NJICS Union County Discussion

[slapshot0017]

Westfield FD operating exclusively on NJICS. No simulcast heard this morning during testing.

Well that's disappointing...

 

[keithburnham]

westfield police

what is a good scanner or online link so i can still listen to police dispatch in westfield

 

[keithburnham]

any help as this is for my dad who is a retired p.o.

 

[N2SCV]

Thank you, I am just south of you in Northern Middlesex County, are there any other settings on the scanner that I should be changing for monitoring the NJICS system? Also, is it better to just monitor the simulcast sites? I am definitely having issues picking up some of the agencies.

Hi,
I live near the Outerbridge and receive Newark FD and all Union Co. talkgroups better on the Telegraph Hill site than I do from the Union and W. Orange sites.

 

[ansky]

Hi,
I live near the Outerbridge and receive Newark FD and all Union Co. talkgroups better on the Telegraph Hill site than I do from the Union and W. Orange sites.

The West Orange simulcast is mess. There are too many sites. I live in West Orange and I can hear the Union County simulcast fine, but West Orange sounds awful. I just wish other Essex County towns like Montclair and Belleville were on other sites besides West Orange.

 

[W2SJW]

any help as this is for my dad who is a retired p.o.

I'll be totally honest - no one is going to tie up an expensive Phase-II scanner to provide a feed for just one agency.

I'm assuming he wants a handheld? I would recommend the Uniden 436HP or the 325P2.

 

[APX8000]

Too many sites ? Because your scanner doesn't handle LSM ?? I thought I've heard it all and have kept quiet behind the scenes, but some of the comments made here lack the knowledge of how a wide area radio system is designed to operate. For example, why would Belleville need to waste a frequency on Telegraph Hill full time...so you can hear them better ? And your complaint about too many sites...I'd like to know if you make that same complaint to your cell service provider....

Just trying to make sense out of nonsense here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ansky]

Too many sites ? Because your scanner doesn't handle LSM ?? I thought I've heard it all and have kept quiet behind the scenes, but some of the comments made here lack the knowledge of how a wide area radio system is designed to operate. For example, why would Belleville need to waste a frequency on Telegraph Hill full time...so you can hear them better ? And your complaint about too many sites...I'd like to know if you make that same complaint to your cell service provider....

Just trying to make sense out of nonsense here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Too many sites causes greater LSM issues for the scanner. I'm speaking from the perspective of a scanner user, not from the perspective of an actual agency using the system. I thought that was obvious...

 

[Septa3371CSX1]

If you really want to overcome the LSM issues you need to buy a Motorola APX or other Phase 2 capable commercial grade radio that can be programmed to passively monitor (as in doesn't affiliate). These go for anywhere from $800 to $3000+ on eBay and various swap net groups on Facebook.

Besides that, the only other way to monitor a P25 CQPSK system and not worry about LSM is to use an SDR Dongle with SDR Trunk software.

 

[slapshot0017]

If you really want to overcome the LSM issues you need to buy a Motorola APX or other Phase 2 capable commercial grade radio that can be programmed to passively monitor (as in doesn't affiliate). These go for anywhere from $800 to $3000+ on eBay and various swap net groups on Facebook.

Besides that, the only other way to monitor a P25 CQPSK system and not worry about LSM is to use an SDR Dongle with SDR Trunk software.

I was told it wasn't possible. Someone please prove me wrong.

 

[W2SJW]

Oh, that's very much possible. Back when I lived in Somerset County I owned a V/U APX7000 & passively monitored all county systems under a single scan list (you could have 60+ TG's in a list with that many systems contributing).

Sent from my Galaxy S6 via Tapatalk 4

 

[slapshot0017]

Oh, that's very much possible. Back when I lived in Somerset County I owned a V/U APX7000 & passively monitored all county systems under a single scan list (you could have 60+ TG's in a list with that many systems contributing).

Sent from my Galaxy S6 via Tapatalk 4

Phase 2 talkgroups? I was told unless the ESN is in the system you won't even be able to passivley monitor.

 

[W2SJW]

Yep. I sold it for a V/800 when I moved & was able to properly receive the NJICS system with that model.

Sadly, that one turned out to be an accelerated life test radio & was internally beat to crap. I sold it & used the funds for my 436HP.

Sent from my Galaxy S6 via Tapatalk 4

 

[slapshot0017]

Why would you ever go back to a bcd436hp...

 

[W2SJW]

Here in Warren County, I live 3 miles from the huge tower at the Montana Mtn. 'super-site'. I get '0' LSM here, and the 436 has the best sounding P25 in a scanner I've ever heard (especially after the last 2 firmware updates).

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[richee2000]

On union county interop5 ... sounds like they are setting up a TG (unknown) on the system for Union Twp Police and Fire to move over to the NJICS system... anyone have any further details ?

 

[JLAB]

HOME PATROL II

Hi

I set up the NJICS on my Homepatrol II but I don't hear anything from Staten Island for either Essex or Union County. Any tricks to getting those talkgroups ?

 

[Analogrules]

In regards to the Uniden HP 2, I have found that it totally depends on your location when it comes to monitoring Phase 2 digital transmissions on the NJICS. It comes in horrible for tbe most part on both Union and Essex sites from inside my apartment in Roselle. However, if I take it to the Elizabeth train station platform, no reception problems at all. It seems you need to be very very close to a repeater, without any large buildings blocking your signal path. I am still on the market for a better antenna, but hesitant about spending money on something that may not even make a difference. Therefore, from Staten Island, I can understand not being able to receive those sites well. I know for a fact using the stock antenna on the bcd436, I cannot pick up NJICS Union or Essex Sites at all from inside the car as soon as I get down by Exit 130 on the Parkway. (Perhaps one of the Middlesex or Monmouth County sites may work better for yoi from Staten Island.)

Wow, I am kind of surprised Union Twp would go on NJICS considering they have so many talkgroups on their EDACS system, including all of their schools. I doubt NJICS would allow them that many channels. I would think a town like Union would get their own digital system like Woodbridge did. I wonder how much clutter/talkgroups the NJICS system can handle, before it screws up.

 

[RadioDitch]

In regards to the Uniden HP 2, I have found that it totally depends on your location when it comes to monitoring Phase 2 digital transmissions on the NJICS. It comes in horrible for tbe most part on both Union and Essex site.

I honestly have not had any issues on the HomePatrol-2 or BCD-436HP anywhere in Union County. Have you tired adjusting your digital settings in the scanner?

Wow, I am kind of surprised Union Twp would go on NJICS considering they have so many talkgroups on their EDACS system, including all of their schools. I doubt NJICS would allow them that many channels. I would think a town like Union would get their own digital system like Woodbridge did. I wonder how much clutter/talkgroups the NJICS system can handle, before it screws up.

Same for Union as anyone. It's cost driven. It's cheaper for them to pay the access fees for the ICS and buy new gear long-term, than continue to maintain an aging EDACS system that is coming to the end of it's useful life.

The NJICS won't screw up, not in Union County at least. With UCOEM Communications Division handling everything in Union County, and not REMU, it'll keep working fine.

 

[Analogrules]

Yeah, I've tried adjusting the settings, but no luck. I have seen several others on the forum also complain about this scanner's Phase 2 decoding issues. It does a little better when I bring it outside, but it performs terribly inside my apartment.