded to the Forums.
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]In the instructions below, I am using the *.996 file extension, which is what FreeSCAN uses. If you are using something else, your base file extension may be different, but you need to rename it as noted below. ProScan files use a *.txt extension, so no renaming is needed. Be sure and note what program you used.
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] Alternate method: Using Windows Explorer, rename your file one of these two ways:
For illustration, let's call your exported file 'MyFile.996' (without the quotes).
<Right><Click> on the file & choose Rename from the pop-up menu.
You can then rename your file to MyFile.txt, or MyFile.996.txt in order to attach it to a post. Whoever views the file will need to reset the file name back to MyFile.996, then it can be imported into FreeSCAN for viewing.[/FONT]

Edit: I see you replied to wtp with the scanner model while I was typing.

 

[JKS3613]

That's what I have.

 

[JKS3613]

Thanks Steve, I appreciate your help! I have the BCD396T model running firmware ver 3.02.02. I have programmed it both via software, (ARC396), and manually. It was a year or so ago when I used the software and at that time I had both the ARC software as well as a subscription to RR and I had the same results. I have since misplaced the data cable (ordered another tonight) so I deleted the previous set ups and started from scratch manually tonight. The setup appears to be the same but as I stated, only two transmissions received in last couple of hours. I am even using a scanner antenna setup that I ordered last year when I tried to get this going. I'll look up exactly what antenna it is and post soon, but it receives aviation and wx stuff fine. Thanks again!!!

 

[JKS3613]

Here's the antenna I am using.

Indoor 700/800 MHz Yagi Directional Antenna with Desktop Stand
824-960, 13dBi, Terrawave Yagi Base Antenna

 

[JKS3613]

Need help setting up scanner.

Here's the ARC396 file I used last year. It is using the CC freq's from the Baton Rouge Simulcast site. The original ARC file ext. is mem.

 

[hiegtx]

Here's the antenna I am using.

Indoor 700/800 MHz Yagi Directional Antenna with Desktop Stand
824-960, 13dBi, Terrawave Yagi Base Antenna

Which way do you have your antenna aimed? Looking at the Simulcast site, it does not list the license assigned, so I can't see exactly where the sites are.

However, working backwards, searching the state database for a couple of the 800MHz frequencies, I see both a state license, and one for Baton Rouge, that list the frequencies. There's four transmit sites listed for each, and they are approximately the same, Look at this page, one of the state licenses:
https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?fccCallsign=WQNY598
Spot checking the 700MHz frequencies, those are not showing up on a specific license, so I can't verify whether they are on the same tower. (If a true simulcast, all should be on the same site with the 800MHz ones.)

If that's correct, I'd say your best tower for aiming your directional antenna is the one near 'Central' on the map. The other three, to your south, are in the same general direction, so aiming that way, you could get simulcast distortion from the three sites. I'd try ESE, toward the 'Central' site.

You are using that antenna indoors. Are you in an apartment, and so cannot use a rooftop antenna? If so, if your building has metal siding, or foil-backed insulation in the walls, that's going to attenuate your signal.

 

[JKS3613]

Dumb question: which way does the antenna receive from? Which orientation correlates with the best signal reception? Does it receive a signal best perpendicular to the antenna array? As of now, the antenna is inside of a house that has concrete cinder block walls. I can put it outside, or even on the roof if needed, but I have it inside now while trying to set everything up.

 

[JKS3613]

Another dumb question. When I enter new tower or site, can I just enter the the main CCs (Red and blue ones), or, do I need to enter all freqs listed for that site? Also, can I have the freqs for more than one site/tower under a system? (Still using the same talk group ids)
Thanks

 

[hiegtx]

Dumb question: which way does the antenna receive from? Which orientation correlates with the best signal reception? Does it receive a signal best perpendicular to the antenna array? As of now, the antenna is inside of a house that has concrete cinder block walls. I can put it outside, or even on the roof if needed, but I have it inside now while trying to set everything up.

Look at this picture, from ScannerMaster's site:
Terrawave T09100Y11206T Yagi Base Antenna | Scanner Master

The elements along the center beam of the directional antenna should be vertical.

As I noted, I'd suggest aiming East Southeast, towards that 'Central' location. If Simulcast is the problem, you need to try and get one tower only.

 

[hiegtx]

I imported your file into ARC396.

I'd suggest that you make sure the antenna is positioned properly, aimed as I suggested. I would also add all of the listed frequencies for the site, just in case there has been a control channel change not reflected in the database. Also, you might include a selection of the other talkgroups just for reference. Maybe the sheriff's office. I have seen notes that Baton Rouge itself went fully encrypted, but there's also some comments saying that was not correct. Don't know about your city or the S.O.

 

[JKS3613]

Will do! Thank you again for the help. I'll update tomorrow.

 

[hiegtx]

Will do! Thank you again for the help. I'll update tomorrow.

While it won't help you until you get your cable, I imported the simulcast site along with county TGIDs into ARC396.

I would make sure that the antenna is positioned correctly (vertical polarization), then aim it toward that site to your southeast & see what you get,

 

[hiegtx]

File

Here is the file. Your original system is there, labeled as LousianaWireles.
The second system is the imported one, with all of the site channels and TGIDs under East Baton Rouge Parish Public Safety.

The reason I included all of the talkgroups is so that you would have more chances to hear something. just in case your city was mostly being handled by the county S.O. All of the site frequencies are also included just in case the control channels in the database are not accurate.

 

[JKS3613]

Awesome Steve! I can't thank you enough. Setting it up now!!!!!