Signal

[Walter0954]

Hello all.I live in the SW corner of Madison county. Mainly monitor AWIN system for the last several years. In the area that I live in I’m only able to receive two sites one being come site any other the cass site for the last the last year or so I’ve noticed that I don’t get a signal from the Combs site very often. I do receive a signal from the casts site all the time at my location. The only time I get a signal from the comb side it’s when the cold weather moves in once it warms up I quit receiving that signal Tower is only less than a mile away from my location. My question would be does weather affect something like that. During the summer months or warmer weather I don’t receive a signal from that site.

 

[03msc]

I believe it would be more the humidity (water droplets in the air) that affects it rather than temperature alone.

 

[Walter0954]

Well whatever the case may be I wouldn’t think it would actually just drop the signal where you would even receive anything within half a mile of it.

 

[doctordialtone]

Well whatever the case

Two factors:
I assume there are leaves on the trees in the Summer.

What you receive from a sute has a lot to do with what radios are affiliated with the site.

This explains Affiliation.

 

[03msc]

True. Are you losing signal completely or just not hearing traffic on it? What do the signal bars show? None? Or full and no traffic?

 

[Walter0954]

Complete signal loss like I was saying earlier soon as it gets cold frigid in the 20s signal comes up usually full bars and the area that I live in I’m on top of the hill but 1900 foot elevation so looking across the mountaintop I can see that tower I just think it’s kind of funny

 

[03msc]

Interesting! Maybe someone else will have some better ideas but that's all I got right now.

 

[tvengr]

What model scanner are you using? Try the attenuator on that site. If the tower is that close, it may be overloading the front end of the scanner. What control channel and alternate frequencies are programmed for Combs?

 

[Walter0954]

Hp436. I programmed it with sentinal. The issue is the signal drops out. last few days i’ve had signal from that tower I can usually pick up Troop L Fayetteville PD,fire also Madison county that is one of the neighboring sites for Fayetteville. As soon as it starts warming up my scanner doesn’t even stop on that site because it doesn’t have a signal once I get down and colder weather the Single comes back up.I just thought it was kind of weird. When I leave the house I can pick up that site all the way to Fayetteville when it’s working so I know it’s not something wrong with the scanner. Anyway I just wanna say thank you for all your replies have a great day

 

[tvengr]

Combs is about 17 miles from Elkins. What antenna are you using? If you are using an antenna mounted on the scanner, you are probably on the fringe of the coverage area. 800 Mhz frequencies don't cover as wide an area as lower frequencies. I worked as a TV broadcast engineer, acquiring microwave signals from live trucks. There were plenty of locations that I could receive the trucks in winter that I could not receive during the summer. Tree foliage makes a big difference. Leaves attenuate RF signals, especially wet leaves. If the wind is blowing, signal strength will vary.

 

[Walter0954]

Remtronix antenna.I live in Madison county not Elkins.I have a Elkins address.the tower is less then a mile away.this morning the signal was strong this evening nothing.when it’s up I can receive that tower in Elkins no problem.and also if I move around the house some time can receive Swain and west fork towers but not very often. I was just wondering why it goes in and out like that.

 

[doctordialtone]

I was just wondering why it goes in and out like that.

This explains Affiliation

 

[03msc]

This explains Affiliation

Affiliation has nothing to do with receiving the tower, though; just talkgroups being passed though it. The link explains this, I’m just pointing out it’s likely not the issue he’s seeing.

RSSI on the display will dance as it scans the site(s) programmed in the system (control channel, etc).

 

[doctordialtone]

likely not the issue he’s seeing.

OK.

My bad.

YOU explain it.

 

[03msc]

OK.

My bad.

YOU explain it.

He stated that he loses site signal completely. That has nothing to do with radio affiliation.

 

[doctordialtone]

That has nothing to do with radio affiliation.

Yes it does. If no radio is affiliated with the site he's trying to monitor, he won't hear anything from that site.

But - what's YOUR explanation?

 

[03msc]

Yes it does. If no readio is affiliated with the site he's trying to monitor, he won't hear anything from that site.

But - what's YOUR explanation?

But he will still be receiving the site…

 

[doctordialtone]

But he will still be receiving the site…

Sorry, wrong.

But still, what's YOUR theory as to why this is happening?

 

[03msc]

Sorry, wrong.

But still, what's YOUR theory as to why this is happening?

Explain why that is wrong.

 

[doctordialtone]

It's evident you don't understand how affiliation works.

Bu I'd still like to hear your theory.

Have a good night.