Lubbock PD

[CSchuman]

Does anyone else have a problem listening to Lubbock PD? The reception is terrible, and often times the transmissions are very quiet, even on the live feed. I have a BCD396XT.

 

[Ensnared]

Does anyone else have a problem listening to Lubbock PD? The reception is terrible, and often times the transmissions are very quiet, even on the live feed. I have a BCD396XT.

I am of the opinion that the RR DB for Lubbock's P25, which is currently listed as phase II, is inaccurate, particularly after hearing you were able to monitor them with a Phase I scanner. I don't believe any of the talk groups are phase II.

At present, I am relying on the information of others. Yes, I have successfully monitored Lubbock PD with my Uniden 436 HP, very clear. However, if you are able to hear any Lubbock PD transmissions on their P25 trunking system, then this lends more support to my aforementioned contention.

I am curious. Are your hearing Lubbock PD dispatch on TG 20100? If you are able to hear them on this talk group with the radio you mentioned, then the "T" needs to be removed from the RR DB and replaced with a "D." I can't wait to hear your response.

If you are able to listen to Lubbock PD with your radio, you might be experiencing simulcast distortion.

Depending on your response, I might be spared from having to entering Lubbock city limits to find out.

 

[nd5y]

On a phase II system a talkgroup can be phase II or phase I.
The mode has to be listed as T in the database even though it might not be phase II all the time.

The system here in Wichita Falls is that way. Sometimes they are phase II TDMA and sometimes phase I. The same talkgroups. I don't know why.

 

[Ensnared]

Question

On a phase II system a talkgroup can be phase II or phase I.
The mode has to be listed as T in the database even though it might not be phase II all the time.

The system here in Wichita Falls is that way. Sometimes they are phase II TDMA and sometimes phase I. The same talkgroups. I don't know why.

How do you know whether you are hearing Phase I or II at the scanner level?

 

[nd5y]

How do you know whether you are hearing Phase I or II at the scanner level?

I don't know if phase II capable scanners display what mode is being received or if you have to program the talkgroups as I or II so as far as HP or Whistler goes I can't answer that.

I have a BCD396T that only receives phase I. If I hear something it's phase I.
If I don't hear anything but see control channel activity and/or see voice channel activity on another receiver at the same time then it's phase II.

Wichita Falls PD is 100% encrypted phase II but sometimes they revert to phase I for some reason and I get the R2D2 audio on the 396. The Fire Dept is clear and the dispatch talkgroup is phase I most of the time but sometimes I won't hear anything for hours because they will be phase II.

I don't know if this is because they have some phase I only radios that aren't on all the time or because of something not configured properly.

 

[mfn002]

I don't know if phase II capable scanners display what mode is being received or if you have to program the talkgroups as I or II so as far as HP or Whistler goes I can't answer that.

On 436HPs, Phase II TGs will have "PT" in the bottom right of the screen where the digital mode shows up. 536HPs show it next to the signal strength readout.

 

[Ensnared]

Thanks

On 436HPs, Phase II TGs will have "PT" in the bottom right of the screen where the digital mode shows up. 536HPs show it next to the signal strength readout.

Thank you so very much. I will now a point of reference when I travel to Lubbock to analyze the system.

 

[FireJustin]

I'm not able to speak for the live feed owner. My questions relate directly to your scanning experience.

-What are you listening to? EDACS or P25?
-Where are you located?
-What antenna are you using? Is it located indoors? Outdoors? etc.

Edit:
It is worth mentioning, Lubbock's P25 system is generally Phase Two. Rarely have I used or seen any radio in anything other than Phase II. For further analysis, my scanner sitting on the new system is showing a combination of PT0 PT1 and PT2 in the bottom right hand corner as indicated above. Not sure what the numeral after PT is for...

 

[Deadguy]

Edit:
It is worth mentioning, Lubbock's P25 system is generally Phase Two. Rarely have I used or seen any radio in anything other than Phase II. For further analysis, my scanner sitting on the new system is showing a combination of PT0 PT1 and PT2 in the bottom right hand corner as indicated above. Not sure what the numeral after PT is for...

I believe it stands for Phase Time.

I'm kinda new here so please be fair if I'm not 100% spot on...

Phase 2 operates on a 6.25 mHz bandwith. Phase 1 is 12.5 mHz. Since Phase 2 only uses "half" the 12.5 mHz channel, I believe that PT indicates which "half" it is using.

 

[Deadguy]

I found this on the "Easier to Read BCD436HP/BCD536HP Digital Scanner Manual"

Easier to Read BCD436/536HP Digital Scanner Manual

P25 appears if the channel is receiving digitalized voice in Receive/Hold Modes (Disp. Unit ID Off-BCD436HP only).

PT0 appears if the channel is receiving Phase II time slot 0.

PT1 appears if the channel is receiving Phase II time slot 1.
PX0 appears if the channel is receiving X2 time slot 0.
PX1 appears if the channel is receiving X2 time slot 1.
PRV appears if the channel is receiving ProVoice.
DMR appears if the channel is receiving DMR Tier I/II.
CAP appears if the channel is receiving a Capcity+ system.
CON appears if the channel is receiving a Connection+ system.
DT3 appears if the channel is a Tier III control channel.
S1/S2 appears to show slot assignment.

 

[FireJustin]

Thanks, fellas. I learn something new every day!

 

[Deadguy]

Just to clarify, I can personally attest that the Lubbock system is, in fact, Phase 2. I can see that on my 436.

Most likely this dude is monitoring the EDACS system which is analog. In Abilene they have an EDACS system that is both digital (Provoice) and analog. The analog transmissions are decidedly quieter than the digital...

This has been my experience in Lubbock as well...the EDACS system is much quieter than the P25.

Sorry to hear about your reception issues! I had the exact same issue with my 396 as well. I even bought a $30 800 mhz antenna for it...no improvement.

The 396 cannot follow the control channel on a phase 2 system. That being said...I can't say myself if a 396 will pick up a phase 1 talk group on a phase 2 system...my guess is that it won't because of the control channel.

Sorry I can't be of more help!

 

[nd5y]

The 396 cannot follow the control channel on a phase 2 system.

Yes it can. The control channel is the same for both phase I and II.

If you hold on the control channel on a BCD396T and watch the display you can see all talkgroup activity even though it can't receive phase II and ignores phase II talkgroups when scanning.

 

[Deadguy]

Cool! Well there you go! Thanks for the info! I misunderstood this:

"Phase I is 4800 symbols per second - where each symbol encodes two bits of data for a raw bit rate of 9600 bps. Phase II is 6000 symbols per second where each symbol encodes two bits of data for a raw bit rate of 12000 bps."

Either way. I'm still gonna bet that CSchuman is monitoring the analog EDACS system.

 

[twobytwo]

I received a Whistler TRX1 for Christmas to get Phase 2. I can barely get the control channel even outside on Phase 1. I have not received ANY phase 2 yet. Very disappointed in this radio. I know that others have had problems with the Lubbock system. The face plate had numerous scratches on it out of the box. I'm wondering if this radio was refurbished, the serial number is 1816. This seems low for a radio to be out this long if they are numbered consecutively. If some one has purchased a TRX1 recently how does your the serial number line up with mine?

I'll wait til Tuesday to see how the radio performs when there is more radio traffic.

 

[28056]

snip...


The system here in Wichita Falls is that way. Sometimes they are phase II TDMA and sometimes phase I. The same talkgroups. I don't know why.

If I understand correctly, if a phase 1 radio transmits on a phase 2 talkgroup, the system will revert all radios on that talkgroup as phase 1.


I was looking into that because I have heard that the new Mesquite/Garland system may have some old Mesquite PD radios going to utilities when the system goes live next summer. I never interact with cops but I see fire all the time and I know some of them are still carrying XTS5000 HTs (which can be flashed for phase 1).


I am likely rehashing old info, but I am new to the phase 1/2 game and have yet to buy a scanner. I have a couple of dongles that I need to get running first.

 

[FireJustin]

I received a Whistler TRX1 for Christmas to get Phase 2. I can barely get the control channel even outside on Phase 1. I have not received ANY phase 2 yet. Very disappointed in this radio. I know that others have had problems with the Lubbock system. The face plate had numerous scratches on it out of the box. I'm wondering if this radio was refurbished, the serial number is 1816. This seems low for a radio to be out this long if they are numbered consecutively. If some one has purchased a TRX1 recently how does your the serial number line up with mine?

I'll wait til Tuesday to see how the radio performs when there is more radio traffic.

I have pretty crappy reception with my 436, both in the house on the outskirts of town and different locations in the city. I have tried several different 800mhz antennas, nothing really seems to work. EDACS reception is fantastic pretty much anywhere I go, but for some reason the P25 system just doesn't hit my scanner well.

 

[CSchuman]

Sorry for ghosting the thread, but I read the rest of the replies. I am in fact listening to the EDACS system, and the reception is audible most of the time. However, if I'm driving around town, the reception is terrible ~~ completely clear, and 3 feet later, I lose the control channel.

So the moral of the story is, I need to but the 436HP to listen to the Phase II system? Is Lubbock broadcasting on both?

 

[Deadguy]

As of late 2016 the were still using the EDACS and the Phase 2 system. I had the EXACT same problem on the EDACS system...horrendous mobile reception!

I'll be there in a few weeks and let you know if that is still the case...

 

[CSchuman]

Awesome.

On a side note, how do you like the 436?