PWC assistance

[innova]

Hello all,

Very new to all of it, but I'm a new owner of a PSR-500 and I've got all the PWC TGs programmed via Win500 (via RR DB). I'm getting PD and FD transmission, but it seems I'm not getting much more than dispatch for either. Is this normal for PWC? Sometimes I will hear the dispatcher responding to someone I didn't hear at all, this seems to be happening more frequently.

Last night I was listening to a FD event, and there was lots of talk getting everyone on scene, then it went dark. Safe to assume they're switching to ENC chans for car to car?

My Manassas reception is occasional at best, so will be upgrading the antenna today to see if that will help there. I think I heard one call for VSP (STARS) all night.

I think I've got everything set up ok, just looking for a sanity check and see if I'm missing something big here.

Thanks all.

 

[wmullins8195]

Hello all,

Very new to all of it, but I'm a new owner of a PSR-500 and I've got all the PWC TGs programmed via Win500 (via RR DB). I'm getting PD and FD transmission, but it seems I'm not getting much more than dispatch for either. Is this normal for PWC? Sometimes I will hear the dispatcher responding to someone I didn't hear at all, this seems to be happening more frequently.

Last night I was listening to a FD event, and there was lots of talk getting everyone on scene, then it went dark. Safe to assume they're switching to ENC chans for car to car?

My Manassas reception is occasional at best, so will be upgrading the antenna today to see if that will help there. I think I heard one call for VSP (STARS) all night.

I think I've got everything set up ok, just looking for a sanity check and see if I'm missing something big here.

Thanks all.

From a friend who runs in that area, he tells me that units will typically mark "responding" over MDT's (in-car computers) and dispatch will give a verbal acknowledgement (so you wouldn't ever hear that unit mark enroute), so you are correct in hearing that.

But, he did tell me that they use no talk-around frequencies utilized for incidents and none of their channels are encrypted, so you may need to check that you have the tactical channels, which typically begin with 5C-5L as listed in RRDB.

If you have any other questions, ask! I will ask him for you.

Wes

 

[beastieboy101]

I have a pro-96 in woodbridge. Everything seems fine on the PWC TRS right now. You may want to try and listen to the live audio on this site and compare it to what you are hearing on your psr-500.

The MDT's are being used more often now. There are encrypted talkgroups but are only used for CID and SWAT operations.

It could have been a quiet night also. And sometimes the FD will be quiet once they arrive on scene. Some of the FD use the MDT's almost always when on a routine call on 5B.

 

[innova]

Thanks for the replies guys, sincerely appreciated! This definitely clears some things up for me. Seems PWPD is using MDTs for anything non-dispatch. I've only had it one day, so will give it some more time before I make too many changes.

Are you guys able to pick up Manassas City/Park from where you are? I'm in the west end and can't seem to get much. Have they completely switched over?

Anything else you guys recommend listening for around here? I haven't branched out too much with it yet.

Thanks again!

 

[beastieboy101]

I can't get the Manassas TRS from Woodbridge. I am too far east. It has gone through the rebanding process.

I would recommend getting some rechargable batteries for your psr-500. I get a much better reception on STARS with my scanner not plugged into the AC adapter. I don't know if the psr-500 comes with rechargable batteries or an AC adapter.

 

[brownlab]

I would think you would hear a little more traffic and I have been listening to then PWC East and West live feed for the last three hours and there has been plenty. Pretty much the same level of radio traffic that you hear in Fairfax. I do not know alot about programing the 500 but you may want to do it over and make sure that you have all the frequencies loaded, not just the control channels

 

[innova]

Will get some rechargeables on order and I've just rebuilt my file and unchecked the "CC Only" boxes this time around. I was only importing control channels apparently, what's the expected effect of doing that?

Thanks again.

 

[c5corvette]

I've just rebuilt my file and unchecked the "CC Only" boxes this time around. I was only importing control channels apparently, what's the expected effect of doing that?

With the number of changes going on right now with rebanding and other system changes, you never know when the control channel could change to something in the database but not listed as a control or alternate control channel.

What this does is allow your scanner to have the larger pool of frequencies to find the control channel on for the given system. I think the purpose of downloading only CC was to enhance performance. IMHO, depending on how large the list is for a given system this should not really slow performance.

 

[innova]

Thanks for the clarification, makes perfect sense.

 

[eng2trk]

Manassas TRS

Manassas' TRS is not very powerful, you basically have to be in manassas to pick it up. All FD for both cities are on PWC system. only PD left on city system.

 

[innova]

Manassas' TRS is not very powerful, you basically have to be in manassas to pick it up. All FD for both cities are on PWC system. only PD left on city system.

Are there specific talkgroups for Man/Man Pk FD I need to add to the PWC TRS? I haven't heard a single FD call for Man/Man Pk.

Thanks!

 

[dtwilliams]

Are there specific talkgroups for Man/Man Pk FD I need to add to the PWC TRS? I haven't heard a single FD call for Man/Man Pk.

They are now both dispatched by the county (on 5A) and operate on the PWC channels.

 

[innova]

Gotcha, just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing some special TGRPs for them.

Thanks.