Tennessee Highway Patrol Help

jblackst

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I am having problems receiving THP. I have full signal bars but they don't stay constant like the VA STARS Radio System did before they went Fully Encrypted. Not sure if I have something programmed wrong or what's going on. I live in cedar bluff VA and connected by an outdoor antenna pointing towards Bristol VA. I cann receive Johnson County Sheriffs Office VHF without any issues. Feel free to make changes to the attached file. I have a Whistler TRX2.

Thanks
Here's all I got. I pulled some rando copy of the Whistler software that seems to work (at least it opened your attachment). The trunking stuff seemed OK, but I went in and pulled trunking site info using the built in tool in the software. There are a couple of sites that I've left locked out; I think they're just too far away. Try it without it at first. I simply think you're too far from a TACN tower site to get a good enough signal for long enough for the scanner to do its job.

One of the sites listed in RRDB seems to be missing some frequencies, based on the data from the FCC. I adjusted them in this file.

Good luck.

Remember: you're basic location (Cedar Bluff, VA) is basically at the limit of reasonable reception distance for a 7/800 MHz trunked system, assuming good line of site and no other distracting terrain. I just don't think you're going to be able to properly scan TACN from Cedar Bluff without an antenna that several hundred feet higher (if that's even possible) or without moving your scanner many miles closer.

One suggestion: Take the scanner and antenna and drive down to Bristol. Plug it in and see if it will scan TACN from there, as a way to confirm your programming is accurate (from a distance that we all agree would be easily within receive range).
 

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TNDispatcher

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Probably the site your connected to may not have any affiliated radios attached to it if it's a vhf site. They are probably utilizing the 7/8 site in that area. Until a troopers radio affiliates with that specific site you won't hear a peep.
 

anelson5004

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Cedar Bluff, VA
Could someone please provide me with the proper trunking tables for holston mountain sites? I have signal bars coming and going but no audio coming through. It's my understanding from scanner food that all THP is primarily utilized on these 2 sites. Thanks.
 

jblackst

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Which Holston Mtn site, the RRDB lists 3? What frequency are you receiving 'signal bars' on? Did you download and try to use the file I uploaded 3 posts above? Also, just because you can receive the control channel signal doesn't mean you're going to be able to receive voice channel signals.

THP District 5 is available online
 
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jblackst

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From the RRDB for TACN:

I suspect that you would most likely see THP traffic on the first entry, IF any THP troopers are affiliated to that specific tower site when you're listening.

(I'm currently comparing these DB entries to their respective FCC licenses, and whoa nellie. They're not lining up. 2-44 has 4 freqs, and 2-0 only has 10. Site 9-3 is very weird, the FCC license is for three separate RF sites, each with different frequencies? Ah, RRDB 009-003 is actually WQC588, site 2, is listed below as 009-003, so it's correct.)

TL;DR: we need someone to do a little BOTG up in NE TN.

For now, try this updated table (from the FCC licenses, not field verified) Add the freqs in green. The ones in red and orange aren't' listed on the license.

2 (2)044 (2C)Holston Mountain (State) WQQE563Sullivan, TN769.91875770.75625c771.38125c772.43125773.45625
2 (2)050 (32)Holston Mountain (Sullivan Co)Sullivan, TN854.0875854.5625c855.9875856.2625856.4875856.7375c857.2625
WPPH365857.4375857.4375857.4375857.4875857.7375858.2625858.4375
858.4875858.7375859.0375859.0375859.2625859.4875859.7375
9 (9)003 (3)Holston Mountain (Simulcast Washington County)Sullivan, TN769.10625771.65625773.20625773.70625
WQYC588
 
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anelson5004

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Cedar Bluff, VA
Which Holston Mtn site, the RRDB lists 3? What frequency are you receiving 'signal bars' on? Did you download and try to use the file I uploaded 3 posts above? Also, just because you can receive the control channel signal doesn't mean you're going to be able to receive voice channel signals.

THP District 5 is available online
I am receiving bars back and forth but no audio coming through at all and I have all 3 sites programmed in for holston mountain
 

jblackst

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I am receiving bars back and forth but no audio coming through at all and I have all 3 sites programmed in for holston mountain
Now that I'm done editing post 25, try to use the frequencies as they're in the tables now. The red frequencies may or may not be on the air.

@anelson5004 What specific frequency are you getting signal on in Cedar Bluff, VA?
 

jblackst

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Found another FCC license, KNNV775 (City of Kingsport) for an analog backup system of sorts, using five of the freqs listed on RRDB at 002-050. This license was issued in 2021, so I'd say that's likely when these five freqs left the trunking system??

856.48750000857.48750000858.48750000859.03750000859.48750000

WPRF604 (City of Bristol) has three more freqs from 002-050 as a TRS backup.
856.4375857.4375858.4375
 

jblackst

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Saw the video. I've copied it to YouTube for anyone that would like to see and confirm my suspicion.

Bad news. That is showing that you DO NOT have enough signal strength for your scanner to lock onto the control channel. A quick check of the manual for a Whistler TRX2 shows that the signal strength indicator goes from 1-5 bars. The way I'm reading the manual, the single bar is just there to show you where the indicator is, there should be up to 4 more bars indicating signal strength. TACN is a digital radio network, meaning that you must be close enough to the transmitter site to get all of the digital data so that your radio/scanner can decode the data into meaningful output (audio). If you're too far away, or in an area with weak reception, your device won't be able to lock on and get all of the digital data needed to allow the device to properly decode. This is what it looks like is happening here.

On my setups monitoring TACN, I can't reliably get audio or data unless my signal is above about 70-75%, as shown below. I can get a Knox Simulcast site (003-010) very well, but my attempt to scan Knox Sharps Ridge (002-020) rarely works, because of my location with two ridgelines between me and the transmitting site. These signals below are both for systems in the same county within 9 miles of my location. I am unable to scan or monitor systems that are as far away as you are to the TACN system (roughly 40 miles or more from Cedar Bluff to Bristol). In fact, my personal best with my setup is about 26 miles, with no major obstructions such as ridges or mountains.

image (1).png

I would encourage you to take that scanner, drive to Bristol, and try it there to confirm that the programming is actually good. I know this isn't the answer you want to hear, but I believe that we have exhausted about every avenue we can remotely to attempt to get you up and running on TACN from outside the TACN coverage area.

If you're still interested in listening to THP, there are THP talk groups available online for listening via the Calls platform:

TACN Talkgroup List
THP District 1: Knoxville
THP District 5: Fall Branch

Hope you have a pleasant New Year!
 
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