Scanning/troubleshooting Jefferson County/Boulder area

[jmblodgett]

I'm a second-time owner of the BCD325P2. The first time around I used FreeSCAN and a RadioReference membership to manage my scanner and it worked like a charm. This time, not so much. Granted, I'm in a far quieter locale this time -- Jefferson County, Montana, vs. Greater Los Angeles -- but I'm getting zero traffic from the Sheriff's Dept, which seems unlikely.

I searched the FCC database and found a bunch of trunked frequencies registered by the Sheriff's Dept. that are apparently current yet not listed in the RR database for Jefferson County. Whether the issue is incorrect or outdated frequencies listed in RR I can't determine, because I'm hitting a roadblock manually programming the trunked systems (which, as I understand, are under the APCO-25 Common Air Interface Exclusive protocol).

Can someone please help me troubleshoot? I've attached my .9

 

[Linkero]

I'm assuming your trouble is with the Montana Public Safety system? Quick and easy fix. Change the "Type" to P25 Standard instead of Mot2

Edit: It may be better to reprogram that system and remember to select "P25 Standard" this time around

 

[Linkero]

Additionally, for Helena, the database shows the PD dispatch and operations TG's to be encrypted. You may want to choose to remove these talkgroups as you'll likely never hear anything from them.

 

[jmblodgett]

I'm assuming your trouble is with the Montana Public Safety system? Quick and easy fix. Change the "Type" to P25 Standard instead of Mot2

Edit: It may be better to reprogram that system and remember to select "P25 Standard" this time around

Thank you! I just switched to P25 Standard (Digital XT), not P25 One Freq Trunk (Digital XT). Fingers crossed.

Here's a question though -- what about the various frequencies Jeff Cty Sheriff has licensed that aren't in the RR database?

 

[jmblodgett]

I'm assuming your trouble is with the Montana Public Safety system? Quick and easy fix. Change the "Type" to P25 Standard instead of Mot2

Edit: It may be better to reprogram that system and remember to select "P25 Standard" this time around

Hmmmm, I'm still not getting sheriff or police traffic.

 

[aprswatcher]

I lived in Helena for several years and had Jefferson County SO and fire programmed in my scanners and
had no problem monitoring them.
They are conventional vhf just as the database shows.
155.595 Fire Dispatch
155.49. Sheriff North
155.145. Sheriff South/ Central
As mentioned previously the Helena PD and Lewis & Clark SO are encrypted.
Helena Fire is not, they can be fairly busy at times.

Hope this helps out.
73, Rex

 

[jmblodgett]

At least some of the database entries haven't been updated in a while. For example, fire and ambulance are now dispatched on 155.145, and I have all those frequencies uploaded via FreeScan using a RadioReference Premium database. There is no traffic on the frequencies other than 155.145.

As per https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?ctid=1615 (and confirmed by locals) the SO is now using the Montana Public Safety Communications System. (https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=3825)

What's confusing and frustrating is that I am doing what's worked before and is expected to work: use FreeScan to access a RadioReference Premium database and upload to a BCD325P2.

 

[akuter]

These are unconfirmed TG's on the Montana P25 I have picked up for either Broadwater or Jefferson co 247, 267, 255, 263, 283, 273

 

[jmblodgett]

These are unconfirmed TG's on the Montana P25 I have picked up for either Broadwater or Jefferson co 247, 267, 255, 263, 283, 273

What scanner do you use?

 

[akuter]

I use a 536HP using the out of box antenna, connected to ProScan.
I downloaded the state system from RR. I can only hear Bozeman, Manhattan, mayb Canyon Ferry sites.
Still unconfirmed TG's

 

[jmblodgett]

I use a 536HP using the out of box antenna, connected to ProScan.
I downloaded the state system from RR. I can only hear Bozeman, Manhattan, mayb Canyon Ferry sites.
Still unconfirmed TG's

So you downloaded the entire system? Did you adjust any of the programming or program as it was imported via ProScan? I only downloaded the Boulder site and the MHP District 3 (Butte) talkgroup. I can pick up the latter, but still get no traffic from the four frequencies listed under Boulder.

 

[akuter]

I did the same as you, downloaded the sites within 70mi of bozeman. I've logged Helena & Kalispell from here.
I listen in a bit more.

 

[jmblodgett]

I did the same as you, downloaded the sites within 70mi of bozeman. I've logged Helena & Kalispell from here.
I listen in a bit more.

I'm getting somewhere -- downloading the entire statewide APCO database was key. TG 283 is Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. I haven't identified all the frequencies yet, but the main control channel is identical to the Greycliff site and at least one frequency is listed under Big Sandy. No wonder I wasn't picking anything up with only the Boulder site programmed as per RR, it's out of date.

 

[akuter]

Excellenct! still unconfermed, 267 maybe an incident command or Search n Rescue, 263 mayb F/EMS.

 

[blantonl]

If you guys identify changes, please submit them to us so we can update the database.