I will try this. I have noticed that with two scanners in the helicopter listening to the same district, I have one antenna on a vertical plane and one on the horizontal plane. If one scanner does not receive the other one often does.
**New Baltimore (City) System Discussion**
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doctordave
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Interesting thought. I'll give that a try. I must say, I'm terribly unhappy with how my 996XT performs on the Balt City 800 system.....and am dreading the possibility of similar issues when Balt Co upgrades (or, from my personal perspective, DOWNGRADES).
roj929
Member
Hey i have a pro96 and i am still trying to found outhow to update my scanner with the new control channel for Baltimore city does any one know how to do it hope you can help Thanks
pasadenamd
Member
Anne Arundel County did a communications drill with Baltimore City this morning at 10:30 AM. All 1st and 2nd Battalion Units particpated.
At 8:00PM tonight multiple Anne Arundel County units were alerted to switch over to Baltimore City's system and do another drill/test.
At 8:00PM tonight multiple Anne Arundel County units were alerted to switch over to Baltimore City's system and do another drill/test.
troymail
Silent Key
Baltimore City and Anne Arundel County are testing "enhanced mutual aid" for the next 6 months -- sounds like there will be units dispatched across the city/county line in both directions more than normal - at least for 6 months. These drills are an effort to get units on both sides of the line to get comfortable with radio procedures, etc. Companies 31, 32, 18, and 11 are involved in the 6 month evaluation.
ka3jjz
Wiki Admin Emeritus
If you are using Win96 or ARC96 (which should be nearly the same) this wiki article has a pic of what you need to do...
Programming the New Baltimore P25 System - The RadioReference Wiki
See I told you folks this article would be useful, but hey, no one believed me :lol:
best regards..Mike
doctordave
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Well done, Mike! You are truly a visionary ;-)
troymail
Silent Key
Just heard a Box alarm for a dwelling(house) fire in Brooklyn Park (AA County).
The county ran a full assignment. The city sent an additional engine and truck - both of which arrived before many county units. This resulted in 4 engines, 3 trucks and a squad on the call. Looks like there was another call last night in Co. 31's (Brookyln) area and the same sort of dispatch occurred. The only thing that seemed odd for tonight's call was that fire alarm canceled Squad 34 (Ferndale) and had Squad 11 (Orchard Beach) continue on the call "because they are also an engine" (????).
Batt Chief 1 released E34 and TK33 after arriving on location-- things had settled at that point anyway.
I think in the past they would just run 3 engs and 2 trucks (county or city) --
Something worked better -- the city units got there pretty quickly and all seemed to be working well from what things sounded like on the radio.
For the longest time, AACo has required that rescue squads have pumps and water. And some of them have more than others.
troymail
Silent Key
FWIW: I was at the Odenton (AACo) firehouse yesterday and folks were attempting to switch a portable to Baltimore City fireground talkgroup to listen to a mutual aid house fire in the Brooklyn area. The portable radio was reporting "out of range". I'm fairly certain that under the old system, the radio would have been able to receive the system.
dpm797
Member
with the new system I think listening out side the city is going to be difficult at best.
troymail
Silent Key
I probably should have said what I was trying to point out earlier is that even the Motorola Portables do not appear to be able to lock in on the new system *now* from several miles down the BW Parkway (At least not the AACO portables). I'm pretty sure they used to be able to receive the system before the change.
I'm still curious to know if anyone with a BCity (Motorola) radio - mobile or portable - has done any testing and/or had any experience leaving the city -- how far before they are "out of range" of the system.
I'm still curious to know if anyone with a BCity (Motorola) radio - mobile or portable - has done any testing and/or had any experience leaving the city -- how far before they are "out of range" of the system.
I had a VERY quick opportunity to try this test between Baltimore and PA going up I83 using a Moto XTS5000. There wasn't much system voice activity to hear so I'm going strictly by the RSSI on the radio. Strength dropped to "out-of-range" in the valley near Belfast Rd, returned quickly as you go uphill toward the Hereford exit, the dropped and never returned as you go back down the hill into the Gunpowder River proper. Signal, for the old system, was constant until the Gunpowder.
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Hi Slippery Sam,
I live in the City but when I travel to Hunt Valley, I cannot pickup the City. However, as soon as I hit the Beltway and 83, I pick them up perfectly. I can get them all the way over to Belair Road along the Beltway. If I am in my house in North Baltimore, I have a hard time and have to walk out on to my deck. Hope this helps a little.
I live in the City but when I travel to Hunt Valley, I cannot pickup the City. However, as soon as I hit the Beltway and 83, I pick them up perfectly. I can get them all the way over to Belair Road along the Beltway. If I am in my house in North Baltimore, I have a hard time and have to walk out on to my deck. Hope this helps a little.
It may be just a coincidence, but since last weekends storm reception of the Baltimore City system has become worse. I had found the "sweet spot" in my house to place the scanner and antenna, but since last weekend the signal has gone to hell. Has anyone else experienced this? Matt, any comments?
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Hello Don,
I have not noticed any difference in north central Baltimore City. I cannot listen to them sitting near the inside wall of my house, but as soon as I put the Pro-106 with the normal antenna near the window, I pick them up fine. A little scratchy at time, but that has been since they converted.
I have not noticed any difference in north central Baltimore City. I cannot listen to them sitting near the inside wall of my house, but as soon as I put the Pro-106 with the normal antenna near the window, I pick them up fine. A little scratchy at time, but that has been since they converted.
Reception report:
Almost made it to the top end of 795 hearing the new system with a Pro-106 and a el cheapo mag-mount multiband whip. There was still the dead spot at 695-83, but got it back at the bottom of 795 and held on until just past Franklin Blvd...
Almost made it to the top end of 795 hearing the new system with a Pro-106 and a el cheapo mag-mount multiband whip. There was still the dead spot at 695-83, but got it back at the bottom of 795 and held on until just past Franklin Blvd...
Moved from lake shore (pasadena) to an area just off Ft. Smallwood Rd. I was not getting anything at the old house but Im now getting the city. The cellular service here is real bad so Im not sure if that has anything to do with the fact that Im now getting the city. Im also getting the BWI system which I wasn't able to get before.
troymail
Silent Key
Cell service was always hit-n-miss in Pasadena....
My experience with Baltimore City's system (as well as the Prince George's system) is that outside the respective jurisdictions, reception is nearly impossible. However, there do seem to be spots you can find outside the areas where reception if pretty good to really good -- unfortunately, it's like once you find a good spot, you don't want to touch or move the radio for fear of losing it again.
On the other hand, perhaps you're now in a good location and the reception is just right.
My experience with Baltimore City's system (as well as the Prince George's system) is that outside the respective jurisdictions, reception is nearly impossible. However, there do seem to be spots you can find outside the areas where reception if pretty good to really good -- unfortunately, it's like once you find a good spot, you don't want to touch or move the radio for fear of losing it again.
On the other hand, perhaps you're now in a good location and the reception is just right.
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