StarCom21 2025 Official Thread

[Bri112233445]

Hey Everyone,
Quick question, I have an SDS100 and I monitor the Will/Grundy Site and I'm wondering if my signal is weak because of the stock antenna I'm using or because there's a cell tower nearby or because I'm not close to the tower which Is about 3 miles away. If it is the antenna is the Remtronix antenna a good one, if so which exact one should I get for Starcom21? I'm in the Plainfield area trying to reach sites 1 and 3 of callsigns WRAQ940 WRAQ941 Thanks.

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You can't program it with just those two towers/callsigns you have to program it with the frequencies listed in radio reference on the starcom page since it's a simcast site. Utilize radio reference database here or utilize the sentinel program which will automatically add everything so you don't need to manually program it. Or use the zipcode feature to just start listening

 

[Kordaviation]

You can't program it with just those two towers/callsigns you have to program it with the frequencies listed in radio reference on the starcom page since it's a simcast site. Utilize radio reference database here or utilize the sentinel program which will automatically add everything so you don't need to manually program it. Or use the zipcode feature to just start listening

Right. I have all three control channels programmed but the signal is weak. I'm not sure if it's the stock antenna I'm using or just because I'm not closer to the towers.

 

[Bri112233445]

Right. I have all three control channels programmed but the signal is weak. I'm not sure if it's the stock antenna I'm using or just because I'm not closer to the towers.

You should be able to reach it just fine if you're in Plainfield I can reach it from the stock antenna in Oswego. If anything I would get a tuned antenna or move closer to a window/upper floor

 

[Kordaviation]

You should be able to reach it just fine if you're in Plainfield I can reach it from the stock antenna in Oswego. If anything I would get a tuned antenna or move closer to a window/upper floor

ok thanks. Do you have the attenuation on or off in Oswego? Just curious because I have mine turned on and when I turn it off the audio breaks up.

 

[Bri112233445]

Mine is always off. The SDS has a good filter so you shouldn't need to have it on unless you're right next to the tower and it's overloading. Try messing with the global audio filters and see which ones work for you. For example I have mine set to wide invert and I'm picking up the traffic flawlessly. If anything you can try and mess with the gain in the sentinel program as well and lower that if needed. Check your squelch as well could be set too high

ok thanks. Do you have the attenuation on or off in Oswego? Just curious because I have mine turned on and when I turn it off the audio breaks up.

 

[Kordaviation]

ok will do! thanks.

 

[Kordaviation]

Plainfield & Wescom Police 2 dispatch channels are currently patched together started past 10:30 p.m tonight. Is this a new thing for overnights or are they permanently moving Plainfield to police 2?

They've been doing this for awhile now but I'm not sure if it's permanent.

 

[RoninJoliet]

You need to be using T-1-13 its location is in Plfd not those two other towers,....

 

[Kordaviation]

You need to be using T-1-13 its location is in Plfd not those two other towers,....

I do use the T-1-13 control channel 773.3312. What do you mean the location is in Plainfield? What are the other two towers then? I'm confused

 

[RoninJoliet]

The new main T1-13 tower is at the PD on Coil Drive the last I heard and all the sub-sites which are many are all tied in,... That is the correct CChannel you sent so if your not receiving we'll move the scanner around in your location and using the Remtronics 800 rubber duck inside should work....I live in Joliet near St Joes Hospital and there is a site there also which I get 100% coverage on T1-13 even on my H/Hlds,...I also have a small ground- plane in the attic with low loss coax which does the job,...

 

[Kordaviation]

The new main T1-13 tower is at the PD on Coil Drive the last I heard and all the sub-sites which are many are all tied in,... That is the correct CChannel you sent so if your not receiving we'll move the scanner around in your location and using the Remtronics 800 rubber duck inside should work....I live in Joliet near St Joes Hospital and there is a site there also which I get 100% coverage on T1-13 even on my H/Hlds,...I also have a small ground- plane in the attic with low loss coax which does the job,...

ok I see. I turned off ATT and changed the global auto filter to Wide invert which helped a bit but still not great. My RRSI is at -60dBm. If it helps I live near Plainfield North High school. I'm not sure if it's because I'm not closer to the T1-13 Tower on Coil Plus.

 

[RoninJoliet]

Location means everything with Starcom, I do not use the SDS models because I'm not techy enough with computers but I have three 996P2 and 325P2 h/h which work great . I was just in the Plfd north HS parking lot to turn around the other day taking my wife to doctor at 59/119th, that is a ways north of the Coil Dr PD so I can see where you would have some trouble,...

 

[RoninJoliet]

I have theDMR conversion in one of my 996P2 and can copy Plfd South and North school activities

 

[Kordaviation]

Location means everything with Starcom, I do not use the SDS models because I'm not techy enough with computers but I have three 996P2 and 325P2 h/h which work great . I was just in the Plfd north HS parking lot to turn around the other day taking my wife to doctor at 59/119th, that is a ways north of the Coil Dr PD so I can see where you would have some trouble,...

I have the 325P2 as well and it's bad that's why I upgraded to the sds100 which is better. What would fix the RSSI is-60dBm bad?

 

[RoninJoliet]

As mentioned in don’t have that scanner so I’m sorry I can’t be of much help hopefully someone that has will chime in and help

 

[Kordaviation]

As mentioned in don’t have that scanner so I’m sorry I can’t be of much help hopefully someone that has will chime in and help

No worries. Thanks for the other info.

 

[RoninJoliet]

Like on your 325P2 you can go into the “settings “ part and if your firmware is up to date set it on “manual 7” and it helped me alot and the “squelch” set to 2 only

 

[RoninJoliet]

ATT off

 

[Kordaviation]

Like on your 325P2 you can go into the “settings “ part and if your firmware is up to date set it on “manual 7” and it helped me alot and the “squelch” set to 2 only

what's the latest version?

 

[Kordaviation]

ATT off

Do you have P25 LP Filter on?