Not picking up State Patrol

[dunndlee]

I got a new Uniden BCD996P2 a week ago. I did pay to have ScannerMaster program in 3 counties for me since I was completely new to digital scanners. SO glad I had them program it, even thoughI did a ton of studying while waiting for the scanner to arrive. Both reading on here and watching a lot of youtube. Once it arrived I hooked up to Proscan and saved the programming and I printed out a detailed copy of the programming . It helped me immensely to have a printed copy to actually see how it all lines up. (Systems, groups, channels) It all made sense once I saw it all in tiers on paper! I have picked up on all the basics pretty well now and have learned my way around the scanner menu and functions. Everything is working great and I am picking up all 3 counties programmed. I live in Dunn County, and I am also getting Eau Claire County and St. Croix County crystal clear. However.......I have not heard a single peep on State Patrol. I don't understand that since I am picking up both digital and analog for 3 different counties so clearly! I attached a copy of the State Patrol programming. Does it all look good? Is it just that their not talking around here for a week? Or I don't have good reception for them specifically?(I live within 2 miles of a tower and about 6 miles from the Interstate 94)

 

[RMason]

I'm not from your area, so hopefully someone local will jump in.

Looking at the programming shown, only the Osseo site (in Eau Claire County) is programmed for the "State Ptl WISCOM system". Depending on your location, you may not be getting good signal from this site. You may need to add one of the Dunn County sites - which should be closer to your location - for this system.

Wisconsin Interoperable System for Communications (WISCOM) Trunking System, Statewide, Wisconsin

Wisconsin Interoperable System for Communications (WISCOM) Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

1 (1)	051 (33)	Elmwood	Dunn	139.1625c	151.220	151.475	152.1425c	152.6525c
1 (1)	133 (85)	Menomonie	Dunn	151.3175c	153.050	153.695c	154.695	155.445
1 (1)	134 (86)	Rock Falls	Dunn	150.8975c	155.460c	155.670c
1 (1)	135 (87)	Wheeler	Dunn	150.8825c	154.9275c	155.610
1 (1)	056 (38)	Osseo	Eau Claire	139.3125c	151.010	152.6225c	152.8025c	154.935

Also, make sure that you have SQK 8 / GQK 1 quick keys enabled.

Do you see it scanning the State Ptl system? While scanning the State Ptl system, hit Hold/Resume to hold on the site. What shows on the display? This should help to understand whether you are receiving the control channel.


Note: Depending on how ScannerMaster organized the programming for the 3 counties, the talk groups for the State Patrol may be included in the programming for the counties.

 

[dunndlee]

The quick keys are enabled. When I hold on the system it is showing 139.3125 the control channel for Osseo.

I'm almost positive I would not get reception from Osseo. thats over an hour drive away from me. That is most likely the problem! Do I just  add the closest tower site frequencies where the Osseo tower frequencies are programmed in? And do I leave those there or should I delete them, and replace with the closer site frequencies. One of those towers is 2 miles from me.

 

[RMason]

If you don't see a SID: when you hold on the control channel, that is an indication you are not receiving it.

And do I leave those there or should I delete them, and replace with the closer site frequencies. One of those towers is 2 miles from me.

There are multiple ways to do this. I would add a 2nd site to the system. Once you have it working, you can either delete or lock out the existing site.

 

[dunndlee]

If you don't see a SID: when you hold on the control channel, that is an indication you are not receiving it.


There are multiple ways to do this. I would add a 2nd site to the system. Once you have it working, you can either delete or lock out the existing site.

OK, I added another, site for closer tower frequencies. I do now see a SID when on hold for that one. Now I just wait and see if I hear any talk on it. Thank you!

 

[RMason]

OK, I added another, site for closer tower frequencies. I do now see a SID when on hold for that one. Now I just wait and see if I hear any talk on it. Thank you!

That is a good sign. Here is something else to consider: Some of the sites might not carry the State Patrol talk groups. You may want to add the other sites within range to find one that carries the State Patrol. These additional sites can be added to the same system.

If you still don't get anything, you may want to enable ID Search (instead of ID Scan). ID Search will monitor all active talk groups. ID Scan will only monitor the talk groups that are programmed.

 

[ryolsen8]

Depending on what part of Dunn County you are in, I would say to make sure you add the 4 sites in for Dunn County.

 

[dunndlee]

I am now hearing State Patrol! TGID 151 Yay! Also..... I had noticed for my main county (Dunn) I was not hearing anything on P25 standard trunk/ WISCOM, just the conventional channels. While looking over the State Patrol situation I looked deeper at the digital programming for Dunn County. That also had the wrong sites entered. I entered closer sites and am now hearing TGID 17001 which is my county Sheriff on the P25 WISCOM trunk system.

Thank you all SO MUCH for the help. I would not have thought about the possibility that they may not have entered my closest tower sites.

One additional question......Should I lock out the conventional group frequency now for the Sheriffs Office? (I can't lock out the whole system because fire and ems are on it too) It bounces back and forth between the conventional and the trunked. Meaning.... someone will talk on trunked, it will scan a second and the response will stop on the conventional channel. Or vise versa. There is a big sound quality and volume level difference between the two so it is annoying!

 

[ryolsen8]

I would say if you're hearing traffic on WISCOM, lock out the VHF.