STL Metro Woes!

[Kimberson]

Hello everyone- So much has changed, the old freescan file (given to me by a member here) which worked great isn't working so well. Tried u/ling RR data from both Xt pro and freescan and I feel like I just got this scanner today and am starting from the beginning. Does anyone have a more current FS file for STL metro/state wide? Am on a 396xt. Right when I thought I was beginning to understand things (especially conv/conv trunked), I feel frustrated- especially after finally getting my mobile antenna mess fixed. I assume 2 meter receive standard is the easier of the "bands" to understand, since I have somewhat of a grasp on it. As for every thing else, another story. Any help would be appreciated. I'm trying to keep things simple and focus on PS, until budget allows for me to procure a base setup.

Thanks

(are there any meet up groups in the metro area btw? I learn much better when things are explained, not read!)

 

[teufler]

freescan file more st charles cty but does have st louis systems too

 

[Kimberson]

Thank you!

[emoji1]

 

[teufler]

mobile antenna, the austin is about as good as you can get. I have had one about 15 years and still performs like it did when I first insatalled it. . Running mobile, I don't expect 50 mile receive range but when I am mobile, it receives all within the county and then some. Now if St louis cty ever gets on the p25 band wagon, this will improve things abit. Most of the "priniceapalities " (the cities in st louis county) have stuck with what they have, the don't have the money, what they have works..,

 

[Kimberson]

I hear so many good things about the Austin, which is why I bought one. The the first (not Austin/Sp fault) MM that came with it was a mess. Nothing to solder to! S-masters promptly sent me another. Again, it was a dud insofar as the wires under the mount were "frazzled"- like a bad hair day.

Try #1: I got rid of the RG-58u and upped it to some RG (8X?), much better coax. Still an issue. Try #2, I just tried 2 other MMs (old ones) which were fine and the same issue:

The Austin was top center/g-plane on my auto. I've never encountered this with any other antenna- when I'd pick up the scanner, the signal strength would vacillate from 0-4 bars, by (just) moving the scanner a few inches to the right/left/up/down. I have 32", 14" (duel) and 14" single whips, none of which show the same behavior. It's super frustrating, I've pretty much given up on it...I can't figure out for the life of me what the issue is. The only (shooting in the dark) thing I can think of is (based on zero science) that the antenna having some "exotic" elements to it, interfere somehow with the cars' EMR (a Prius). Sounds ridiculous! But I'm outta ideas.


1 question- are the 2 MOSTLP25 systems supposed to be MOT? I'm not picking up any voice, despite "all bars" showing. I can't remember if I changed the settings in FS to standard P25 (xt)...I have a vague memory of doing something like that.

Thanks again

 

[teufler]

yes the st louis moto p25 are motorola. now it works for me, if all the frequencies are 800, I just enter as a moto type 2 p25. if the sites include 700 mhz, I enter as digital standard p25 now I do get voice on the st louis p25, I get O'fallon mo pd, some st louis city groups, no st louis county, then some mo state traffic, but st louis county is not doing much yet, as far as I can tell. Maybe too far west, but I think they have not extablished any traffic yet.. Traffic right now , concerning some motorcade, traffic shut down now.

 

[Kimberson]

Hey! After a bit of finagling, I was hearing about the motorcade as well- I think it was Weldon Spring. I tried to find what the hub-bub was about via the web, but alas no dice.

I reinstalled your file, seems to be working. One thing which is still a mystery to me is "the 700mhz". If I understand you, you're saying if the system contains both 800/700, define it as digital standard...otherwise MOT2/P25?

Ugh- clicking on the saint louis system in RR, I was disappointed to read how much of the infrastructure had gone tdma x2. The odd thing is, I still see 396xt's going for close to 500$. Not far off from cost of a 436. I don't mind having to buy new tech, if were every five years. I don't like the idea of having to lug a sdr/computer around...

 

[teufler]

this works for me, if the site is all 800, its a moto type 2 p25. If the site is ALL 700, it is set up as a digital p25. So for stlouis p25, I have two systems, one for 800 sites, and one for the 700 sites. Its only the south st louis that is tdma so there are towers that work type 1. Its not much of a problem. Moswin is all type 1 and its great hearing rolla, troop I and Jeff City, troop F into the st. charles /st louis area . I can get troop f and troop I through the Gasconade cty site. So far nothing from Macon or Sikeston. I have got Rolla thru Dent County a few times. I got my 397xt from Uniden as a refurshed model, full warrenty, for $265.00 . Come Sept its 1 yr old. For speakers at home, I use a set of surplus computer speakers, from EPC, $10.00 . AC powers,. comes with the 3.5 mm jack.

 

[Starcom21]

Ugh- clicking on the saint louis system in RR, I was disappointed to read how much of the infrastructure had gone tdma x2. The odd thing is, I still see 396xt's going for close to 500$. Not far off from cost of a 436. I don't mind having to buy new tech, if were every five years. I don't like the idea of having to lug a sdr/computer around...

I don't think any of it actually is Phase II, just a tower is Phase II capable, according to pro96com.

All control channels and towers appear to still be using phase I.

 

[teufler]

I guess we will enjoy it while we can.

 

[scanman1958]

I have rumors about the three county systems being phase ll but until I hear it my self and the majority if not all the traffic is phase ll I am not spending my money on the new Unidens. Wow. What an apparent mess.

 

[Kimberson]

Ah...I'll be working on making a separate sys for 700 and 800 freqs. That put to rest a lot of protracted head scratching. The other bonus discovered in your file- previously, when creating a p25 sys. for 800 sites, either I (think) made the system a digital p25, or fumbled the fleet-maps or both. I could receive/decode, BUT unlike earlier today when I was driving around, I finally (finally) experienced the automatic changing of frequencies aka "following" the dialogue. One of those "whew!" moments. The only other times I experienced that was listening (70cm) to county pd crossover into the city, I assume an "all channels open" m.o. for those rare events (car chase starting in M. Heights. Ending somewhere of Market St!).

I'll have to scrutinize the file settings to see how everything was set up- it was fun watching the the freq. change...hands free.


On another note somewhat related, despite the general impression I get about CC and it's lack of usefulness, some whatever reason(?), on a clear weekend night, if I get many CC hits. Here's where I get confused. How do I group them correctly? The same freq. are used by other radios...I think I may have multiple multiples of the same frequency.

And finally, I think it's time for me to engage procom96.


When people post their findings up here, I always wonder..."how...where...do I enter the info???". Time to find out.

Thanks guys!

 

[teufler]

none of thr systems I sent, require you to input fleet maps..Type 1, you do, typeIIi you do, but there are no hybrid systems in the file. So forget creating or inputing anything, in fleet maps./ Yeah look at the file, duplicate system designs were needed.. CC , havn't done much of thgat. I do Virtual mode in Freescan. Then log activity and let the program run all night. In the morning, you will quickly see what the busyt frequencies are. If they arfe a trunking system, you track ids, frequcies are of little interest.
I do search and log at night.

 

[Kimberson]

I'd like to purchase a laptop specific for that purpose and perhaps for SDR in the future.

I am tempted to get the 436 instead of another computer (head-ache).

Do you (or anyone else) have any xp using one of those new HD-Digital-TV Flat antennas for UHF? I've read for 7/800mhz mobile they work great. I saw one at "the shack" the other day, it was 60$, and so thin it flopped around.