Spokane County Freq changes

[dhawker]

Spokane County in Spokane, Washington just recently switched from a conventional system to something else. My scanner is a Uniden Trunktracker IV, which should be able to pick up the new system. I am not sure what I need to do in order to scan the new system. Please help.

 

[kd7kdc]

Create a new p25 standard system in your scanner and add 853.5375 in the frequency section and you should be up and going then. If you have software that makes it real easy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dhawker]

TGIDs?

Thanks kd7kdc. Will I need TGIDs to identify the organizations using 853.5375?

 

[dhawker]

And I have yet to try it as I live too far out of Spokane. I really appreciate the help. I am new to this whole thing, especially programming.

 

[DickH]

Thanks kd7kdc. Will I need TGIDs to identify the organizations using 853.5375?

Some systems change control channel freqs. often, daily, or any time so you should put in all the control channels. Motorola systems use up to 4.

Here is how Motorola trunking works.

MOTOROLA TRUNKING

The object of trunking is to allow many users to share a relatively few frequencies.
A trunking system is controlled by a computer. Information (data) is exchanged between the system radios and the computer on a control channel, sometimes called a data channel. It sounds like a strong buzz.

A large system can have up to 28 freqs., 4 of which may be used as control channels. The control channel may be changed once a day or as often as the programmer decides. Some scanners need only the control channels to track an entire system. Just put in the 4 Control Channels.

Each group of users (Fire, Police, etc.) is assigned TALK GROUPS. In a Motorola Type II system, the most common type, TGs are usually in 32 number steps starting with 16 and going up to 65536; 16, 48, 80 --- 4656, 4688, 4720 --- 28944, 28976, etc. System radios can have more than 100 TGs programmed into them.

After all the freqs. have been entered and it is "trunking", the Banks become SCAN LISTS where you enter the Talk Groups you want to hear. Use the Talk Group numbers in the DEC column.

When a user pushes the talk button on his radio, data is sent to the computer. The computer chooses an unused freq. and sends that data to all the radios using the TG of the originating unit. This all happens in a fraction of a second and it happens EVERY TIME a radio is used.

EXAMPLE:
Fire Dispatch calling Engine 4 (TG 4528 on 856.7125)
Engine 4 answering Dispatch (TG 4528 on 852.2625)
Respond to 73 Elm Street (TG 4528 on 855.9625)
Engine 4 responding (TG 4528 on 851.6375)

If you have entered TG 4528 into your scanner, it will decode the control channel data and change your scanner freqs. to follow the conversation on TG 4528.

 

[Tidalwave]

SRECS

Be advised that control channel is for the simulcast system. Your results may vary
The Mt. Spokane Site works well for me to listen to SCSO Valley, SCSO North and SPD North/South.

 

[dhawker]

Thanks!

Thanks for all the help. I went to FreeScan and downloaded radio freqs in to my scanner.

Tom: Should I scan all of the sites listed in the Spokane system?

 

[dhawker]

Better reception?

I am using a Uniden 396xt handheld scanner with the antenna it came with of course...wondering if there is an antenna that will give better reception.

 

[Tidalwave]

If you can get the Simulcast to work for you that would be best. You'll hear the most stuff. If you cant get it to work reliably then I would try the Mt. Spokane site. That has been working great for me for SPD/SCSO Dispatch but not anything else.

The radioshack 800mhz antennas seem to work pretty good.

 

[KampingAnthony1AolCo]

RE:Antenna

How about the Laird 1/2 wave diople antenna. Here is the link: Laird Technologies EXE-806-BNX 800-866 Portable Antenna BNC, 8" | TESSCO. It has worked great on Starcom21 here in IL. I pulled in towers at least 100 miles away.