Louisville Metrosafe

[ledzep11]

Anyone know what happened to the live feed for Metro PD? It's been down for a few days.

Word on the street is Ron had it yanked because people were using smartphones to monitor the police while mobile, which is unlawful.

 

[ofd8001]

Louisville MetroSafe has received a Homeland Security grant to build a 13th site. This site is located at, I believe, the LG&E Millcreek facility on Dixie Highway. This additional site was constructed so as to improve coverage in southwest Jefferson County.

There was a carefully planned and well executed, process to briefly take the 800 trunked system down earlier this morning to "activate" this new site.

I also understand that additional sites will be constructed to extend coverage into Oldham, Shelby and Bullitt counties in the near future.

 

[Drewstang]

Will any programming be required to "hear" the 13th site?

 

[ofd8001]

No programming changes are needed.

 

[Drewstang]

I haven't noticed any better reception or clarity from the added site. I've tried adjusting some settings with no luck. I need to find the updated groups also. Anyone local willing to help?

 

[ofd8001]

I'm thinking the intent behind the new site was to improve system talk-in for portable radio users in the southwest area.

While this might be helpful to you and I while in our responder roles, it may not be when we're listening to a scanner back home. It possibly could be just the opposite due to the simulcasting challenges faced by scanners (receiving more than one site) and the resulting garble.

Have you tried turning on the attenuator, or using an antenna that is NOT efficient? Sometimes with these simulcast systems the trick is to get your scanner to where it hears just one site. A Yagi antenna pointed to the closest site to you may be helpful.

The groups listed in the database appear to be fairly up to date. I've heard rumors about the sheriff's office migrating over to MetroSafe. There might be some additional talkgroups created that come as a result of that.

 

[Surfer240]

Bcd396xt

Pro-96 was just unusable on the new P-25 system, too much garbled speech.
Ordered a BCD396XT , should be here to-day
now to learn a new programming program for this scanner..
going to try Freescan to see what it has to offer, since all I need is the
programming feature.

 

[Drewstang]

I used FreeScan and it worked but I couldn't figure out how to get it to trunk. It would scan the frequencies in the DB, but wouldn't lock onto groups.

OFD, I tried turning on the Attenuator on but that made it worse. I'll order a Yagi and see if that helps. I plan to move the 996XT into my Explorer and buy a Home Patrol for the house so I'll have to retune for a mobile setup I'm sure.

 

[evanlallen]

OK guys...I haven't owned a scanner since all the digital upgrades and I'm looking to get back into listening. Any suggestions on a scanner that works well in the Louisville area? My main interest is LMEMS. I'd like it to be at least moderately portable, but not necessarily a handheld. Also, I guess it goes without saying, since I'm new to the digital age, I'd like one that doesn't require a degree from MIT to program. I am fairly decent with technology however. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[evanlallen]

OK guys...I need a scanner for the Louisville area. Reasonably priced, somewhat easy to program, moderately portable. Suggestions?

 

[Surfer240]

OK guys...I haven't owned a scanner since all the digital upgrades and I'm looking to get back into listening. Any suggestions on a scanner that works well in the Louisville area? My main interest is LMEMS. I'd like it to be at least moderately portable, but not necessarily a handheld. Also, I guess it goes without saying, since I'm new to the digital age, I'd like one that doesn't require a degree from MIT to program. I am fairly decent with technology however. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Sorry ..
Afraid your SOL on the LMEMS listening, all the EMS talkgroups are encrypted now.

And if you are going want a low priced digital scanner there too, SOL unless you want to take a chance
of a second hand unit, that may or may not be useful in the multi-site jungle..
I know that where I live in the county , the Pro 96 is now nearly useless , due to my location
near 3 of the transmitter sites. too garbled most of the time.
Going try a BCD396 and see what can be done with it..

 

[Surfer240]

Looks like the scanners will get a workout for several days around here..
Already hearing much traffic from the wreck site..

 

[BigDog-911]

Yeah, the Mutual Aid channels and the county fire channels are quite busy this morning. Just brought up the KyEMA channels as well but have trouble hearing them in the box I'm in today

 

[Surfer240]

396XT and 996XT users/owners take note:

The newest firmware updates for these scanners change the MetroSafe P-25 audio from so-so to the Superman of scanners! I have updated 3 of them over the last 2 days (testing for negative side effects!), and look to do another 20-30 tomorrow. The 3 that I did have impressed me like no other. I found that the sweet spot for the "P-25 Adjust Mode" in southern Okolona is 15, "P-25 Adjust Level" should be at 50 to allow it to be automatic. Adjust the Mode to around 11, check the error rate (396 it's [function], press down on knob, [function], press down on knob. 996 it's [function], press in on volume knob), and adjust the Mode if needed. I was able to see error numbers as low as 3 (much better than the 50+ before the firmware update) earlier today, as well as much more consistency stopping on an active talkgroup.

If you need any help doing it, contact me. You probably won't need to though, the website has incredible instructions, taking any guess-work out of the mix.

396XT 1.10.00 BCD396XTFirmwareUpdate < UnidenMan4 < TWiki
996XT 1.06.00 BCD996XTFirmwareUpdate < UnidenMan4 < TWiki

Thanks for that Lee, got so sick of the PRO-96 garbled audio, ordered the BCD396 and applied the
firmware, with the settings. you posted
Much better , the audio is 95% clearer at my location.
Just having to learn a new programming system, and understanding the features. of the new scanner.
much different..
but learning, it is possible to teach an old dog , new tricks.......

John

 

[LouisvilleScanMan]

Thanks for that Lee, got so sick of the PRO-96 garbled audio, ordered the BCD396 and applied the
firmware, with the settings. you posted
Much better , the audio is 95% clearer at my location.
Just having to learn a new programming system, and understanding the features. of the new scanner.
much different..
but learning, it is possible to teach an old dog , new tricks.......

John

Wish I had the $$$ to do that, I'm stuck with my POS Pro-96.

 

[Surfer240]

Wish I had the $$$ to do that, I'm stuck with my POS Pro-96.

I don,t really the $$ for it either, but the Pro-96 is old and well worn & with the 13th site adding to the garble
it got so bad, nothing helped, antenna , attenuation etc:
another old firefighter was looking to buy a new scanner, and I told him I,d check out the reviews
and try one, if he like this one , I,ll sell it to him and buy another for myself. If not, then I;ll just keep this one.
either way, its a real improvement , just confusing, to learn...

looking at some other .996 files to see what I can learn about the programming
with all the radio traffic at the wreck site, its helping the learning curve..

 

[LouisvilleScanMan]

either way, its a real improvement , just confusing, to learn..

Yeah, why do the scanner designers think they have to reinvent the wheel with every new model?

 

[Surfer240]

Yeah, why do the scanner designers think they have to reinvent the wheel with every new model?

Guess, its the same reason the radio manufactures change the systems .
to get more money for what they produce..

I,m going to hate having to learn Windoze 8 when it comes time to replace my computers.
didn,t like 7, would not run any of my DOS based time proven programs..

But its live & learn...

the Uniden is starting to fall into place.. only took a week to get this far..

 

[Surfer240]

Hearing some strange traffic on talkgroup 2 along with the normal LMPD dispatch, and cars numbers hearing what sounds like the sheriffs office serving warrants, (with odd unit numbers)

also FWIW:
new BCD396XT scanners are being delivered with the latest firmware 1.10.00 installed
so no upgrade is required . good to see they are stocking & shipping the latest version..
( direct from Uniden anyway )

much , much better audio decoding over the Pro-96 and even the Pro-106

 

[nofdexplorer406]

I work with a North-field officer and he said in November that SO and all Small city departments were switching so what your hearing may very much so be the SO/Small Area Group