Philly P25

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rjm022222

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I have a Radio Shack Pro-106. I downloaded/programmed the latest Philadelphia talk groups into scanner. The new programming picks up Philly EMS, Fire ect. It doesn't pick up Philly Police districts. Do I need a new scanner to be able to listen to Philly Police districts again? If I do, I'm open to recommendations. I work a lot and cannot keep with scanning as much I'd like to. So if the answer is common knowledge and my question sounds like I'm dumb I apologize in advance. Any help the group can provide will be greatly appreciated.

Bob
 

W7FDX

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Since the system is P25 P2 capable you might want to invest in a Phase 2 capable scanner. I recommend the Uniden BCD536HP or the BCD436HP.
 

rjm022222

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Since the system is P25 P2 capable you might want to invest in a Phase 2 capable scanner. I recommend the Uniden BCD536HP or the BCD436HP.

Thanks for the recommendation. Is the reason I can't pick up police districts anymore because I need a new scanner?
 

soberbyker

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Thanks for the recommendation. Is the reason I can't pick up police districts anymore because I need a new scanner?


I have a Radio Shack Pro-197 which is the desktop/mobile version of the Pro-106 and I still pick up Philly Police. I'm listening to them as I type this response. Possible problems may be where you are, (your location), and/or the antenna being used. I'm in Delaware County a couple miles outside of West Philly. While responding to your message I've heard calls on T-Band, J-Band, 24/25, 5/39, 6/9, 1/3/17, 12/18, 14/35, & 25th police districts, as well as the north/south medics dispatch at about 615am.

As far as I know Philly hasn't gone and will be awhile from going to Phase 2, if/when they do then neither the 106 or 197 will be able to monitor the system.

These are the frequencies I have programmed in the scanner:


Philadelphia Trunking System, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Scanner Frequencies

.
 

rjm022222

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I have a Radio Shack Pro-197 which is the desktop/mobile version of the Pro-106 and I still pick up Philly Police. I'm listening to them as I type this response. Possible problems may be where you are, (your location), and/or the antenna being used. I'm in Delaware County a couple miles outside of West Philly. While responding to your message I've heard calls on T-Band, J-Band, 24/25, 5/39, 6/9, 1/3/17, 12/18, 14/35, & 25th police districts, as well as the north/south medics dispatch at about 615am.

As far as I know Philly hasn't gone and will be awhile from going to Phase 2, if/when they do then neither the 106 or 197 will be able to monitor the system.

These are the frequencies I have programmed in the scanner:


Philadelphia Trunking System, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Scanner Frequencies

.

It can't be my location because I can see the tower on Hoffnagle Street (NE Philly) from my house. I will play around with it today. I probably did something wrong then. Thanks for your reply.
 

rjm022222

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I have a Radio Shack Pro-197 which is the desktop/mobile version of the Pro-106 and I still pick up Philly Police. I'm listening to them as I type this response. Possible problems may be where you are, (your location), and/or the antenna being used. I'm in Delaware County a couple miles outside of West Philly. While responding to your message I've heard calls on T-Band, J-Band, 24/25, 5/39, 6/9, 1/3/17, 12/18, 14/35, & 25th police districts, as well as the north/south medics dispatch at about 615am.

As far as I know Philly hasn't gone and will be awhile from going to Phase 2, if/when they do then neither the 106 or 197 will be able to monitor the system.

These are the frequencies I have programmed in the scanner:


Philadelphia Trunking System, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Scanner Frequencies

.

I programmed those same frequencies the other day. I am only getting North/South/Central EMS, City Wide Emergency, Police Operations, Tow Squad and a few others. I'm not picking up any districts.
 

troymail

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I made two short trips to the south and east side of Philly since around the 1st of the year. During those trips, I saw at least these talkgroups active:


Philadelphia (P25) (30 talkgroups)
South EMS Dispatch (South Medic) (37 hits / 254 seconds / avg 6 seconds)
South Fire Dispatch (20 hits / 143 seconds / avg 7 seconds)
North Fire Dispatch (8 hits / 47 seconds / avg 5 seconds)
North-East Division (2nd. and 15th. Districts) (5 hits / 23 seconds / avg 4 seconds)
City-Wide Traffic Operations (10 hits / 56 seconds / avg 5 seconds)
East Division 2 (25th. District) (3 hits / 11 seconds / avg 3 seconds)
Unkn (6 hits / 25 seconds / avg 4 seconds)
Tow Squad / Impound Lot / Taxi Enforcement (13 hits / 82 seconds / avg 6 seconds)
North-Central Division (22nd. District) (7 hits / 34 seconds / avg 4 seconds)
Central Division (6th. and 9th. Districts) (5 hits / 42 seconds / avg 8 seconds)
Pump Operations (1 hits / 4 seconds / avg 4 seconds)
North Division (14th. and 35th. Districts) (2 hits / 11 seconds / avg 5 seconds)
Administration (5 hits / 29 seconds / avg 5 seconds)
City-Wide Special Events 1 (2 hits / 47 seconds / avg 23 seconds)
Housing Police Operations 1 (5 hits / 22 seconds / avg 4 seconds)
South Division 1 (1st., 3rd. and 17th. Districts) (6 hits / 40 seconds / avg 6 seconds)
KPHL - Fire Operations (Engine 78) (1 hits / 10 seconds / avg 10 seconds)
West Division (16th. and 19th. Districts) (11 hits / 50 seconds / avg 4 seconds)
Prisons- Institution Operations (5 hits / 19 seconds / avg 3 seconds)
City-Wide Administrative Operations (6 hits / 43 seconds / avg 7 seconds)
East Division 1 (24th. and 26th. Districts) (5 hits / 17 seconds / avg 3 seconds)
Parking Enforcement and Boot Squad (7 hits / 43 seconds / avg 6 seconds)
South-West Division (12th. and 18th. Districts) (5 hits / 19 seconds / avg 3 seconds)
KPHL - Emergency Operations 1 (2 hits / 19 seconds / avg 9 seconds)
North EMS Dispatch (North Medic) (15 hits / 74 seconds / avg 4 seconds)
City-Wide Emergency (7 hits / 73 seconds / avg 10 seconds)
26th. District Tactical (19 hits / 132 seconds / avg 6 seconds)
25th. District Tactical (2 hits / 18 seconds / avg 9 seconds)
Far North-East Division (7th. and 8th. Districts) (3 hits / 29 seconds / avg 9 seconds)
Prisons - Institution Operations (3 hits / 14 seconds / avg 4 seconds)


According to the information on RRDB, there are two simulcast sites -- which one are you trying to monitor and where are you in relation to that site?

You may want to program the system twice - once for each of the two sites - and see if that makes any difference. You should be able to (and I recommend) programming only the control channel (red) frequency (or all control channels - red and blue).
 

troymail

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I don't know the system at all but, I'm wondering if police are primarily on simulcast "zone 2" and you're only receiving the "zone 1" simulcast...

Looking at my recordings, I'm leaning heavily towards that theory and thinking that's the issue you're having.
 

rjm022222

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Philadelphia, Pa
I made two short trips to the south and east side of Philly since around the 1st of the year. During those trips, I saw at least these talkgroups active:


Philadelphia (P25) (30 talkgroups)
South EMS Dispatch (South Medic) (37 hits / 254 seconds / avg 6 seconds)
South Fire Dispatch (20 hits / 143 seconds / avg 7 seconds)
North Fire Dispatch (8 hits / 47 seconds / avg 5 seconds)
North-East Division (2nd. and 15th. Districts) (5 hits / 23 seconds / avg 4 seconds)
City-Wide Traffic Operations (10 hits / 56 seconds / avg 5 seconds)
East Division 2 (25th. District) (3 hits / 11 seconds / avg 3 seconds)
Unkn (6 hits / 25 seconds / avg 4 seconds)
Tow Squad / Impound Lot / Taxi Enforcement (13 hits / 82 seconds / avg 6 seconds)
North-Central Division (22nd. District) (7 hits / 34 seconds / avg 4 seconds)
Central Division (6th. and 9th. Districts) (5 hits / 42 seconds / avg 8 seconds)
Pump Operations (1 hits / 4 seconds / avg 4 seconds)
North Division (14th. and 35th. Districts) (2 hits / 11 seconds / avg 5 seconds)
Administration (5 hits / 29 seconds / avg 5 seconds)
City-Wide Special Events 1 (2 hits / 47 seconds / avg 23 seconds)
Housing Police Operations 1 (5 hits / 22 seconds / avg 4 seconds)
South Division 1 (1st., 3rd. and 17th. Districts) (6 hits / 40 seconds / avg 6 seconds)
KPHL - Fire Operations (Engine 78) (1 hits / 10 seconds / avg 10 seconds)
West Division (16th. and 19th. Districts) (11 hits / 50 seconds / avg 4 seconds)
Prisons- Institution Operations (5 hits / 19 seconds / avg 3 seconds)
City-Wide Administrative Operations (6 hits / 43 seconds / avg 7 seconds)
East Division 1 (24th. and 26th. Districts) (5 hits / 17 seconds / avg 3 seconds)
Parking Enforcement and Boot Squad (7 hits / 43 seconds / avg 6 seconds)
South-West Division (12th. and 18th. Districts) (5 hits / 19 seconds / avg 3 seconds)
KPHL - Emergency Operations 1 (2 hits / 19 seconds / avg 9 seconds)
North EMS Dispatch (North Medic) (15 hits / 74 seconds / avg 4 seconds)
City-Wide Emergency (7 hits / 73 seconds / avg 10 seconds)
26th. District Tactical (19 hits / 132 seconds / avg 6 seconds)
25th. District Tactical (2 hits / 18 seconds / avg 9 seconds)
Far North-East Division (7th. and 8th. Districts) (3 hits / 29 seconds / avg 9 seconds)
Prisons - Institution Operations (3 hits / 14 seconds / avg 4 seconds)


According to the information on RRDB, there are two simulcast sites -- which one are you trying to monitor and where are you in relation to that site?

You may want to program the system twice - once for each of the two sites - and see if that makes any difference. You should be able to (and I recommend) programming only the control channel (red) frequency (or all control channels - red and blue).

I used the Win500 program to download and and then upload scanner directly from Radio Reference. I can see the objects are there for the police districts, I'm just not picking them up.
 

rjm022222

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Dec 3, 2012
Messages
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Philadelphia, Pa
I made two short trips to the south and east side of Philly since around the 1st of the year. During those trips, I saw at least these talkgroups active:


Philadelphia (P25) (30 talkgroups)
South EMS Dispatch (South Medic) (37 hits / 254 seconds / avg 6 seconds)
South Fire Dispatch (20 hits / 143 seconds / avg 7 seconds)
North Fire Dispatch (8 hits / 47 seconds / avg 5 seconds)
North-East Division (2nd. and 15th. Districts) (5 hits / 23 seconds / avg 4 seconds)
City-Wide Traffic Operations (10 hits / 56 seconds / avg 5 seconds)
East Division 2 (25th. District) (3 hits / 11 seconds / avg 3 seconds)
Unkn (6 hits / 25 seconds / avg 4 seconds)
Tow Squad / Impound Lot / Taxi Enforcement (13 hits / 82 seconds / avg 6 seconds)
North-Central Division (22nd. District) (7 hits / 34 seconds / avg 4 seconds)
Central Division (6th. and 9th. Districts) (5 hits / 42 seconds / avg 8 seconds)
Pump Operations (1 hits / 4 seconds / avg 4 seconds)
North Division (14th. and 35th. Districts) (2 hits / 11 seconds / avg 5 seconds)
Administration (5 hits / 29 seconds / avg 5 seconds)
City-Wide Special Events 1 (2 hits / 47 seconds / avg 23 seconds)
Housing Police Operations 1 (5 hits / 22 seconds / avg 4 seconds)
South Division 1 (1st., 3rd. and 17th. Districts) (6 hits / 40 seconds / avg 6 seconds)
KPHL - Fire Operations (Engine 78) (1 hits / 10 seconds / avg 10 seconds)
West Division (16th. and 19th. Districts) (11 hits / 50 seconds / avg 4 seconds)
Prisons- Institution Operations (5 hits / 19 seconds / avg 3 seconds)
City-Wide Administrative Operations (6 hits / 43 seconds / avg 7 seconds)
East Division 1 (24th. and 26th. Districts) (5 hits / 17 seconds / avg 3 seconds)
Parking Enforcement and Boot Squad (7 hits / 43 seconds / avg 6 seconds)
South-West Division (12th. and 18th. Districts) (5 hits / 19 seconds / avg 3 seconds)
KPHL - Emergency Operations 1 (2 hits / 19 seconds / avg 9 seconds)
North EMS Dispatch (North Medic) (15 hits / 74 seconds / avg 4 seconds)
City-Wide Emergency (7 hits / 73 seconds / avg 10 seconds)
26th. District Tactical (19 hits / 132 seconds / avg 6 seconds)
25th. District Tactical (2 hits / 18 seconds / avg 9 seconds)
Far North-East Division (7th. and 8th. Districts) (3 hits / 29 seconds / avg 9 seconds)
Prisons - Institution Operations (3 hits / 14 seconds / avg 4 seconds)


According to the information on RRDB, there are two simulcast sites -- which one are you trying to monitor and where are you in relation to that site?

You may want to program the system twice - once for each of the two sites - and see if that makes any difference. You should be able to (and I recommend) programming only the control channel (red) frequency (or all control channels - red and blue).

All the control channels (red and blue) are programmed.
 

cru1242

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Phila P25

Troymail is right.

Site 1 and 2 should be programmed separately. When I first programmed the Phila P25 system, I dumped the whole thing into a single scanlist, and it didn't go well at all. Only seemed to get the Fire Dept. and Parking Authority. When i separated the systems, it was like night and day.
picked up everything.

And use the control channels only.

(I use a PSR-800)
 

rjm022222

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Philadelphia, Pa
Troymail is right.

Site 1 and 2 should be programmed separately. When I first programmed the Phila P25 system, I dumped the whole thing into a single scanlist, and it didn't go well at all. Only seemed to get the Fire Dept. and Parking Authority. When i separated the systems, it was like night and day.
picked up everything.

And use the control channels only.

(I use a PSR-800)

Took your advice. Just programmed sites 1 and 2 separately and now I'm getting everything. Thanks a lot for your help. I really appreciate it.

Does anyone know which talk groups are for site and 1 and which are for site 2?
 
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Septa3371CSX1

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I have both systems programmed together on my Pro 106 and the system set as stationary with the check all CC's option checked. It works fine for me this way and other than LSM I can pick up everything fine.

For the 2 systems - system 1 is all city agencies other than PPD (J and T band are simulcast on here though). System 2 is used by PPD with the North and South firebands simulcast here as well.
 

rjm022222

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Philadelphia, Pa
I have both systems programmed together on my Pro 106 and the system set as stationary with the check all CC's option checked. It works fine for me this way and other than LSM I can pick up everything fine.

For the 2 systems - system 1 is all city agencies other than PPD (J and T band are simulcast on here though). System 2 is used by PPD with the North and South firebands simulcast here as well.

Got it Thanks.
 

soberbyker

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Troymail is right.

Site 1 and 2 should be programmed separately. When I first programmed the Phila P25 system, I dumped the whole thing into a single scanlist, and it didn't go well at all. Only seemed to get the Fire Dept. and Parking Authority. When i separated the systems, it was like night and day.
picked up everything.

And use the control channels only.

(I use a PSR-800)

I guess I should have mentioned for Philly I have 2 separate scan lists, one just for the PD (medics are on here too) and one of the rest of the municipal departments.

However I did it that way because most of the time I only want to listen to the PD (I even lock out the medics) I never had them all on the same list so I was unaware of any possible broadcast problems like you were experiencing rjm022222.

Glad you got it worked out rjm022222, lots of great knowledge on this site.
 

soberbyker

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I have both systems programmed together on my Pro 106 and the system set as stationary with the check all CC's option checked. It works fine for me this way and other than LSM I can pick up everything fine.

For the 2 systems - system 1 is all city agencies other than PPD (J and T band are simulcast on here though). System 2 is used by PPD with the North and South firebands simulcast here as well.

LSM? I'm drawing a blank, what is that?
 

troymail

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Simplistic explanation -

multiple towers/transmitters simultaneously sending the same digitized voice and arriving at your radio at different times (out of sync) effectively canceling each other out in the radio's digital processing.

Sometimes being just "outside" the area of intended coverage (like being in Delaware County) is a good thing because it's more likely that you're receiving the signal from a single "simulcast" tower (or at least that one tower is much stronger than others because it's closer to you).
 

soberbyker

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Simplistic explanation -

multiple towers/transmitters simultaneously sending the same digitized voice and arriving at your radio at different times (out of sync) effectively canceling each other out in the radio's digital processing.

Sometimes being just "outside" the area of intended coverage (like being in Delaware County) is a good thing because it's more likely that you're receiving the signal from a single "simulcast" tower (or at least that one tower is much stronger than others because it's closer to you).

Yes, much easier to understand, thank you.
 
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