Oklahoma City P25 phase ll simulcast distortion

[firechaser97]

Uniden BCD436HP, as a small trip to Oklahoma City last Friday July 3rd 2020, I went in thinking I was going to receive the system well, as in Tulsa Oklahoma, theres a P2 simulcast system I listen to, the broken arrows p2 four site simulcast by L3Harris. the audio is loud and clear on the 436hp on the system.

Oklahoma City’s P25 Phase ll it is difficult for the scanner to decode the radio traffic. I’ve adjusted the threshold from 6 to 9 with no success. I get the dispatch alert tones just fine, once the dispatcher begins talking, it Is very garbled. I’m thinking It is on the city’s end. maybe because they just made the cut-over from Provoice, it will get better with time.

Like Broken Arrow OK, Oklahoma City are Harris Phase 2 simulcast to. I think it’s an hardware issue, any suggestions?

 

[toad99]

The fire dispatch is usually distorted. I think the fire dispatch is always in an audio overload condition, and no scanner, scanner setting, or antenna can fix this. It's the old garbage in=garbage out situation. Actually, there is audio distortion on almost the entire OKC system (EDACS Provoice or P25), but the fire is the worst. Other systems, such as the OKWIN P25 site in Guthrie and the ECOECN P25II system in eastern Oklahoma County, are crystal clear on the four P25 scanners that I use.

 

[doctordialtone]

theres a P2 simulcast system I listen to, the broken arrows p2 four site simulcast by L3Harris. the audio is loud and clear on the 436hp on the system.

It's all about Location, Location, Location.

You're lucky that one of the sites/systems happens to be laid out so that the Simulcast doesn't affect you.

For the other system, there's really nothing you can do but either change your location, buy a Yagi (Directional) antenna, or buy a scanner designed to work on Simulcast systems. (Uniden SDS series)

 

[toad99]

Two of my scanners are SDS, and I have a directional Yagi pointed downtown toward one OKC site. The FD (and PD) distortion is there no matter what combination of antennas or scanners I use. Like I said, if the audio going to the transmitters is crap, that is what you will hear. The FD mobiles are usually pretty good, it's the dispatch that is garbled.

 

[Turner101]

The system is working just fine. Its not on the city's end...

 

[mobile22]

Does anyone know about simulcast distortion in Mustang, west side of Mustang? I am looking for a new scanner and not sure which to choose the BCD436 or the SDS2000. I seen a map once on here for simulcast but I can't find it now.

 

[jonwienke]

Does anyone know about simulcast distortion in Mustang, west side of Mustang? I am looking for a new scanner and not sure which to choose the BCD436 or the SDS2000. I seen a map once on here for simulcast but I can't find it now.

If the system you want to monitor is simulcast, you want either the SDS100 (handheld) or SDS200 (base/mobile). The x36 series, like all other scanners, don't play well with simulcast.

 

[WhatsnOKC]

Does anyone know about simulcast distortion in Mustang, west side of Mustang? I am looking for a new scanner and not sure which to choose the BCD436 or the SDS2000. I seen a map once on here for simulcast but I can't find it now.

I have not noticed any problems with the OKC simulcast system using a BCD536 on the west side of Mustang but I have noticed it miss traffic north on Mustang Rd around SW 29th. There's only one OKC system transmitter in close proximity - on the east side of Mustang on County Line Rd. There are no OKWIN sites closeby and reception is somewhat scratchy without an external antenna.

 

[mobile22]

Thank you guys that's very helpful!! Knowing where the tower is helps, I found the map! With only one tower close is thinking the BCD436 will get me by safe to say? I do have a cone shaped antenna in my attic for my old radio shack that all I can hear on is Mustang Fire dept alarms.

 

[jonwienke]

With only one tower close is thinking the BCD436 will get me by safe to say?

Nope. Distance isn't the only factor; simulcast systems commonly use directional antennas to keep the signal in the designed service area, and terrain is also a factor. You can't assume that none of the other transmitters will have a strong enough signal at your location to cause decode issues.

Even if the 436 works OK at your location, there will be plenty of other places where it won't, but an SDS100 will. Why buy a portable scanner if you aren't ever going to go portable with it?

 

[mobile22]

Thanks for your info!! I'll go with the SDS100. The only place I would take it most likely is into the storm shelter. I'm going from a radio shack PRO43 and a PRO-2037 so all this simulcast stuff is totally new to me and honestly kind of hard to understand sometimes. First time I have bought a new scanner in a long time!! Thanks again for your advice!!

 

[air-scan]

I am using a RTL-SDR with SDRTrunk. I live about 3/4th of a mile from the OKC Comm Center just north of the new city court complex. One would think my simulcast distortion would be very high. Nope. Sounds clean and getting better as they bring more agencies online. SDR on PC is pretty good still compared to reports that 436's and 536's having simulcast distortion.

 

[jonwienke]

One would think my simulcast distortion would be very high. Nope.

SDRs use the same I/Q digital demodulation as the SDS scanners and professional radios, and aren't susceptible to simulcast decoding issues that conventional receivers have.

 

[mobile22]

Very helpful information about using a PC for scanning. I have more reading to do! Thanks

 

[air-scan]

Very helpful information about using a PC for scanning. I have more reading to do! Thanks

it's nice to have but it's to big for scanner belt clips lol. Keep using your scanner(s) and have PC based SDR for sitting at home relaxing to it.

 

[Drkatzjr45]

Uniden BCD436HP, as a small trip to Oklahoma City last Friday July 3rd 2020, I went in thinking I was going to receive the system well, as in Tulsa Oklahoma, theres a P2 simulcast system I listen to, the broken arrows p2 four site simulcast by L3Harris. the audio is loud and clear on the 436hp on the system.

Oklahoma City’s P25 Phase ll it is difficult for the scanner to decode the radio traffic. I’ve adjusted the threshold from 6 to 9 with no success. I get the dispatch alert tones just fine, once the dispatcher begins talking, it Is very garbled. I’m thinking It is on the city’s end. maybe because they just made the cut-over from Provoice, it will get better with time.

Like Broken Arrow OK, Oklahoma City are Harris Phase 2 simulcast to. I think it’s an hardware issue, any suggestions?

I did not know that Broken Arrow could be monitored...

I will agree with you about Oklahoma City. All I can say is it is a “funky” system,
unlike Tulsa... which is very easy


I use both SDS100

 

[OK956]

I did not know that Broken Arrow could be monitored...

I will agree with you about Oklahoma City. All I can say is it is a “funky” system,
unlike Tulsa... which is very easy


I use both SDS100

Yes I'm curious as well about monitoring BA. From what I've found BA is on a completely encrypted system called Opensky including their main side dispatch channel.

 

[zenomorf]

Yes I'm curious as well about monitoring BA. From what I've found BA is on a completely encrypted system called Opensky including their main side dispatch channel.

unless they have changed, broken arrow works good pro-106 prs-500.

 

[hiegtx]

Yes I'm curious as well about monitoring BA. From what I've found BA is on a completely encrypted system called Opensky including their main side dispatch channel.

The Open Sky system that Broken Arrow used previously is labeled as Deprecated, and no longer listed on the Wagoner County page. Comments in the old system state that it was replaced by the P25 system that now is on the county page.

Broken Arrow Communications Regional Network Trunking System, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

Broken Arrow Communications Regional Network Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

The P25 system in use now is Phase II capable. Though the majority of the talkgroups in use are Phase I (labeled with a D in the Mode column), some are Phase II, which is indicated with a T in the mode column. There are some talkgroups that are labeled as Encrypted, but there are quite a few that are not. A capital E in the mode column (next to the D or T identifier) means full time encryption is used. A lower case e indicates encryption, but that it is not used full-time.

unless they have changed, broken arrow works good pro-106 prs-500.

The Pro-106, as well as the other scanners in that family (PSR-500, Pro-651, WS1040) will work on talkgroups that are still Phase I, but not on any that are now Phase II.

 

[peterjmag]

That is correct. The Opensky system was phased out a few years ago to the current P25 Phase 2 system. The database is current. All Broken Arrow Fire and Police are Phase 2 but with encryption. The city department of public works talk groups are all Phase 1 and in the clear and the public schools are Phase 2 in the clear with the exception of the main bus channel. The base 1 is encrypted but the mobiles are in the clear. The public schools and department of public works have several talk groups that are used but unidentified at this time. Bixby, Jenks, Glenpool, and Wagoner County are up to date. Happy scanning...