Why must I hit the wall so often - CT State PD

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kb1zbh

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Hi
Using BCD325P2. Trying to receive CSP Trp's A, I, and H. Troop H covers my home location, and Troops A and I cover where I drive and work.
By chance, I stumbled across Trp H on New Britain Simulcast using TGID351 while the scanner was set to ID Search rather than ID Scan. It was odd to hear them there because according to the RR webpage, those frequencies belong to New Britain but I routinely copy Troop H traffic. Moving forward, I wanted to monitor the other 2x troops I mentioned, so I used ProScan to d/l from the RR database and u/l to the scanner. I don't seem to be hearing anything from Troops A or I (or Troop H for that matter on their assigned frequencies). I'm noticing too that on the RR web page for CLMRN, the frequencies are apparently NFM and carried out to the 5th place past the decimal (e.g. 773.95625), but when I try to program that 5th place, it's truncated to 4 places. Not sure if that's the reason I can't hear anything.

Would anyone be able to help me understand what's going on here? Thanks
 
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Would anyone be able to help me understand what's going on here?
I monitor CSP from Moddletown on a 325P2. (As well as a 996P2 and SDS200)

What you are able to receive depends upon which Control Channels you are receiving at your current location at the moment, as well as which radios are actively affiliated with the site you are monitoring.

The 5th digit doesn't have anything to do with it.
 

kb1zbh

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Thanks
Hope this doesn't sound like a dumb question, but does the control channels position in the frequency list matter (listed first), or can it be in any position in the the list? Thanks for the clarification on the 5th digit.
 

W1KNE

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I don't think your understanding of the CLMRN trunked system is quite clear. When you say "frequencies assigned to troop 'x'", there aren't any. There are trunking sites (which each have a whole set of frequencies), which are meant as primary simulcasts for each troop. Meaning typically you'll hear Troop B traffic on the Troop B simulcast. But that doesn't mean you won't hear them on the Troop L or H simulcast sites. Similarly, if a Troop H cruiser is affiliated with the New Britain simulcast site, you'll hear them on it. When using a system such as the CLMRN, you're always better off to have all the sites surrounding you programmed into it. And on each site, if programming by hand, it is always good practice to enter all the frequencies of each site you intend to monitor.

Now with regards to the ID scan vs ID Search, that indicates you have the talkgroups you're trying to monitor setup with a quick-key programmed, and the quick-key is turned off. I would go verify that your quick keys are turned on. (Maybe recheck the programming on it)
Or blow out all your talkgroup programming and start over. I don't use Freescan, I normally just use ARCXT, so I don't know how the TG programming works on it.
 

Cheeseburgers

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If you want my config lmk. I use a 325p2, and I have a setup that works for me.

Each site with the corresponding CC only combined with very organized Dept. QK assignments.

Also, I find P25 Threshold at 5 is perfect. I used to listen to Troop H site from my location, now Troop L site seems to be the only one I use. This happened when they changed to P2 voice 100%. They must be tweaking things as they go or reorganizing/consolidating stuff.

You may wanna start by having all sites programmed, and see what comes in best. Then when you find one or a few that come in strong just leave those.
 

awasser1

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New Britain Simulcast was intragrated into CLMNR site. I receive troop h on nbsimulcast more often. gives the system more coverage for both nb and troop h. hopefully less dead zones.
 

Cheeseburgers

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Here is a great example... for about 2 months Troop H site by my office in Southington was garbled... So I switched over to Troop L simulcast site and while I received far less traffic it was clear. Today I enabled the QK for troop H simulcast again and it sounds great and I am hearing a lot. My guess is that they're doing modifications to things as they go to get good performance. The transition to P2 voice seems to have been the catalyst. Whatever they're doing they seem to be doing a great job... I can drive around and my 325 is working great.

I am using a Nagoya NA-771 w/ a sma to BNC adapter btb.
 

PJH

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Uniden scanners, with the exception of the SDS series, are known NOT to receive simulcast transmissions very well. What you need to do is find the closest site to you, and point a directional antenna to it. This has had a high degree of success.

This is something you will need to dig up in the past threads here for actual site (not zone) locations or do some searching in the FCC database.
 

900mhz

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Connecticut flies by the seat of their pants. Especially with the blanket licenses.
 

900mhz

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I would bet that their techs are clueless...wonder how many could effectually use and understand simple things like spectrum analyzers and the such...political pawns at best...
 

PJH

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Way wrong on that.

it’s thatscanner users do not understand how simulcast sites work in a Phase 1 or Phase2 system with scanners that were not able to properly decode the newer modulation.
 

Cheeseburgers

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I understand how it works... I think my choice of antenna and my location mitigate the scanner's 'deficiencies' somewhat. I have a G4 and the 325 and it pick up the same traffic with a slight bias toward the G4... the one thing the G4 does that the 325p2 cannot do... is work anywhere in my house - the G4 can and does.
 

PJH

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Again, it’s due to the support (or lack thereof) of LSM/CQPSK vs C4FM which everyone support
 

kb1zbh

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Wow
Thanks to all of you for a lively and very informative discussion . I went ahead and programmed all of CSP TGID's and once I went mobile, I heard all kinds of transmissions from a number of the troops . I guess for home use, it'll be a matter of getting some more elevation on my antenna.
To the poster who mentioned ARC XP I checked them out too. Right now just playing in demo mode until I decide on purchase. Has some features ProScan doesn't, so I'm thinking about it .

I have to admit, digital scanning has definitely got a learning curve. Thanks to you all for helping me out.
 

Reconrider

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Wow
Thanks to all of you for a lively and very informative discussion . I went ahead and programmed all of CSP TGID's and once I went mobile, I heard all kinds of transmissions from a number of the troops . I guess for home use, it'll be a matter of getting some more elevation on my antenna.
To the poster who mentioned ARC XP I checked them out too. Right now just playing in demo mode until I decide on purchase. Has some features ProScan doesn't, so I'm thinking about it .

I have to admit, digital scanning has definitely got a learning curve. Thanks to you all for helping me out.
What does it have that proscan doesn’t? I never heard of this software until now
 

darkness975

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Wow
Thanks to all of you for a lively and very informative discussion . I went ahead and programmed all of CSP TGID's and once I went mobile, I heard all kinds of transmissions from a number of the troops . I guess for home use, it'll be a matter of getting some more elevation on my antenna.
To the poster who mentioned ARC XP I checked them out too. Right now just playing in demo mode until I decide on purchase. Has some features ProScan doesn't, so I'm thinking about it .

I have to admit, digital scanning has definitely got a learning curve. Thanks to you all for helping me out.
I have reception issues where I currently live. I can't mount any outside antennas since I am renting for the time being.
Hopefully someday (sooner rather than later) I will live someplace that is a higher elevation. And also will be able to mount a rooftop setup.
For now I have to make do with an indoor setup.

Screenshot_20201130-121329_Gallery.jpg
 
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