Question for anyone who can maybe give me some feedback

[JimBobTerp]

Hi Pennsylvania folks
I have a question for anyone who can maybe give me some feedback. I use to live in Northampton County (Easton,PA) and was able to hear City of Bethlehem and City of Allentown on my scanner with this antenna https://www.scannermaster.com/SpectrumForce_Wideband_Antenna_with_SMA_p/01-541327.htm Now I moved a few months ago to Schuylkill County (Tamaqua,PA) so I’m wondering if I can hear those two systems from my new house with that that antenna that I have? Thanks for the people that help me with this all.

 

[trap5858]

It's doubtful. I am not sure what systems are being used but line of sight is the general rule. You live in a mountainous area and unless you were at the top looking down the mountains tend to block the signal.

 

[JimBobTerp]

@trap5858 City of Bethlehem is on Project 25 Phase I and City of Allentown is on Project 25 Phase II

 

[DS506]

Check out https://www.scadacore.com/tools/rf-path/rf-line-of-sight/

 

[tvengr]

Schuylkill County Public Safety Project 25 Phase I

Primary communications system for public safety in the county. All talkgroups are encrypted.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. According to the RR database, the Schuylkill County trunked system for Fire and PD is fully encrypted and cannot be received by any scanner. You can try the analog frequencies to see if any are still active. Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania (PA) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference (radioreference.com) A local member in your area can give you better information.

 

[JimBobTerp]

Schuylkill County Public Safety Project 25 Phase I

Primary communications system for public safety in the county. All talkgroups are encrypted.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. According to the RR database, the Schuylkill County trunked system for Fire and PD is fully encrypted and cannot be received by any scanner. You can try the analog frequencies to see if any are still active. Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania (PA) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference (radioreference.com) A local member in your area can give you better information.

I’m not worried about that county and I listed the two counties that I’m looking to see if I can still hear

 

[JimBobTerp]

Check out https://www.scadacore.com/tools/rf-path/rf-line-of-sight/

How does this work???

 

[DS506]

Enter the coordinates of two sites and it plots the path and elevation of the line of sight.
If the TX or RX antennas are on towers, you can add their height.

 

[GTR8000]

If you already live in Tamaqua, and already have the scanner and antenna, why are you asking others if you can receive these systems? No one but you can definitively answer that. Have you tried to receive the systems yet?

 

[JimBobTerp]

@GTR8000 no I’m still wondering where I put my scanner. So that is why I asked before I try if I need to delete it

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Both systems the OP inquired about are 800mhz. 700/800 doesn't propagate as far out from the TX site(s) as VHF/UHF. The higher the frequency band the shorter distance it propagates. Said systems really have a coverage radius of about 20 miles (Allentown) and 10 miles (Bethlehem). Both Allentown and Bethlehem are over 40 miles away from Tamacqua. If both agencies kept operating on VHF then yes you could probably still pick them up with a decent outdoor antenna. Anything over 20 miles is quite a stretch for 700 & 800 mhz unless you have zero obtructions between you and TX site

 

[GTR8000]

Find the scanner and try receiving the systems, that is the only way you'll know for certain. Everything else is just speculation.

 

[popnokick]

I'm assuming that no one who has written thus far in this thread has attempted to receive Bethlehem or Allentown recently. All of their P25 talkgroups are listed in the RR DB as "DE" or "TE" (encrypted). And there is a note explaining that in the section for Allentown. Which makes this thread pretty much moot.

 

[GTR8000]

I'm assuming that no one who has written thus far in this thread has attempted to receive Bethlehem or Allentown recently. All of their P25 talkgroups are listed in the RR DB as "DE" or "TE" (encrypted). And there is a note explaining that in the section for Allentown. Which makes this thread pretty much moot.

All of them? I think you need to go back and look at both systems. There are plenty of Fire/EMS and other non-LE talkgroups that are in the clear on both systems. The OP never said that he was only interested in listening to LE, so the thread is most certainly not "moot".

 

[GTR8000]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. According to the RR database, the Schuylkill County trunked system for Fire and PD is fully encrypted and cannot be received by any scanner. You can try the analog frequencies to see if any are still active. Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania (PA) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference (radioreference.com) A local member in your area can give you better information.

The OP never mentioned wanting to listen to the Schuylkill County system.

 

[popnokick]

Yes.... thanks for the correction. I was referring only to PD in both municipalities. But as has been pointed out reception of any Allentown/Bethlehem entities from Schuylkill is going to be difficult if not impossible due to the distance and terrain obstacles. The OP might be better served by using Broadcastify or other feed provider.

 

[PaMonitor]

You never know until you try. I'm in Bradford County and get a few frequencies from Lackawanna County. The most common being LCFR Red, which I most likely from the Elk Mountain tower. If you look at tower locations they may have license on a tower closer to you.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

I'm in Bradford County and get a few frequencies from Lackawanna County.

Understandable as Lackawanna County is still mostly VHF and as I mentioned earlier VHF propagates much further than 700 & 800mhz

 

[PaMonitor]

Understandable as Lackawanna County is still mostly VHF and as I mentioned earlier VHF propagates much further than 700 & 800mhz

I know that. What I'm saying is to look at the locations on the license. They may have a tower near enough to you. For instance, I receive Tompkins County Public Safety which is an 800mhz site. The DB shows this with a 16 Mile range.

I receive it on WQBR701 (which Pro96COM identifies as tower 1-1 decimal) which the DB doesn't display. And I'm probably 40-45 Miles from Ithaca.

 

[cpg178]

Sometimes will pick up Lackawanna when I am coming up 81NB through Harrisburg on my XPR in the car. Can never get Luzerne until I am basically at the Luzerne County line near I-80. To add on to what others said, every situation is unique, just get the scanner out and adjust location until you either get what you want, or you dont. Given that there is a sizable mountain between you and Lehigh valley, not sure if you will get much.