Scanning in Collin County

[donb3729]

Hello, I have been toying with buying a scanner to scan the frequencies in Collin County. I see McKinney (home) is encrypted and quite a bit else is digital and simulcast. I purchased a BCT 15xt a few weeks ago and I knew all I could hear was air, rail, amateur, and FRS. I wanted more. This tells me that I need a digital scanner and probably a SDS 200 to deal with the simulcast. I am just wondering if a BCD 996P2 would even be worth buying with the simulcast on the non-encrypted transmitters. Trying not to break the bank on an SDS unit that would be limited by the E. I wondering if there enough that still works that I can monitor to make the SDS worth it. Just wanted a bit more than analog. Thanks

 

[walsabrook]

I live in Allen. Lots of stuff to listen to on the PAWMCo system that is not encrypted.. I mostly listen to Allen Fire Dept on my SDS200 though

 

[tvengr]

All of the trunked systems in Collin County are simulcast. You are taking a big chance with anything other than the SDS100 handheld or SDS200 base/mobile.

 

[walsabrook]

I have a BCD996P2 as well. I also have a 800 MHz yagi that’s helps with simulcast. It really got to be a pain with more towers going up in the county. I finally bought a SDS200, and problem with simulcast is solved !!

 

[mass-man]

Don’t get rid of the BCT15X…you can never have enuf scanners!

 

[Blaine]

Hello, I have been toying with buying a scanner to scan the frequencies in Collin County. I see McKinney (home) is encrypted and quite a bit else is digital and simulcast. I purchased a BCT 15xt a few weeks ago and I knew all I could hear was air, rail, amateur, and FRS. I wanted more. This tells me that I need a digital scanner and probably a SDS 200 to deal with the simulcast.

While I would certainly NOT get rid of the BCT15X, might I heartily recommend taking the plunge, and getting yourself a Unication G4. You won't regret it. And it's PERFECT for Collin County systems. True, it's expensive, and you can only monitor one trunked system at a time, but that really is not that bad of a setback. I love mine. I live in East Plano on the Richardson line, and monitor the PAWM system (800 mhz simulcast) and it comes in LOUD AND CLEAR EVERYTIME. I'm amazed at what I was missing on my old BCD436 scanner because of simulcast. The G4 handles that perfectly. I monitor Plano PD East Dispatch, as well as surrounding FD's, and it NEVER misses a beat. LOUD CLEAR AUDIO that fills the room for such a small radio!

While you will not be able to monitor McKinney PD and FD dispatch, you will be able to monitor fire response and tacs. Also, you can monitor agencies within your area on the PAWM 700 mhz COUNTY simulcast. Plenty of good action there with Sheriff (TG 1168) and FD (TG 1242) and their fireground tacs. Add some additional munis to the scan list, and you'll have tons of fun listening!

And keep that BCT15 for mil and civvy air. It's fantastic for that! Good luck!

 

[Harold]

Get the SDS 200 and you won't regret it in the future. But the BCD 996P2 is still a great scanner, and with some creative work and some trial and error with an antenna system, you can make it work. I'm in NE Tarrant, in a pool of simulcast, but I have a yagi antenna pointed at the closest antenna site, shielded from behind with a piece of sheet metal. It is mounted in my home office at ceiling height on a length of pvc. It feeds a BCD 996xlt, that I use to monitor FWFD and NRH Fire. It rarely misses a transmission. So it can work.

 

[donb3729]

Thanks all for the info. I was trying to save a few bucks, but the SDS 200 keeps rearing its head! Thanks again.

 

[hiegtx]

Thanks all for the info. I was trying to save a few bucks, but the SDS 200 keeps rearing its head! Thanks again.

Almost all of the trunked systems in our area have one or more simulcast sites. Unfortunately, the only scanners that deal with those successfully are the SDS100 & SDS200.

Simulcast is very location specific. In some cases, when dealing with only one system, you might be able to listen to it by using a directional antenna, pointed at only one site. Or, use something metallic, placed by the scanner to block signals from one direction. There are a couple of other possibilities, but these, if they work at all, will only help you with one system & simulcast site. When you want to monitor more than one, or be able to monitor when out & about in your vehicle, the possible countermeasures are usually ineffective.

The Unication pagers work well, and can deal with simulcast, but they are limited to only a single site, and no more than 64 channels. You can program more than that, and switch to what you want, but you can't monitor two or more sites, and 2 or more sets of 64 channels at the same time. Also, these have to be programmed with a PC, so you can't edit or enter new items without a PC. whereas with most scanners, you can do that via the keypad.

 

[blackbelter]

I have a friend in that area whom owns a G5 as well as an SDS 200 . He monitors the same systems and according to him ,in comparison, he has not turn on his SDS 200 as he was missing quite a few transmissions for about 3 months while his Unication device solidly covers all the talk groups loud , clear and without any missing key ups . Bravo to Unication for such an amazing device . I would think that any other devices would be a compromise to monitor any simulated system .

 

[Ensnared]

In a dense scanning environment such as DFW, I would hate to be limited to monitoring one system at a time. I don't even know if the G5 allows you to monitor a system as well as P25 VHF at the same time.

I want to hear DPS, all in one radio. I would imagine the G5 is a well-constructed radio. However, my scanning interests are outside of one system. Federal and DPS are a must for me.

I concur with hiegx. I love my SDS 100. Let's see a G5 take a baptism in Coca Cola. My SDS 100 went to the Uniden ER and now it is working fine. LOL.

 

[donb3729]

I did get a pair of SDRs and can really only do one system at a time, but I am getting an idea of what's out there and the software just ploughs right through simulcast it seems. Haven't put the scanner idea to bed, but this gives me a good idea of the environment.

 

[Impaqt]

Hi, please forgive me if I’m high jacking your thread. It is not my intention, but I wasn’t sure where to post. I have been listening to my former neighborhood patrol Dallas PD NE division on my BC350A for over 20 years. I just recently moved to McKinney (75 & 380 east side). I want to continue to listen to what’s going on in my neighborhood. I’m really only interested in McKinney PD and possibly FD. Apparently, McKinney is using an Atco-25 Phase II system with encryption. I purchased a BCD536HP. Thinking I could input my zip code and be back in business. No luck. After reading this thread, it looks like I’d be better off with a SDS-200. But is it even possible to listen to McKinney PD or does the encryption prevent it? If so, should I just stick to the McKinney simulcast? Any information is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[BenScan]

Hi, please forgive me if I’m high jacking your thread. It is not my intention, but I wasn’t sure where to post. I have been listening to my former neighborhood patrol Dallas PD NE division on my BC350A for over 20 years. I just recently moved to McKinney (75 & 380 east side). I want to continue to listen to what’s going on in my neighborhood. I’m really only interested in McKinney PD and possibly FD. Apparently, McKinney is using an Atco-25 Phase II system with encryption. I purchased a BCD536HP. Thinking I could input my zip code and be back in business. No luck. After reading this thread, it looks like I’d be better off with a SDS-200. But is it even possible to listen to McKinney PD or does the encryption prevent it? If so, should I just stick to the McKinney simulcast? Any information is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Since they are encrypted, you will not be able to monitor them.

 

[Impaqt]

Thank you very much

 

[musicman476]

Hi, please forgive me if I’m high jacking your thread. It is not my intention, but I wasn’t sure where to post. I have been listening to my former neighborhood patrol Dallas PD NE division on my BC350A for over 20 years. I just recently moved to McKinney (75 & 380 east side). I want to continue to listen to what’s going on in my neighborhood. I’m really only interested in McKinney PD and possibly FD. Apparently, McKinney is using an Atco-25 Phase II system with encryption. I purchased a BCD536HP. Thinking I could input my zip code and be back in business. No luck. After reading this thread, it looks like I’d be better off with a SDS-200. But is it even possible to listen to McKinney PD or does the encryption prevent it? If so, should I just stick to the McKinney simulcast? Any information is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

While you can't hear McKinney PD, you can occasionally hear some Fire traffic. The airport TG is very active if that's of interest to you.
I would also recommend programming the PAWMCo system as well. It's much more active with both Collin County SO activity and the neighboring small(er) cities.

 

[hiegtx]

While you can't hear McKinney PD, you can occasionally hear some Fire traffic. The airport TG is very active if that's of interest to you.
I would also recommend programming the PAWMCo system as well. It's much more active with both Collin County SO activity and the neighboring small(er) cities.

The Frisco system might also be interesting. Depending on your exact location, you might also be able to monitor the Denton County system, and several systems in Dallas County, such as GMRS, Metrocrest Quad Cities, or the Dallas/Dallas County sites on NTIRN.