New user looking for Topeka/Shawnee County help

[tctoolman]

Hi all,
I'm a new user and have a Uniden BCD996P2. I am only a couple miles outside Topeka (Berryton area). I was able to import the Shawnee County programming using Freescan and successfully download to the scanner. I was also able to import the KSICS/Topeka and download that as well. I am however not getting hardly any voice traffic, and what I do get isn't really what I'm looking for. I'm looking for mostly Police/Fire/Sheriff type chatter. I can listen to the Topeka Police Dispatch East/West via broadcastify, and nothing I program is picking up those channels.

Hoping someone has a file they could share with me to get me started? There's a lot to learn jumping into this but I guess I expected a little better results using the import function from this website and downloading to the scanner.

I've done several tests so far. One Site/Group at a time, and also with both systems below programmed at the same time.
On the import I'm choosing KSICS, Topeka, imports as Mot Type 2/P25, then I choose Shawnee County and also Topeka. I think I'm getting some police but not the east/west dispatch. I do see a North/South dispatch in the list. If I add in the HWY Patrol I'll pick up some of those too.
I'm also importing Shawnee County (APCO P25), imports as Mot Type 2/P25, I choose Simulcast, and Topeka Fire & Police. I'm not getting anything out of these channels and the Police trunk shows east/west dispatch in it so I was hoping this would get me what I hear on broadcastify...but I get nothing at all.

There must be something simple I'm missing. I am leaving everything default as to how it imports. Should I be changing something? I don't have a lot loaded so I'm not setting quick keys but I have tried setting those as well when I had both systems programmed at the same time. I've also read how these systems are changing from P1 to P2 next year so didn't know if the database/import is pulling in the wrong settings for the current systems? I've read about antennas but if these systems can transmit 20 miles or more then I should be picking up Topeka Police. I've watched numerous programming videos and they all mostly make sense but alas I'm not getting anything. If anyone could offer some assistance I would be forever grateful.

Thanks,
TC

 

[KAA951]

TC-

Sorry to hear of your difficulties, we have all been there at some point.

I don’t have the magic answer to fix your program, but hope this helps. First, I would just focus for now on programming the Topeka/Shawnee County system into your scanner. There is a tower site for that system near 61st & Shawnee Heights Road that should give good coverage to your area. All the Police, Sheriff, Fore, Capitol Police and most Highway Patrol traffic in Shawnee County is on that system. I would be surprised if you can get a good signal for the state KSICS system in Berryton without some sort of exterior antenna due to how their towers are sited.

if it were me, I would reset the scanner and get a fresh download with just the Topeka system. Later, once you have that working and you are more comfortable with the scanner, you can try to pull in the second system. Lock out all the talk groups on the system except those you are interested in. There is a lot of routine, non public safety traffic on the system that can block you from hearing the specific agencies you want to hear. Try just listening to Topeka PD East and West, Topeka FD Dispatch (which now alerts all fire stations in the county), Shawnee Sheriff Dispatch and KHP Main.

if you still aren’t having any luck, go into town somewhere and see if you are getting any better reception, so you can rule that out. I will say that most the stock antennas that come with scanners are crap and you may have better luck buying an antenna specifically tuned to the 800 MHz band.

Good luck!

 

[WX4JCW]

Get a Remtonix Antenna it will help

 

[nosig55]

Coverage area for Topeka.

Kansas Statewide Interoperable Communication System (KSICS) Site: Topeka

Kansas Statewide Interoperable Communication System (KSICS) Site: Topeka Details

www.radioreference.com

 

[tctoolman]

Thanks all for the replies. I'll follow the suggestions given and take the scanner closer to town and see if that makes a difference. And I'll probably get a better antenna than the stock one, thank you for the recommendation. I was finally able to hear a few seconds of audio from the east/west groups last night moving around the house but it was very choppy when it did work. Even though I'm well within the 20mi range I must be in a bad spot.