TRX-2 Trunking Problems

[K3KDB]

I'm having problems hearing any trunked frequencies, particularly from Westmoreland County, PA (Murrysville PD, Penn TWP PD or any of the fire). I have a Discone antenna in my attick of my house in Penn Hills that sits high up, around 1200Ft so I don't think it's a reception problem. I had the Broadcastify Westmoreland Co Public Safety frequencies coming through non-stop and nothing from the 1000 ICORRS channels I have programmed. Anybody able to point me in the right direction from what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks,
Andy

 

[troymail]

Just some things to consider/try:

Westmoreland County has three sites on the ICORRS system. If all three are programmed, your TRX will try to lock onto one of those three and not scan the other two.

The two primary sites - East and West simulcast - are probably the sites you want to track but based on monitoring similar systems, I wouldn't be surprised if your radio is locking onto the Seward site and that site may not be carrying a majority of the activity -- but I'm not there so I can't say that with any certainty.

Reception of the simulcast sites can be a challenge (https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Simulcast_digital_distortion).

What I would tend to do is split the 3 Westmoreland sites into 3 different systems. Only enable one site in each copy of your configuration. This forces the radio to try and scan all 3 sites.

As I said, these are only thoughts and things to try - others in your area may have some additional/better suggestions.

 

[K3KDB]

Thanks for the suggestions. For troubleshooting purposes, I have gone as far as loading only the Westmoreland East system since it contains the the same frequencies Bradcastify monitors (858.9875, 859.8795, 858.4375) but I hear nothing all the while Broadcastify is non-stop. I'm ready to try messing around with the antenna unless anyone has any suggestions.

 

[troymail]

Things change from time to time. Have you programmed ALL of the site frequencies for East (just in case the CC frequency has changed)?

Another thing to try - program the site frequencies as conventional.... Can you hear anything?

 

[mule1075]

Your best bet would be to try a 800mhz antenna to monitor Westmoreland.

 

[K3KDB]

I had all the Westmoreland West and East site Frequencies programed. Now I am only using East. I tried putting these frequencies in the Conventional group in Scan list 1 and on 852.550 I heard a pixelated digital voice full strength DG. 859.9875 full strength FM noise with some distant digital noise. Other frequencies were about the same with a lower signal strength. I went to the Law Dispatch, Fire Dispatch, etc Scanlists and noticed the signal strength varies all over the place with not a sound whatsoever even with the squelch at min.

 

[K3KDB]

I put my Discone antenna outside in a tree and I get NOAA from State College full strength. I hope it isn't the antenna but I wouldn't have a problem getting a +9db Yagi but if I was sure that was the problem.

 

[talviar]

For ****s and giggles--
go to the ICORRS Page and load the frequencies for the Fayette portion of the system. Throw in these channels off of the Fayette TG's Fire Dispatch, Fire CMD 1, EMS Dispatch, EMS Command, EMS Admin

You may have a bestter time of hearing that piece of the ICORRS System. Looking at QRZ for your address- you just might be in an area too weak to pick up the Westmoreland simulcast cell with low enough bit error rate to decode properly.

Having a "strong signal" on the meter doesn't mean much when monitoring a P25 linear simulcast system. You need to adjust your antenna system for lowest Bit error rate.

You may try the on board attenuator, external attenuator on your outside antenna followed by a directional 800 antenna possibly with an attenuator in line.

 

[K3KDB]

Thanks for the suggestion but I hear nothing on Fayette either. I don't know of any way to adjust for bit error reduction, not sure if this can be monitored on the radio.

Funny thing, I had a Home Patrol 1 a while back that I could hear ICORRS but it was sort of garbled. Now I just found out from earlier in the post that is a typical distortion...

 

[K3KDB]

Thanks for all the help. It looks like the discone antenna isn't doing the job but my Dual Band Diamond antenna in the car works great.

 

[mielnicki]

In Penn Hills why would you setup the Westmoreland East Site? You are closer to the West site.