Question about Portland Public Safety RS

[Unadan]

I just upgraded my subscription to radioreference and have started downloading the database for Oregon into my 396XT using Freescan.

Question: When I select the Portland PSRS within Freescan after connecting to Radio Reference, for example, on the left pane I see, under "sites and groups" the following:

Arrowood
Biddle Butte
Cornelius Pass
Forest Heights
Goat Mt.
Headdworks
PDX Airport
Simulcast Backbone
Timberline Lodge
Walters Hill

On the right pane in freescan are all the talkgroups. I live in Oregon City, do I just select the closest "site" and forget the rest? Currently for this system I only selected "Simulcast Backbone" and "PDX Airport" and unchecked the rest. I don't understand what the purpose of all of the "sites and groups" I listed above within the Portland PSRS since it seems like there is a lot of overlap in area coverage. Or am I better off just programming all of those sites into the scanner so I don't miss anything. I'm assuming it shouldn't really slow anything down.

Thanks!

 

[DickH]

You only need the Simulcast Backbone. If your scanner is fairly new you only need the 4 control channels.
Those other sites are fill-in sites for difficult reception areas. Their technical name is Intellirepeater.

 

[PaulNDaOC]

Mt. Scott transmit site should provide ample coverage to most area of Oregon City and is on the Area-wide Simulcast group.

The other groups listed are single transmit sites that provide coverage in the outer areas of the Metro area or are local fill-in sites inside the Metro area that get spotty reception from the Simulcast sites.located around the county

One big area in the county where the Simulcast group does not work well is in the gorge,. To monitor in that area the Biddle Butte site in the hills just east of Washougal booms in loud and clear as a bell past the Dam

The airport group is a local one and is limited to parts of NE near the airport and the Hwy 14/ Mill Plain areas across the river.

Arrowhead site in SW fills in a lot of the dead-spots in the hilly terrain along I-5 and towards Lake Oswego..

Walter Hill group fills in the hilly areas near Powell Blvd in SW Gresham.

 

[Beaverinzone25]

Lake Oswego Reception.

I live in lake Oswego and only use the Simulcast and I get great (at times) reception w/ normal antenna and even in the basement if i set it down right. Just thought i would add that for a reference. BTW way I am on the south end of LO....3

Beaverinzone