Washington Co. P25 P2

[glockluvr63]

I loaded the SARA network simulcast P25 P2 system into my sds200 for Washington Co. Not hearing anything on their system. But I am hearing all the area P25 traffic from surrounding counties. Can anybody shed some light on what is going on??

 

[WillB]

I've been having the same problem myself. I know for a fact that with the exception of 2 channels the fire side is not encrypted and most of the law stuff is not as well.

 

[tvengr]

I loaded the SARA network simulcast P25 P2 system into my sds200 for Washington Co. Not hearing anything on their system. But I am hearing all the area P25 traffic from surrounding counties. Can anybody shed some light on what is going on??

I've been having the same problem myself. I know for a fact that with the exception of 2 channels the fire side is not encrypted and most of the law stuff is not as well.

What model scanners are you using?

 

[thatoneiowan]

There's another thread on Washington County that suggests law is encrypted: Washington Co SARA | RadioReference.com Forums

The database doesn't seem to have very many channels though so I'd maybe suggest switching to ID Search mode (instead of ID Scan) to see if unidentified TGIDs come thru.

 

[WillB]

What model scanners are you using?

I have a 996P2 and a 536

 

[tvengr]

I have a 996P2 and a 536

Washington County uses a 6 site simulcast system which the 996P2 and 536 can have problems receiving. glockluvr63 should not have that problem with the SDS200. What programming software are you using for the 996P2. If you attach the file for your 996P2 and a hpe favorites list file for the 536, I will check them for problems. The same offer stands for glockluvr63 also.

 

[WillB]

Washington County uses a 6 site simulcast system which the 996P2 and 536 can have problems receiving. glockluvr63 should not have that problem with the SDS200. What programming software are you using for the 996P2. If you attach the file for your 996P2 and a hpe favorites list file for the 536, I will check them for problems. The same offer stands for glockluvr63 also.

I used freescan and Sentinel software.

 

[tvengr]

I used freescan and Sentinel software.

If you attach your files, I will take a look at them and check for problems.

 

[WillB]

If you attach your files, I will take a look at them and check for problems.

I can't seem figure out how to save the Sentinel file to be able to upload it.

 

[tvengr]

Did you create a favorites list in Sentinel or are you just scanning from the database? You will need to right click on a FreeSCAN 996 file or Sentinel hpe favorites list file and Send to Compressed zipped folder to be able to attach it. Click on Attach files and Open the zipped file.

 

[WillB]

See if this works

 

[tvengr]

There is very little for Washington County on the SARA Network. The patches shown are rarely used. Using Sentinel, I would enter all of the conventional frequencies for Washington County. You can probably get DPS on the ISICS system, but you would have to use a site from an adjacent county. I don't see any Washington County sites. On the 996P2 file, you have so many out of range sites scanning on the ISICS system that you will be lucky to hear much anything. Stay with just the adjacent sites.

 

[WillB]

There is very little for Washington County on the SARA Network. The patches shown are rarely used. Using Sentinel, I would enter all of the conventional frequencies for Washington County. You can probably get DPS on the ISICS system, but you would have to use a site from an adjacent county. I don't see any Washington County sites. On the 996P2 file, you have so many out of range sites scanning on the ISICS system that you will be lucky to hear much anything. Stay with just the adjacent sites.

The 996 file has most of the ISICS channels locked out/deleted except the surrounding counties. That was just the first file I found.

I'm more interested in hearing the Fire/EMS side of Washington Co.

 

[tvengr]

Attach your 996 file that you used to program your scanner. I have to check what you locked out.

 

[WillB]

I just went and deleted the stuff I wasn't listening to. If this 536 isn't going to pick up the stuff I want I might as well sell it.

 

[tvengr]

The Wash Co SARA system doesn't have any talkgroups. On the trunked systems, I would change the Audio Type on all talkgroups to Digital Only. I see that you have the Reg 5 Interop talkgroups on the ISICS system which may be used. On the Washington County County conventional frequencies, change the Mod to NFM. Most of the VHF and UHF frequencies are now required to be narrowband. That should give you a little more gain on those frequencies. Also, turn off digital AGC on the trunked systems. The AGC action can increase garbled audio problems if you have simulcast issues.

 

[WillB]

I've made those changes and moved my 536 to be hooked up to my outdoor antenna. I was picking up the ISICS stuff fine on the factory antenna after I switched to search ID instead of scan ID.

Any reason this won't work for an antenna? Is going through LMR400 cable with an adapter to go from N to BNC at the scanner.

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[tvengr]

I was picking up the ISICS stuff fine on the factory antenna after I switched to search ID instead of scan ID.

If you are receiving everything you want on ID Search, the talkgroups are not the database or have not been programmed. Make a note of what you hear and compare it to the database. After verifying what a talkgroup is, you can submit that information to the database. If the outdoor antenna does not work, it may be overloading the receiver. Also, it is more likely that by using the factory antenna, you are reducing the number of towers you receive in a site which can improve control channel decoding. That is a classic symptom that you are suffering from simulcast distortion Does the outdoor antenna work on conventional frequencies?

 

[WillB]

If you are receiving everything you want on ID Search, the talkgroups are not the database or have not been programmed. Make a note of what you hear and compare it to the database. After verifying what a talkgroup is, you can submit that information to the database. If the outdoor antenna does not work, it may be overloading the receiver. Also, it is more likely that by using the factory antenna, you are reducing the number of towers you receive in a site which can improve control channel decoding. That is a classic symptom that you are suffering from simulcast distortion Does the outdoor antenna work on conventional frequencies?

Picks up conventional great.

 

[tvengr]

Sounds like it may very well be a simulcast issue. While connected to the outside antenna, turn on the attenuator and see if reception improves.