Seeley lake area

[Czifropa]

Some quick questions...
Previous scanning experience was in the 90's, and in the great falls area. No special antenna/issues were needed, was in the middle of town....
Now i've gotten myself a NEW scanner
Ws 1040 and i live up in the mountains, Seeley Lake area.... so anntenna issues have come up... No clue where to start on what kind is best for me in my area...
Not to mention with this Trunking stuff i'm completely lost. But thats for another day..lol
I have been just searching or manually entering my freq's, since the computer download stuff is foreign to me also...
Any help with my antenna issues would be great.. And then the trunking stuff eventually..lol

 

[rwjackson51]

Since almost everything in Mt is vhf hi, a good vhf base antenna works well. I'm in the Arlee area using a Tram vhf ground plane antenna ( cost about $65.00 on ebay) and get great reception As for programming your scanner and finding freqs, use the database here on RR lots of good info.

 

[bumby]

You will do best with an outdoor antenna, and putting it up as high as possible. Probably a vertical type antenna, not knowing your budget for an antenna, I am not sure what to suggest as prices vary, but perhaps a disc cone antenna,. Your rural location adds to the challenge. I am not sure how good your reception is for Flathead county, probably pretty limited . Your primary reception is likely Missoula County repeaters Additionally you mentioned living in the mountains, if you are in a valley, you may be limited on signals received. If you are at a higher elevation, this will be to your advantage. A good antenna will be a necessity. Good coax cable would be important also. I would recommend RG8X coax as a minimum (for 50 feet or less, otherwise I would be looking at LMR400 coax) depending on your mountain terrain, your reception will vary. The rural isolation of Seeley Lake limits your "trunking reception", Most mountainous rural areas do not have trunking systems. The only possible trunking system I can imagine would be the Montana Public Safety Communication System. It is not very active in this area of the state, especially in the Seeley Lake area, so for the most part, I would not worry about trunking systems as long as you are in the Seeley Lake area.

 

[Czifropa]

Thank you.. From my investigations so far, and after reading your reply.. It looks like i'll be on the right page for an antenna and cable... My price range for an antenna is 200.00 or less... I'm also concerned about snow build up on it..

 

[aprswatcher]

Welcome back to scanning!
In Seeley Lake you are definitely going to need a good antenna, with some height. I use a DPD productions antenna, the Omni X for vhf/uhf and it also covers the aircraft am band well (DPDproductions.com) great antennas and I don’t think you will have a problem with snow loading.
I would program in the Missoula County frequencies for sheriff, Fire, emergency operations.
I took my TRX-1 up there several years ago when the xyl was running the “Snow Joke” I was able to receive some transmissions from County Fire Dispatch and Sheriff as I drove around the course. I did not program in any of the state trunked system (MPSCS)
as I was only interested in the local activity. Once you get the scanner figured out try programming in the state trunked system.
I would recommend software for programming, it makes it a lot simpler and less frustrating. The only one I see available is
ARC500.
Any more questions let us know.
73, Rex

 

[Czifropa]

Thank you for this and any future help.. Glad to be back..

 

[blantonl]

There is a repeater site near Condon that is extremely powerful for Missoula County - I think on 154.740. It always trips on Close Call when I'm driving through the Swan.

I don't think there is any Montana State Trunk System coverage in the Swan... if there is it is spotty.

I live in Whitefish during the summer and made it out here in mid-March this year. Note that your antenna will need to be extensively winterized for the Swan Valley - it gets bitter cold in the deep winter there in Seeley Lake. More so than much of NW Montana.. So be prepared for that.

 

[b1100mac]

There is a repeater site near Condon that is extremely powerful for Missoula County - I think on 154.740. It always trips on Close Call when I'm driving through the Swan.

I don't think there is any Montana State Trunk System coverage in the Swan... if there is it is spotty.

I live in Whitefish during the summer and made it out here in mid-March this year. Note that your antenna will need to be extensively winterized for the Swan Valley - it gets bitter cold in the deep winter there in Seeley Lake. More so than much of NW Montana.. So be prepared for that.

Thank you.. From my investigations so far, and after reading your reply.. It looks like i'll be on the right page for an antenna and cable... My price range for an antenna is 200.00 or less... I'm also concerned about snow build up on it..

Call bob at stine ellectronics in seeley. very knowledgeable radio tech. ive seen used antennas at his shop

 

[Czifropa]

There is a repeater site near Condon that is extremely powerful for Missoula County - I think on 154.740. It always trips on Close Call when I'm driving through the Swan.

I don't think there is any Montana State Trunk System coverage in the Swan... if there is it is spotty.

I live in Whitefish during the summer and made it out here in mid-March this year. Note that your antenna will need to be extensively winterized for the Swan Valley - it gets bitter cold in the deep winter there in Seeley Lake. More so than much of NW Montana.. So be prepared for that.

Thank you.. Yes 154.740 is the county freq. It comes in just fine..
-40 here a few years back at one point, so yes it can get brutal...