Rebanding in Sacramento or Roseville

[clanusb]

Engine 27 was just dispatched with Roseville for a crash on I-80 and was told by Fire Dispatch to contact Roseville on Roseville Fire Tac 4 and engine 27 told dispatch they were no longer able to operate on Roseville's 800 system and would come up on Roseville Fire VHF.

beat you too it.

I wonder if now all the units have to operate on the VHF....sorta like when theres a grassfire that involves CDF here in sacramento...all the units usually have to switch from 800 to the VHF White freqs.

 

[scannerboy02]

Roseville Fire's VHF (154.0400) is patched into the main fire TG (1616) on the 800MHz system so all is good with that. The only issue would be when they go to a tac channel like tac 4 (as they did today) or if someone needs to talk to Roseville PD.

Anyone know if the radios being used by Metro Fire can be reprogramed or would they need new radios? Seems like with the number of times station 27, 28 and 25 go into Roseville it would be worth reprograming those stations radios for the new Roseville system now.

 

[Markinsac]

Roseville Fire's VHF (154.0400) is patched into the main fire TG (1616) on the 800MHz system so all is good with that. The only issue would be when they go to a tac channel like tac 4 (as they did today) or if someone needs to talk to Roseville PD.

Anyone know if the radios being used by Metro Fire can be reprogramed or would they need new radios? Seems like with the number of times station 27, 28 and 25 go into Roseville it would be worth reprograming those stations radios for the new Roseville system now.

Is the patch one-way or two-way? Most VHF links are output only.

As for Metro using Roseville's frequencies - I think the radios will need to be re-flashed in order to do that. The alternatives at this time are: 1) use the mutual aid frequencies, or 2) have a patch system to allow the two systems to communicate. A patch could be done at the control point, or they could have temporary units to do this. Folsom's communications van uses a system called RIOS, and they can have around 30 separate radio systems going at one time (either patched as one big group or many smaller groups).

 

[avtarsingh]

when the big5 gang went around crashing into big5 s to steal airsoft guns - several rpd units were dispatched to citrus heights pd to help cover

chpd had to ferry around portables so they could talk to each other

i think rpd can still talk to sac but not vice versa

 

[scannerboy02]

Is the patch one-way or two-way? Most VHF links are output only.

It is two-way. AMR, Rocklin, Placer, CalFire and others use it to talk with Roseville Fire on 800MHz and Roseville Fire still uses it for alerting.

As for Metro using Roseville's frequencies - I think the radios will need to be re-flashed in order to do that.

Is that difficult to do? As of now they would just need to do stations 27, 28 and 25 and maybe 21.

The alternatives at this time are: 1) use the mutual aid frequencies, or 2) have a patch system to allow the two systems to communicate. A patch could be done at the control point, or they could have temporary units to do this. Folsom's communications van uses a system called RIOS, and they can have around 30 separate radio systems going at one time (either patched as one big group or many smaller groups).

I don't see any of this happening for "every day" mutual aid calls.

The current VHF patch will work for main contact but it just makes good fast interoperable communications a little more challenging on the tac channels.

 

[clanusb]

I HIGHLY doubt they would just reprogram the radios at those stations. The portables are one thing...but the Mobiles in the rigs are the main issue. Sure...go ahead and re-flash the mobiles in their "home" rigs....but what happens when that rig goes into the shop for whatever reason....they'll get a reserve...which wouldn't have the updated radio. They would also have to do the B/C's and A/C's rigs as well.

Lets look at the big picture...they are just going to find a way around the problem until Sac gets re-banded in the near future. They aren't gonna waste the time, energy, or money to flash a couple radios here and there over the next few months.

 

[scannerboy02]

They aren't gonna waste the time, energy, or money

Yep, until someone dies and it makes the news.

I don't see why they would need to do the mobile radios, they can use the portables while on the way to the scene and would not use the mobiles while on scene.

 

[clanusb]

Yep, until someone dies and it makes the news.

Im not just talking about Metro, other agencies are included in that.

I don't see why they would need to do the mobile radios, they can use the portables while on the way to the scene and would not use the mobiles while on scene.

You are correct...but having ridden on fire apparatus here in sacramento..it is VERY loud....the headsets you see them wear where are hearing protection/ intercoms/ VHF and 800 radios tied into them. Although they could use the portable radio, most of the mics are not noise canceling. The Remote mics are a Hodge Podge of non noise canceling and noise canceling. It would be very very hard to hear them talking over all the back ground noise, plus the inconvenience of having to pull the headset to the side to listen. All in all, your right they could, but they aren't going too.

 

[scannerboy02]

The Sacramento Regional Fire & EMS Communication Center advised all stations that the 800MHz radio system controller will have a switchover at 1300 hours for emergency repairs and to anticipate a very short disruption to the radio channels.

As of right now (1335) all seems to be working as normal.

 

[crucialcolin]

I agree. I was up in Roseville early this moring covering some news and the audio quality and reception seemed to be much better than the old frequencies. I also used to get lots of interference on SRRCS from the old Roseville control channel when near the Roseville PD station and that interference is now gone.

hrm my reception seems to have gotten worse with my BC246T & Radioshack Center-Loaded Telescoping Whip Antenna although I have managed to slightly bend the antenna just above the bnc connector(cracked some white plastic piece on it). So I probably need to start looking for a replacement..Maybe I'll buy another one from radio shack or look into alternatives. I'd upgrade to a straight 800-900mhz antenna but a lot of placer isn't trunked which is about the only other thing i listen to besides roseville/sac.

 

[gmclam]

I'd upgrade to a straight 800-900mhz antenna but a lot of placer isn't trunked which is about the only other thing i listen to besides roseville/sac.

I found that the RS800 antenna works great for 800 MHz, very good on UHF (450 MHz) and Ok on VHF hi. It is a lot more difficult to pick up the 800 MHz stuff, so I think overall you will do better with the RS800 antenna than the VHF antenna you have shown us. Now if you want CHP, neither will work very well. Good luck.

 

[scannerboy02]

Just get a standard rubber duck antenna. I have one on my portable that runs Placer County including Roseville, Rocklin, Lincoln and Auburn and I pick up everything from Natomas.

All-Band "Rubber-Duck" Portable BNC Antenna

You can probably find them at Radio Shack and Fry's also.

No matter what you need to trash the whip.

 

[crucialcolin]

Well I plan on using the RS 800 I just picked up pretty much exclusively. I bought another wip too since they only had the one left and supposedly weren't getting anymore. Probably wont use it much but maybe just here at the house once in awhile. Also still have the rubber antenna that came with the uniden scanner(not sure how good that is). Then I have a larsen triband(150/450/800) on a mag mount which I don't use atm for a mobile.

 

[NWtoSFO]

I work near the mall in Roseville and pick up Roseville's TRS clearly here with the RS800 antenna. Sac TRS is scratchy here, but audible. I don't get Placer SO or Rocklin very well with the RS800, but it comes in much better with the Diamond RH77CA. Since Roseville rebanded, I noticed the reception was a little clearer, with the only issue being some transmissions being low volume. I think around Sac/Roseville the RS800 is the only antenna one should use.

 

[Markinsac]

I work near the mall in Roseville and pick up Roseville's TRS clearly here with the RS800 antenna. Sac TRS is scratchy here, but audible. I don't get Placer SO or Rocklin very well with the RS800, but it comes in much better with the Diamond RH77CA. Since Roseville rebanded, I noticed the reception was a little clearer, with the only issue being some transmissions being low volume. I think around Sac/Roseville the RS800 is the only antenna one should use.

The RS800 won't pick up Rocklin City or Placer County as it isn't really tuned for VHF. The RH77CA is primarily a VHF/UHF antenna, but has some tuning in it for the 800Mhz band.

If your ONLY interest is in the trunked systems, then the RS800 is OK - if you're interested in other bands, or want to use Close Call on units that have it, you won't get much reception with it.

Restating something that has been touched on before - an antenna for a lower frequency can also receive higher frequencies if it has been tuned for it. The reverse is often not possible as the active part of the antenna is too short for receiving lower frequencies.

 

[gmclam]

The RS800 won't pick up Rocklin City or Placer County as it isn't really tuned for VHF. The RH77CA is primarily a VHF/UHF antenna, but has some tuning in it for the 800Mhz band.

If you are unable to pick up Rocklin PD or Placer SO from Roseville using an RS800, there is something wrong with your scanner and/or you are in a hole.

While the RS800 is tuned for 800 MHz and works very well at 400 MHz, it does not just stop working on the 150 MHz band.

If you want reception on all bands from a rubber antenna, use the one that came with the scanner. If your interest is for a specific band, then use a specialized antenna. You can't have both.

 

[crucialcolin]

I work near the mall in Roseville and pick up Roseville's TRS clearly here with the RS800 antenna. Sac TRS is scratchy here, but audible. I don't get Placer SO or Rocklin very well with the RS800, but it comes in much better with the Diamond RH77CA. Since Roseville rebanded, I noticed the reception was a little clearer, with the only issue being some transmissions being low volume. I think around Sac/Roseville the RS800 is the only antenna one should use.

hrm your pretty close to were I live then and so far I haven't had any issues picking up Placer or Rocklin with an RS 800 here on my Uniden BC246T. I have noticed a loss in clarity(more hiss) over the telescopic wip I had & that was without it extended at all but its not terrible.

Its funny you mention some of the transmissions being low volume. As long as I can remember Roseville has been bad when it comes to volume levels. They seem to be all over the place. It seems like some officers have their radios really low while others are blasting at times. Sometimes dispatch even has a hard time hearing them.

 

[avtarsingh]

its because all of the channels havent been aligned properly
also common for ltr systems etc have to go through and make sure dev levels etc are all the same or pretty close


like changing channels on TV some are loud some are quiet

 

[crucialcolin]

I don't recall noticing anyone in the Sacramento system having volume issues like Roseville does. But maybe i just haven't noticed it/listened enough? I must admit its kind of an annoyance though when it happens.
Also sometimes officers want low volume when outside someones door whispering into the mic

 

[crucialcolin]

I work near the mall in Roseville Sac TRS is scratchy here, but audible. .

Btw for those times when stationary like a base station I have noticed strangely the RS Telescopic Whip works better for Sac from my location near you. It is less prone to scratchiness and popping from my experience. Usually the bottom sections extended are enough for a good clear signal. Of course the whip isn't good for going mobile