Evening Folks!
The Wake County Simulcast System has undergone rebanding over the last few days.
There are some important changes that you need to make in your scanner before you can
once again monitor Wake County Communications. Let's go through this step by step.
What has happened: The Wake County Simulcast System (which is still part of
the statewide VIPER system currently) has undergone rebanding.
What is rebanding?
We have a great article on Rebanding (or Refarming) in the RR.com Wiki:
Rebanding - The RadioReference Wiki
A simple explanation is that due to an agreement between SprintNextel and the FCC frequencies once used by Public Safety in the 862Mhz-869Mhz have to be vacated and moved down to the range of 851Mhz-854Mhz.
This affects scanners because of the way Motorola systems operate. Scanners use a calculation method to figure out which frequency to "go to" to follow a conversation on a Motorola System. Trouble is that calculation method was devised before rebanding was conceived and only works on frequencies in the 862Mhz-869Mhz ranges. This calculation method does not work in the rebanded ranges of 851Mhz-854Mhz. So we have to "tell" the scanner how to calculate which frequency to go to on systems that have moved to the 851Mhz-854Mhz range.
First things first: Let's update our Control Channel List for the Wake Simulcast System.
We do need to put the new Wake County rebanded Control Channel Frequencies into our scanners and delete the old pre-rebanding Control Channel Frequencies.
So delete the Frequencies 868.150Mhz, 868.5375, 868.5625 and 868.7875.
They are no longer valid.
For the time being if you normally monitor the main Wake Simulcast system enter in the following 4 Control Channel Frequencies:
---853.150Mhz
---853.9625Mhz
---853.7875Mhz
---853.5375Mhz
If you normally live in the Southern Part of Wake County and have monitored the Fuquay Varina IR Site in the past add the following
2 Control Channel Frequencies:
---853.925Mhz
---853.4625Mhz
For most recent scanners all you have to enter is the Control Channel Freqs above and not the voice channels.
HOWEVER,
WE ARE NOT DONE YET! We are only halfway finished!
We still have to tell the scanner how to calculate frequencies on our rebanded Wake System.
How do we tell the scanner how to calculate the correct rebanded frequency?
We use a feature called "Custom Tables" that all recent Trunking Scanners have.
It will vary a little from software package to software package but the end result is the same...it is the addition of 2 lines of info:
What do those 2 lines mean?
--Line 1 (the one that ends in 440) tells the scanner how to calculate a frequeny on a rebanded system.
If the scanner does not pick up a rebanded Control Channel in the 851-854Mhz range then the scanner ignores Line 1 and goes to Line 2.
--Line 2 (the one that starts with 851.0125) tells the scanner how to handle a non-rebanded system.
Our Wake County Simulcast System from here on out should always rely on Line 1.
How do we add the above 2 rebanded table lines to scanner software?
It depends on the scanner software.
For Freescan:
Look at the following Image:
http://i.imgur.com/xbETvkk.jpg
In the Wake County Site Click on the site then click the box "Site Type" then choose "Moto Custom/Reband Type II". You will then see the box at the bottom left pop up for "System Band Plan". Leave the values as is and DO NOT CLICK THE AUTO UPPER.
Make sure your Control Channels of 853.150Mhz and 853.9625Mhz are listed in the "Trunk Frequencies" Tab. Write the changes back to your scanner. You are now back in business! Congrats!
For Win500:
Look at the following Image:
http://i.imgur.com/kzfB5ac.jpg
Go to "TSYS OBJECTS". Then click the "Trunking Tables" box to the right.
Now make sure "800Mhz Rebanded" is selected and your table looks like the pic above.
Make sure your Control Channels of 853.150Mhz and 853.9625Mhz are listed in the "System Frequencies" box. Write the changes back to your scanner. You are now back in business! Congrats!
For Win96:
Look at the following image:
http://i.imgur.com/pnFM1JM.jpg
Go to the Box labeled "MOT 3600 CC" circled in red. Select "Multi-Table". Then click
the "Extended Tables" box. You will see the "Extended Trunking Tables" box pop up.
Select the option for "800Mhz Rebanded". You should see the display pictured above.
Select "Ok".
Make sure you have the Control Channel of 853.150Mhz and 853.9625Mhz listed in the bank on the left hand side and that they are marked as "Motorola". Write the changes back to your scanner. You are now back in business! Congrats!
These are the 3 software packages I have been asked about the most. If others wish to provide steps on how to update trunking tables in other software packages feel free to do so! Please provide pics to make it easier on folks.
Please remember that there could still be changes/modifications as time goes on so I will update this thread and the database listing as I get accurate, verified info.
If you see anything that needs updating/correcting please email or post here and I will update this thread as time allows.
Thanks for being a part of RR.com and Happy (rebanded) Monitoring!
Marshall KE4ZNR
The Wake County Simulcast System has undergone rebanding over the last few days.
There are some important changes that you need to make in your scanner before you can
once again monitor Wake County Communications. Let's go through this step by step.
What has happened: The Wake County Simulcast System (which is still part of
the statewide VIPER system currently) has undergone rebanding.
What is rebanding?
We have a great article on Rebanding (or Refarming) in the RR.com Wiki:
Rebanding - The RadioReference Wiki
A simple explanation is that due to an agreement between SprintNextel and the FCC frequencies once used by Public Safety in the 862Mhz-869Mhz have to be vacated and moved down to the range of 851Mhz-854Mhz.
This affects scanners because of the way Motorola systems operate. Scanners use a calculation method to figure out which frequency to "go to" to follow a conversation on a Motorola System. Trouble is that calculation method was devised before rebanding was conceived and only works on frequencies in the 862Mhz-869Mhz ranges. This calculation method does not work in the rebanded ranges of 851Mhz-854Mhz. So we have to "tell" the scanner how to calculate which frequency to go to on systems that have moved to the 851Mhz-854Mhz range.
First things first: Let's update our Control Channel List for the Wake Simulcast System.
We do need to put the new Wake County rebanded Control Channel Frequencies into our scanners and delete the old pre-rebanding Control Channel Frequencies.
So delete the Frequencies 868.150Mhz, 868.5375, 868.5625 and 868.7875.
They are no longer valid.
For the time being if you normally monitor the main Wake Simulcast system enter in the following 4 Control Channel Frequencies:
---853.150Mhz
---853.9625Mhz
---853.7875Mhz
---853.5375Mhz
If you normally live in the Southern Part of Wake County and have monitored the Fuquay Varina IR Site in the past add the following
2 Control Channel Frequencies:
---853.925Mhz
---853.4625Mhz
For most recent scanners all you have to enter is the Control Channel Freqs above and not the voice channels.
HOWEVER,
WE ARE NOT DONE YET! We are only halfway finished!
We still have to tell the scanner how to calculate frequencies on our rebanded Wake System.
How do we tell the scanner how to calculate the correct rebanded frequency?
We use a feature called "Custom Tables" that all recent Trunking Scanners have.
It will vary a little from software package to software package but the end result is the same...it is the addition of 2 lines of info:
Lo Freq | Hi Freq | Step | Offset
851.0250 | 854.0000 | 25.0 | 440
851.0125 | 868.9875 | 25.0 | 0
What do those 2 lines mean?
--Line 1 (the one that ends in 440) tells the scanner how to calculate a frequeny on a rebanded system.
If the scanner does not pick up a rebanded Control Channel in the 851-854Mhz range then the scanner ignores Line 1 and goes to Line 2.
--Line 2 (the one that starts with 851.0125) tells the scanner how to handle a non-rebanded system.
Our Wake County Simulcast System from here on out should always rely on Line 1.
How do we add the above 2 rebanded table lines to scanner software?
It depends on the scanner software.
For Freescan:
Look at the following Image:
http://i.imgur.com/xbETvkk.jpg
In the Wake County Site Click on the site then click the box "Site Type" then choose "Moto Custom/Reband Type II". You will then see the box at the bottom left pop up for "System Band Plan". Leave the values as is and DO NOT CLICK THE AUTO UPPER.
Make sure your Control Channels of 853.150Mhz and 853.9625Mhz are listed in the "Trunk Frequencies" Tab. Write the changes back to your scanner. You are now back in business! Congrats!
For Win500:
Look at the following Image:
http://i.imgur.com/kzfB5ac.jpg
Go to "TSYS OBJECTS". Then click the "Trunking Tables" box to the right.
Now make sure "800Mhz Rebanded" is selected and your table looks like the pic above.
Make sure your Control Channels of 853.150Mhz and 853.9625Mhz are listed in the "System Frequencies" box. Write the changes back to your scanner. You are now back in business! Congrats!
For Win96:
Look at the following image:
http://i.imgur.com/pnFM1JM.jpg
Go to the Box labeled "MOT 3600 CC" circled in red. Select "Multi-Table". Then click
the "Extended Tables" box. You will see the "Extended Trunking Tables" box pop up.
Select the option for "800Mhz Rebanded". You should see the display pictured above.
Select "Ok".
Make sure you have the Control Channel of 853.150Mhz and 853.9625Mhz listed in the bank on the left hand side and that they are marked as "Motorola". Write the changes back to your scanner. You are now back in business! Congrats!
These are the 3 software packages I have been asked about the most. If others wish to provide steps on how to update trunking tables in other software packages feel free to do so! Please provide pics to make it easier on folks.
Please remember that there could still be changes/modifications as time goes on so I will update this thread and the database listing as I get accurate, verified info.
If you see anything that needs updating/correcting please email or post here and I will update this thread as time allows.
Thanks for being a part of RR.com and Happy (rebanded) Monitoring!
Marshall KE4ZNR
Last edited: