Trouble with LATIE setup in Jefferson/Orleans Parishes

[rswayze]

First of all, Happy 4th to all! I want to begin by letting y'all know that I have searched the forum and read the posts BEFORE asking questions. I am located in Jefferson Parish near Causeway and I-10 (Actually Bonnabel and Metairie Rd.). I recently bought a Uniden 396t and began reading the threads on LATIE in the area. At first, I had all of the local LATIE frequencies in one system in the scanner, but then realized that wasn't the way to set the scanner up. Currently, I have seperated each system into its own group in the 396, and the only two sites I am able to pick up are the Downtown Site (101) and the NO North Simulcast Site (201). My problem is with reliably picking up JP and NO talkgroups on these sites. I can usually get NOPD and NO EMS, but most other talkgroups are spotty at best. Does anyone have any tips on setting up the 396t to be able to monitor JPSO and NOPD, as well as EMS and Fire in the Metairie area. I appreciate any tips or suggestions anyone may have. Also, If anyone would like me to send them the ARC396 files I have created, just let me know. Thanks again and Happy Scanning!!- Robby

 

[jim202]

You should have no problems getting the JPSO. They use have a site on top of
the Galleria building at I-10 and Causeway. Their other site was at the Getna
Courthouse on that tall tower. They use to have their own trunking system.
Not sure if they have migrated over to the state system or still have their own.

They have done some major changes to the trunking system in the last several
months. Had a presentation about it a couple of months back. Didn't pay that
close attention as to who owed it. It does cover all the way down to Venice now.

Jim

First of all, Happy 4th to all! I want to begin by letting y'all know that I have searched the forum and read the posts BEFORE asking questions. I am located in Jefferson Parish near Causeway and I-10 (Actually Bonnabel and Metairie Rd.). I recently bought a Uniden 396t and began reading the threads on LATIE in the area. At first, I had all of the local LATIE frequencies in one system in the scanner, but then realized that wasn't the way to set the scanner up. Currently, I have seperated each system into its own group in the 396, and the only two sites I am able to pick up are the Downtown Site (101) and the NO North Simulcast Site (201). My problem is with reliably picking up JP and NO talkgroups on these sites. I can usually get NOPD and NO EMS, but most other talkgroups are spotty at best. Does anyone have any tips on setting up the 396t to be able to monitor JPSO and NOPD, as well as EMS and Fire in the Metairie area. I appreciate any tips or suggestions anyone may have. Also, If anyone would like me to send them the ARC396 files I have created, just let me know. Thanks again and Happy Scanning!!- Robby

 

[tippeyb]

Your absolute best bet to hear N.O. is to use a good quality outside antenna, maybe even a directional type. Point it toward the downtown site (Pan Am Bldg., 601 Poydras) and monitor the New Orleans Downtown Site. New Orleans EMS is using the talk groups published in RR database. This should even improve your reception on the North Simulcast Site so you can listen to JPSO and New Orleans talk groups at the same time.

I live near Lafreniere park and can get so- so reception on my 396 using the North Simulcast Site.Mostly, I listen to JPSO from the Kenner Site (too far to reach Bonnable and Metairie Rd. area without an outside antenna).

Tippey

 

[rswayze]

Thanks for the antenna advice. My other problem is picking up the NOLA/JP Fire talkgroups. I haven't heard ANYTHING from either of these. Are they still on the older systems, or have they moved to LATIE yet.

 

[Pro_Se]

Don’t know if you’ve seen my posts. I’m located very close by and monitor the JPSO using cc 868.8500 from the N.O. Metro-Simulcast North site.

 

[tippeyb]

JP Fire and NOFD

JP fire is still on the old system. EJEMS have been issued their new radios, but continue to broadcast on the old Jefferson Parish system. As far a NOFD goes they are on the LATIE system using all disptach and fire ground channels.

 

[rswayze]

Don’t know if you’ve seen my posts. I’m located very close by and monitor the JPSO using cc 868.8500 from the N.O. Metro-Simulcast North site.

Pro_Se - I have been picking up the same cc (868.8500). That seems to be the only reliable cc I can monitor. I am still having trouble picking up NOFD as well as JPFD (I saw the post about JPFD being on the old system).

Another thing: I listened last night as JPSO SWAT responded to the shooting on the westbank (which by the way was a horrible incident), but after almost 2-3 hours, I heard them say they were switching to the "CMU-TAC1" channel, which I was unsuccesful in finding. Could this be an encrypted channel? They mentioned the fact that it was not a repeater channel, so I would imagine it was not on the LATIE system. Thanks again for all the suggestions! - Robby

 

[kevins669]

JPSO does not always broadcast from PanAm. It depends on who is affiliated there.

They will ALWAYS broadcast from the North Simulcast system... This is a kind of "problem," if you will.

The modulation used by Motorola for the simulcast is CQPSK. The radios are able to process this modulation perfectly; current generation RS/GRE and Uniden radios do not do a perfect job of this.

The best way to get around this problem is to use the WORST omnidirectional antenna possible, or use a very high quality, highly directional antenna. You want to avoid your radio hearing signals from more than one tower; this is what causes listening difficulty. I have tested this many times, with much success.

Yes, listening to any standalone site will give you the best in listening enjoyment, but may not always give you the entire conversation.

Let's hope the next gen of radios can handle CQPSK properly.

-- Kevin

 

[rswayze]

Thanks for the advice. I will try to see what I can pick up

 

[red8]

Ii have been picking them up on my 396 real well from Denham Springs and Baton Rouge.

 

[ajl442]

red8, what ant do you use to hear them in BR

 

[teebee]

I live in Morgan City area. Believe it or not I can monitor very often most of the 700 sites from where I am. According to the previous post it is mentioned that JPSO " will ALWAYS broadcast from the North Simulcast system". My question is, isn't there a site in Metairie that they would be using instead of the North Simulcast system. However I just noticed site 102 has been changed to Bridge City it was listed as Metairie. It seems they have switched it again. Maybe there is none in Metarie after all as I thought. If there is none in Metarie and it is in Bridge City this would explain why they would use the north system if that is the one that is close to Metarie and Kenner area. Also how much of the Kenner system is used for JPSO. Isn't the Kenner system closer than the North System. As for as the West Bank that is a little more south, closer to the Bridge City site. So which site does JPSO use for the West Bank area.

 

[loumaag]

teebee, look at a map of the NOLA area. North is the lake side of town, south would be the west bank. Whereas I am not sure where the South Simulcast is, I am pretty sure the North Simulcast is exactly where you think it is in Metairie.

 

[teebee]

Please explain how the North and South Simulcast works. I notice there are several 700 and 800 freqs. listed for these two sites. There is a cc for the 800 freqs. but no cc for the 700 freqs. listed on the North and on the south there is 700 and 800 cc's listed. I cannot monitor the North and South sites at all. I have cc 868.85000 for the north programed and
cc 868.63750 and 868.80000 programed for the south. I am not sure how this works on a 700 system. If this is a 700 system why is there 800 freqs. listed. Maybe I am missing the 700 cc's for these two sites to be able to monitor. Are they using 700 and 800 together or one or the other. What cc freqs. do I need to monitor these two sites for the LATIE system for that area?

 

[teebee]

I just realized after I posted this last reply, that not only does the North and South have listed 800 freqs. listed with 700 freqs. but so does Kenner-Med Center, Kenner-Airport, Buras and Reggio. Man I am really thrown.

 

[loumaag]

Where did you get the idea that there is some difference? It is all the same system. Indeed in the Austin, Texas area, the P25 system has 800, 700, and 150 MHz frequencies all on the same system. Granted the VHF radios probably don't work on the 800/700 MHz frequencies, but just about all the current 800 MHz radios also work on 700 MHz.

 

[teebee]

I am not able to monitor anything on neither north and south with the 800 cc's programed nor the 700 cc's. Are they using 700 and 800 at the same time.

 

[Pro_Se]

To monitor the North site, the only frequency you need to enter is cc 868.8500. Your scanner will tune to the appropriate 700 and 800 MHz frequencies based on the instructions it receives on the cc. The problem may be that you are not receiving the cc data signal in Morgan City.

 

[teebee]

No I am not picking up 868.8500. I was thinking the LATIE system only used 700 not 800. I guess thats why I cannot monitor the site. Funny thing I can monitor Downtown 700, Bridge City from here. Could not understand why I could not get North and South. However it is very seldom I can monitor anything from that area on 800. It seems 700 comes in stronger from that area. I was looking for 700 on thoses sites. So you are saying in order to listen to the North and South 700 system it works strickly on the 800 cc. to monitor 700.

 

[kevins669]

No I am not picking up 868.8500. I was thinking the LATIE system only used 700 not 800. I guess thats why I cannot monitor the site. Funny thing I can monitor Downtown 700, Bridge City from here. Could not understand why I could not get North and South. However it is very seldom I can monitor anything from that area on 800. It seems 700 comes in stronger from that area. I was looking for 700 on thoses sites. So you are saying in order to listen to the North and South 700 system it works strickly on the 800 cc. to monitor 700.

You kind of have to forget about scanners and think about the radios....

They are dual band... both 700 and 800.

The Region 1 sites use both bands... So, let's think about the North Simulcast first.

The control channel is 868.850. The radios affiliated with this site are listening to it... Since they are dual band, the system just simply assigns them to an available channel, based on rules set up in the system... It's that simple!

Sites that are on network 2 are operated by the Region 1 agencies. Network 1 is operated by the State. Bridge City really has no activity on it, as the State has not moved to LATIE yet. Some JPSO 3rd district units will affiliate to that site. Radios have priority sites programmed into them, so JP radios will have North Simulcast as a primary site, over Bridge City. That is why I mentioned in that earlier post that they will always be heard on that site.

New Orleans works the same way... Also, the Orleans Parish Criminal SO must have 101 programmed as their primary site... They only operate on the Downtown site... I assume based on their are of jurisdiction, or they were issued only single band 700 radios.

-- Kevin