The Dead Zone

[Spydur]

I drive a truck up and down the 401 corridor several times a week and because I've just gotten totally sick of listening to egotistical, self centered crap on the CB, I pulled it out of my truck once and for all. Now the problem, try rolling down the road with nothing to listen to. More important, I need to know what is happening. I need all the information I can get. Hence the reason I purchased, in my estimation a very expensive frequency scanner. It took a huge gouge out of my savings but after several week has been the best purchase I've made in years. It's a great companion in the truck.

Sorry about all the rambling. My questions are as follows, I've programed all the frequencies for the OPP into my scanner and it works great. As I pass from one area to another the "Control Frequencies" follow right along. I love it. I'm curious about though why when I'm in Belleville I'm picking up transmissions from or in Smith Falls plus there seems to be a large dead zone between Belleville and Brockville. Anyone want in on this one? :?:

 

[mciupa]

when I'm in Belleville I'm picking up transmissions from or in Smith Falls plus there seems to be a large dead zone between Belleville and Brockville.

The calls in the East sector are dispatched from Smith Falls,ergo the Smith Falls identifier.

If you receive these talkgroups,you should have the dead zonecovered

8416 Northumberland(borders on)
8400 Napanee
8272 Frontenac
8368 Lanark
8288Grenville(borders on)

A trucker eh? You may also want to monitor MTO too.

 

[Spydur]

Yes, I have all of those. Yet still there is a section of that route where no control frequency is being held. I'm presently using a CB antenna because the antenna I bought is magnetic and aluminum is not attracted to it. I'll figure something out. I always do.

About receiving Smiths Falls in Belleville, is this because the whole area is interconnected? Seems reasonable to think so. For example, I'll read Napanee as a talk group on the scanner but they are calling for a unit in Smiths Falls.

 

[peteman]

I also drive montreal expedite regularly. If you 86ed the cb good buddy how do you know which chicked coop is open or; is your cvor so clean that it isn t important to you. I have notice the dead spots also I believe, but I could be wrong that with the old opp system that they had repeaters in their cars that they could switch on, I have heard them talk about this so maybve they are still in use. Up north on the 17 corridor where they still use the old system with a scanner iI can only get that annoying chirp chirp when I am close to a detatchment. Maybe there is a better antenae, (sorry my spelling sucks) that you can use.

 

[Spydur]

I also drive montreal expedite regularly. If you 86ed the cb good buddy how do you know which chicked coop is open or; is your cvor so clean that it isn t important to you.

Clean as a whisle. NOT. If I'm concerned about it I turn the dial on my BC796D over to the CB frequencies.

I'm going to install the mobile antenna Monday by using the steel bracket on the mirror used for the CB antenna and see if the magnet sticks to it.

 

[Spydur]

Just a quick update. I did install the new antenna but ended up climbing up on top of the cab and found a flat piece of steel to sit the magnetic antenna too. I was pleasantly surprised on how much stronger OPP control channels were and how useless the CB antennas were.

 

[OntarioScannerNut]

Simple solution. Go buy a cheap scanner antenna for the mobile.

There's alot of good options available out there. Myself, I've been using a VHF/UHF Dual Band Portable Ham Antenna with either a window mounted suction cup antenna device such as displayed in http://www.radioreference.com/phpbb_files/upstairs_antenna.jpg , or one that attaches to the window, and then ya roll up the window for security. Both have provided excellent results so far.

Just a quick update. I did install the new antenna but ended up climbing up on top of the cab and found a flat piece of steel to sit the magnetic antenna too. I was pleasantly surprised on how much stronger OPP control channels were and how useless the CB antennas were.

 

[Spydur]

I was thinking about that base antenna. I could install it under the wind canopy onto of the cab but I've heard they aren't very strong in the wind(Radio Shack that is). Where did you pick up the black moblie antenna with the suction cup? Mine is designed for the 140.000 range but the 800.000 range crackles alot. Plus anything in the ham range is useless.

 

[OntarioScannerNut]

Hmm, you're confusing me here. You're saying, you were thinking about mounting a base antenna such as displayed in the picture? Hmmm, that doesn't jive. Can't see how that would work, but anyhow.

The suction window mount, I got off ebay for like $1 US and found the other type window mount for the window itself and you just roll the window up an it stays in place. Also for $1 US.

The antenna I found on eBay as well, for a reasonable price too. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4672&item=5721258418 click here to find out. I've used this type of antenna while mobile, an well most of my areas I'm in are fairly rural as well. I used it on a trip just this past week for a trip to southern ontario and it worked quite well.

I must say I did get a lucky deal on the window mounts. They work just fine. And the price for the antenna worked out to about $18 CAD I think.

That'd be one of my suggestions for a mobile antenna, and if ya ever need to remove it an put it elsewhere, that's pretty simple too. I've tried out different things for mobile use, even using 8 ft. pieces of coax cable without even having an antenna on the end of it. Just an alligator clip. And hell that even provided some decent results.

I was thinking about that base antenna. I could install it under the wind canopy onto of the cab but I've heard they aren't very strong in the wind(Radio Shack that is). Where did you pick up the black moblie antenna with the suction cup? Mine is designed for the 140.000 range but the 800.000 range crackles alot. Plus anything in the ham range is useless.

 

[Spydur]

Hmm, you're confusing me here. You're saying, you were thinking about mounting a base antenna such as displayed in the picture? Hmmm, that doesn't jive. Can't see how that would work, but anyhow.

Sorry about the confusion. What I was referring to was something like those flat round base antennas for TV reception. I wasn't going to install a TV antenna but something similar under the wind deflecting canopy on top of my tractor. It would see little or no wind. At least no more then if it was sitting on top of a tower. I'll put in a few bids at E-bay. Thanks.