Winnebago Co Sheriff changing ctcss codes

[rkwalker86]

I noticed about 2 days ago that the signal I was receiving on my pro-160 for Winnebago County Sheriff frequency 154.755 (Tac 1) was uncharacteristically poor (lots of static and hard to understand) while the other two sheriff frequencies I monitor (155.19000 and155.41500) were just fine. In the past, the ctcss tone for all three sheriff's frequencies was 156.7. Tac 1 still comes in great when the tone is 156.7, but I noticed that when the Tac 1 signal was poor, the ctcss tone was 123.0 or 186.2. I've never had this problem before. Being somewhat new to scanning, I won't pretend to know exactly what ctcss tones are, but I do (at least I think I do!) have a very basic understanding. Anyway, here are my questions. Has anyone else noticed this change? And, is there anything I can do to improve the quality of Tac 1 when these other ctcss tones are used?

 

[usswood]

sounds like you are recieveing distant traffic on that Freq from a different agency considering ur seeing different PL tones...I get that at night on Clark County Dispatch on there 155.535 Freq...there PL is 162.2 and I pick up Jasper, IN PD on there same Freq with a PL of 114.8

 

[N9JIG]

Chances are the 186.2 PL on 154.755 is Racine County WI Shf. and 123.0 is Kewanee IL PD

I noticed about 2 days ago that the signal I was receiving on my pro-160 for Winnebago County Sheriff frequency 154.755 (Tac 1) was uncharacteristically poor (lots of static and hard to understand) while the other two sheriff frequencies I monitor (155.19000 and155.41500) were just fine. In the past, the ctcss tone for all three sheriff's frequencies was 156.7. Tac 1 still comes in great when the tone is 156.7, but I noticed that when the Tac 1 signal was poor, the ctcss tone was 123.0 or 186.2. I've never had this problem before. Being somewhat new to scanning, I won't pretend to know exactly what ctcss tones are, but I do (at least I think I do!) have a very basic understanding. Anyway, here are my questions. Has anyone else noticed this change? And, is there anything I can do to improve the quality of Tac 1 when these other ctcss tones are used?

 

[rkwalker86]

Thanks for your help. I guess I didn't think about that possibility, but it makes sense. I am surprised that sitting inside my house, with a handheld, I would be picking up something from that distance (70-100 miles). I guess the conditions must have been just right.

 

[Badfish]

I experienced the same thing. I figured it was another agency and was just skip conditions carrying it into our range.

 

[BCFlash]

The skip was very interesting on the 4th, Kenosha, WI and Gary, IN were coming in clearly on the 154.190 fire freq. in the Rockford area.