More Mass State PD woes

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bobruzzo

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I was looking at the map in the RR database and am confused to where the actual transmitter site is I need to point my antenna towards. Here is pic of the 5 sites that Mass SP uses.....I guess. I live in lower left side where theres a red dot and small white arrow. I looked at each of the 5 sites and how come COPICUT HILL isn't on the map? I thought thats where the closest tower site to me was. So then what is site #5 on map in Attleboro? Am I missing something? If the tower in Attleboro was a Mass SP one I'd be receiving it loud and clear. I checked all freqs for all tower locations and all the freqs are the right ones. So whatsup with Copicut Hill? I am receiving them using an 800mhz mag mount but where am I hearing these signals from? It has to be either Attleboro or Copicut Hill....all other site locations are way too far away from me to hear with a mag mount. So I am getting a yagi end of week and not sure which direction to point it. Yes I know I can experiment but I am getting older and too many trips up and down ladder is no fun. I am trying to narrow down my antenna placement so I don't have to keep adjusting it. So can somebody shed some light on the Mass SP tower system? If indeed I am hearing the Attleboro site, they must be transmitting with flea power cause I am only 15 miles from there. And Copicut Hill is 30 miles away.
 

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cg

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But they don't need to cover RI so they can be using various methods to keep the signal heading more toward MA where they need to cover.
I would suggest taking the new antenna and set it up in the yard on a mast or even a broomstick. Simply turn it to try to get an idea where the best signal might be. Look at an object in the distance that it is aimed at and duplicate that once you get up on the roof.

chris
 

AJ1L

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There is definitely a MSP Zone 3 site on Copicut Hill in Fall River. Not sure why it's not shown on the map.
 

garys

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That is a pretty good site. I can pick up a UHF control channel from a NXDN trunk site that's there. That's over 25 miles from my house. Copicut Hll is much closer to Cranston and even with a directional array, he should get something.

There is definitely a MSP Zone 3 site on Copicut Hill in Fall River. Not sure why it's not shown on the map.
 

bobruzzo

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But they don't need to cover RI so they can be using various methods to keep the signal heading more toward MA where they need to cover.
I would suggest taking the new antenna and set it up in the yard on a mast or even a broomstick. Simply turn it to try to get an idea where the best signal might be. Look at an object in the distance that it is aimed at and duplicate that once you get up on the roof.

chris
Thats a good plan. What I did tonight was make 2 waypoints in Google maps. One from my location to Copicut Hill and another from my location to the Attleboro site. So if I point beam in direction of my neighbors garage roof, that line of sight goes straight to the Attleboro site. And if I point beam at my neighbors carport in back of my property, thats a direct line to Copicut Hill. So I will just experiment with those directions. I know the elevation at Copicut Hill is much higher than the Attleboro site.
 

bobruzzo

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That is a pretty good site. I can pick up a UHF control channel from a NXDN trunk site that's there. That's over 25 miles from my house. Copicut Hll is much closer to Cranston and even with a directional array, he should get something.
Yes but thats what was confusing....the Copicut Hill site isn't on the map I found on here. But Attleboro is only 15 miles northeast from me.....Copicut Hill is almost 30 miles! So I was just also trying to figure out where the signals are coming from that I am listening to. You would think since Attleboro is close, the signal would be loud and clear. If it is even coming from there. But Copicut Hill is 385+ feet abouve sea level, so its a higher spot but further away.
 

cg

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Don't be afraid to move it to something that doesn't seem like the exact direction. Another benefit of a yagi is you can use a null or direction where it receives poorly to make interference less of an issue.

chris
 

bobruzzo

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Don't be afraid to move it to something that doesn't seem like the exact direction. Another benefit of a yagi is you can use a null or direction where it receives poorly to make interference less of an issue.

chris
Yes thats what I will have to do cause there are lots of variables that affect radio waves as they travel.
 

jvaillancourt

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I'm in FR and I have my antenna pointed towards the copicut site and I pick up Boston Simulcast, Bristol/Plymouth counties and sometimes Boston Metro.
 

W1KNE

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There is definitely a MSP Zone 3 site on Copicut Hill in Fall River. Not sure why it's not shown on the map.
Because that map came from the RR license of WPKK330, which is one of the two licenses for Zone 03.
WPUN255, the other license, covers Copicut Hill.
 

bobruzzo

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Because that map came from the RR license of WPKK330, which is one of the two licenses for Zone 03.
WPUN255, the other license, covers Copicut Hill.
OK so that explain that! Thanks. So it is possible to hear the Attleboro site? Well When I get yagi I will hope for the best.
 

Nascar18

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Bob,
I looked up the WPUN255 license and it shows a site in Rehoboth on Long Hill pushing 150 watts output. That is a lot closer then Copicut Hill in Fall River. If I remember correctly that Attleboro site was added as a fill-in for that area. It is more of a directional site. Good Luck. During the summer last year I went to the Garden City shopping mall and right near the New Balance store with my TRX-1 and the R/S 800mhz antenna and I was pulling in the MA St. Police very well with that handheld. Could be just your location!!
 

Nascar18

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Bob,
For the longest time I could never receive Tiverton PD on the RISCON system until they opened up the EAST Zone there is a good example of location.
 

bobruzzo

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Bob,
I looked up the WPUN255 license and it shows a site in Rehoboth on Long Hill pushing 150 watts output. That is a lot closer then Copicut Hill in Fall River. If I remember correctly that Attleboro site was added as a fill-in for that area. It is more of a directional site. Good Luck. During the summer last year I went to the Garden City shopping mall and right near the New Balance store with my TRX-1 and the R/S 800mhz antenna and I was pulling in the MA St. Police very well with that handheld. Could be just your location!!
Yeah I used to park at Garden City and Mass state PD comes in there loud and clear. I know its my location.....Dean Estates is right smack in between me and Garden City and its a 100' higher elevation than my property. I figured if I am picking up the MSP with my sds200 using an 800 mhz mag mount (up on roof of 2 story house) I should be able to hear them better with a beam antenna. But the MSP sites complicates things because I don't know exactly where or how they are set up. Yeah Copicut Hill is quite a haul....30 air miles from here. Maybe that Attleboro site has directional antenna patterns directed AWAY from Rhode ISland. I'd still like to know what site I am hearing them on though. I can get reception but scratchy on mag mount. But still listenable. BTW the EAST riscon zone is weak at my location but normally I can still get a good decode. Providence zone is the worst for distortion but still WAY BETTER than my 996p2. I adjusted filters and if I turn the filters OFF for NORTH & SOUTH I get almost 0 D-errors......those 2 zones are great. But Prov and East are troublesome. I know it's my location, but Providence is only 8 miles from me! Maybe that site is low powered just for the city area. And maybe the EAST site is just low powered enuff for that area and the hill in my way cuts some reception. Well thats my educated guesses on this.
 
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