Norwich

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MrAntiDigital

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Still no NorwichPD on my radio

"squeegeeman0", You are NOT alone.

Whatever we are doing wrong, I'm still only picking up the Norwich PD once in awhile. And when I do pick it up, it's not that great by comparison to other FD/PD channels within the local area.

Interesting though I have a friend who also lives right here in Norwich and he too, was having trouble picking up the Norwich Police. However using that same scanner, he was able to pick up the New London and Groton Town PD about 15 miles away.

BUT he bought another NEW scanner. The SDS200 and he tells me that now he is now picking them up. This all within the last week or so.

I have also gotten a progress report from "georged4997" who recently changed his outdoor antenna. Still using his BCD996P2, with that different roof mounted antenna, he claims he is now able to pick up the Norwich Police.

I may try putting up a new antenna and wiring at this point rather than spending another $500 or $600 for a different scanner.

The fact remains, without changing anything I have absolutely No Problem picking up the low, high, ultrahigh band channels within at least 25 plus miles. But being "Mr Anti Digital, I have had nothing but problems tuning in some of my favorite emergency services channels". It was soooooo much easier before. Just push in the numbers and hear it as it happened.

Even when traveling half way across the country, or from Maine to Florida, just put in the numbers and there was never any problem.

Respectfully,
Mr Anti Digital

I had so many GREAT Years of listening.
 

georged4997

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I just put up the antenna like a X from DPD? with lmr 400 and 996 p2 im picking up everything great in Sprague.
I had the 700 mz antenna and it didnt work so good. My threshold is 10. Mr Anti Digital needs a new antenna and cable
he has the 9913 cable going into a spliter under the eaves. The cable has been know to get water in it. His theshold is the same as mine 10.
 

cg

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That is a good starting point but keep in mind the Uniden "tech" is likely simply reading from a script. Technical support now is more often than not some contractor reading from the manual.

chris
 

MrAntiDigital

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Thank you guys for the advice. I appreciate that.

"Dan6071" - Thank you for all the advice you have passed onto me. As stated by "georged4997", he did the programming for me on his computer. I have "no clue" how to do it. So I'm grateful for the help he has given me.

Today from around 6 am to now about 10 am, I have heard NOTHING at all on the NPD. Although other channels come in fine. So I have to believe my outside antenna and wiring is ok. Same for my scanner I have downstairs. Everything working fine from that same antenna. I do NOT have the NPD in that one, but everything is ok.

"jim202", asked about a cell tower site. Well I believe (???) there is one up on Plain Hill Rd and I live about 2 miles from there. The guy that reported he was having problems picking up the NPD on his scanner lives about 1 or 2 miles from that tower on the opposite side. BUT since buying that new scanner (SDS200) he seems to be picking them up okay now. Maybe (?) his other scanner wasn't programmed right, "I don't know".

Although I hear nothing as I write this, there have been days when I can pick up the Norwich Police for an hour or so.

For me, I think becoming a "brain surgeon" would have been easier to do than programming these scanners.

Well, life goes on. But how I miss those days, not too long ago, when I could listen to the Norwich police. Also my favorite police dept, my hometown of Bridgeport, where they are now encrypt. The first night I ever heard the Bridgeport Police (then on 39.10 mhz) was using a tube - one channel radio and I heard a fatal stabbing at Harding High School on Central Ave after a high school football game.

Then came tunable radios for high and low band. Bridgeport fire was on 153.77 mhz and if I tuned it just right I could hear the FDNY, Bronx/Staten Island then on 154.19, Manhattan on 154.25, Brooklyn 154.37, Queens 154.40.
Then the FDNY was the first that I knew of that added in a repeater system. Now I could here the mobile units as well. "IT WAS GREAT". No programing.
Along comes crystal controlled scanners - 6 channels, 10 channels etc. MORE GREAT TIMES.
Next comes Programmable scanners - THE BEST Thing that ever happened for Anybody who wanted to listen to their favorite channels no matter where or what city.

Yes my friends, those days are GONE. It will NEVER be what it once was as some of us remember. I just happened to be one of the LUCKY One's to have enjoyed it.

I can feel my eyes starting to water up as I tell this story. So with that said: "Thanks guys for your help and consideration. I DO appreciate it".

Uncle Willy D
 

Dan6071

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Willy i am still wiling to check it out for you .a friend of mine from waterford was having the same problem and i got his working .
 

MrAntiDigital

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I would like to THANK "Dan6071" for all his concern and offer to help. I contacted Dan and as it turns out, we met up maybe 35 or 40 years ago, when I was buffing (chasing fire trucks) in Providence, RI. Dan was a part of a group of guys that I knew during those very busy years of fire activity. Mostly from the Groton area. Some became career firefighters in Groton, some in Bridgeport and one in the FDNY. All a GREAT group of guys who of course tuning in their favorite emergency services on their scanners was a BIG part of their lives. Sadly of course, a few of those guys have passed on.

I also want to THANK this site member "imonitorit", who is now a retired 911 Norwich Dispatcher. He has been a big help since the start of this Norwich Police new radio system. I would also like to share with you an email I recently received from him. Actually I think this could be the problem why I have NOT been receiving the Norwich Police on my Uniden BCD996P2. I also believe this might have been mentioned earlier on among these 7 pages of conversation.

Quote from "imonitorit":
This radio system used, also uses simulcast technology. Simply put, more than one tower broadcasts at the same time. In the digital world it can cause your scanner to drop out due to data crashes".

I believe that is my problem. "georged4997" had also mentioned that to me too.

It's also been mentioned to me by "imonitorit" that the newer SDS100 and 200 scanners are NOT affected by that. I also believe there is a lot of truth in that as I have a friend nearby who had the same problem I have had, but just bought one of those SDS100s and now receives the Norwich Police fine.

Here's another lesson learned. A friend of mine who was a Chief Dispatcher for the FDNY told me to buy a SDS100 or SDS200 when I first talked of getting a new digital scanner. But in trying to save that extra $200 or so, I have learned the hard way to take advice from people who kinda know their stuff. Especially, a retired Chief Dispatcher from the largest fire dept in the country (FDNY).

Again, THANK YOU ALL for your concern and help. Now I just got to behave myself and maybe if I'm good "Santa Clause" will bring me one of those more expensive scanners so that I can finally hear the NPD.
 

mrcengineer

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Willy D!! Wow... talk about a blast from the past! I remember meeting you at Station 2 one day. You took us in showed us around and we watched films of FDNY. This must have been around 1984! Glad to see your still into the hobby. Was sad to hear when Providence left VHF. Take care buddy!
 

Firebuff66

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Again, THANK YOU ALL for your concern and help. Now I just got to behave myself and maybe if I'm good "Santa Clause" will bring me one of those more expensive scanners so that I can finally hear the NPD.
Just for thought you might want to keep the 996P2 and add a Unication G4 pager just for the CLMRN system The G4 is at rays pagers sales for $612 and I can tell you it works great on CLMRN and I have been up that way and listend to Norwich PD and Groton PD on it and it works great! The 996 will do everything else you want in the area.
The G4 is a little clunky to program at first but I and I'm sure others here would be happy to get it set up for you
 

MrAntiDigital

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Willy D!! Wow... talk about a blast from the past! I remember meeting you at Station 2 one day. You took us in showed us around and we watched films of FDNY. This must have been around 1984! Glad to see your still into the hobby. Was sad to hear when Providence left VHF. Take care buddy!

WOW, going back some 35 years or so.

I DO remember guys stopping by and I had some FDNY videos that I had taken.

I would also like to say that I recently met up "Dan6071", a TRUE Gentlemen, and a friend from way back that I hadn't seen in 30 or so years. "Dan6071", who lives in Groton, helped me with my scanner problem and receiving the Norwich Police. At his home in Groton, he did a little adjusting on it for me and with using ONLY a paper clip for an antenna, the scanner, Uniden BCD996P2, was receiving the Norwich Police - "loud and clear". I couldn't believe it. So I went home with a BIG SMILE on my face and couldn't wait to try it out. A Big Thank You to Dan. Of course in addition to that, we talked about those times buffing the City of Providence, RI back then. That in itself was great to talk about.

So not only has this web site been a GREAT source of information, BUT for me, it also brought about a reunion of many long time friends who have always had the same interest and hobby. But in some cases we haven't seen or heard from each other in years, even decades.

However, to get back with my reception of the Norwich Police radio channel, living right here in Norwich.

I get the scanner home after hearing the NPD perfectly well in Groton with that paperclip antenna. ONCE AGAIN, BUT just as before, only once in a while I get a broken up message over the scanner.

A couple of weeks ago I got an email from "imonitorit", a retired Norwich 911 Dispatcher. He suggested that I might NOT be able to receive them BECAUSE I live within the cross hairs of both towers that simulcast together. Just as my other buddy who lives a short distance away was NOT able to receive the NPD. But he then purchased the SDS100 and he hears them fine now.

Anybody what to buy a used scanner ??? I have about FIVE of them.
 

mrcengineer

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I am having similar issues down here when I try and listen to Jacksonville Fire Rescue. My 396xt and 436hp have a hard time with the Simulcast. Looking at an SDS100 or 200 or both. Good Luck Willy. Another retiree from NFD.. Joe Hebert says hello
 

MrAntiDigital

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I am having similar issues down here when I try and listen to Jacksonville Fire Rescue. My 396xt and 436hp have a hard time with the Simulcast. Looking at an SDS100 or 200 or both. Good Luck Willy. Another retiree from NFD.. Joe Hebert says hello

WOW - Another Surprise.

"mrcengineer", one of my Retired Brothers of what some have referred to as "The Rose City's Bravest".

Joe, aka "mrcengineer", was the first guy to introduce me to "portable-programmable" scanners that no longer needed crystals for each channel. That was a long time ago when he lived on the west side of Norwich. Before he became a firefighter in the city.

When newer scanners came out that needed to be programmed using a computer, Joe was the first guy to offer his help.

Interesting story about "mrcengineer" as Lt in the fire dept. He became the FIRST Training/Safety Officer - known as Car 10.

Well Brother, not only did we share seats in the fire truck together, but now it seems we share the same issues when it comes to monitoring some of our favorite police/fire channels. Only difference is, we're about a thousand miles apart.
 
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