U.K Trunking Freq...

[JA4004G]

Hi,

I'm new too both here and to the huge world of Scanning and would like a little help please...

I have a Uniden UBC 780XLT Scanner and I have been trying to sort out the Trunking facility out but too no avail...

Is there anywhere I can go or any books I could buy that will list the Trunking frequencies for the U.K and maybe how to use/program them in...

I would be grateful for any and all help with the above matter...

Thank you...

Andy...

 

[Al42]

For where in the UK? This is a starting point. Where it says "Select Another Country:", select "United Kingdom". Then select the "state" in Trunked Radio Data Queries and click Retrieve. For instance, in England you'll see London Metropolitan Police, National (UK) Railway Network, RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall, St. Helen's Council and Staffordshire Public Safety systems.

As far as how to program them, once you have frequencies and talkgroups, follow the manual.

 

[morfis]

Hi,
Is there anywhere I can go or any books I could buy that will list the Trunking frequencies for the U.K and maybe how to use/program them in...
Andy...

Roughly where are you in the UK Andy? There isn't much trunked stuff in the UK that the 780 will track. USAF at RAF Lakenheath and Metplod are about all you can use it with and metplod due to go to Airwave TETRA soon.

 

[morfis]

For where in the UK? This is a starting point. Where it says "Select Another Country:", select "United Kingdom". Then select the "state" in Trunked Radio Data Queries and click Retrieve. For instance, in England you'll see London Metropolitan Police, National (UK) Railway Network, RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall, St. Helen's Council and Staffordshire Public Safety systems.

As far as how to program them, once you have frequencies and talkgroups, follow the manual.

Trouble with this is that the 780 won't "trunktrack" things like St. Helens Council or NRN as they are MPT1327 systems. Staffs are now Airwave, RAF Mildenhall is mostly APCO P25 for ground stuff, MetPlod due to go (if they haven't already) to Airwave.

MPT1327 trunked systems can be followed reasonably well in conventional mode by programming the voice channels into memory. Far better to use software however.

 

[JA4004G]

Hi,

Thank you for the replies...

Is there a Scanner that is a. slightly easier to use b. Will track some of the plod channels (my local use 452.6250NFM, if that helps)...

Have I wasted money buying this scanner or is it ok or is there something out there that will do a better job...

I live in North Wales by the way...

Thank you for any and all info...

Andy...

 

[n4voxgill]

save yourself a lot of money and agravation, go to www.javiation.com and contact Jonathan, he can answer your questions and give you the price for the equipment you will need. Very few americans have any idea what is used in europe.

 

[JA4004G]

Hi N4,

Thank you for the reply, I have sent them an e-mail explaining my situation and asking for some major advice on scanners etc...

I really would like to get into this hobby as I am retired/disabled so I have tons of spare time on my hands and this really apeals to me...

Andy...

 

[Al42]

There's only 1 trunked system listed here for Wales, National (UK) Railway Network, and that's MPT1327, so you probably have nothing trunked to listen to - just conventional systems.

And Gill, you can probably count the number of Americans who haven't been to the UK and who know the scanner situation there without removing your shoes. I've been in the hobby since the police were at the top of the AM broadcast band, have been to Europe, and haven't any more clue about the UK than what's on the RR database.

 

[morfis]

There are NO trunked systems in North Wales that the 780 will "trunk track". That doesn't make it a bad choice of scanner however!
If used in conventional mode you can scan some of the MPT trunked systems that do operate near you (eg. Lafarge Group use MPT1327 trunked radios, Fleetcomm, NRN ...though I'm not sure if their trunked traffic extends right along the North Wales line). If towards Chester then plenty more MPT nets to find/listen to.

The 780 is a passable airband scanner - and you are almost certainly going to get Hawks from Valley, general mil traffic in the Welsh MTA, cross-pond international civvy stuff etc.

452.625...doesn't give me any clues to where in North Wales as it's one of the National Divisional Freqs. Are North Wales plod on Airwave yet? Would seem sensible for them to be as they work closely with Cheshire and Merseyside. They must have collected enough in speeding tickets now to pay for the new kit.

Read the manual sections about programming search ranges, get some search ranges set up and then away you go. Plenty to find and loads to listen to.

 

[JA4004G]

Hi Morfis,

Thank you for the info, guess I will forget the trunking side of it and just start on the others...

I'm not that far from Rhyl and Chester is only 30 miles away from me so not that far...

Thank you once again...

Andy...

 

[morfis]

Don't forget things like taxis around 164 MHz (though larger firms will be using one of the data based systems like Evocab or Autocab - there is software knocking about that can decode some of these)
Bus company comms too if you are interested in them.
Local shopwatch/pubwatch (Rhyl certainly has at least one freq for this - 453.925 IIRC)
Glan Clwyd hospital has a few radio channels with the porters being the biggest users.

Like I said though, sort out some search ranges and get hunting...that's at least 3/4 of the fun!

 

[morfis]

Mustn't forget radio amateurs too....you have "Miss piggy" - one of the first 2m repeaters close by so you'll hear amateurs working that from Crewe, Liverpool, Stockport etc. It has pretty good coverage.

 

[JA4004G]

Hi Morfis,

I have now forgotten about the Trunking side of this scanner and am now starting to slowly get used to it and it is great fun...

I have found the local Radio Ham chaps on...: - 145:7500 FM Step: - 12.5

Thank you once again for al your help...

Best regards...

Andy...