Oklahoma DPS 800 trunk coverage into Mayes County?

[xxxsandman]

It seems from my research the statewide DPS 800mhz trunked radio system doesn't have coverage in Mayes County yet. At least there isn't any towers listed in this area. The closest sites being Tulsa and Muskogee, I believe.

I recently purchased a Uniden BC796D with hopes of receiving some of the statewide DPS trunked system. I have an Antennacraft ST2 base antenna installed at 90' on my tower near Pryor. So far I haven't had any luck hearing any of the control channels on the Tulsa or Muskogee DPS system. It's all quite. I can pick up the control channels on the ONE and AEP systems which have tower locations withing range, according to this site, but none of the DPS system. I can pick up other non trunked traffic really good around this are, such as Mayes County, GRDA, OHP, MESTA, etc, etc.

Should I be able to pick up the Tulsa 800 DPS trunked system from Pryor? What kind of range does each location have? Does anyone know the location of the actual transmitters? Which one is closest to me and what freqs it uses?

I would appreciate hearing from anyone else in my area that's receiving or trying to receive the Tulsa DPS 800 trunked system.

Thanks!

 

[crayon]

I have an Antennacraft ST2 base antenna installed at 90' on my tower near Pryor.

Welcome to the group!

Depending on the type of coax cable you are using it might be attunenating the signal to the point that it useless. My advice, since you have a tower, is to purchase a yagi and point that to either Tulsa or Muskogee .. you are on the fringe of recepception.

As far as the mapping of the towers .. take some time to play around with the RRDB some more by just clicking on stuff. Get use to the way it is put together so that you can find what you are looking for.

The page that lists all of the locations for the State 800MHz system hyperlinks each entry. If you click on the link for Tulsa, that is going to open up a new window containing more information. Next, click on the link for the callsign. That is going to give you a huge list of frequencies, but what you will be intrested to know is down at the bottom is a map. :wink:

If you good with lat/longs .. you can also plug that info into the mapping software of your choice.

I'm sure that you will have many more questions, so I would like to direct your attention to the search feature of the fourms. Things have been hashed and rehased around here so much .. that most of the common questions will have been answered about five different ways. Surely one of them will help you.

If you are new to fourms in general, please do not take comments that others might make here serious. Unless they actually take the time to call you a name like: idiot, loser, or lammer. If you cannot find the answers you seek .. just ask and most of the time someone will try to help ya.

 

[mfolta1]

crayons suggestion of a yagi is sufficient but if you still have trouble i would suggest buying a powered antenna device. im not sure how they work but its worth looking into. i have a friend who mentioned one a long time ago but i never got one.

 

[Freqed]

When Traveling in my car eastward on I-44, I generally lose the Tulsa System around Claremore. I don't see why you can't at least get something even once in a while with that setup. Crayon is right about the coax being at part to blame. Have you ever put the unit in your car and came toward Tulsa and Muskogee to see when you started to get something? Also have you tried to get BA's system?

 

[xxxsandman]

Well my coax certainly could be part to blaim as my tower is 100' away from the house. I'm using RG6 coax. I would guess that I have 250' of coax total going from the radio to the antenna. This concerned me, but the performance seems pretty good on most frequencies. I realize the higher the frequency the more coax quality and length becomes an issue.

I purchased a GRE Super Amplifer thinking it my help with my long coax run. It goes in line directly behind the radio. It does increase the signal level of any signal I'm listen to, but also raises the noise level, so doesn't seem to useful. It was useful on previous models of scanners I owned (bc9000xlt), but this new BC796D seems to have better ears without it.

I would like to try a pre-amplifier that is designed to go on the anetenna end of the coax or somewhere in between. I have power at the base of the tower and a wiring junction box plenty big enough to accomodate it. I haven't had any luck finding such a device, designed for the wideband use of scanning. They make plenty of TV amps like this. I could replace the antenna with a powered one, but I just put this new antenna up, I would rather add something at the base or next to it on the tower.

2 questions:

Is there any inline wide-band pre-amplifiers designed to go on or near the antenna?

What's the best base scanner antenna to use in your opinion with the widest coverage?

 

[xxxsandman]

UPDATE!!!

I thought about the coax length some more and decided to go plug in at the base of the tower. From there it's about 95' of coax to the antenna mounted at 90'. I was able to lock mid signal strength onto at least one of Tulsa's 800 trunked control channels straight scanner, no amps.

So the coax length/quality is my problem. Unfortunately RG6 is the best coax I have burried to the house. Running something else would be quite a job. Surely there is some sort of powered amp that is designed to help with long coax runs that is either antenna mount or in-line. I tested the GRE out at the base of the tower by putting it inline there, but it did not help anything in the house. I noticed the GRE amp really pulls in the VHF and UHF frequencies, but I loose my low band OHP (44mhz) and it doesn't seem to help 800mhz any. It says it cover 50mhz to 1ghz. I think I need a different in-line or pole mount amp. Any suggestions on which one or what I could do?

Thanks!

 

[okla-lawman]

Your signal strength may be getting a lot stronger real soon a little birdie told me...........

 

[xxxsandman]

I figured it was just a matter of time before they put a repeater in this area. Do you know where it is going to go, just curious? Any info on this would be appreciated and interesting.

Thanks!

 

[okla-lawman]

Just curious or you trying to pry or just get a news flash?? there will be two but I dont remember wher the other is, The whole will rogers will be covered ....soon

 

[foster_006]

that's good to know for my trips to Missouri coming in the future! Thanks for the info Lawman!

 

[xxxsandman]

okla-lawman not sure what you mean by:

Just curious or you trying to pry or just get a news flash??

I'm just excited to hear the signal might be getting better soon up here in NE Oklahoma. I enjoy the technical aspect of listening probably more then listening itself. I would also like to see Troop L move to the 800 system as low band is a little hard to monitor. This sounds like a step in that direction.

 

[okla-lawman]

Just being a lil cryptic...jeez. Pry or= PRIOR

 

[xxxsandman]

LOL, OK, I completely missed it...... :roll:

 

[stormchaser203]

Just thought everyone must know,the DPS 800 system in the planning phase for the Mayes County area & don't know when it will up & online
at this time.
If OKC,Tulsa & Muskogee can do it,why can't OHP Troop L?
:!: :!:

 

[okla-lawman]

I was told it was supposed to be up as early as late august.....so it should be soon

 

[peterjmag]

That's great! It will be nice to hear Troop L and whoever decides to join the 800 in that part of the state.

P.J. Maguire

 

[stormchaser203]

:!:
The first thing they gotta overcome up here in Mayes County are the
hills where they create dead spots,hi hi.

 

[xxxsandman]

Anyone know how this is coming along? Has there been any progress towards a repeater that would have coverage in Mayes County?

I would imagine it would be testing stages weeks/months before they actually started using it. This could be interesting to listen to as well.

 

[n5bew1]

Do they have a license yet pending or issued ?? They will need that for the tower site and all first.