Torrance PD scanning

[Ridealong]

Hello everyone,

I often go up to Torrance (In LA County) and would like to be able to listen to the PD there. I am using a Pro-96 Digital Scanner. I’ve gone to various websites to find information on how to listen to them, but so far have been unsuccessful. Every time I try to listen I don’t get anything, including static. Here is what I know so far:

Torrance runs on ICIS Cell, Motorola Type II (SmartZone) UHF
These are the frequencies:
Ch 1 Primary 506.1625 Tone123.0
Ch 2 Tactical 506.2125 Tone146.2
Ch 5 Outside agency access 506.5000 Tone192.8
Ch 3 482.5000 Tone85.4
Ch 4 482.6000 Tone91.5


Being on a Motorola UHF, don’t you need to have the Base Frequency, Spacing and Offset channel?
Like this example:
Base frequency: 480.5 MHz
Spacing: 12.5 kHz
Offset channel: 380

I haven’t been able to find that specific information for Torrance PD and so maybe that’s what I’m missing. I’m guessing they are trunked and possibly splinter as well? If anyone knows anything more about this or is able to hear them and can tell me what the secret is, I’d appreciate it. Thanks!

 

[Mick]

Those frqs are all conventional frqs for Torrance PD, it's not a trunked system.

 

[Ridealong]

Thanks for confirming that Mick. That makes sense. Perhaps I’m going about this the wrong way then. Should I be setting this up as non-trucked Conventional FM/Digital? I was setting it up as Motorola UHF Trunking (Since Motorola UHF is what they are using). That is also where I found the information for Base Frequency, Spacing and Offset channel being needed. In the manual page 35 it says that I need to input those numbers to listen to Motorola UHF. Those numbers are not listed on any webpage I have been to though.

Let me know what you guys think. Also, Is anyone else out there listening to Torrance PD? Again, thanks for the help

 

[n6ciz]

Ridealong,

As Mick has said, all Torrance freqs are conventional and are NOT trunked. Just plug those frequencies you have (they ARE correct) into your scanner as conventional, FM frequencies and you'll be fine. Good luck!

Rich, N6CIZ/SCMA-104
www.SoCalScanner.com

 

[Vinman]

Yup, I can vouch for that as I live in Torrance. They are all conventional, just set the freq for FM and plug in the frequency. Beware that I believe the PL tones are different for each freq. Ch 1 thru 5

 

[Ridealong]

Awesome! I'll give it a try next time I'm back in town and will let you all know how it turned out. Thanks again

 

[Ridealong]

Excellent! I said I would post a follow up when I was able to get back to Torrance and listen to the PD on my scanner. I wanted to thank everyone that replied here and let them know that I'm now able to hear them.

I do have a question about them though if anyone can answer. Occasionally I heard what sounded like morse code on the TAC and Primary channels. It was a short 5 sec transmission and I was unable to find a time pattern as to when it would occur. Anyone else hear similar things like this or know what it could be?

 

[swest90]

That is common for repeaters, its an automatic station Id, The morse code it sends is the call sign of the FCC licensee. Very useful if that station is causing interference, much easier then trying to listen and figure out who it was.

Thanks
Shawn

 

[Ridealong]

Cool info. Thanks Shawn

 

[meestercranky]

resurrecting an old thread here in hopes someone has an answer.

I've monitored Torrance using all these freqs listed, have em all in my trusty PRO-95... about December they all but disappeared. I hear nothing now. I can't find any evidence TPD moved frequencies.

In fact I pulled their card on the FCC site and all these same freqs are listed.. but.. in December they had a modification in transmitter location and added mobiles to their radio farm.

SO... I'm wondering who knows what is going on. Did they make it so you can't hear them without a PL tone? (Th PRO-95 doesn't support)

Who is successfully monitoring City of Torrance and who can shed light on what's happening?

 

[kearthfan101]

All info looks to be the same..and they still show as wideband. Not sure why you aren't receiving them.. Where are you scanning from?

 

[Aero125]

Nothing has changed, they are still analog/conventional using the same frequencies as always. You don't need a PL to listen to anything on a scanner, that is strictly optional to maybe help filter out any noise or co-channel users (not in the case of Torrance.) I'm sure they are narrowband by now, RR probably hasn't been updated to show that since no other info has changed.

 

[meestercranky]

I'm monitoring from the heart of old Torrance.

I know, I see nothing anywhere thats says anything changed. Even the FCC card lists the same info, though it does mention an application for modifcation, but I believe that was just adding mobile radios and a relay site. A streaming site has them up and lists the same frees and I hear it there but still nothing comes through on the radio. Maybe my scanner is fried... no.. I hear every other analog agency in the south bay.

 

[meestercranky]

now I am hearing dispatch on 506.2125 instead of 506.1625 where it has always been. An online stream that says it is 506.1625 is playing the same calls as I receive on TPD 2 channel. So not sure whats up with that. But I was able to confirm I am receiving something - though many of the city channels are still MIA.

Saw a TPD cruiser today and it has a new and very strange looking set of antennas on the back... instead of the four antennas there were what looked like two back pixies cups on the back of the roof.

They're switching up something...

 

[SCPD]

Have you checked the emission designator on the fcc site? This will determine capability or plan in future to current if digital is in use and modes etc. Be sure to check several ways for listing by name etc and make sure you notice any page links to additional pages of frequencies on fcc. Sometimes many miss the 1 2 3 page at bottom.

 

[meestercranky]

hmmm well there is this message which might explain why I am hearing 506.1625 on 506.2125

MODIFY TO ADD NEW SITE D, MODIFY TO RELOCATE 482.5000 FB/FB2, 482.6000 FB/FB2, 506.1625 FB/FB2, 506.2125 FB/FB2, 506.5000 FB/FB2 FROM SITE A TO NEW SITE D, MODIFY TO INCREASE MOBILES FROM 820 TO 1000 [D3]

But this doesn't explain why now after monitoring all morning, my radio is now no longer receiving but the internet stream is coming through...

I think my radio is going down is my issue. Time to shop.

 

[meestercranky]

OK in frustration I broke out my spare HT which can hear in the 500 Mhz range... its not perfect for this but if something is there I should hear it... I heard, again, calls on PD 2 instead of dispatch... for about a half hour then it went silent.

I'm beginning to question my sanity.

 

[Code20Photog]

Listening to them in North Torrance right now.

TFD *is* testing robo-dispatch I've noticed.

 

[meestercranky]

OK the latest... I hear the park rangers for Wilson park up where FD should be... that is a difference of .125 step from where they should be. Similarly I have heard (intermittently) dispatch at 506.275 which is FD channel 2. What this hints at is my scanner has gone whacky and is .125 off kilter... there are other agencies which use some of those frees so reprogramming the scanner to hear at where it "thinks" the freq should be is not 100% the answer.. this thing was nearly obsolete when I got it 14 years ago so I guess it's time to enjoy some of the technological developments since then.