I have been having trouble with my BCD436HP in Tacoma too. The signal comes in spotty. I have my PSR 500 set on the Seattle VHF digital freq’s and get more transmissions on that than the new P25 system. Anyone have the settings to make it work?
New Washington State Patrol Radio System Information
- Thread starter jacobsmith
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- Jan 18, 2005
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Here is a tentative timeline from WSP for system cutover.
District 2 12/31/2014
District 3 04/06/2015
District 1 06/15/2015
District 5 08/24/2015
District 6 11/30/2015
District 4 02/08/2016
District 7 04/18/2016
District 8 06/27/2016
District 2 12/31/2014
District 3 04/06/2015
District 1 06/15/2015
District 5 08/24/2015
District 6 11/30/2015
District 4 02/08/2016
District 7 04/18/2016
District 8 06/27/2016
The only areas that concern me are:
District 2: MARS(Mutual Aid Radio System)
District 3: All freqs
District 4: All freqs (Home District)
District 6: All freqs
Statewide System: All freqs
The only tower sites listed in Eastern Washington are all in District 6 which doesn't come online until 11/30/2015. District 3, which I listen to quite a lot comes online on 04/06/2015 currently has no tower sites within that district. Picking up the signal won't be a problem as I have a BCD536HP. One tower site in Kittitas County(25 mile range) two in Chelan County(15 and 30 mile ranges) and one in Douglas County(20 mile range) District 3 that covers Benton, Franklin, Walla Walla, Garfield, Yakima and Asotin Counties is a huge area of the state and some wide open areas. I see problems with them implementing this on the east side of the state. All of the districts on the east side except district 6 are already running digital.
District 2: MARS(Mutual Aid Radio System)
District 3: All freqs
District 4: All freqs (Home District)
District 6: All freqs
Statewide System: All freqs
The only tower sites listed in Eastern Washington are all in District 6 which doesn't come online until 11/30/2015. District 3, which I listen to quite a lot comes online on 04/06/2015 currently has no tower sites within that district. Picking up the signal won't be a problem as I have a BCD536HP. One tower site in Kittitas County(25 mile range) two in Chelan County(15 and 30 mile ranges) and one in Douglas County(20 mile range) District 3 that covers Benton, Franklin, Walla Walla, Garfield, Yakima and Asotin Counties is a huge area of the state and some wide open areas. I see problems with them implementing this on the east side of the state. All of the districts on the east side except district 6 are already running digital.
jparks29
John McClane
With coverage as bad as it is, and more towers needed, I doubt they'll be pushing too far too fast...
MANY units are keeping their radios on VHF instead of going to 700, too many dead spots.
MANY units are keeping their radios on VHF instead of going to 700, too many dead spots.
WSP Vancouver?
Anyone have trouble monitoring Vancouver WSP on 154.68 MHz? I've tried tweaking P25 settings on my BCD996XT, my BCD396XT, and my Whistler WS1065, but I'm still not getting a consistently good decode. The one radio I have that actually does a semi-decent job is my old BC250D. It motor-boats once in a while, but it catches transmissions that the newer radios miss altogether. I'm starting to think that from SW Portland I'm just too far from the WSP transmitter. Anyone know if their P25 is simulcast in the Vancouver area, or do they switch repeater locations depending on coverage needs? The latter might explain why I'm missing some transmissions. It's frustrating because I've listened to WSP analog on this frequency since the 70's with great reception. I used to receive Kelso and Centralia pretty well too, but not a peep now.
Thanks
Anyone have trouble monitoring Vancouver WSP on 154.68 MHz? I've tried tweaking P25 settings on my BCD996XT, my BCD396XT, and my Whistler WS1065, but I'm still not getting a consistently good decode. The one radio I have that actually does a semi-decent job is my old BC250D. It motor-boats once in a while, but it catches transmissions that the newer radios miss altogether. I'm starting to think that from SW Portland I'm just too far from the WSP transmitter. Anyone know if their P25 is simulcast in the Vancouver area, or do they switch repeater locations depending on coverage needs? The latter might explain why I'm missing some transmissions. It's frustrating because I've listened to WSP analog on this frequency since the 70's with great reception. I used to receive Kelso and Centralia pretty well too, but not a peep now.
Thanks
Good Question About Vancouver
I have asked on several boards about what they seem to be doing here in the "Couve" without anyone responding. For example, we can hear people calling Stacker and even Roosevelt now when these were tenuous at best when analog. Where I lived before I could occasionally hear Stacker and Roosevelt was a two time deal, but now more frequently. Obviously Skamania is big and Underwood. Like you when analog, I heard Kelso (base on Green Mt and Baw Faw as well as mobiles) and even Centralia every now and then. Now NADA. I get data hash at best because it is all simplex, no repeaters in Kelso.
My question is like yours are they simulcasting perhaps or I thought bringing up all the repeaters down the line to show they are responding to someone (like the irritating beeping tone they use in SoCal). Either way, we hear all of the repeaters. However, when they go to a single site and key it up, they go away.
As to the P25 quality, it seems hit and miss. I have 996s house and car, a Pro 197 and a couple 396s (T and XLT) and they seem to pick it up. Some times better than others. Occasional hash, but one thing I did was go in and set every ch/freq to auto and/or digital. Remember, there are still some freqs that could be either analog or digital (LERN/NLEC/OSCCR/CAR1-3) so you have to leave it flexible. And with the Unidens there is also an audio setting. Still, every now and again you get the hash if the signal isn't the best. If you mainly wish to listen to the dispatch for Vancouver (which again will cover a lot of the district) you can still listen on the "WSP MON" TG on the CRESA TRS.
One question I have for this thread on recent posts. Above there was a poster who noted dates for the "cutover" by district. Since District 5 is already P25, what is the cutover for? I thought the 700 was going to be a system around the Sound only? If they are talking about VHF Trunking, I find it hard to believe they will go forward with this given they don't seem to overload the frequency they use, and finding lots of unused frequencies in VHF I'm told is very difficult now, and they obviously have more sites than they used to analog. Haven't they spent enough of our tax money on this boondoggle to support a no-competition bid for Motorola???
I have asked on several boards about what they seem to be doing here in the "Couve" without anyone responding. For example, we can hear people calling Stacker and even Roosevelt now when these were tenuous at best when analog. Where I lived before I could occasionally hear Stacker and Roosevelt was a two time deal, but now more frequently. Obviously Skamania is big and Underwood. Like you when analog, I heard Kelso (base on Green Mt and Baw Faw as well as mobiles) and even Centralia every now and then. Now NADA. I get data hash at best because it is all simplex, no repeaters in Kelso.
My question is like yours are they simulcasting perhaps or I thought bringing up all the repeaters down the line to show they are responding to someone (like the irritating beeping tone they use in SoCal). Either way, we hear all of the repeaters. However, when they go to a single site and key it up, they go away.
As to the P25 quality, it seems hit and miss. I have 996s house and car, a Pro 197 and a couple 396s (T and XLT) and they seem to pick it up. Some times better than others. Occasional hash, but one thing I did was go in and set every ch/freq to auto and/or digital. Remember, there are still some freqs that could be either analog or digital (LERN/NLEC/OSCCR/CAR1-3) so you have to leave it flexible. And with the Unidens there is also an audio setting. Still, every now and again you get the hash if the signal isn't the best. If you mainly wish to listen to the dispatch for Vancouver (which again will cover a lot of the district) you can still listen on the "WSP MON" TG on the CRESA TRS.
One question I have for this thread on recent posts. Above there was a poster who noted dates for the "cutover" by district. Since District 5 is already P25, what is the cutover for? I thought the 700 was going to be a system around the Sound only? If they are talking about VHF Trunking, I find it hard to believe they will go forward with this given they don't seem to overload the frequency they use, and finding lots of unused frequencies in VHF I'm told is very difficult now, and they obviously have more sites than they used to analog. Haven't they spent enough of our tax money on this boondoggle to support a no-competition bid for Motorola???
Why not monitor IWN?
Is WSP Vancouver on IWIN? There's no State Patrol talkgroups listed for IWIN in the RR database.
I know WSP is cross patched to the CRESA trunk trunk system, but I don't get great reception of that system from my location.
.
Umm, well, why don't you monitor IWN for (5) minutes and report back... that's the point of this web site. :roll:
Spending all that money on a system that wont work as good as the last and cost wayyy too much, just so we can't hear them. Unless you have money for a fancy scanner that is. Then it's ok because if you have money, you must not commit crimes or something, lmao.
Nick, not sure what you might be eluding to here, you're being too cryptic. Just spent about an hour listening with IWN on pro 197 and my 996 base, with WSP on the pro 197 as well as the IWN, but when WSP locked on, 996 just kept on scanning. Please note that I have taken the local sites (basically Mt. Defiance to Naselle/ Baw Faw thru Metro Portland's sites) and put them as a separate quick key and duplicated them so they would repeat these sites in order to focus on this WSP mess. Thus far there seems no crossover. Please note as others here have reported, Dist 5 seems to be doing quite well VHF P25 without being a TRS (a stupid move IMHO).
While I'll bet that it works great on 700 up around the sound, it's stupid here. That being said, given their new radios, I don't know why they haven't gotten an actual TG on CRESA's TRS instead of merely a monitor (receive only) TG. On WSP's side, they require then a VHF"broadcast" of CRESA on 155.07 (licensed at a couple of sites, but who knows if it's anything but their station tower) which while I'm told is switchable to dif TGs, almost universally is set to CCSO disp (Control 2). Have no idea if it's a technical issue or merely territoriality by CRESA, but it would seem a better way to have actual interop more than LERN which locally is a joke and one of the worst TGs in terms of audio quality.
Perhaps the situation up North is different, or you have intel or you are aware the IWN is capable of certain things, however thus far "boots on the ground" can report that the systems while perhaps connected and sites used, appear separate. I'm no expert obvioiusly, nor do I understand what's going on (or supposed to be), but the one question I keep asking is the one I posted above about linking repeaters or simulcasting perhaps. (BTW, just had low band 45.36 key up testing. Tech said was F-1 on Capital Pk. That's quite a stretch for Vancouver, and it was not only rock solid, but LOUD. Must retransmit over the loop to site here?)
Anyway, I digress. The fact is, if you have something to impart, which you normally do so well, would you please come out and say/ask, because something must be different here than there.
While I'll bet that it works great on 700 up around the sound, it's stupid here. That being said, given their new radios, I don't know why they haven't gotten an actual TG on CRESA's TRS instead of merely a monitor (receive only) TG. On WSP's side, they require then a VHF"broadcast" of CRESA on 155.07 (licensed at a couple of sites, but who knows if it's anything but their station tower) which while I'm told is switchable to dif TGs, almost universally is set to CCSO disp (Control 2). Have no idea if it's a technical issue or merely territoriality by CRESA, but it would seem a better way to have actual interop more than LERN which locally is a joke and one of the worst TGs in terms of audio quality.
Perhaps the situation up North is different, or you have intel or you are aware the IWN is capable of certain things, however thus far "boots on the ground" can report that the systems while perhaps connected and sites used, appear separate. I'm no expert obvioiusly, nor do I understand what's going on (or supposed to be), but the one question I keep asking is the one I posted above about linking repeaters or simulcasting perhaps. (BTW, just had low band 45.36 key up testing. Tech said was F-1 on Capital Pk. That's quite a stretch for Vancouver, and it was not only rock solid, but LOUD. Must retransmit over the loop to site here?)
Anyway, I digress. The fact is, if you have something to impart, which you normally do so well, would you please come out and say/ask, because something must be different here than there.
I'm giving you a hard time because some valuable information is already in this thread just a few posts back. It irritates the heck out of me when people come in seeking answers and don't even bother to read the thread.
Districts are implementing different radio schemes (apparently) but no I don't know what's happening in your area.
Good information -- thanks. Keep monitoring and check other sites in the area. It only takes a little effort to monitor in your area and report back. That's how things get discovered. The results you find may help someone else.
Well if you were to read the thread then you would see that I (and others) have been reporting our observations for a few months now.
I can't be everywhere at once so we have to rely on each other to figure this stuff out.
(See my posts from 12/11)
I know you have, and that's what's frustrating because obviously you cannot be statewide. I've posted what I have learned in this district as well because I'm trying to figure how they are working it. As you know Brett (sp?) has indicated a lot of things which will negatively impair our ability to listen, but so far it has not happened. But that doesn't mean it won't. But the good news is things change and they don't always follow thru with original plans. For example, simplex P25 seems to be working here without a TRS. But I've picked all the sites of IWN I can hear and grouped them in a separate quick key as I said. I go back to that and listen periodically but usually only note it stops on a TG since uniden does not unsquelch on ENC traffic. Interestingly, I had a thread on yahoo groups with Chris about actually hearing a TG in the clear out by his house in SW. Traffic uneventful, but in the clear. Never heard WSP.
But I have also asked a couple questions which I don't think have been covered...about simulcasting or hearing traffic on the local repeater (at D5HQ) for a site hundreds of miles east, as well as others which I know go away when keyed up alone. Also, up this page a bit was a post about "cutover" dates, but since we're already P25 what is that a cutover to???
I am extremely interested in this on-going thread, so I come back to it every other day or so to check on new posts, and I do post myself. You have been a great contributor and that's why I didn't understand what you were getting at with listen to IWN and see post above, because nothing seems to be there. If you'd like it checked, I'd be happy to (and do anyway) periodically, but it appeared as if you indeed did know something, but being secretive about it for some reason, which is uncharacteristic from what I've seen. (Kinda more a Brett thing...lol)
Just let me know how I can help. I check Intercept periodically, but don't post unless I really have something because on that board, you get flattened quickly it seems. But feel free to PM me any time to ask me to check on this area. I've been doing this since before 1970, before computers and before programmable radios. So I have some background in it, and would be happy to share.
But I have also asked a couple questions which I don't think have been covered...about simulcasting or hearing traffic on the local repeater (at D5HQ) for a site hundreds of miles east, as well as others which I know go away when keyed up alone. Also, up this page a bit was a post about "cutover" dates, but since we're already P25 what is that a cutover to???
I am extremely interested in this on-going thread, so I come back to it every other day or so to check on new posts, and I do post myself. You have been a great contributor and that's why I didn't understand what you were getting at with listen to IWN and see post above, because nothing seems to be there. If you'd like it checked, I'd be happy to (and do anyway) periodically, but it appeared as if you indeed did know something, but being secretive about it for some reason, which is uncharacteristic from what I've seen. (Kinda more a Brett thing...lol)
Just let me know how I can help. I check Intercept periodically, but don't post unless I really have something because on that board, you get flattened quickly it seems. But feel free to PM me any time to ask me to check on this area. I've been doing this since before 1970, before computers and before programmable radios. So I have some background in it, and would be happy to share.
New Information District 5 Mobile Antennas
I looked for a post I believe I saw before in another district where the person wondered if their District was planning on using any TRS. I think their thought was any 700MHz TRS because as we know the IWN that the Feds use is simply a VHF TRS. They asked this question because they noted that their District cars had removed the signature mobile antennas which initially tipped us off that they had installed the APX mobiles in the vehicles and returned to the 5/8 wave VHF that they have historically used (albeit a different model antenna).
I bring this up because having followed a new Dist 5 car the other day, they too had lost the short (loaded?) antenna we first saw and have also returned to the classic 5/8 wave type. I'll keep an eye out for others following suit. I had hypotocated that with the new radios capable of 700/800, why not actually provide a TG with cross-patch capability on the CRESA TRS. I was told by someone who has knowledge of CRESA that it would never happen. They were adamant, and I have no idea why, but the TGID would remain monitor only, leaving interop only on LERN, one of the worst audio TGs on the system.
So my question would be, does this move mean they have no real plans to have Dist 5 part of the 700 TRS, and remain VHF only? (I am not discounting the ultimate possibility that they would trunk the IWN, but think it a waste of money and frequency allocations frankly.)
I looked for a post I believe I saw before in another district where the person wondered if their District was planning on using any TRS. I think their thought was any 700MHz TRS because as we know the IWN that the Feds use is simply a VHF TRS. They asked this question because they noted that their District cars had removed the signature mobile antennas which initially tipped us off that they had installed the APX mobiles in the vehicles and returned to the 5/8 wave VHF that they have historically used (albeit a different model antenna).
I bring this up because having followed a new Dist 5 car the other day, they too had lost the short (loaded?) antenna we first saw and have also returned to the classic 5/8 wave type. I'll keep an eye out for others following suit. I had hypotocated that with the new radios capable of 700/800, why not actually provide a TG with cross-patch capability on the CRESA TRS. I was told by someone who has knowledge of CRESA that it would never happen. They were adamant, and I have no idea why, but the TGID would remain monitor only, leaving interop only on LERN, one of the worst audio TGs on the system.
So my question would be, does this move mean they have no real plans to have Dist 5 part of the 700 TRS, and remain VHF only? (I am not discounting the ultimate possibility that they would trunk the IWN, but think it a waste of money and frequency allocations frankly.)
Is it just me or did ALL the talkgroups become Phase 2? Was listening a few weekends ago and can't hear anything on the Seattle Dispatch or North Bend patches.
According to an earlier post, change-over for District 2 (seattle,bellevue,north bend) was 1/31/2014, and i am hearing them on a digital radio,,,mac
What type/brand of scanner is it? I can't hear $**t on my BCD396XT anymore in regards to WSP. I see there are some new TGs so I"ll try to punch them in and see what happens.
I am hearing them on a whistler1080 ,a psr800, and my Bcd436hp, all phase 2 TDMA scanners, but they all loaded as conventional channels. I would try removing anything WSP from the scanner, then go to R/R database and go to wash state/statewide systems and they are listed by statewide districts, pick the districts you want to import, and hopefully the latest info will be imported. If you dont use your computer to import, you might need to get somewhere so you can update the database in the scanner with the latest info,,,good luck, mac
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