I have one of the older Radio Shack 800 antennas. But I am pretty sure it’s a Remtronix just branded as Radio shack.
Either way it works great on trunked 700/800/900 systems.
Either way it works great on trunked 700/800/900 systems.
New Mexico DTRS
- Thread starter beerzkool
- Start date
ChrisABQ
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Yes, seems testing is over for atleast the next couple of weeks, because of the holidays. When you download from Sentinel, make sure you get the update on Monday as AbqScan has added six new frequencies to the Sandia Crest site, you might miss some stuff if you don't have all 18.
CorwinScansNM
Member
Thank-you abqscan. You just eased up some of my confusion & frustrations with me, my Scanner & the newest NM DTRS Trunked Radio System that I am fully onto & looking forward to monitoring & receiving in my area primarily the BCFD's. Good to know now that P25 systems are standard & that my BCD536HP Scanner will decode TDMA TGs all by itself without having to be programmed as a special P25 X2-TDMA Trunked System.
CorwinScansNM
Member
OK, that is good to know as for I was totally wondering what had happened to me receiving the BCFD on TG 14610 like I was for some days after programming my Scanner for it. I am glad it's not just me & that it is not just a receiving problem on my end. It had me really thinking, second guessing & looking into all of my Scanners setting & programmed Data/Frequencies for the NM DTRS when I was suddenly no longer hearing or picking up the BCFD's.
CorwinScansNM
Member
These work great. Recommend for 700/800 reception.
On Set Remtronix Scanner Antenna
On-set Remtronix police scanner antenna for all police scanner radios. 7" whip antenna for BNC or SMA inputs. View all police scanner antennaswww.zipscanners.com
OK, I'll have to possibly purchase a BNC Version of this & see how well it help out with my receiving only needs. It would most likely be installed on my 25-Foot Outdoor Antenna Mast with a NMO Mount Ground Plane Kit & a couple of Adapters to make it compatible for my receiving setup to my Scanner. I will definitely look into that Remtronix Antenna as for I have not tried that Antenna before. Right now I am currently using a DBJ-1 Dual Band Commercial Version Base Antenna for my receiving needs.
Just a reminder for everyone. If the site you are monitoring doesn't have a radio associated with it on a talkgroup, the site won't carry the traffic. Example, if a single BCFD radio is on channel BCFD Dispatch and it associates with the Sandia Mountain site, our scanners will then be able to monitor that talkgroup on Sandia Mountain site. If the radio then sees a site with a stronger signal, it will then switch to the stronger site and that talkgroup willl no longer get carried on Sandia.
ChrisABQ
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That brings up another question. New Mexico State University is using the system in Las Cruces, but we are able to receive radio traffic here in Abq. Isn't this radio traffic being broadcast throughout the entire system and as long as we are on their TG 30111, we are able to hear them? That seems to be the case now.
No, the radio traffic isn't being broadcast throughout the entire system.
Either someone was testing in ABQ or someone from NMSU drove up to ABQ and kept their radio on dragging that TG into the ABQ area. This is a downside to large radio systems because it allows people to bring their home radio channel with them as they drive around the coverage area. Radio site capacity is designed to support the local area traffic, not every TG that will end up on the state system.
Imagine every LE organization in the sate is using the the state system and there is a training event in ABQ. When these LEOs drive to ABQ and keep their radio on their home radio channels, all of these TGs will start showing up on the ABQ sites. This will overload the sites in ABQ and will cause issues with people tryin to use their radio.
Example: A NMSP D5 radio might get a busy tone when they try to use their radio because the site they are trying to use is busy with radio traffic from Deming, Las Cruces, Roswell, Taos, Grants, Gallup, Clovis that has nothing to do with the metro area. A good practice is to teach these agencies to keep their radio turned while traveling.
One thing the radio engineers can do is block talkgroups on sites. For instance, radio techs can block TG 30111 from associating with any of the sites in ABQ and thus prevent the radio from dragging its TGs into the metro area.
Either someone was testing in ABQ or someone from NMSU drove up to ABQ and kept their radio on dragging that TG into the ABQ area. This is a downside to large radio systems because it allows people to bring their home radio channel with them as they drive around the coverage area. Radio site capacity is designed to support the local area traffic, not every TG that will end up on the state system.
Imagine every LE organization in the sate is using the the state system and there is a training event in ABQ. When these LEOs drive to ABQ and keep their radio on their home radio channels, all of these TGs will start showing up on the ABQ sites. This will overload the sites in ABQ and will cause issues with people tryin to use their radio.
Example: A NMSP D5 radio might get a busy tone when they try to use their radio because the site they are trying to use is busy with radio traffic from Deming, Las Cruces, Roswell, Taos, Grants, Gallup, Clovis that has nothing to do with the metro area. A good practice is to teach these agencies to keep their radio turned while traveling.
One thing the radio engineers can do is block talkgroups on sites. For instance, radio techs can block TG 30111 from associating with any of the sites in ABQ and thus prevent the radio from dragging its TGs into the metro area.
abqscan is spot on. You guys gotta remember this is a state-wide multi-cast system, not a simulcast. Your scanner will be locked onto the control channel at a particular site. But if the talkgroup you want to listen to isn't active at that site... in other words if there are no system users also registered with that site and tuned into the talkgroup(s) you're trying to monitor... you won't hear squat, even if there happens to be activity on that talkgroup at a neighboring site.
ChrisABQ
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So, in other words, if you're in the city, you need to monitor all the sites for the city to NOT miss anything. AND, there should be no simulcast distortion issues requiring an SDS radio?
The metro area should have a simulcast system just like it does now. I'm assuming that there should be some additional sites to provide better coverage thorughout the county and to get coverage on the other side of the mountain. I'm sure all of ABQ Police and Fire will be on the simulcast system 100% of the time. It will be the county TGs that might show up on sites that aren't in the simulcast system.
CorwinScansNM
Member
Great question point Chris as for I myself was wondering too, if I was going to have to save up for & purchase one of the latest Uniden SDS Scanner Models to be able to monitor the BCDF's on the NM DTRS System for my own needs & safety? I'd rather not have to purchase a SDS200 just to allow myself to monitor & listen the BCFD's on this new Statewide Digital Motorola Trunked System. Therefore, I am curious on that too Chris.
All you need to do is monitor one
of the simulcast sites once they get them up and running and you will hear all of the comms in Abq/Bern County Area. No need to monitor every site in town.
of the simulcast sites once they get them up and running and you will hear all of the comms in Abq/Bern County Area. No need to monitor every site in town.
I wouldn't recommend buying an SDS-100 or SDS-200 if you will only use it to monitor the simulcast system. I would highly recommend getting a Unication G4 for this purpose. The G4 performs much better and you can pick one up locally from Code 3 Service.
The G4 isn’t a full blown scanner though
is it?
is it?
If you have a scanner now that can monitor Phase 2 P25 you won’t have any issues monitoring the new NM DTRS 700 System including the Simulcast sites when they go active unless you just want an excuse to buy a new scanner Christmas present for yourself. 😉
It isn't a scanner at all. It does exactly what 95% of scanner owners user their scanners, listen to a defined group of frequences or talkgroups. The reciever in the G4 is better than any scanner and this is why I recommend it over the SDS100/200.
This is bad information. Whistler and Uniden have both stated scanners weren't designed to pick up simulcast scanners and this was the big push by Uniden to develop the SDS100 and SDS200. There are hundreds if not thousands of threads on the issue of scanner users not being able to monitor P25 simulcast systems properly with legacy scanners. Here is a great video showing how a Unication workins on a simulcast system vs legacy scanners.
Interesting. I monitored the Clark County SNACC P25 System in Las Vegas, NV and the LVMPD Phase 2 700 system prior to it going full encryption for over 5 years and never had any issues with not being able to receive transmissions with my 436, 536, and TRX-1. I monitored the simulcast sites for these systems only and never had any issues.
I know the simulcast distortion issue exists out there and is a problem on some of the systems for some people. Also know this was one of Uniden’s big sales pitches for buying a new SDS model scanner for $700+. Guess it depends on which system you are monitoring. Good to know there is a good scanner alternative out there that works better for P25. For the money I have always just stuck with Uniden and GRE/Whistler since you are able to monitor so many different types of systems and search new frequencies easily. There is also a newer G5 correct?
I know the simulcast distortion issue exists out there and is a problem on some of the systems for some people. Also know this was one of Uniden’s big sales pitches for buying a new SDS model scanner for $700+. Guess it depends on which system you are monitoring. Good to know there is a good scanner alternative out there that works better for P25. For the money I have always just stuck with Uniden and GRE/Whistler since you are able to monitor so many different types of systems and search new frequencies easily. There is also a newer G5 correct?
The G5 adds the VHF or UHF band to the radio. I'm not trying to scare everyone into thinking they need a new scanner or radio. I'm only trying to set expectations that folks might have reception issues on the new system especially in fact they don't have the issue when monitoring the EDACS simulcast system.
