Loudoun County's new radio system

[firefighter606]

New loudoun County Radio System

Yes I have as I originally posted. When the APX is keyed up on any other system the frequency counter dispalys the transmitting frequency. It does not display anything when keyed up on any of the law enforcement talkgroups now being used on the Loudoun County system.

can we buy a new scanner so we can hear the police and everything else

 

[mike_s104]

You need to program two separate systems.

On your existing 3600 system REMOVE 868.050 as one of the control chs and make sure you have 868.775 programmed as a control ch.

Set up a new system with the 868.050 as the control ch and enter the new TG's into that system.

3600 CC = 868.775
9600 CC = 868.050

The 868.050 is too weak for me to get a good decode. (I have plenty of signal on 868.775.) Therefore, I can't try the above suggestion, but in theory it should work.

Using a RS 800MHz antenna, I was able to receive the 868.050MHz CC if I moved into the bathroom (go figure). You're theory seems to be dead on. Freqhopping curtaining nailed down a lot of the details of the system quickly.

This just sucks. You can see the TGs that are active but can't hear anything. Kinda like having a DVD that has a DTS audio track and a receiver that can't...you know its there but you can't hear it.

 

[mike_s104]

The new system seems to be able to monitored this morning. Sounds like TGs 2801 & 2805 are East and West channels.

can we buy a new scanner so we can hear the police and everything else

If the new system is going to be 100% TDMA, there are no scanners currently that can monitor a TDMA system.


Has anyone submitted the new system to the RRDB?

EDIT: So far if I hold on the CC I can see TG 2827 and I'm only guessing that its Leesburg PD and 2832. Heard a mic key on 2872.

 

[freqhopping]

2801 Sterling Channel
2802 Sterling car to car
2805 Dulles Channel
2872 Has sounded like testing, I heard Wagon-5 mentioned last night

 

[rirri]

Those of you who actually hear traffic, what radios are you using? With my 396 I can hold on the control channel, see the system ID, and hear motorboating. Holding on a voice freq I can see an occasional "LNK", but hear nothing. Am I SOL?

 

[mike_s104]

Those of you who actually hear traffic, what radios are you using? With my 396 I can hold on the control channel, see the system ID, and hear motorboating. Holding on a voice freq I can see an occasional "LNK", but hear nothing. Am I SOL?

I'm using a 396T with firmware v3.01.00. If I hold on the CC, I don't hear anything either. I think there's more traffic going on then what we're hearing. I don't have UniTrunker running at work so I can't help in that area.

2801 Sterling Channel
2802 Sterling car to car
2805 Dulles Channel
2872 Has sounded like testing, I heard Wagon-5 mentioned last night

Can you see with UT more traffic than we're hearing? I hope Uniden has a firmware update for this for the x96Ts and x96XTs, but 1 of the 4 would be good too. I'm not holding my breath for any of them. Let’s just say if there was a scanner tomorrow that would work; I'd have it ordered by tomorrow night.

 

[rirri]

I was wandering around the house and finally picked up TG2801 so it would seem I *can* hear the new system at least some of the time. The signal is a bit weak so it may be time to invest in a roof antenna.

 

[mike_s104]

I was wandering around the house and finally picked up TG2801 so it would seem I *can* hear the new system at least some of the time. The signal is a bit weak so it may be time to invest in a roof antenna.

Last night when I was at home I heard nothing but saw the TGs when I was holding on the CC; I had maybe 1 bar. Once I got almost to Loudoun, I was able to hear a few TGs.

 

[leonzo]

I put the system in my scanner. The only talkgroup I receive is 2801 which sounds like what is now called Sterling dispatch. With the APX radio I am hearing a lot more traffic and I am not quite figuring out why only talkgroup 2801 is the only one I am receiveing.

 

[rfburns]

Can you see with UT more traffic than we're hearing?

There is a lot of data. Data is primarily on 867.075, 867.325 and 868.9125. 867.325 also carries the most voice traffic. It looks like there are some Phase II sync packets being broadcast.

I'm using a PSR-500 and PSR-600. I didn't hear anything on the new system on my 996T while driving around this morning. I'll have to check the programming.

I expect the current power level of the new system will stay where it's at. It's much easier to get a simulcast system to play nice when you keep the power down and don't have overlapping coverage. The problem it poses is having enough coverage outside the county such as for moving surveillances or for Deputies who have take home cars and live out west around Stephens City. So the question is, will they keep a 3 or 4 channel high power zone with fewer sites (such as Bull Run Mtn) to provide the out of county coverage.

 

[mike_s104]

I put the system in my scanner. The only talkgroup I receive is 2801 which sounds like what is now called Sterling dispatch. With the APX radio I am hearing a lot more traffic and I am not quite figuring out why only talkgroup 2801 is the only one I am receiveing.

Are you able to tell us what all you're hearing? Do you have an idea of the various channels/TGs?

Anyone think its possible that the 2 TGs were able to hear are like that because there are other agencies that need access to those and don't have the newer equipment?

 

[JESSERABBIT]

From my location, the signal is barely readable on the, what I believe, is law enforcment (new system).
tg 2801 and another that I cannot remember. Nothing yet to indicate that Leesburg is using it at this time. BTW am using Pro-96 until I can get the Pro-106 programmed up and running.

 

[mike_s104]

From my location, the signal is barely readable on the, what I believe, is law enforcment (new system).
tg 2801 and another that I cannot remember. Nothing yet to indicate that Leesburg is using it at this time. BTW am using Pro-96 until I can get the Pro-106 programmed up and running.

I did hear Leesburg dispatch on the old system at 0605 yesterday to switch to the new radios. After that, I didn't hear anything from Leesburg PD

 

[rfburns]

It looks like 4 of the new chs have 2 TDMA slots. 866.55, 867.075, 868.9125 and 867.325.

Purcellville PD has been on UHF a lot since yesterday, but maybe that is normal.

 

[freqhopping]

Anyone think its possible that the 2 TGs were able to hear are like that because there are other agencies that need access to those and don't have the newer equipment?

That's pretty likely since I did actually hear a Fairfax Sheriff deputy pass some info on 2801 last night.


I can listen on my 396XT and PRO-106


Based on the hits I've logged with UT, I think TG 2844 is Leesburg.
2845 Leesburg Ch3
2806 is probably Dulles car to car.
2823 possibly the jail.
So far I'm up to 83 talkgroups and 411 users.

The Dulles channel has been a lot more active on the audible channels today than it was yesterday.
1650- I can now confirm 2844 being Leesburg Dispatch with RID 1313 as the dispatcher. Heard her call unit 807.

 

[mike_s104]

That's pretty likely since I did actually hear a Fairfax Sheriff deputy pass some info on 2801 last night.


I can listen on my 396XT and PRO-106


Based on the hits I've logged with UT, I think TG 2844 is Leesburg.
2845 Leesburg Ch3
2806 is probably Dulles car to car.
2823 possibly the jail.
So far I'm up to 83 talkgroups and 411 users.

The Dulles channel has been a lot more active on the audible channels today than it was yesterday.
1650- I can now confirm 2844 being Leesburg Dispatch with RID 1313 as the dispatcher. Heard her call unit 807.

Did you actually hear TG 2844?

 

[freqhopping]

Did you actually hear TG 2844?

Yeah.

Seems the Dulles channel is back to not being heard. 2872 is active again with testing or whatever, lots of echoing going on.

 

[mike_s104]

Yeah.

Seems the Dulles channel is back to not being heard. 2872 is active again with testing or whatever, lots of echoing going on.

this sucks. it really sucks for the people, like yourself, that live there and listened as a hobby. I just miss listening while working at my desk. I can't count the number of times it saved me from being in traffic for hours or the times I've saved people at work from the same thing.

I guess there's not much we can do about it other than wish and hope Uniden or GRE get something out. Its probably a good thing it happened before Christmas and people got shiny new digital scanners to listen to Loudoun.

 

[byrddog27]

at the rate they're going, there probably will be a scanner out to do it.

is the scanner that i have wont work with the new radio system with loudoun county

 

[mike_s104]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 8.12; MSIEMobile 6.0) 480x800; XV6975; Window Mobile 6.5 Professional

at the rate they're going, there probably will be a scanner out to do it.

is the scanner that i have wont work with the new radio system with loudoun county

to be to the point, no. there just isn't a scanner produced that can monitor a TDMA system. At this time, I don't know if we really know what kind of system it really is.