Mountain Home AFB

[Sophocles]

Gentlemen,

Since buying my Home patrol, I am no longer hearing Mountain Home AFB in Elmore County. I have location control turned off, so as to have unlimited range. I had a PSR 800 a few months ago and heard MHAFB fine then. Have they gone all encrypted? I can hear SIRCOMM fine and that system is further than Elmore County. Anyone actually listening to MHAFB?

Thanks for any help on this.

 

[Sophocles]

Well Gentlemen,

I am answering my own question. Seems that my Home Patrol was not picking up MHAFB as well as my old PSR 800 with the stock antennas - HP picks up most stations really well, so I am unclear why it was weak on this one. Might be because MHAFB is APCO 25, but using freqs in the 160MHZ and 170MHZ range. Anyway, I bought two Spectrum Force antennas with RG174 cable and SMA connectors for the HP from Scanner Master - good products, fast shipping and excellent service. Mounted one on a small "L" bracket to the outside of my window framing about 8 feet high. And, Voila, the MHAFB came in loud and clear with at least two to three signal bars improvement. Cannot say enough about these antennas - very good magnet, very good construction and no cheapo components here. They are very well made and seem to do the job quite nicely. So, in answer to my own question MHAFB is active, but not highly active today and has a good strong signal into Nampa and Caldwell, Idaho.

 

[thewenk]

The stock HP antenna probably wasn't very sensitive in the 160-170 Mhz range, which isn't too surprising. How's the new antenna on the other frequencies you monitor?

Dave

 

[Sophocles]

Dave,

Thanks for the reply. I think you're right about the stock antenna not being sensitive in the 160-170 range. I am getting good signals with the new antenna on everything so far, except a bit of static on 155.2800 Idaho State Communications. I remember that I have always gotten static on that freq anyway, but it's readable. So, I am now up and running with the HP and Spectrum Force. Also, you are doing a great job on the RR updates and maintenance. Thanks for the good work!

 

[akuter]

Hi guys. I'm be in Mountain Home for September's airshow. Is the database up to date for the area? Bring a BCT15X, 396t, and a 780 for the airband. I'm guessing that some talkgroups at the AFB are ENC.

 

[Sophocles]

When last using my PSR 800 two months ago, I was constantly monitoring the MHAFB talk groups with a wildcard and found only one or two new talk groups, but sent those in as updates already. So, the RR database is up to date, as far as I know. The base should be ramping up its activity in August in preparation for the show. The Military Police are the only units I know using ENC. Security is mainly in the clear, as are most of the maintenance, munitions and range/targeting talk groups. Good hunting at the show.

 

[thewenk]

When last using my PSR 800 two months ago, I was constantly monitoring the MHAFB talk groups with a wildcard and found only one or two new talk groups, but sent those in as updates already. So, the RR database is up to date, as far as I know. The base should be ramping up its activity in August in preparation for the show. The Military Police are the only units I know using ENC. Security is mainly in the clear, as are most of the maintenance, munitions and range/targeting talk groups. Good hunting at the show.

Thanks for your DB updates.

Dave

 

[Sophocles]

Mountain Home AFB Missing Replies

Gentlemen,

I am now listening to MHAFB and I am missing replies to most transmissions. I am using Home Patrol and checked all the frequencies listed in the Home Patrol Sentinel Software against all the frequencies listed on RR database. On RR, I see that all the frequencies for the sites 2,3 and 4 are also listed in the Primary site except one frequency (163.4875) for Site 2. Does anyone know if that frequency should be listed in the Primary Site as well? It appears we are missing a frequency for MHAFB.

Thanks,
Rodney

 

[thewenk]

Normally on a P25 trucked system, you only need to have the control channel frequency programmed into your scanner. It should not matter if you don't have all the voice frequencies programmed, assuming the mobile units use the repeater. The mobiles may not be repeated, but may be using a direct or non repeated channel.

Dave

 

[Sophocles]

Thanks for the response Dave.

 

[SCPD]

I'll be over that way in just over a week, so I'll see what new data I can discover.