Need help with Phoenix programming

[LARKDALE1]

When in EZ-Scan. You have to click on Site Details, then the 'Site' under 'Site List'. You will then see there are four 700Mhz freq.'s for RWC A: Phx PD.

I see them now. There is only 4 freqs put in when programming the sites systems do you just put the 4 controls and alt controls in or do you put them all in? (I have been putting all freqs in )

Also below that is a "multi site data decode threshold its currently set to 15 low 95 high is that how you tune simulcast sites?

 

[KB7MIB]

I don't have a Unication myself, although if I had the money for one I'd look more closely at it. I'm not sure if you can hold on a TG, or selectively limit the number of TG's to monitor at any one time, but that is something I would want to be able to do myself.

For the RWC:
Simulcast A is in Phoenix.
Simulcast B is in Phoenix.
Simulcast G covers the West Valley cities, except Buckeye.
Simulcast J is in Buckeye.

Phoenix PD is on Simulcast A.
Phoenix PD 200/800/900 are also carried on Simulcast G.
Phoenix PD 200 is also carried on the Thompson Peak IR site.
Glendale is on Simulcast G, and at least Glendale South is on Simulcast B.
Peoria PD is on Simulcast G, Simulcast B, and the White Tanks and Towers Mtn IR sites.
Phoenix Regional Fire K-decks are carried on Simulcast B, Simulcast G, Simulcast J (all of the Simulcasts except A), and at least K-1 and K-6 are carried at least part time on the Towers Mtn IR site. K-2 is carried on the White Tanks and Thompson Peak IR sites.

The current Maricopa County radio system is not simulcast, and reception should be straightforward, provided your scanners have been programmed properly. MCSO West (Dispatch, Car-Car, Emergency, Tac) are carried on the three main Maricopa County sites: White Tanks, Thompson Peak, and Central Courts. I don't know where in Phoenix you live, but unless you live in a bad reception area, you shouldn't have a problem receiving at least one of them.

Unless you can find a "sweet spot" to put your scanner in, or can install a directional antenna at home, reception of the simulcast systems are a pain. I've accepted that I cannot listen to everything that I want to hear, and content myself with what I can. I use the White Tanks and Towers Mtn sites for Peoria PD, and even that isn't 100% reliable for whatever reason(s). And it seems like they drop out at the most inopportune times.
I'm lucky to catch K-1 and K-6 on Towers Mtn, and I usually just listen to the VHF side, 154.190 for dispatch.
I've basically given up on Phoenix, Glendale and El Mirage PD's, as well as Tolleson, Avondale and Goodyear PD's and the Tohono O'odham police/security at the casino by Westgate. I can hear Surprise PD on the White Tanks IR site.

I use a GRE PSR-500 handheld scanner.
I also have an old PRO-2020 base scanner for Phoenix FD VHF and a few other channels. Additionally I have an old PRO-43 handheld that I basically only use on the occasional road trip around the state for DPS, when I use the PSR-500 for other agencies.

John
Peoria

 

[kd7ckq]

You only need to put in the freq.'s that are Red and Blue.
The Threshold is used when you have multiple sites programmed into you scanner. It tells the scanner when it should start looking for a new tower based on signal strength. Very helpful when mobile and moving around inside the footprint of a large multi-tower system.
Other than a Yagi where you can point it at one specific tower. You might also try the paper clip method. Take your average size paper clip. Unfold the outside leg, and stick it into the BNC connector. This limits the signals reaching your scanner. As described earlier, your scanner is receiving the exact same signal from several towers at slightly different times. Just enough that some signals null each others or they are off phase just enough your scanner can't decode it. Doing this hopefully limits the signal to just the closest tower.

edit: it is my understanding that the Unication can hold a single TG.

 

[LARKDALE1]

Well I loaded that new plug in and scanning now for 10-15 mins.. Bummer only thing i hear is the conventional fire disp a1

on the display the S with a black box flashes once in a while and also a T but the T is very rare. It use to flash a lot more. Now im not even getting a deck 200 or and fire digital.


When i lock it on a talk group say PPD 800 A The "S" and signal meter keeps going up and down the black S and T flash very fast... I know its receiving!



I am so over this scanning issue!

I don't know what else to do. I even have a sdr set up I am playing with but that's not really working well either need to get some better antennas for that to work.

 

[LARKDALE1]

I don't have a Unication myself, although if I had the money for one I'd look more closely at it. I'm not sure if you can hold on a TG, or selectively limit the number of TG's to monitor at any one time, but that is something I would want to be able to do myself.

For the RWC:
Simulcast A is in Phoenix.
Simulcast B is in Phoenix.
Simulcast G covers the West Valley cities, except Buckeye.
Simulcast J is in Buckeye.

Phoenix PD is on Simulcast A.
Phoenix PD 200/800/900 are also carried on Simulcast G.
Phoenix PD 200 is also carried on the Thompson Peak IR site.
Glendale is on Simulcast G, and at least Glendale South is on Simulcast B.
Peoria PD is on Simulcast G, Simulcast B, and the White Tanks and Towers Mtn IR sites.
Phoenix Regional Fire K-decks are carried on Simulcast B, Simulcast G, Simulcast J (all of the Simulcasts except A), and at least K-1 and K-6 are carried at least part time on the Towers Mtn IR site. K-2 is carried on the White Tanks and Thompson Peak IR sites.

The current Maricopa County radio system is not simulcast, and reception should be straightforward, provided your scanners have been programmed properly. MCSO West (Dispatch, Car-Car, Emergency, Tac) are carried on the three main Maricopa County sites: White Tanks, Thompson Peak, and Central Courts. I don't know where in Phoenix you live, but unless you live in a bad reception area, you shouldn't have a problem receiving at least one of them.

Unless you can find a "sweet spot" to put your scanner in, or can install a directional antenna at home, reception of the simulcast systems are a pain. I've accepted that I cannot listen to everything that I want to hear, and content myself with what I can. I use the White Tanks and Towers Mtn sites for Peoria PD, and even that isn't 100% reliable for whatever reason(s). And it seems like they drop out at the most inopportune times.
I'm lucky to catch K-1 and K-6 on Towers Mtn, and I usually just listen to the VHF side, 154.190 for dispatch.
I've basically given up on Phoenix, Glendale and El Mirage PD's, as well as Tolleson, Avondale and Goodyear PD's and the Tohono O'odham police/security at the casino by Westgate. I can hear Surprise PD on the White Tanks IR site.

I use a GRE PSR-500 handheld scanner.
I also have an old PRO-2020 base scanner for Phoenix FD VHF and a few other channels. Additionally I have an old PRO-43 handheld that I basically only use on the occasional road trip around the state for DPS, when I use the PSR-500 for other agencies.

John
Peoria

SO if I want to listen to peoria pd I make up a new trucking group? Then add the three sites with just the red and blue freqs? Then in scan lists add the tg id's for peoria and it should work?

 

[kd7ckq]

I would make a new system. Then add the four control channels for Simulcast G under Site 1, and the four for Simulcast B for site 2.. Add your Glendale and Peoria TG's under that new system. Then you can lock out either G or B, or neither, depending on your preference.
This way, if you want to listen to just Phx PD. You can, or vise-versa.

 

[LARKDALE1]

SO if I want to listen to peoria pd I make up a new trucking group? Then add the three sites with just the red and blue freqs? Then in scan lists add the tg id's for peoria and it should work?

In regards to MCSO central courts site I don't see that in RR under the RWC with the rest

UPDATE

I found the section for MCSO its different site freqs

 

[LARKDALE1]

I would make a new system. Then add the four control channels for Simulcast G under Site 1, and the four for Simulcast B for site 2.. Add your Glendale and Peoria TG's under that new system. Then you can lock out either G or B, or neither, depending on your preference.
This way, if you want to listen to just Phx PD. You can, or vise-versa.

Awesome Thank you! I am doing that now! Made up a 3rd system and new scan set and scan list called west valley I added 4 other sites to it and only have peoria pd glendale pd and surprise pd in it. I am testing now to see if this works! Cross my fingers

 

[kd7ckq]

In regards to MCSO central courts site I don't see that in RR under the RWC with the rest

Site 009 on the list under the MCSO Motorola Type II SmartZone system. As far as I know, they are still testing the Phase 2 system. Maybe, someone can chime in with more info on that.

 

[kd7ckq]

I would have it set up as the following using rwier cdat file as a base.

Trunked Radio Systems.
Phx PD (P25) RWC
--> Site 001 Simulcast A, 4 Freq.'s

Valley Rescue (P25) RWC
--> Site 001 Simulcast B, 4 freq.'s

RWC Glndl/Peoria (P25) RWC
--> Site 001 Simulcast G, 4 freq.'s
--> Site 002 Simulcast B, 4 freq.'s

MCSO (Motorola) MCSO Motorola Type II SmartZone
--> Site 001 Thompson Peak
--> Site 002 White Tanks
--> Site 003 Central Courts

Hope that makes sense.

 

[rwier]

Actually, Don't un-zip it. Open EZ-Scan and click on [FILE] then scroll down to [Restore Configuration from Archive].
When you do that. I will bring up a 'Open' window. Search for the downloaded CDAT_VS.001_2017-04-19_14-45.zip file and click on it. It will warn you that you will lose the current data your working on. Just click continue.

Thanks kd!!! So simple when you know the trick, lol.

 

[rwier]

" ... Also below that is a "multi site data decode threshold its currently set to 15 low 95 high is that how you tune simulcast sites?

Several years ago, I spent about 30 hours trying different combinations of "Data Threshold Settings" coupled with different "DSP Level Adapt" settings (under Advanced Features Tab). For my 800s, I settled on 15 Low, 95 High, and DSP 52. Since you show "North Phoenix" for your location (near I-17 and Greenway here), I made the "Test File" the same.

 

[LARKDALE1]

Thank you guys so much. I have made up the following based off the original file you uploaded

phoenix police rwc: i have 5 sites in that one
fire has the orignal 2 you have\
West valley has 6 sites
MCSO has the 3 sites you listed


Until I added the 6 sites nothing came up under west valley. Now i hear surprise pd peoria pd and some Glendale pd. I tested out with different antennas and different spots in my house and drove around for 5 hours to capture data.

MCSO now works a little bit. I only have West, emergency and car to car in for now

Using the stock whistler antenna for the 1080 I found that my area sucks where i live (I am living off union hills and 67th.

103rd ave and union hills is a jackpot area. EVERY channel comes in crystal clear! I even started getting phx pd 900 which i NEVER EVER GOT. along with 200 dispatch.

I locked on to phx 800 a1 nothing. The S meter was pretty good but never one conversation. Driving all over arrowhead spotty at best. 101 near the stadium all west valley police agencies came in clear. (none for phx pd still just Glendale surprise and Peoria)

I am going to test more tonight this time I will drive in central phoenix and maryvale etc all the way out to Apache Junction.

I did notice one thing,, Conventional SUCKS on the Whistler. I bought a uniden BC80XLT handheld off offer up three weeks ago. This thing side by side kicks the **** out of the big money whistler. Phoenix fire dispatch barely comes in on Whistler but loud and clear on bearcat. Also I hooked up the mag mount antenna to both it doesn't do anything for the whistler except make dps come in better but it makes a world of difference on the bearcat.

I have 2 brand new glass mount antennas in the garage I was going to put on my vehicle, I am hesitant to drill holes in a new 2017 van but i will if it solves problems.

So the last thing I need to figure out is how to get any phx pd channels other then 200 to come in. (Aside from sitting at 103rd and union hills to get 900 dispatch) Is there a magic antenna mobile for this? I also will try the paper clip trick tonight when i buy some.

I now have a great grasp on the whistler programming EZ scan thanks to you guys!

 

[LARKDALE1]

Several years ago, I spent about 30 hours trying different combinations of "Data Threshold Settings" coupled with different "DSP Level Adapt" settings (under Advanced Features Tab). For my 800s, I settled on 15 Low, 95 High, and DSP 52. Since you show "North Phoenix" for your location (near I-17 and Greenway here), I made the "Test File" the same.

I left your settings as is. I also googled for hours found a video on the Whistler 1080 where the guy changes the DAC settings to 0 and +2 Do you know if that really does anything for my issues?

 

[LARKDALE1]

Also does it matter if you make one trunking system up with every site in it or is that what causes this simulcast issue?



Since I am mobile alot should i make every trunk system just one site and mkae every scan group for just the area i am in? Would that reduce this issue?

 

[KB7MIB]

As for MCSO, I don't believe that I've ever heard the Emergency talkgroups (East or West) active. Most of the time, hot traffic will stay on the Dispatch talkgroup, or get switched over to the Tac talkgroup, so you should add the West Tac talkgroup to your listening. Keep the Emergency talkgroup in there just in case, though.

John
Peoria

 

[LARKDALE1]

As for MCSO, I don't believe that I've ever heard the Emergency talkgroups (East or West) active. Most of the time, hot traffic will stay on the Dispatch talkgroup, or get switched over to the Tac talkgroup, so you should add the West Tac talkgroup to your listening. Keep the Emergency talkgroup in there just in case, though.

John
Peoria

Yes sir I have all three channels in there for MCSO West.

 

[KB7MIB]

West Dispatch TG 43120
West Car-To-Car TG 43152
West Emergency TG 43184
West Tac TG 43216

There's 4 channels.

John
Peoria

 

[LARKDALE1]

West Dispatch TG 43120
West Car-To-Car TG 43152
West Emergency TG 43184
West Tac TG 43216

There's 4 channels.

John
Peoria

Yes you’re correct I have them 4 installed.

 

[b1100mac]

Larksdale1 i heard you mention you might want a Unication G5, I live in fountain hills in the hole and only receive the Thompson Peak tower here on my g5's but when i get up on shea and in town, i hear everything on it well. Depending on your location one might work well for you. Also bear in mind that MCSO is a motorola type 2 smartzone system and unication pagers will not receive those systems and im told never will. When unication adds the Phase 2 upgrade and MCSO goes to their new P25 system you will be able to hear them on a g-5.
I just bought a used G1 for here at home to get the local analog fire channels only and probably will be selling one of my g5's for $500. If you might be interested, i can meet up with you in your area and you can actually test drive it to see what you think. You can IM me,,,,bob