Palmetto 800 problems (york county)

[RXTXDX]

Attempting to scan Palmetto 800 system in York county SC with Uniden Home Patrol 1 (extreme). Upon completion of entering 800 system and attempting to scan, no activity can be heard (scanned for several hours w/multiple TG's programmed). Using the system analyzer built into the HP1, it shows no signal on any of the control channel frequencies. Deleted system from scanner and entered system manually. Same results. Scanner is currently monitoring two P25 systems and 2 analog standard systems; no problems there. One system is two counties over; distance and signal issues ruled out. Tagged control channels of various systems into older trunk scanner with positive results for data signals; All system frequencies had data activity with the exception of the frequencies listed in the Palmetto 800 section of RR.

Am I missing something? Shouldn't I be able to at least hear the control channel data signal upon entering the frequency into older scanner? I am familiar with programming 800 systems into my scanner. Is there something special you must do when entering a system like Palmetto 800. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Bill28227]

I also have an HP-1 and I live in Sun City in Lancaster County. I am also frustrated with trying to get the York County (also called the Newport tower). Sometimes it works, some time it does not. I also feel signal strength is weak here. At 4:45pm on Sunday I did receive a broadcast showing Newport (York) tower. The talkgroup was ChesterfieldFairfield 21392 and a little later York County also came on. For a long time I could not even get Newtown (York) to accept being programmed in into the HP-1.
Bill

 

[brian]

I can't monitor Site 47 Newport from my location first hand, but I can monitor a neighbor site, and I have verified that Trunk88 reports that site 47 is using 860.7875 as a control channel.

I'm not familiar with the capabilities of the HP-1 Extreme, but seems like you can create a system as type Motorola 800MHz (not P25) and specify that frequency as the control channel. Verify that you cannot hear a data channel on that frequency. If so, scan it in search mode to hear all active talkgroups. On Sunday, the most active groups will be the SCHP Troop 4 dispatch talkgroups.

If not, you must be out of range from the system. Perhaps Bill is indicating that this particular site doesn't have good range. Maybe that's intentional/by design, or maybe there is a problem with this site in some way.

I'm not sure what else to tell you. You could try to scan a different Palmetto 800 site, depending on which part of York County you're in, maybe try Thicketty, Chester or Lancaster and see if you can monitor any of those sites.

Good luck and post back what you figure out.

 

[RXTXDX]

Appreciate the timely responses. Decided to eliminate the out of range possibility and got the mobile out and traveled toward the site itself. Not even 1/4 mile and the control channel became apparent with a strong and continuous signal. HP1 performance was outstanding once in range. Once again, thanks for the timely responses.

 

[qball]

The Newport nor Lancaster sites cover northern Lancaster County very well. The SCHP has trouble (esp. portable) not too far above highway 75 on highway 521.

Newport also does not cover the western side of York County very well.


Sent from my iPhone

 

[RXTXDX]

Thanks for the additional information qball. A few antenna adjustments have alleviated the issue.