Scanner reception

[Fdnavy]

I will Soon be getting a BCD996p2 and I am curious about reception In my area across uhf vhf and 7/800. I plan on connecting the scanner to a discone type antenna. i am lucky enough to live at 1644‘ which Is about 30’ shy of the top of the mountain and one of the higher parts of Pike County PA. i am curious if FDNY would be receivable at 77 miles to Manhattan as the crow flies? I know that’s a pretty long shot but I am up fairly high. Next I would also like to be able to receive the New Orange County p25 phase 2 system. The closest tower on the south simulcast is about 22 miles as the crow flies. I cannot receive that right now on a friends 996p2 with included telescoping antenna. my county is all vhf and easy to pick up and I also pick up the pa STARNet system pretty clearly off the Indian orchard tower. I understand my chances would be much better with a Yagi or band specific scanner but that’s not an option since I will mostly be listening to public safety and ham across uhf vhf and 800 In all directions around me. My coordinates are pretty close to this (41.4099584, -75.1619158)

 

[doctordialtone]

i am curious if FDNY would be receivable at 77 miles to Manhattan as the crow flies?

It depends upon the transmitter power and transmitter antenna height.

I have the same scanner and use a Discone about 30 ft up. It's good for about 30 or 40 miles.

Yes a yagi would help.

Good luck!

 

[trentbob]

I would have to look up New York City in the database to see what New York City fire is on now. When they were on the 154 megahertz band it traveled a long long way. I could easily pick up the New York fire department on VHF High from Philly with a rooftop, loud and clear.

 

[trentbob]

Well it looks like they may still be on VHF High. I wouldn't be surprised if you are really that high that you received them but who knows!

Because it's VHF High it would depend on atmospheric conditions, so you may not be able to hear them everyday but who knows, won't know till you try. Not familiar with the frequencies in New York City but if they're rebroadcasting from UHF or something you definitely won't be getting any UHF from New York City but the VHF High... You never know. I used to get the Pennsylvania State Police when they were on VHF High with a rooftop from very very long distances on occasion.

I am not a fan of live streaming of Public Service bands for the obvious reasons but I did notice that all of the New York City Fire Department is streamed here on RR or any number of the apps you can get for free online. It appears to be VHF high that they're streaming.

Great radio that you're getting, enjoy.

 

[Fdnavy]

I guess I won’t know until I try. I can say that visibility on a clear day is about 50 miles or more.

 

[LukeB]

FDNY borough dispatch channels are all on UHF. They were simulcasting on both before the move but I don't believe the VHF channels are active any longer. A directional antenna would certainly help your case but its worth spending the money on some good coax to minimize your signal loss from the antenna to the radio.

 

[GTR8000]

FDNY shut down the VHF transmitters permanently two and a half years ago.

 

[trentbob]

FDNY borough dispatch channels are all on UHF. They were simulcasting on both before the move but I don't believe the VHF channels are active any longer. A directional antenna would certainly help your case but its worth spending the money on some good coax to minimize your signal loss from the antenna to the radio.

Yep I was wondering about that Luke. I saw all the UHF frequencies but they quoted the VHF high frequency on the streaming site. Obviously they are streaming the UHF.

Thanks, not good news for the o p.

 

[ansky]

I am lucky enough to live at 1644‘ which Is about 30’ shy of the top of the mountain and one of the higher parts of Pike County PA. i am curious if FDNY would be receivable at 77 miles to Manhattan as the crow flies? I know that’s a pretty long shot but I am up fairly high.

To put this in perspective for you, I live 10 miles west of NYC at 500' elevation. My house faces east with clear line of site into NYC (I can see the Manhattan skyline out my window). FDNY reception is receivable but very scratchy (the signal sometimes fades out completely). This occurs on multiple scanners and also with an outdoor antenna. Your ability to receive FDNY from PA would be nothing short of a Christmas miracle.

 

[LukeB]

@ansky While 10 miles should be no problem, I'd be willing to wager there may be some sort of interference or your external antenna cable may be of the standard RG variety? I've never looked but the transmitters are all over the city. I tend to hear the Bronx and Queens the best from a distance.

Which boro are you trying to monitor or is it all of them? I have picked up the Bronx and Queens from further than 10 miles away on a handheld scanner in a vehicle while driving.

I do agree that PA is a stretch.

 

[k2epm]

FDNY shut down the VHF transmitters permanently two and a half years ago.

Meanwhile, about a month ago I was shocked to hear activity on 154.430, and it was FDNY (not Monmouth County.)

 

[coolrich55]

Meanwhile, about a month ago I was shocked to hear activity on 154.430, and it was FDNY (not Monmouth County.)

All you'll hear on that vhf channel is requests for the radio mechanic.

 

[coolrich55]

To put this in perspective for you, I live 10 miles west of NYC at 500' elevation. My house faces east with clear line of site into NYC (I can see the Manhattan skyline out my window). FDNY reception is receivable but very scratchy (the signal sometimes fades out completely). This occurs on multiple scanners and also with an outdoor antenna. Your ability to receive FDNY from PA would be nothing short of a Christmas miracle.

I agree. I travel to Jersey often and stay right across the Hudson. It all depends on how your scanner handles simulcast. I have multiple scanners and the ones that don't work well will have that choppy audio and sometimes it'll completely drop out. And that's directly across the river. The days of the old booming vhf signals that could be heard from all around the tri state area are over. Back then I would be traveling down 95 in CT and on my handheld I could start receiving them from around the Bridgeport area. Now with uhf I have to be much closer.

 

[MrColad]

I don't know about now because I haven't been up that way in a while but on 4/12 you could receive NYPD Bronx divisions on UHF and FDNY Bronx on UHF clear as a bell from Stormville Mountain by the NYSP barracks on the TSP. Illinois Mountain and Mount Beacon too.

 

[joerobb23]

Im about 20 miles or so from the bronx and all uhf fdny reception is horrible ive sought help and direction many times on this forum but never received an answer that solves the reception no ones fault just the way it is. hopefully somehow it will change ?????lol

 

[ten13]

The FDNY CW on the VHF is operating on very low wattage (10 or 15, if that), simulcasting on the UHF (or vice-versa), just to maintain the license on that VHF frequency.

It's not meant to be an "operational" frequency, as the all the boroughs and CW are on UHF.