Montclair pd

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APX8000

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As a Dispatcher for the departments I can confirm its true.

I wish there was a like button. It still amazes me how people post very specific information and others still question their posts. I've said "I can confirm with 100% accuracy" and people still question me. Nothing against you BIO but sometimes we just can't reveal our sources.
 

BIODTL1997

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Here we go again... Until a credible source confirms info, people are going to ask questions and offer info to correct it, that's how public forums work.

Thank you KD2JFA for confirming the MFD aux repeater at Mtnside!
 

Firewarden

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Montclair PD

Do we have any updates to receive Montclair PD as of early January 2016. I've purchased and returned two scanners (as gifts) that have not been able to pick up anything from the documented frequencies. Thoughts on scanners that may work? Much appreciated.
 

W2SJW

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They are on the NJICS 700MHz P25 system. Did you get a model that's capable of doing Phase-II P25? There is only a small handful of units at this time that do that format...
 

Firewarden

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Thanks. Yes, the second one was P25 but apparently not Phase 2, critical I understand for TDMA Talkgroups. This has been an interesting exercise in learning in a new subject. From comments here I believe I have a good handle on the relatively few models that support these newer technologies. I am leaning towards the Uniden Home Patrol 2 which apparently is getting quite favorable reviews. Will report back on results for Montclair. Much appreciate your comments.
 

ansky

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Montclair PD simulcasts on two systems: the Montclair Township trunked system, and the NJICS system. Both systems are digital, so you need a digital scanner. The Montclair trunked system can be heard with any digital trunking scanner. The NJICS system requires a "Phase 2" scanner such as the Uniden Home Patrol 2, BCD436, or BCD536 models.

I can tell you from experience, both systems are tough to hear reliably, and I live right on the border of Montclair. Can you tell us what scanners you tried and returned? Maybe they were just not programmed correctly.
 

W2SJW

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The HP-2 works amazingly well. I had an HP-1 & loved it. I sold it to afford my 436HP.

The Montclair TRS does have limited coverage outside of the town, but the PD actively operate on the West Orange site of the NJICS. You should be able to hear them everywhere in that coverage area (and it's quite large).

Sent from my Galaxy S6 via Tapatalk
 

Firewarden

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thank you for the comment and your thoughts on the Hp-2. I am right in the middle of Upper Montclair and expect (from your comments) to get good results with the HP 2. I am wondering though about some comments from some that Montclair topography creates some dead spots here and there. Guess I will find out!
 

Firewarden

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Thanks for the comments! The first scanner was a (analog) Uniden BCT15 - which of course did not work at all. The second was a Radio Shack Pro 652 which seemed to have the digital capability for trunk deletion but not the phase 2 components for TDMA talk groups. I was unsuccessful at detecting both. Perhaps I did program incorrectly? This is an interesting learning experience.
 

ansky

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The HP-2 works amazingly well. I had an HP-1 & loved it. I sold it to afford my 436HP.

The Montclair TRS does have limited coverage outside of the town, but the PD actively operate on the West Orange site of the NJICS. You should be able to hear them everywhere in that coverage area (and it's quite large).

Sent from my Galaxy S6 via Tapatalk

The problem with NJICS is all the simulcast distortion. I have the Home Patrol 2 and the West Orange simulcast often sounds garbled and hard to understand. The Union County simulcast sounds much better, but Montclair is not on that simulcast.
 

markjrenna

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Montclair PD is always a mystery. I'm in Verona next town over and I have trouble getting them. West Orange too is a cluster F.

Whatever Montclair is doing is a fail and WO and Verona need to get rid of EDACS ASAP!
 

ansky

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Montclair PD is always a mystery. I'm in Verona next town over and I have trouble getting them. West Orange too is a cluster F.

Whatever Montclair is doing is a fail and WO and Verona need to get rid of EDACS ASAP!

I live right on the border of West Orange and Montclair and I can barely pull in the Montclair TRS. And the FD analog frequency sounds terrible too.

The West Orange system sounds fine for me. Verona I can barely pull in at all, even with my outdoor antenna.
 

markjrenna

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It's a mystery because we are both very close but have such difficulties pulling them in with any regularity. Maybe NJICS will be the answer but I'm not confident. What I hear now, the audio is rather.... crappy.

I live right on the border of West Orange and Montclair and I can barely pull in the Montclair TRS. And the FD analog frequency sounds terrible too.

The West Orange system sounds fine for me. Verona I can barely pull in at all, even with my outdoor antenna.
 

Markscan

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Simulcast distortion is a real pain in the you know what. I listen to Fairfield on a daily basis, and they come in pretty good on my 436. But there are multiple spots where they are badly distorted. Ironically enough one of those spots is the parking lot behind their headquarters. I get almost zero distortion on my HP-2 at home. I hope Uniden can figure this out soon.


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KD2JFA

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It's not just you guys with the scanners, we typically have radio issues in dispatch also with the PD and EMS. Luckily we haven't had any crashes in a few months. Knock on wood


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markjrenna

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What I notice is the Ramapo (NJICS) site for Little Falls sounds great. But Little Falls on the Wes Orange (NJICS) site and almost everything I hear via WO sounds garbled. Lousy.
 

Firewarden

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I live in Montclair and ust purchased a Home Patrol 2 and receive Bloomfield, Clifton, Glen Ridge quite well but West Orange is rather weak. Most concerning, I get occasional half conversations with Montclair PD, catching the dispatcher but not the responder. I appear to be missing something. From the Home Patrol database I have activated both the conventional 500 MHz frequencies for Montclair PD and the supposed New Jersey Interoperability entities, though they do not appear to be producing anything for Montclair. I appear to be missing something to received Montclair PD fully and properly? Otherwise, the Home Patrol 2 has been quite good - for State Police and other agencies.
 

Firewarden

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An update. Just got a Home Patrol 2 which should pick up Montclair. It works quite well though West Orange for me in Central Montclair is rather weak. Montclair PD is still rather disappointing. I get occasional parts of conversations but I am obviously missing something though I have chosen all the relevant frequencies available for Montclair in the inbuilt database on the HP - which I have also updated once online. I happened to be in a store in Montclair yesterday and a patrolmans radio was squawking with Montclair PD content I know I am not receiving. I am missing something that the HP should be receiving. Stumped!
 
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