MHP Polson

[aprswatcher]

If you get a chance put in the Blacktail Mtn site in either your 996XT or SDR.
cc 161.8125; alternate 161.875
According to the FCC database Big Arm and West Polson are located at the same site just Northwest of Jette Lake.
Strange!🤔
73, Rex

 

[mtnlion]

Interesting. Sounds like the database needs some work. I know I've found a couple frequencies for Lake County SO and Tribal Police that aren't in the database.

I set up a site with those Blacktail freqs, and now I'm picking up Kalispell PD and MHP in addition to Flathead Sheriff. I'm still not picking up Missoula MHP or anything else.

When I receive encrypted audio on a conventional channel, it goes silent with ENC on the screen. Will it do the same on a trunked system? I haven't seen this happen.

 

[jjwhite29]

I'm not surprised on not picking up on Missoula MHP I think they are still analog most of the time. That's good your picking up the rest though. I'm not sure how the encrypted audio will work most of the time only hear on side of the channels that are encrypted as long as I don't get that garbled noise I'm okay with that. I would like to go up there sometime soon with my UniTrunker and check out the sites.

 

[mtnlion]

Well, this has been an interesting exercise, but I'm pretty much drawing the same conclusion I did last time - that there isn't much point in monitoring the digital system in this area. All the chatter I picked up throughout the day was from north of Flathead Lake. Listening to the conventional frequencies, I can always hear local MHP traffic. I have those programmed into my Lake County system along with sheriff, fire, and tribal police; so I can hear everything happening around here pretty well. Not much point in listening to a system that only carries traffic from 80 miles away, and missing out on all the local stuff.

Case in point - just now I heard a report of shots fired in St Ignatius. County SO, Tribal Police, and MHP are all on it, and I'm picking up all their traffic.

 

[jjwhite29]

That is all it comes down to is getting what you want to hear. So can we circle back and answer emtbls1987 question on what he needs to do to be able hear MHP Polson area and south of Polson.

 

[mtnlion]

Yep. 155.785 and 155.445 is what works for me.

 

[aprswatcher]

Definitely listen to what you like. I get great amount of traffic from Great Falls (100 miles away) from the Highwood Baldy site, it also at times brings in traffic from Helena, Bozeman, and the Highline. I mainly listen to MHP out of Great Falls and Havre.
A suggestion would be to run your Freescan logging every so often during the week on some of the P25 sites to check for new Talkgroups coming onboard the Montana State system. I have about 25 talkgroups that are not in the database that I am trying to identify. These talkgroups aren’t on everyday, but I run a logging program everyday on one of the 3 sites I receive here in Lewistown. As new Counties/Departments come online there is only one way to identify them.
I also have lots of conventional frequencies loaded for all the surrounding county LE, SO, Fire and EMS and aviation.
73, Rex

 

[jjwhite29]

Definitely listen to what you like. I get great amount of traffic from Great Falls (100 miles away) from the Highwood Baldy site, it also at times brings in traffic from Helena, Bozeman, and the Highline. I mainly listen to MHP out of Great Falls and Havre.
A suggestion would be to run your Freescan logging every so often during the week on some of the P25 sites to check for new Talkgroups coming onboard the Montana State system. I have about 25 talkgroups that are not in the database that I am trying to identify. These talkgroups aren’t on everyday, but I run a logging program everyday on one of the 3 sites I receive here in Lewistown. As new Counties/Departments come online there is only one way to identify them.
I also have lots of conventional frequencies loaded for all the surrounding county LE, SO, Fire and EMS and aviation.
73, Rex

Yes I'm same way here in Granite County not busy all the time so I welcome the extra traffic. I Have my HomePatrol1 on just Granite County and my SDS200 on the Montana P25 system. I use my SDS100 for Missoula County and recently found a DMR system here in the Granite County that Ranch at Rock Creek uses. My new BCD-536 covers Deer Lodge, Powell, MHP analog and Aviation . This summer I will have forest service on one them haven't decided which one. I need to search for new talk groups one of these days. I'm also sitting on a new channel that the local Sheriff is using but I'm holding on to that info right now because he kinda wants it private me and another guy here in town only two that have it. I do want to help build the database as much as possible. I would also like to thank everyone for pitching in on this thread we need more Montana people to putting out head together and enjoying this hobby.

 

[emtbls1987]

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

I have a Bendix King KNG P-150 its

 

[emtbls1987]

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

Idk If went through but I have a Bendix King KNG-P150 it is definitely p25 thought I know I put the control freq. in by keypad programming it doesn’t do anything but stay open or solid green RX light no audio and this radio I bought has trunking in it but I can’t computer program since i don’t have software to access

 

[mtnlion]

we need more Montana people to putting out head together and enjoying this hobby.

Agreed! I have been using this site for reference for a long time, but I figured it was time to actively contribute. I just got a new SDR and put up a new antenna that can pick up signals from four counties. I'm working on cataloging the frequencies used in my area and checking them against the database.

If you ever find yourself in Lake County and want to meet up for some signal hunting, let me know!

 

[DanRollman]

Idk If went through but I have a Bendix King KNG-P150 it is definitely p25 thought I know I put the control freq. in by keypad programming it doesn’t do anything but stay open or solid green RX light no audio and this radio I bought has trunking in it but I can’t computer program since i don’t have software to access

You need the software and cable to program that radio for a trunking system. Also need to ensure it has the 9600 baud trunking option installed. Take off the battery and look at the white sticker on the back top of the radio. Does it show "KZA0579"? Need that at least.

 

[emtbls1987]

Has KZA0577
KZA0579

 

[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.

Bounce you mean you hear them. The interoperability system is set up to be link to repeater or sites near by. Depending on what the county and state want. But you can go to Libby mont. with a radio from Flathead county p25 radio and talk to dispatch from Libby off one of the sites and I mean talk to Flathead county dispatch and other units in Flathead from site in Libby. Or around the state sites

 

[mtnlion]

emtbls1987, sorry I can't be much help. My experience is with scanners and HAM stuff, not commercial radios. I don't know anything about your model of radio, but it sounds like DanRollman is familiar with it.

If it's anything like Motorola, there isn't much you can do without the proprietary software. I picked up some old Motorola mobiles a few years ago to tinker with, only to learn I need some proprietary DOS software to program them. As-is, they're basically paperweights.

Where did you get your radio? If you got it from a dealer or the company that makes it, they might be able to help you.

 

[jjwhite29]

Bounce you mean you hear them. The interoperability system is set up to be link to repeater or sites near by. Depending on what the county and state want. But you can go to Libby mont. with a radio from Flathead county p25 radio and talk to dispatch from Libby off one of the sites and I mean talk to Flathead county dispatch and other units in Flathead from site in Libby. Or around the state sites

Yes I hear them every once in awhile I only listen to two sites right now that is Stonewall and Conoco. They come across on both I have discovered.