Newbie-Looking for help with Spotsylvania County

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Juliet-10

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Spotsylvania County, VA
Hi all,
I'm not new to scanning, as I had a Uniden Bearcat 20 years ago as a teen, but stopped after it broke. A lot has changed since then!! I decided to get back into it, as it will go well with my interest in getting my HAM license(s). I just picked up a new Whistler 1080 and have installed the EZ-Scan software, updated the library from Radio Reference (which is a great feature), firmware updates, DMR,CPU, etc. I played around with the software and tried entering my county, zip and choose the categories I wanted and got way to much info. So many talk groups and other channels I don't want. For now, I just want to monitor local & state police, fire, & EMS. Does anybody have a template/VScan config file with those categories or close to it for Spotsylvania County? If someone could send me that or point me in the right direction of who might I'd greatly appreciate it and probably reward you monetarily. From looking at everything for my location it would take a tremendous amount of time choosing the freq I want and eliminating the ones I don't. I'm kind of on thr border of Spotsylvania, Louisa, and Orange counties which makes it even harder. I know 'ScanMaster' offers a programming service, but they want the whole radio and charge way to much. I tried asking about sending in just the SD card. and they avoided the question. I didn't pick up verty much at on my first try, but being late at night/morning and being so rural played a role. I ordered the 800 mhz Radio Shack antennna which should help according to many recommendations.

So if any of my local Virginians could help me out I'd greatly appreciate it. :)

Thanks,
J.C.
 

fredva

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If you are able to do the library update and firmware update, I'd recommend learning how to do the programming through the software because it's not terribly difficult and having that ability will give you flexibility to make changes for the future.

Below are the steps to get Spotsylvania County programmed into your scanner

To program your scanner, use the Library Import tab.
Change the Import Type to Preferred.
Choose Virginia in the state list, then choose Counties/Cities in the Data Type list.
Click Next, then select Spotsylvania.
Choose Trunked Systems.
Click Next near the bottom.
Choose Spotsylvania County (the P25 system).
Click the Sites button near the bottom.
Make sure Site 10 is selected.
Click Talkgroups near the bottom.
Select or Deselect which services you want (fire/EMS, schools, etc.).
NOTE: Most of the Sheriff's Dept. radio channels (called talkgroups in a trunking system) are encrypted, so you will not be able to listen to much from them.
After choosing your services, click "Import Selected Channels" near the bottom.
You will choose which Scan List into which you will program Spotsylvania.
After you have imported your channels to the computer, choose Copy Configuration to Scanner Memory/SD Card under the Scanner/SD Card menu at the top.

Give that a try, make sure the Scan List into which you have programmed Spotsylvania is enabled on your scanner, and see if you can pick up anything.

Programming other counties and the state police would follow a similar process.
 

Juliet-10

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Spotsylvania County, VA
Great! Thanks Mike. Are there any conventional analog channels you recommend for Spotsy/Louisa/Mineral? As I'm close to LKA, so I'm jumbled close to other counties. Also, as far as VA State Police, are they included in that import and do you know what other area to choose other then Div 2,Area 5? For whatever reason the Divisions & Areas aren't listed in the library compared to VA State Police website.
Many aren't specific to what they really are.

Thanks again!!
J.C.
 

tglendye

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...Also, as far as VA State Police, are they included in that import and do you know what other area to choose other then Div 2,Area 5? For whatever reason the Divisions & Areas aren't listed in the library compared to VA State Police website.
Many aren't specific to what they really are.

Thanks again!!
J.C.

Virginia State Police are on a separate system called "STARS". In the Virginia RadioReference Database, it is under each locality. Spotsylvania is in the Culpeper Division and uses "Culpeper 1". Each of the Culpeper 1 channels, such as "Tac 1", "Blue 1" could be in use for this area. Culpeper 1 and Culpeper Tac 1 are the two main channels you will hear VSP activity on. You'll also certainly be able to hear other VSP Divisions such as Richmond, Fairfax, Appomattox and Chesapeake. I believe the tower you would want to monitor would be Thornburg, however there may be other towers you receive better. I believe Louisa has at least one.

Good luck. It sounds like you are off to a great start. Welcome to RadioReference and keep asking questions.

EDIT: Also VSP's legacy conventional system is in the database. For the most part, there is no use monitoring this. The action is on STARS and I don't believe there is any activity on the old system. You may also come across the state police DVR system. This is the digital vehicle repeater system. It relays comm's from the trooper's vehicle to their portable.
 
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fredva

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As Todd said, Thornburg would be a good site for you to choose in the STARS system, along with Culpeper talkgroups.

If you are programming conventional channels through the software, you would follow the initial steps given for Spotsylania above, but after choosing a county, choose "Categories" instead of "Trunked Systems." Then you would step through and choose the conventional systems you want (typically the county name), and the particular frequencies.

You mentioned Orange County earlier. Orange County still relies on a conventional system. Fire/EMS uses conventional analog frequencies while the Sheriff's Dept. uses conventional DMR frequencies. Here is the page listing those frequencies: https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?ctid=2886

I'm not familiar with monitoring Louisa, but here is their conventional listing: https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?ctid=2873
 

Juliet-10

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Spotsylvania County, VA
Awesome info! Thank you Todd & Fred. I got Spotsy, State Police, Louisa/Orange, & Amateur Radio programmed on there own scanlist. Slowly figuring it out. As far as the State Police I choose most of the Culpeper Area, Louisa/Mineral, & Richmond. . So far, only Richmond VSP dispatch has come in. I'm sure I'll get much more once my RS 800 mhz antenna arrives. Isn't 'Thornburg' for VSP just for training? That's what I've seen listed in the database, but I'll add it it and try it out. So is it possible to pick up Fairfax/NOVA VSP on there 'STARS' system with repeaters? Since that's where I'm from originally and still go up there a couple times a month. Plus a lot more activity in NOVA usually. Thanks again for all your help.
 

fredva

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Glad to hear you're making progress. I'm not sure where you are seeing that Thornburg is used for training. The Thornburg site (a stationary repeater) is close to the border of the Culpeper division and the Richmond division, and it definitely carries both Culpeper and Richmond radio transmissions. I believe Fairfax division communications will occasionally come across Thornburg as well, but not always. You can try using the Hogback Mountain site in Rappahannock County, which carries more Fairfax division traffic.
 

tglendye

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The Fork Mountain STARS site may also work. Has a lot of range and also a lot of traffic. It’s in Madison. Juliet-10- each tower/site will carry different traffic on STARS. It largely depends on the users of the system and what their radios are affiliated with.

I was in Henrico one time and actually heard the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office (also a STARS user). Really surprised me.
 

W4UVV

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Buchanan Co./Grundy PD via STARS Div 1 Richmond

The Fork Mountain STARS site may also work. Has a lot of range and also a lot of traffic. It’s in Madison. Juliet-10- each tower/site will carry different traffic on STARS. It largely depends on the users of the system and what their radios are affiliated with.

I was in Henrico one time and actually heard the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office (also a STARS user). Really surprised me.

--------------------
The reason you heard the Buchanan Co. SO/Grundy PD a couple of years ago during their testing phase of becoming new users on STARS was because the radio techs additionally affiliated their talkgroups with VSP Div 1 Richmond as part of system testing. After becoming operational, the affiliation remained for 4-6 additional months and provided an interesting diversion occasionally to the typical Div1 STARS comms.

John
W4UVV
 

Juliet-10

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Spotsylvania County, VA
I've programmed in those other VA State Police locations and put in a 'wildcard' and let it run in record over night and found some other talkgroups. I'm having issues trying to program those in manually in the software. Any tips? After looking through other agency's in STARS, I found most of the talkgroups in DOT and a couple in Corrections. I'm a tad confused with the STARS system for the State Police, as each location chosen looks exactly like all the others. Do I need to add each location (assuming tower) and the same locations that I originally wanted to monitor for Richmond, Thornburg, etc? Hopefully I'm not confusing myself more then I should. It sounds like each location or tower is repeating the same talk groups throughout the state, and that's how I need to program my scanner. Please let me know if I'm close or way off.

Also, I received my 'Radio Shack' 800mhz antenna, but unfortunately I'm not picking up much more then before. Could be that I'm inside, cell phone close by, DirectTV, and other electronics running or it's just my location. Thoughts?
I noticed Louisa/Orange convential channels come in weaker with the new antenna. I know it's supposed to boost 700-800mhz, but read it picks up better then the stock throughout the entire spectrum. What's the truth?
With the volume on max and attenuator off, most incoming freq's aren't that loud. This must be the Whistler 1080, as I heard the internal speaker isn't that great. I could just try some headphones and in my car run a male to male 3.5mm jack from the scanner to my head unit to get it through my speakers. As that's what I do with my iPhone. Could any of you recommend a external speaker thar is fairly cheap?
I know I asked like 5 questions, but I'm assuming that's better then 5 separate threads. Thanks for your help in advance!!

J.C.
 

fredva

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J.C., I'm not real clear on everything you said, but I'll try to respond. Regarding the RS 800 mhz antenna, that antenna should be about the best on an 800 mhz system like Spotsylania's. My experience is that it is better than a handheld stock antenna on VHF systems like STARS and Orange County, but not nearly as good on VHF as a longer antenna such as a telescoping antenna or the Diamond RH-77.

Most of the normal VSP talkgroups are heard regionally but not statewide. For example, you will hear Richmond 2 on the towers within Richmond 2 counties, and on some towers further out. However, if you go way down to Wytheville, you will not normally pick up Richmond 2 in that area. The exception would be if a trooper from the Richmond 2 area was in the Wytheville area for training and wanted to talk to his/her dispatcher in Richmond. In that case, Richmond 2 traffic would come across towers in the Wytheville area.

There are most likely certain talkgroups which are broadcast on every tower in the state. However, if every talkgroup were to be transmitted on every tower, I imagine it would often exceed the available capacity.

To program new talkgroups manually, you would go to the Trunked Radio Systems tab, select the "Virginia Statewide...(STARS)" system which should already be in there, select the talkgroups tab in the lower half of the window, and use the New button on the right to enter the talkgroup id and an alpha tag.
 
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