NYPD from Mid-Nassau

[bezking]

Hi all,

I'm trying to monitor the NYPD from eastern-nassau county.
The only intelligible channels are CW1 and CW2. Anything else seems like just static and dead air. I'm using a PRO-433 with the extra-large radioshack telescoping base antenna.

Ideas?

 

[vsny]

bezking,
It's not just you.
You are going to think I'm not telling you the truth BUT--it depends on when you are trying to monitor.
I'm at the extreme WEST side of Nassau (hence the VS as in Valley Stream in my screen name) and I swear the city must shut off certain transmitters at certain times of certain days. (huh?)
I can try to monitor a Queens division on a Sunday evening, as an example, but it happens other times also, and have great reception...try it again 2 hours later and I will not get further than Rosedale clearly...try the Bronx--same story--this goes for either my handheld ancient Uniden BC-100 XLT or my desktop 785-D both with the original equipment antennas.
I would like to know the answer to this also if one exists.

 

[SCANdal]

Gentlemen,

The PD's radio zones are designed to effectively cover only the area of primary assignment. If it's a precinct radio zone, then the system will be configured to cover not much more then the two or three precincts that are assigned to that zone. Same applies to the boroughwide and the citywide channels.

Bear in mind that most all of the frequencies used by the NYCPD are shared with surrounding agencies, to one degree or another. The classic example is ever-popular (I don't know why) SOD frequency. 470.8375 is also used by East Islip Fire Department in Suffolk County. The following principles apply to all FCC licensees, not just the NYCPD - use as much wattage of power output to cover the area in question, and no more; and make an effort to protect any co-channel / adjacent (don't forget narrowbanding!) channel users from interference. So, it's possible that not only will a repeater be putting out a limited number of watts (there are some as low a 22 watts - which work very, very well, just based on the height they are mounted at), but their antennas could be pointed/nulled in a direction to clear a known co- or adjoining channel user to aviod problems. Oftentimes the City of New York is trying to protect itself from itself. Compare a list of the City's UHF frequencies in numerical order against a listing of valid frequencies one day to see what I'm talking about (i.e.: PED Citywide, 471.1625; PED Queens 471.1875, etc., etc, on and on - you've got to hand it to the techs that keep these systems from collapsing on themselves)

As the ongoing discussion in another thread (about Dutchess County) reminds us: two-way radio systems aren't designed for the benefit of scannists. They are designed to a) meet the needs of the end user and b) satisfy regulatory requirements / restrictions. So, the bottom line? Consider yourself fortunate when you receive any agency's signal, either thru your own well built antenna / reciever system, a good piece of real estate (a high rise penthouse with no cell tower on the building next door vs. a basement apartment and a neighbor with a leaky cable TV system upstairs), or through a passing atmospheric condition (ducting, etc.), or a combination of any of the above.

Good luck,

SCANdal

 

[radionerd13669]

"The following principles apply to all FCC licensees, not just the NYCPD - use as much wattage of power output to cover the area in question, and no more; and make an effort to protect any co-channel / adjacent (don't forget narrowbanding!) channel users from interference. "

That applies in ham radio.

Commercial/Public Safety Licences have a maxium power output.If it is 100 watts you can use 100 watts.There is no rule that says if you can use 10 watts instead of 100 watts them use 10 watts

 

[studgeman]

"Commercial/Public Safety Licences have a maxium power output.If it is 100 watts you can use 100 watts.There is no rule that says if you can use 10 watts instead of 100 watts them use 10 watts

Land mobile users are licensed for the minimum power required to cover a given service area. There are several paragraphs in part 90 on this, and the frequency coordinators play a part in this as well. Essentially the maximum licensed power is the minimum requried to carry out the communication.

 

[SCANdal]

You are capped in the ham world too...

13669,

In addition, while your license will show your maximum output power and your maximum ERP, there is no mandate, while actually operating a system, to use all the power that you are allowed to use all of the time. Many factors, such as equipment life / duty cycles (especially aging - read degrading - equipment), come into play. While you can't (legally) go up over your cap in power, you can go down.

SCANdal

 

[bezking]

OK guys - I was hoping I could monitor the precinct covering my office... Guess I'll have to stick with CW.

Thanks for the info.

 

[w2lie]

Hi all,

I'm using a PRO-433 with the extra-large radioshack telescoping base antenna.

Ideas?

Did you ever try using an outdoor antenna?

You can't get any more "Eastern Nassau" from where I am, and I can usually hear what I need to as far as NYPD goes. Yes, I may need to open the squelch a bit - but I can grab what I'm looking for.

Can you PM me the area your looking for, and I'll let you know how well it come in at my QTH.
An afternoon on the roof / chimney / or side of the house may be your answer... or even something in your attic space may do!

 

[bezking]

Did you ever try using an outdoor antenna?

You can't get any more "Eastern Nassau" from where I am, and I can usually hear what I need to as far as NYPD goes. Yes, I may need to open the squelch a bit - but I can grab what I'm looking for.

Can you PM me the area your looking for, and I'll let you know how well it come in at my QTH.
An afternoon on the roof / chimney / or side of the house may be your answer... or even something in your attic space may do!

Ya, that's what I was afraid of... Guess that's what I'll have t odo.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Thunderknight]

Ya, that's what I was afraid of... Guess that's what I'll have t odo.

If you can dedicate a receiver to just that frequency (or, probably NYPD in general), you could try a UHF yagi antenna mounted outside. The extra gain and directionality will help. Note that the higher the gain, generally the more directional.

 

[bezking]

If you can dedicate a receiver to just that frequency (or, probably NYPD in general), you could try a UHF yagi antenna mounted outside. The extra gain and directionality will help. Note that the higher the gain, generally the more directional.

That's what I was thinking. All of the channels I want to hear seem to be in the 470-480 MHz range.

 

[w2lie]

Bez, shoot me the freq you would like to hear.
I have a discone setup in my Attic, and a ST-2 on my roof.

I can let you know if you really need to jump on the roof to hear what you are looking for.

My discone is just resting on the floor, and the coax is routed between the floors to the basement in the space where the plumbing vent runs. It was probably a 30 minute install from start to finish.
I have a UHF Yagi that I could put in the attic if you want to see if that works better.. (and it is for the correct freq range)

 

[tommyscan]

I am in seaford and can hear the majority of the nypd with a handheld specific antenna for the 450-500 range of frequencies. Try an austin condor antenna or a maldol antenna which is telescopic in nature. I get most of the precincts and cw/iab channels with minimal interference. Any antenna with gain will do the trick. several models out there but you will pay 30..00 an up for one!!! Its worth the expense.

 

[radionerd13669]

Sorry For such the long delay in posting a reply.Yes I am aware of Fcc Lic Rules and Requirments.My post was not worded the best to say the least sorry but thanks for the input

 

[BigDogg795]

So...picking up NYPD in Suffolk County is pretty much beating a dead horse so to speak...huh?

 

[subwaysurfer]

Some times at night depending on the weather it comes in quite clear on my portable scanner with the stock antenna. But for the most of the time I am unable to receive in mid Suffolk County. I’m hoping to change that in the future with the addition of a base antenna.

 

[OTA-K]

So...picking up NYPD in Suffolk County is pretty much beating a dead horse so to speak...huh?

I pick them up fairly well here by Port Jeff..
Sometimes better than others..Moving the radio here and there usually helps.

Using a BC-246T w/ a Diamond RH77CA

 

[BigDogg795]

FWIW, I'm able to pick up CityWide 1 and SOD fairly clearly with a magnet mount NMO UHF to both my UHF HT750 and my BCT15

 

[dave3825]

So...picking up NYPD in Suffolk County is pretty much beating a dead horse so to speak...huh?

I live right by Suny Farmingdale Suffolk county. I have a scantenna amongst other antennas but I get majority of nypd pretty good.

Now in a basement apartment in west Islip ( Howells @ Udalls road) using the rubber duck, I get CW and sod pretty good. Last night I was hearing other preceints ok but only if the scanner was laying on its side..