Scanning in general

Status
Not open for further replies.

ClemeRo1

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 14, 2008
Messages
116
Location
Northern Ontario
1. What does a simplex frequency means?
2. I was looking in a site with frequency listings and cities with a lot of PD and FD frequency(let say Ottawa) had ''F'' then a number. What does it mean?(http://www.panix.com/~clay/scanning/frequencies/canada/ontario/general.txt)
3. What is the difference between a local frequency and a F1 like for North Bayy FD? the same site as no. 2 has been used.
 

tusker305

Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2005
Messages
200
Location
Hamilton, Ontario
Simplex means there is one Frequency in the system. "Im talking and you can't talk until I'm done"
Duplex means there is a repeater involved with two Frequencies one input and one output. we both can talk and recieve at the same time. Kinda.

All that F means is Frequency or Channel ie: CITY POLICE F-1 Dispatch, F-2 SWAT, F-3 Dog Catcher, etc.

Hope this helped
 

tusker305

Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2005
Messages
200
Location
Hamilton, Ontario
Sorry should have included that Simplex is very low power. Limited distance, good for Fire Scene / Crime Scene Communications. On fire scenes it is sometimes better to just yell out the window.
 

ClemeRo1

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 14, 2008
Messages
116
Location
Northern Ontario
Simplex means there is one Frequency in the system. "Im talking and you can't talk until I'm done"
Duplex means there is a repeater involved with two Frequencies one input and one output. we both can talk and recieve at the same time. Kinda.

All that F means is Frequency or Channel ie: CITY POLICE F-1 Dispatch, F-2 SWAT, F-3 Dog Catcher, etc.

Hope this helped

Thanks a lot, you were a big help.
 

KC0QNB

Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2007
Messages
730
Location
Gothenburg, NE
Back in the old days radio shack put out a book that told all about radio communications, all I remember about the book itself was the fact it was blue, there was a section that was dedicated to types of mobile antennas, and other basic stuff, well the book is gone and all we have is the internet and a little site called wikipedia, I found this page that seems to discuss radio systems, here you go enjoy
 

DaveH

Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2001
Messages
3,287
Location
Ottawa, Ont.
Sorry should have included that Simplex is very low power. Limited distance,

Not necessarily true...there are still lots of VHF licensees with up to 100W ERP
(possibly more) running simplex over wide areas e.g. towns and cities.

Dave
 

ClemeRo1

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 14, 2008
Messages
116
Location
Northern Ontario
What type of scanner do you need to be able to listen to talkgroups? Any suggestion (I don't want an expensive one)? Also with the scanners that can listen to talkgroups, can they also scan them? With my scanner I cannot listen to talkgroups and I'm thinking of bying myself a better one. Anything else tht I would need to know before making this purchase?

Please advise and thanks.
 

slicerwizard

Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2002
Messages
7,643
Location
Toronto, Ontario
It is a ripoff of the old Scantrix frequency list, complete with the "COMMERCAIL" typos.

I see Scarborough Fire uses 154.430. Not. That list is a huge waste of time.
 

EJB

20 + year membership
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Oct 29, 2002
Messages
3,640
Location
Downtown Hamilton
What type of scanner do you need to be able to listen to talkgroups? Any suggestion (I don't want an expensive one)? Also with the scanners that can listen to talkgroups, can they also scan them? With my scanner I cannot listen to talkgroups and I'm thinking of bying myself a better one. Anything else tht I would need to know before making this purchase?

Please advise and thanks.

There is a wiki here that tels you which scanner(s) scan what.
There are for sale and wanted forums here.
There are threads devoted to uniden and GRE and R/S scanners.

If you want to listen to your EMS you will need a trunk tracking scanner analog.
If you want to listen to the OPP you will need a digital P25 capable scanner.

As for price... you get what you pay for, either go big or go home. Like many people have explained to you in previous forums the scanner you have now does jack squat. There is very little point in trying to scan the EMS using your scanner.

I think thats what you need to know.
 

ClemeRo1

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 14, 2008
Messages
116
Location
Northern Ontario
With my scanner, I am able to listen to EMS abd OPP surprisingly and even I am able to hear patches to the hospital from a paramedics giving their report.
 

EJB

20 + year membership
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Oct 29, 2002
Messages
3,640
Location
Downtown Hamilton
Robin: Whatever floats your boat is cool but:
You cannot possibly be able to follow the voice comms on a trunked radio system.
Both the OPP & MOH have vehicular repeaters, so if you are in the area of a 'unit' you can hear stuff but you are honestly missing out on the scanning experience with your regular scanner.

Youre better off tapping the scanner you have, and putting a few bills down on any of the scanners mentioned in the wiki articles or on forums here.
 

ClemeRo1

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 14, 2008
Messages
116
Location
Northern Ontario
I am wondering, with the Uniden BC 246T, would I be able to listen to EMS and OPP freq. and talkgroups listed in the Bell FleetNet - Gov. Zone 3 list? The system type is Motorola Type 2 SmartZone witch is supported by the 246, however, the voice system is analog and APCO 25 Common Air Interface. Si will I?
 

EJB

20 + year membership
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Oct 29, 2002
Messages
3,640
Location
Downtown Hamilton
I am wondering, with the Uniden BC 246T, would I be able to listen to EMS and OPP freq. and talkgroups listed in the Bell FleetNet - Gov. Zone 3 list? The system type is Motorola Type 2 SmartZone witch is supported by the 246, however, the voice system is analog and APCO 25 Common Air Interface. Si will I?

A 246 will do well enough to hear whatever EMS talkgroups you want albeit from what I rememeber the audio on it for VHF Hi was poor.
You will not hear any APCO 25 comms, only digital noise as the 246 does not handle digital comms.
OPP-You will hear vehicular repeaters if your area has them (I wouldnt even know where timmins is on a map) but not talk groups because you cannot hear digital comms on a 246.
 

torontokris

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Feb 22, 2008
Messages
1,738
Location
Toronto Canada
What EJB said above is correct as far as I know as well.

As posted in the OP's other topic ...
the 246T should get everything you want OTHER then OPP which are digital. You can get their SIM and vehicle repeaters but thats about it.

Other then that the 246T is a nice addition will do almost everything else your looking for.
If you NEED OPP then you have to look into a digital scanner Uniden 250D (with card) 296D 396T 396XT GRE PSR-500 Pro-96 Pro-106 (all the handhelds)


You mean Scarb Fire isnt on 154.430? Crap Ive been sitting on that channel for the last 8 years waiting for a fire call to come j/k (that was a joke)


It is a ripoff of the old Scantrix frequency list, complete with the "COMMERCAIL" typos.

I see Scarborough Fire uses 154.430. Not. That list is a huge waste of time.
 

ClemeRo1

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 14, 2008
Messages
116
Location
Northern Ontario
Is it just me or trunk tracker scanning look verry complicated from the conventionnal scanning. Is it easy to understand? Can eneyone give me a link for and introduction to trunk tracker scanning? I'm doing a transition from conv. to tt scanning and I want to understand it before I buy a analogg scanner.
 

Highpockets

Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2003
Messages
3,836
Location
Toms River, New Jersey
Is it just me or trunk tracker scanning look verry complicated from the conventionnal scanning. Is it easy to understand? Can eneyone give me a link for and introduction to trunk tracker scanning? I'm doing a transition from conv. to tt scanning and I want to understand it before I buy a analogg scanner.

Here's a place to start in our Wiki here:

Trunked Radio Systems - The RadioReference Wiki
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top