Louisville Emergency Communications Network: MetroSafe - Discussion Thread

Alrib123

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I didn't know where else to post this but unfortunately due to many hardware issues I have to discontinue the MetroSafe call node. I will still run my feed for LFD and JCF but i hope someone could take this node over for me since my hardware has become super unreliable over the last few weeks.
I got a node up @ Broadcastify
 

Charlie1068

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Does anyone have any updates I’m starting to see more APX units in the wild all way down to the airport authority only XTS units I’ve seen are from EMS and a officer at SDF
 

Alrib123

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Does anyone have any updates I’m starting to see more APX units in the wild all way down to the airport authority only XTS units I’ve seen are from EMS and a officer at SDF
Still tons of XTSs out there so I expect it will be a while until the switchover to phase 2
 

ofd8001

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Still tons of XTSs out there so I expect it will be a while until the switchover to phase 2

I expect the big issue to be $$. While there are folks going to APX models (XTS models are getting on 12 years olds), I can see some foot-dragging until Phase 2 is heaped on them. I'm sure plenty of advance notice for budgeting will occur (as in at least a year).

Was talking to a guy who I trust this weekend and he says there isn't any public discussion about Phase 2 going on at present. (Louisville Metro doesn't get in a hurry. And there is a new administration coming in.)
 

kyscan23

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I am new to the Louisville area and trying to listen to the metrosafe system. I am using unitrunker and two RTL-SDR. I am new to simulcast systems. I am seeing really low signal on the control channel and only getting a 20 to 30 on the system health, anyone have any tips on how to get this signal better? Should I be using a different control channel frequency? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 

ofd8001

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It's all owing to which county you are in: Jefferson, Bullitt, Oldham or Shelby. Each has its own "group" of sites and thus own control channel. They are listed in the RR database.
 

ofd8001

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854.4875 is the current control channel (it's the primary and I've only seen alternates used very rarely). You should be getting a good signal coming from the old Blue Cross/Blue Shield building, which I think is the closest site to you.

Any chance there is some "foreign" signal causing a de-sense issue? I've seen weird things happen with appliances, leaky coax from cable TV stuff (though kind of ancient given modern digital stuff).

That's a downside to SDR computer scanning. It can be hard taking the set-up to a different location for trouble shooting purposes. (As in do you get the same issue elsewhere or just around home.)
 

kyscan23

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I have moved my antenna around as much as I can inside and outside trying to eliminate any interference but haven't had any luck, as you said cant really just pickup the computer and drive down the road :ROFLMAO:

I have tried both the old and new version of Unitrunker

I have a uniden BCD396XT but haven't had much luck getting it to work on the metrosafe system even as I drive around to different parts of the county. Im sure its something I am overlooking on that.
 

ofd8001

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As of March 14, 2023, Suburban fire districts have overhauled their unit numbers. So if you notice things sounding a little different. . .
 

msradell

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As of March 14, 2023, Suburban fire districts have overhauled their unit numbers. So if you notice things sounding a little different. . .
A little different would be an understatement! He used to be very easy to listen and know what apparatus for responding because the 1st 2 digits of unit signify the district it was coming from, the 3rd digit was the station and a laugh with type of apparatus. Now the system is very confused to say the least.
 

ofd8001

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Mostly this was driven by the merging of fire districts and a four digit numbering system didn't align with the larger PRP, Fern Creek and Anchorage/Middletown. At risk of being labeled an old has- been dinosaur who doesn't like changes, "they" probably could have massaged the old system. That said, a new CAD system was put into place that may have also been a factor.

An unintended/unforeseen issue has arisen as the new CAD won't accept four digit numbers. So there's a little issue with neighboring counties when they come in on mutual aid. They are scratching their hands on that.
 
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