Ocean County P25 issues

[KC2YQW]

Hey all,

I live in the southern tip of the county and I've been trying to get the new 700 system to work on a Uniden BCD536HP scanner with no luck. I've tried everything including resetting the radio with no luck. I cant even get the radio to notice there is a CC or trunk system in operation. Crazy thing is, I had loaded Burlington and NJSP's 700 systems and they both worked with no problems. I'm at a loss for what else I can do to get the radio to hear the system.

I've included the HPE file for the radio. The only thing I currently have loaded is the county 700mhz system but figure there has to be a mistake somewhere that I just cant catch. Was hoping that perhaps someone could take a peek and let me know where it is. Click here to see the system I am trying to program in.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Frequency1]

Hey all,

I live in the southern tip of the county and I've been trying to get the new 700 system to work on a Uniden BCD536HP scanner with no luck. I've tried everything including resetting the radio with no luck. I cant even get the radio to notice there is a CC or trunk system in operation. Crazy thing is, I had loaded Burlington and NJSP's 700 systems and they both worked with no problems. I'm at a loss for what else I can do to get the radio to hear the system.

I've included the HPE file for the radio. The only thing I currently have loaded is the county 700mhz system but figure there has to be a mistake somewhere that I just cant catch. Was hoping that perhaps someone could take a peek and let me know where it is. Click here to see the system I am trying to program in.

Thanks everyone.

Without analyzing too deeply, sounds like a simulcast distortion issue. The 536 is notorious for hit or miss reception of simulcast systems.

Uniden SDS series scanners are a reliable solution. Unfortunately, slightly expensive.

 

[KC2YQW]

Without analyzing too deeply, sounds like a simulcast distortion issue. The 536 is notorious for hit or miss reception of simulcast systems.

Uniden SDS series scanners are a reliable solution. Unfortunately, slightly expensive.

Thats a shame Though I would think I would at least be able to hear a control channel or something. I dont even get that, almost as if I have the wrong frequencies in, or there are missing frequencies.

 

[Frequency1]

In the file you provided, under “county simulcast”, you have the attenuator set to ON. Assuming you tried both OFF and ON.
If not, turn the attenuator OFF.

Also, too many unnecessary frequencies mixed in amongst the correct ones.

I hear your frustration. Please know that myself and the members in the other thread only wish you success.

 

[KC2YQW]

In the file you provided, under “county simulcast”, you have the attenuator set to ON. Assuming you tried both OFF and ON.
If not, turn the attenuator OFF.

Also, too many unnecessary frequencies mixed in amongst the correct ones.

I hear your frustration. Please know that myself and the members in the other thread only wish you success.

I have tried both on and off. No luck Ill remove the 7 frequencies that were on the FCC site. By any chance does anyone know if there is a band plan in place for the system. Mine is blank, wondering if that is the issue

 

[Frequency1]

In the file you provided, under “county simulcast”, you have the attenuator set to ON. Assuming you tried both OFF and ON.
If not, turn the attenuator OFF.

Also, too many unnecessary frequencies mixed in amongst the correct ones.

I hear your frustration. Please know that myself and the members in the other thread only wish you success.

Reread your other post, disregard my attenuator comment.

 

[WA0CBW]

Have you tried entering the control channel frequencies as conventional? You should be able to hear the control channel "rumble". If not then you have other problems than simulcast.
BB

 

[KC2YQW]

Have you tried entering the control channel frequencies as conventional? You should be able to hear the control channel "rumble". If not then you have other problems than simulcast.
BB

Yes, I am speaking with WA0CBW and we are walking through everything. Bill believes I may be in a dead spot, but it doesnt make sense as the tower in in the middle of town maybe 2 miles away. The only thing I can think of is I have improper frequencies, but the system was programed direct from RR, I didn't have to input anything, just add to scanner.

 

[Skypilot007]

You're not in a dead spot that's for sure. You are way too close to a site for that. Make sure you downloaded the county simulcast site and not the Jackson twp. site.

 

[dave3825]

If its possible, find out from someone listening to the same site ( county simulcast site ) ask them what is the active control channel. Then manually tune in that freq and see if there is any activity on the signal indicator. Program that freq in as conventional.

 

[Frequency1]

County simulcast site Control channel frequency 774.88125MHz

My SDS100 does a fantastic job, easily picking up this system from within this county.

 

[dave3825]

County simulcast site Control channel frequency 774.88125MHz

@KC2YQW I would program in 774.88125 in as conventional and see if you receive any signal. If not, try other rooms and see what happens.

 

[KC2YQW]

You're not in a dead spot that's for sure. You are way too close to a site for that. Make sure you downloaded the county simulcast site and not the Jackson twp. site.

Definitely have both in there. I even included Jackson just in case RR had it mixed up.

@KC2YQW I would program in 774.88125 in as conventional and see if you receive any signal. If not, try other rooms and see what happens.

I will give that a try, Didn't see the earlier message, and Ill let everyone know what I find.

 

[KC2YQW]

Ran the test with the 774.88125 channel and I think I have a good signal with the other scanner which sees it as a form of digital signal, but doesnt know what to do with it. (The test scanner is a phase 1 scanner which I can quickly plug numbers in and "hear" the raw audio) Going to try the BCD next and see what happens.

 

[KC2YQW]

Ok, so I deleted ALL but the 744.88125 frequency. The BCD seems to "hear" something but is not converting it to a data stream. It will flash "DAT" for a second then seems to lose signal altogether. Im wondering if the radio is just shot for some reason when it comes to this particular system, though its still odd it can hear others.

 

[KC2YQW]

So I left the BCD overnight in discovery mode. This morning I checked, not only are there no hits on the system, but it doesn't even see there's data anymore. Checked with the radioshack scanner in analog, and NO SIGNAL on ANY channels, almost as if someone shut off the system.

It was mentioned that perhaps I made errors in programing which I am willing to accept. So, I removed all "favorites" folders and just left the master database which I do not use. I enabled it and entered my zip code. It loaded several systems into the radio and started scanning. Atlantic city, Burlington county, and NJSP all have fair to very good signal strength. Ocean county P25, nothing. Now in theory, doing it this way should remove ANY kind of user programing from the question and rely on the RR database for the stuff it needs to monitor this site.

I am now wondering if perhaps I am in a vally or something. Makes no sense I would have a signal last night and nothing in the morning being Im only a couple miles from the local tower. (Im right around the corner from mystic fire co, and the tower is down by the lake in turkerton)

 

[Typestries]

I am a user of the 700 system in the capacity of a volunteer FF/EMT. There are definitely significant dead spots in the little egg area despite the fact that there is a simulcast tower in Tuckerton. Yet, over here on the island we can easily hit the tuckerton tower from our portables. That being said, I have used my portable on the system at the low part of the Mullica River bridge on the Atlantic County side without issue. From what we are being told it is “being worked on” I have no idea what else is Colocated on that 680 foot dtv tower nearby but it has been surmised by many that that is part of the problem. No idea what the application process looks like but there has been talks of adding a couple more sites to the system now that more users are coming online on the fire and EMS side holes in the system are being exposed.

 

[KC2YQW]

I am a user of the 700 system in the capacity of a volunteer FF/EMT. There are definitely significant dead spots in the little egg area despite the fact that there is a simulcast tower in Tuckerton. Yet, over here on the island we can easily hit the tuckerton tower from our portables. That being said, I have used my portable on the system at the low part of the Mullica River bridge on the Atlantic County side without issue. From what we are being told it is “being worked on” I have no idea what else is Colocated on that 680 foot dtv tower nearby but it has been surmised by many that that is part of the problem. No idea what the application process looks like but there has been talks of adding a couple more sites to the system now that more users are coming online on the fire and EMS side holes in the system are being exposed.

We were talking about that at the academy tonight. The tuckerton tower at the park is only about 100' tall. (You can see it when you drive down 9 near Center St) There is a TON of stuff on that tower which could be causing issues. Add to it the hill between Mystic and the tower and the trees, I can see dead zones being caused in that way. Shame they didn't use the tower near the library which would have likely given MUCH better coverage as its one of the taller points in town.

 

[fireman_dude]

I have the Hand Held version of the scanner that you have. In Barnegat I am able to monitor the County P25 system without issue. I also monitor Burlington and Atlantic Counties as well. I am receiving off the Barnegat Tower and my guess is you are using the Tuckerton Tower. Hope you get it working soon.

 

[KC2YQW]

I have the Hand Held version of the scanner that you have. In Barnegat I am able to monitor the County P25 system without issue. I also monitor Burlington and Atlantic Counties as well. I am receiving off the Barnegat Tower and my guess is you are using the Tuckerton Tower. Hope you get it working soon.

Hey We've been discussing the issue over here! I am thinking my house is just in an odd dead spot as even the SDS200 is not getting the best signal, though its better than the 536.