Not getting MARCS-IP

[MichaeI]

I live in Aurora, which is in Portage County. I scan with the Uniden BCD436HP. Aurora Police Dispatch & all their tac channels are on MARCS-IP, Aurora Fire uses MARCS-IP but is still able to be picked up on the old system. When scanning Aurora Fire on the old system, it picks up perfectly, I hear every transmission great. However, when listening on the MARCS-IP system, I only get a transmission every once in a while, and say it was a 20 second transmission, I only get 6 or so seconds of it. This issue is only present when listening to channels on the MARCS-IP system.

I have exhausted all options that I am aware of. This issue is not only present with Aurora or Portage County, I have also tried listening to Solon/Chagrin/Orange Village Fire (Cuyahoga County) and Twinsburg Fire (Summit County) and the same issue is present. Any fixes?

Thanks

 

[Swipesy]

Michael, I too live in Aurora and have no issues picking up all Portage, Summit, Geauga, Solon or Chagrin with my GRE PSR-500 and Legacy converted GRE PSR-800 at home with indoor mag Mount antennas. All clear and little to no Simulcast issues. However, when I am mobile with these radios can be deaf in certain parts of Aurora. My first guess at your issue is your radio is suffering from LSM in one of the Aurora/Twinsburg dead spots. You did not mention if you are having issues in a stationary spot or mobile or both.

Aurora can be heard off of both Geauga and Summit MARCS towers. I scan both Geauga and Summit towers on each radio. Again I do not know how you programmed your Uniden. If you are scanning both towers you might try one at a time or if not try both like me to see if your results differ.

I am assumming your radio has been programmed properly to receive MARCS with correct System control channels

 

[MichaeI]

Thanks for the clarification and it's good to have someone local. I am scanning in a stationary spot 99% of the time, and the issue is still present. I have also brought the scanner to several different stationary locations around Aurora, same thing, so I would hope the issue is not a deaf spot.

As for scanning MARCS towers in Summit and Geauga counties, I will try that, wish for the best, and report back. Thanks!

 

[MichaeI]

Update:

Getting police and fire very clear, will test nearby out-of-city agencies tomorrow. Really appreciate the suggestion, it's working great, and I really needed the help!

 

[Swipesy]

Glad it worked out for you. I tend to get more hits for Aurora PD off of Summit because the Pd cars move around to West side of Aurora more than fire and so their radios affiliate probably with the Chamberlin tower

 

[wd8chl]

Update:

Getting police and fire very clear, will test nearby out-of-city agencies tomorrow. Really appreciate the suggestion, it's working great, and I really needed the help!

If you are hearing even one talkgroup, then you will hear them all *as long as* a) they are programmed to talk through that tower b) there is a radio on that talkgroup in the area of that tower and logged into it, and c) it's not encrypted.

For cities that are some distance away (you are in Aurora, and say you want to listen to, say, Canton), they likely are not programmed to use towers in your area, and even if they are, there is not likely to be any units in the area to log into the site(s) you're listening to.

 

[Swipesy]

MIchael you should have no trouble hearing in Aurora all of MARCS Cuyahoga County, Geauga County, Summit County, Portage County since they are all simulcast towers that can be monitored in Aurora (Cuy County Twr- Frohring Meadows, Geauga County Twr - Haskins Rd, Summit County - Chamberlain Tw). You can also hear some of Stark County for those Stark radios that affiliate with Summit Towers. Further you can hear GCRCN action off of the antenna at Frohrin Meadows. Parma P25 is a hit and miss. Sometimes you can hear them sometimes not.

 

[wa8pyr]

MIchael you should have no trouble hearing in Aurora all of MARCS Cuyahoga County, Geauga County, Summit County, Portage County since they are all simulcast towers that can be monitored in Aurora (Cuy County Twr- Frohring Meadows, Geauga County Twr - Haskins Rd, Summit County - Chamberlain Tw). You can also hear some of Stark County for those Stark radios that affiliate with Summit Towers. Further you can hear GCRCN action off of the antenna at Frohrin Meadows. Parma P25 is a hit and miss. Sometimes you can hear them sometimes not.

Mostly correct, although....
1. Portage County is not a simulcast. Reception will be limited to the towers within range of Aurora with the OP's setup.
2. It's possible that not all talkgroups from those counties are allowed to roam outside the home county.

 

[Swipesy]

Mostly correct, although....
1. Portage County is not a simulcast. Reception will be limited to the towers within range of Aurora with the OP's setup.
2. It's possible that not all talkgroups from those counties are allowed to roam outside the home county.

Correct, Portage towers are not simulcast. Aurora is unique in that it sits in the corner of Portage, Summit, Cuyahoga and Geauga counties and can hear the individual county towers and thus does not need affiliation to hear radio traffic on the MARCS system from those counties. Stark County can generally only be heard in Aurora when they are affiliating with Summit Towers. Anyway this has been beaten to death for an issue that has been solved by the OP.