Von Braun Center LTR System

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radiopro52

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I'm trying to pick up the Von Braun Center trunking system. I input the following frequencies listed on the page:

463.50000
452.00000
461.67500

My scanner doesn't pick up anything on these frequencies. I'm about 30 miles from Huntsville so I should be able to pick it up. Then I click on the FCC callsign and it appears to match the Sharp Communications callsign, which seems to have been terminated. Does this mean the Von Braun Center trunking system is down, or has also been cancelled?
 

SCPD

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These are the freqs I see..001 Confirmed LCN 01 463.50000 02 N/A 03 N/A 04 N/A 05 452.00000 06 N/A 07 N/A
08 N/A 09 N/A 10 N/A 11 N/A 12 N/A 13 461.67500
that need to be in the slots as listed 1) 463.500, 2-4 left BLANK 5) 452.00 8-12 left BLANK & 13) 461.675
also each CHANNEL must be set to LTR as well as the BANK MODE to LTR.. hope this helps
e
 

radiopro52

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I thought the N/A stood for "Not Available". When you say leave them blank, that means put 000.0000 right? I'll try it and see. I don't know how putting a bunch of blank frequencies inbetween will work, but I'll try. Thanks for the help.

*EDIT* Nope, scanner won't accept 000.0000 as a frequency. That is what you meant by leaving them blank, right? I'm using the BCT15, by the way.
 

emcom

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I would think you'd have problems picking them up 30 miles away. They just use a stationmaster on top of the building as their tx/rx. That's not going to give much range. They probably aren't pushing out a lot of power from the repeater, either.
 

rdale

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There's no way you'll hear them that far out... I've been at a few events there for weather stuff and even in the hotel next door the reception was less than 100%. I can't imagine they pump out the power to be heard 30 miles out.

And yes - N/A means skip.
 

radiopro52

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Well that stinks. Any idea what their output power is? I think I read that it's between 50 and 100. To compare, I can pick up the Scottsborro police which is about 65 miles from here which has an output power of 90.

Is the Target Distrubution Center system weak too?
 

SCPD

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radiopro52 said:
I thought the N/A stood for "Not Available". When you say leave them blank, that means put 000.0000 right? I'll try it and see. I don't know how putting a bunch of blank frequencies inbetween will work, but I'll try. Thanks for the help.

*EDIT* Nope, scanner won't accept 000.0000 as a frequency. That is what you meant by
leaving them blank, right? I'm using the BCT15, by the way.
. also so look & see if thee is a way to wipe out the bank to start with

I could be wrong but that is how I have programmed some LTR systems in Montgomery area. from what I understand just locking them out will not work. you may want to check in the uniden forum.
Also in the N/A try programming a dummy freq also
I Have a RS 96 & 97 so mine may be different

Paul
 

jerk

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radiopro52 said:
I thought the N/A stood for "Not Available". When you say leave them blank, that means put 000.0000 right? I'll try it and see. I don't know how putting a bunch of blank frequencies inbetween will work, but I'll try. Thanks for the help.

*EDIT* Nope, scanner won't accept 000.0000 as a frequency. That is what you meant by leaving them blank, right? I'm using the BCT15, by the way.

Just program the frequency, 463.5000 enter, LCN 01, and then the next one in the database.
452.0000 enter, then LCN 05; 461.67500 enter then LCN 13. When you enter the frequncy, then hit enter, it will ask for the LCN
Don't worry about in between frequencies, that is for another scanner brand.

Any that are currently wrong you can delete and then program new one, but you may be to far away to receive them also.
 

radiopro52

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newsalan said:
Just program the frequency, 463.5000 enter, LCN 01, and then the next one in the database.
452.0000 enter, then LCN 05; 461.67500 enter then LCN 13. When you enter the frequncy, then hit enter, it will ask for the LCN
Don't worry about in between frequencies, that is for another scanner brand.

Any that are currently wrong you can delete and then program new one, but you may be to far away to receive them also.
I think that's the problem, I'm too far away. I didn't think 30 miles would be too far to pick up a 400MHz trunking system, but I guess that's because it's low power.
 

jerk

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radiopro52 said:
I think that's the problem, I'm too far away. I didn't think 30 miles would be too far to pick up a 400MHz trunking system, but I guess that's because it's low power.
Yes, I think at that distance it is pushing it unless high up or external roof top antenna. However, you could always use it for a road trip. Good luck.
 

radiopro52

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newsalan said:
Yes, I think at that distance it is pushing it unless high up or external roof top antenna. However, you could always use it for a road trip. Good luck.
I do have an outside antenna, the RS 20-176. It's a little over 20 feet in the air. I can barely pick up the Huntsville Public Saftey trunking system with it, located at Redstone Arsenal. I'm wondering if another antenna would help.
 

LEH

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I'd say reception would also depend on where you are in relation to the Van Braun Center. If you're east of the mountains, I'd give up. 30 miles is pushing it for nearly any system UHF or higher.

They probably don't transmit all that much either, event days most likely, so you'd need to be monitoring when they are likely to be working. I know the show center here doesn't transmit much except when they have an event. Otherwise, they are quiet as a church mouse.
 

jerk

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radiopro52 said:
I do have an outside antenna, the RS 20-176. It's a little over 20 feet in the air. I can barely pick up the Huntsville Public Saftey trunking system with it, located at Redstone Arsenal. I'm wondering if another antenna would help.
Cable change might help, RG-6 or RG-8 or one of the better ones sold in Ham stores like LMR400, which is expensive.
 

radiopro52

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newsalan said:
Cable change might help, RG-6 or RG-8 or one of the better ones sold in Ham stores like LMR400, which is expensive.
Actually, that's what I'm using, LMR400. 50 feet of it with no adapters either. I used to use RG-58, and with that I'm sure I couldn't pick up the trunking systems I can now. But, anyway, maybe I'm just listening to the Von Braun system at the wrong time, although I think they run some type of event pretty much everyday. I'll keep listening to it and see if anything comes in. If not, maybe a better antenna purchase would be needed.
 

jerk

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radiopro52 said:
Actually, that's what I'm using, LMR400. 50 feet of it with no adapters either. I used to use RG-58, and with that I'm sure I couldn't pick up the trunking systems I can now. But, anyway, maybe I'm just listening to the Von Braun system at the wrong time, although I think they run some type of event pretty much everyday. I'll keep listening to it and see if anything comes in. If not, maybe a better antenna purchase would be needed.
Yes, I think your right, a new antenna, but you may change it and reception will remain the same.
Look at Grove enterprise for some ideas and over on the antenna forum on RR
Also, a good dual band ham antenna would also work. Good luck :)
 
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