MHP Polson

[emtbls1987]

Anyone know what frequency MHP uses in Polson and south area. I’ve had 154.785 in my radio but haven’t heard anything.

 

[jjwhite29]

I believe they are on the Montana P25 system.

 

[emtbls1987]

I listen to big arm site and nothing

 

[jjwhite29]

Is that the only site you get from your location I would try listening to every active site in your area. I pick them up all the way over here in Philipsburg at times they bounce off Conoco Mountain for me. But I know they do all operations on the P25 system in that area.

 

[emtbls1987]

Is that the only site you get from your location I would try listening to every active site in your area. I pick them up all the way over here in Philipsburg at times they bounce off Conoco Mountain for me. But I know they do all operations on the P25 system in that area.

You hear MHP from Polson area ?

 

[jjwhite29]

You hear MHP from Polson area ?

Yes not always but at times I here them on 93 other day we where picking up a pursuit North of Kalispell. I have not been that direction in awhile but from what I understand they are on the Montana P25 system. Maybe I should make a trip that direction soon I would like to help you figure out what is going on up there.

 

[aprswatcher]

I listen to big arm site and nothing

What type scanner do you have? Is it P25 compatible? What type software are you using to program?
If it is P25 compatible, you should be able to add some of the MPSCS sites, check for control channel signal, keep only those you receive well.
The RR database has the talkgroups for MHP in Kalispell.
73, Rex

 

[jjwhite29]

What type scanner do you have? Is it P25 compatible? What type software are you using to program?
If it is P25 compatible, you should be able to add some of the MPSCS sites, check for control channel signal, keep only those you receive well.
The RR database has the talkgroups for MHP in Kalispell.
73, Rex

Yes it would help if you could answer this would help anyone to figure out how to help you.

 

[mtnlion]

In the Mission Valley I hear them on 154.785 whenever there's an incident along 93. Sometimes on 155.445. I can also pick up 154.665 out of Missoula.

It's been a while since I monitored MHP on the trunked system. When I did, I seldom heard anything.

 

[jjwhite29]

So did you figure it out than are is that what you use to hear them on. I do know 154.665 is still in use but they have been doing some P25 for Missoula on Talk Group ID 819. Couple of weeks ago they worked a wreck in Granite County on 819. I still to this day get Kalispell on the trunked System. Not sure about the other frequencies.

 

[mtnlion]

Well, I know I can hear them on those three frequencies. Give it a try. Sometimes the audio is analog, sometimes digital, and sometimes the digital is encrypted.

If I have time tomorrow I'll listen to the trunked system again and report back.

 

[jjwhite29]

I'm just curious why if live in those areas your not listening to the Montana P25 system.

 

[mtnlion]

I'm just curious why if live in those areas your not listening to the Montana P25 system.

Like I said, when I have listened to it I hardly hear anything. I hear more traffic on the old simplex frequencies. Besides, when I'm at home I usually just listen to local sheriff and fire.

At home, I listen with an SDR most of the time. It was by watching the waterfall display that I noticed those MHP frequencies were still in use.

My Uniden scanner with trunking capability usually stays in my truck. I finally found the power cord for it this morning, so when I have some time I'll monitor the P25 system and see what I can hear.

 

[mtnlion]

jjwhite, how do you have your scanner programmed for the P25 system? I don't know how to program these trunked systems manually, so I downloaded the programming from RR and uploaded it to my scanner with FreeScan. I listened for over an hour and heard nothing. When I listen to the conventional frequencies, I hear plenty of traffic. Is there more configuration required beyond simply downloading the system and programming it to the scanner?

I don't know if I'm doing something wrong, but I have programmed and listened to other trunked systems before without any problems.

 

[aprswatcher]

Since living in MT I have always programmed my scanners manually for all the systems either P25 or conventional, using software. Either EZ scan, Sentinel or Proscan. The database here on RR isn’t always up to date.
Check to make sure you imported the correct frequencies for the P25 tower sites and talkgroups.
You can always use “analyze “ if you get a good control channel (cc), then use the “discovery” feature to get talkgroups.
Hope this helps.
73, Rex

 

[jjwhite29]

I program mine through Sentinel or ARC. I found what active control channels are available and lock the other sites out when I'm at home. When I travel I use a GPS and let it control the sites it downloads. At my house here I scan Stonewall, Conoco and Belmont. I receive Lewis and Clark County here in Philipsburg like I live in Helena 95% of the time I get most of that traffic off Stonewall. I get my MHP traffic on Conoco. I did hear Kalispell MHP couple times today. I also get Great Falls Fire and Ems, Gallatin Co, and Jefferson County at times and Flathead County. But Lewis and Clark and MHP Helena and Butte I get most of the time. I have not been up in Flathead for a couple of years so not sure what I might get in that location.

 

[mtnlion]

aprswatcher and jjwhite29, thanks for the replies. My scanner is a BCD996xt that I programmed with FreeScan. Last night I played around with setting up P25 systems, and I think I've got the hang of it. What I have programmed in my scanner matches the database exactly, as far as I can tell. But if the database is incomplete or inaccurate, I don't know how I'd find the correct info.

You can always use “analyze “ if you get a good control channel (cc), then use the “discovery” feature to get talkgroups.

I'm not familiar with those features, could you elaborate? I couldn't find any reference to them in the manual for my scanner.

I downloaded ProScan and messed around with it a bit, but it doesn't seem to offer anything that FreeScan doesn't, at least for this particular situation. I looked up Sentinel and it looks like it's only for a couple specific models of Uniden scanner?

I monitored the Big Arm and West Polson sites for over an hour yesterday, and heard nothing. The scanner shows a strong signal from the control but I receive no transmissions. I'll use my SDR to poke around the spectrum and see what control channels are active here. Other than that, I don't know what else to try.

 

[aprswatcher]

The 996XT doesn’t have the “analyze or discovery “ feature, the newer 436/536 HP and the SDS100/200 have this, sorry.
Set the 996 up for “ID search”, it’s like a wildcard, any Talkgroup will show up on the sites your monitoring. If it is on “ID scan” then only talkgroups programmed will show, No wildcard talkgroups.
Keep monitoring, something is bound to show up on the sites.
Sentinel is for the newer Home Patrol I & II, 436/536, and the SDS series.
73, Rex

 

[mtnlion]

The 996XT doesn’t have the “analyze or discovery “ feature, the newer 436/536 HP and the SDS100/200 have this, sorry.
Set the 996 up for “ID search”, it’s like a wildcard, any Talkgroup will show up on the sites your monitoring. If it is on “ID scan” then only talkgroups programmed will show, No wildcard talkgroups.
Keep monitoring, something is bound to show up on the sites.
Sentinel is for the newer Home Patrol I & II, 436/536, and the SDS series.
73, Rex

Thanks for clarifying. I've had the scanner on ID search the whole time. This morning I'm catching some very brief transmissions from Flathead County Sheriff. I'm not hearing anything else.

This is a custom site I set up with 151.28 and 161.925 as control frequencies. I have talkgroups programmed for Flathead County, MHP Missoula, MHP Kalispell, MHP Butte/Helena, and Great Falls.

I don't have much time today to sit and listen, so I'm just going to leave the scanner plugged into my PC and let FreeScan log everything it receives.

 

[jjwhite29]

I don't have experience with the 996XT or FreeScan so aprswatcher would have a better understanding of your system. For me though I put all talk groups in and what ever active sites in my area. I also know Flathead uses encryption sometimes so depending on how your scanner works you won't pick up that traffic. I would assume though MHP might not use encryption as much.