O G & E

[poppafred]

Since my Pro-97 won't trunk AWIN, I went looking for something it would and have hit a snag.

Using info from the RR database, I programed in the OG&E EDACS system in Ft Smith. Actually, it is on the cliff in Van Buren but I can hear it really well. At least I can hear the active control channel really well.

After a week of scanning the system in "open" mode so I wouldn't miss anything, I have not heard squat. I don't think OG&E would be that quiet so I am pretty sure something is not set correctly.

I programmed the 3 listed frequencies in their listed order, which is supposed to be very important with EDACS. I started with channel 501, skipping channel 500 as instructed. Each channel is set up in EDACS mode. Although I have programmed several talk groups, I left the bank "open" so I could hear everything until I was sure I had it all set up right.

Nothing.

Is OG&E actually something other than EDACS?

I am stumped.

 

[rdale]

Have you tried programming the non-control channel freq's in conventional mode and just scanning it?

 

[rfradioconsult]

Which utlity and the site name.

 

[62Truck]

If you look in your instrucion manual there is a way to "close" the bank so you only hear the programmed talk groups..this is one thing I do not like about the 97, I think is a stupid feature in my book, you have to put the bank is "close" mode also if you have PL's programmed in so you don't hear anything else on the frequency

 

[rdale]

If you look in your instrucion manual there is a way to "close" the bank so you only hear the programmed talk groups..this is one thing I do not like about the 97, I think is a stupid feature in my book, you have to put the bank is "close" mode also if you have PL's programmed in so you don't hear anything else on the frequency

Appreciate your attempt to help, but everything you said is wrong.

You don't have to close the bank to hear transmissions.

PL's can't be programmed for a trunked system.

 

[bpckty1]

Did you program the trunk system as EDACS?
In other words, did you press PGM/T(orange button) and make the trunk system EDACS?

(Been there, done that.)
;^>

 

[poppafred]

Yes, the system on the scanner is set for EDACS and each channel is identified as an EDACS frequency

 

[SCPD]

ALL frequencies ned to be programmed with EDACS systems

 

[loumaag]

I have closed the other topic you started and moved the replies to this thread. Please don't cross post in the future, thanks.

In reply to your specific problem. The two reasons that come to mind first are:

1. Since you are attempting to monitor an OK utility in AR, it may be that very little activity happens on that tower.
2. There is a possibility that ESK has been implemented on the system (and has not been reported), which renders your Pro-97 useless for it.

If you monitor the frequencies (not the CCh) in conventional mode (as suggested above) you may find that there is no traffic to hear. Also, if you hold on the CCh (as you have it properly programmed), I believe you should see TG ID's appear as channel grants are issued (I don't own a 97 so I may be wrong in this regard.)

 

[inigo88]

Loumaag is correct about seeing channel grants (alternating with "CTRL-[LCN #]" on screen) on the Pro-97.

Also, do us a favor and put the Pro-97 into Manual mode (Man). Start at memory channel 501 (which is where you said you put the first EDACS frequency) and scroll through each frequency on the system with the squelch turned all the way down so you can hear static. If you don't hear THIS SOUND on one of the programmed system frequencies, you either forgot to program a frequency or are more likely out of range of the system.

Good Luck,

Inigo

 

[poppafred]

This utility also serves a small slice of my state, specifically, my area, and has two tower sites within 25 miles of my home. I can hear the control channel idle and the scanner ID's it as "ED: CTL-01 99%" but there is never any audio of any type.

I cross posted hoping for more replies since this topic covered two different states. I was not aware that was not allowed. As this group only interests those in Arkansas, I wanted further input from those not interested in Arkansas scanning.

 

[robynsjw]

Hello Poppafred,
I've tried scanning OG&E recently, too. (http://www.radioreference.com/forums/oklahoma-radio-discussion-forum/130128-anyone-listen-og-e.html)
I was hoping to hear anything I could from them during power out situations, like the upcoming ice storm. We (in the Oklahoma group) have come to the conclusion that OG&E uses their MDTs in the trucks to communicate, most if not all of the time.
I'll be checking on them the next few days, will let you know if I hear anything here in the OKC area.
I thought I had seen some mutual aid freqs for power companies in the past, but have not been able to come up with them yet, but am still looking. I'll post here for you and the other thread if I can ever come up with them.

 

[poppafred]

I am starting to think they may have gone digital. We might not be able to monitor them anymore.

 

[loumaag]

I am starting to think they may have gone digital. We might not be able to monitor them anymore.

If they have gone digital, that would not preclude you from finding out if they are still using the EDACS system. As suggested above, let the radio sit in MAN mode on the control channel and see if any channel grants are detected (the radio will display the TG granted the channel). If that is the case then maybe they have gone digital. If you never see a channel grant, it may be that they moved to something else and have not yet taken the EDACS system down (or use it for backup.)

 

[poppafred]

After I programmed the EDACS channels, I let it sit for a week. It never displayed a channel grant. The system is still there, the "warble", for lack of a better term, on control ch 1 has never stopped and is still easy to hear. You can hear and occasional "burst" on one of the other control channels but there has never been a single transmission heard. Very frustrating. I am considering just wiping the entire bank and finding something else to listen for.

 

[loumaag]

After I programmed the EDACS channels, I let it sit for a week.

On the control channel, held so the noise was there all the time?

It never displayed a channel grant.

They are only displayed when holding on the CCh.

The system is still there, the "warble", for lack of a better term, on control ch 1 has never stopped and is still easy to hear.

Of course when sitting looking for (or waiting for) a channel grant, you would turn it down to a background noise. Any change in the steady idle sound would indicate some type of activity.

You can hear and occasional "burst" on one of the other control channels but there has never been a single transmission heard.

?? ??
What "other" CCh's, and what kind of burst?

Very frustrating. I am considering just wiping the entire bank and finding something else to listen for.

All part of the hobby. This is why we have multiple scanners and ways of letting the computer log this kind of stuff (decoders, loggers, etc.).

 

[poppafred]

1 - Scanner in scan mode, monitoring the bank.
2 - Never saw one for hours on end. I wasn't fixated on the display but the radio was sitting beside me for and entire day.
3 - Tried that too and it was a steady low warble for over 8 hours on a weekday. Got very irritating at times.
4 - I altered the channels for a couple of days, went to FM. I monitored the secondary and tertiary control channels like I did the primary. The tones would change but the display never gave any info about what control channel it was. The primary channel display always says Ch 1 and is always above 96%. I "assume" that is activity level or resource availability. Don't really know what everything means.
5 - I don't have a way to connect the output to the computer. Can't afford any new toys right now.

Thanks for trying to help.