I bought mine from Amazon. There are a variety of sellers on there. You'll be looking for key terms "RTL-SDR" and "RTL2832U & R820T". I recommend going with a model/seller that gets good reviews.
SIRN
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BM82557
Member
I use two of these with Unitrunker and DSDPlus to monitor the Berkeley County site -
NooElec - NooElec NESDR Mini 2 SDR & DVB-T USB Stick (RTL2832 + R820T2) w/ Antenna and Remote Control - SDR Receivers - Software Defined Radio
I live within 4 miles of the transmitter location and get good decodes just using the antennas included with the dongles. Attached screenshot shows Unitrunker and DSDPlus.
NooElec - NooElec NESDR Mini 2 SDR & DVB-T USB Stick (RTL2832 + R820T2) w/ Antenna and Remote Control - SDR Receivers - Software Defined Radio
I live within 4 miles of the transmitter location and get good decodes just using the antennas included with the dongles. Attached screenshot shows Unitrunker and DSDPlus.
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Very cool. I was looking at getting one this week but I may just end up getting 2 then.Thanks for correcting me.
Actually you were right pretty much. The SDR dongle won't track it or even decode it but add DSDPlus to do the decode and Unitrunker to do the tracking and it works then. LOL
One dongle and one receiver in UT goes to the control channel while second dongle and second receiver in Unitrunker auto-switches to whatever voice channel the control sends it to. No multi-site though unless you use additional dongles and instances of UT from what I understand.
You'll enjoy getting them. It makes doing things on the fly very easy.
If I have read correctly the new version of DSDPlus coming out may do trunk tracking by itself so that would make life so much easier all the way around.
wv8mat
Member
I have one already, now I am going to order the 2nd SDR for this project. I have a laptop that really doesn't do much so instead of saving up for a new p25 scanner I am going to set it up to rec the Mason County (North or Lakin) site. I live close enough that I will have good coverage.
Thanks for the responses.
Thanks for the responses.
Yes, I have programmed my pro-197 before I bought the software. the pro-197 and 652 are virtually the same radio. What do you need to know and I will try to walk you through it.
Thanks.
Wayne
w8mkh
Member
Hearing tg9613 talking about installers not sure what dept they are with
It falls under WV DOC but I have no listing.
BM82557
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TG 9989
Don't know how long it's been like this but I just noticed that in the database TG 9989 is listed as Jefferson Hills, it's actually located in Ranson.
Don't know how long it's been like this but I just noticed that in the database TG 9989 is listed as Jefferson Hills, it's actually located in Ranson.
rookiee
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Thanks Wayne,
Basically I'm just looking for the sites the program into the radio to monitor the areas around Western Greenbrier County. I think I have the programming down, just not sure what tower sites I should program.
I would put in Alderson, White Sulphur Spring, and Quinwood. I know Alderson will carry Greenbrier and some Raleigh County and Quinwood has a very strong signal in places Rt 19 from Beckley to Oak Hill.
WSS is quite strong as well. I pick it up quite well when in the area and often from the 24 west in VA where I live on the 436 and from the 21 west on my 668. The 652 does worse but its still a strong site.
So it gets out quite a bit. Can pick up the CC on DSDPlus even at the 27 but can't decode any VCs at that point.
So it gets out quite a bit. Can pick up the CC on DSDPlus even at the 27 but can't decode any VCs at that point.
New WVSIRN Tower
New tower granted under KVRTA: http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/licenseFreqSum.jsp?licKey=3466214&keyLoc=16180688
It will be located up at the 130th WVANG at Yeager Airport.
New tower granted under KVRTA: http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/licenseFreqSum.jsp?licKey=3466214&keyLoc=16180688
It will be located up at the 130th WVANG at Yeager Airport.
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Coverage holes
Hi Guys,
Just spent Memorial Day weekend exploring from Purgitsville down to Beckley so I can work the West Virginia QSO Party next month. Spent much of that time listening to SIRN, but found a number of coverage holes, even with the external mobile antenna.
While coverage was surprisingly good in some of those deep valleys, I had trouble finding a control channel on much of the route descending from Webster County toward Valley Head and much of Randolph County south of Beverly.
I was set up to search 460-465 and 451-455, given some of the more unusual CC's out there. Anything I'm missing?
used a Radio Shack PRO-197 & 652 with a 23" whip on the roof of my minivan.
73/Allen (N4JRI)
Hi Guys,
Just spent Memorial Day weekend exploring from Purgitsville down to Beckley so I can work the West Virginia QSO Party next month. Spent much of that time listening to SIRN, but found a number of coverage holes, even with the external mobile antenna.
While coverage was surprisingly good in some of those deep valleys, I had trouble finding a control channel on much of the route descending from Webster County toward Valley Head and much of Randolph County south of Beverly.
I was set up to search 460-465 and 451-455, given some of the more unusual CC's out there. Anything I'm missing?
used a Radio Shack PRO-197 & 652 with a 23" whip on the roof of my minivan.
73/Allen (N4JRI)
rookiee
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Ok, so I've ran into another problem. I programmed Quinwood, Alderson, and WSS in my radio by hand with no problems at all. I finally got a data cable and tried programming it from the computer, but now I'm not picking up the control channel at all. I'm using the ARC 500 on the PRO 651. What am I doing wrong?
BM82557
Member
Move to 700 MHz??
Saw this "With the impending deadline of 2023 for all public safety agencies to vacate T-band" in post # 680 in a thread for Lancaster County PA (http://forums.radioreference.com/2405740-post680.html) Has anybody heard anything about SIRN having to vacate 450 - 460 MHz in the future?
Saw this "With the impending deadline of 2023 for all public safety agencies to vacate T-band" in post # 680 in a thread for Lancaster County PA (http://forums.radioreference.com/2405740-post680.html) Has anybody heard anything about SIRN having to vacate 450 - 460 MHz in the future?
MOTOROLANUT
Member
Eight years is a long time especially in WV. Most likely waivers/extensions would be given by the FCC anyway.
Isn't the T-Band traditionally considered to be 470 to 512MHz? Would that whole spectrum reallocation business even affect us on SIRN in the 450 to 460MHz range? I do understand the general public safety trend is to move over to 700MHz and up, but I hope W.Va. will set its own trend...
