Riverside Sheriff's EDACS : HOW IT WORKS

[convE36]

I am asking for INPUT from anyone that reads this who can verify/correct any of this information. That is the purpose of this post.

I know the Sheriffs EDACS system is the most confusing thing for new people and still many people do not fully understand it. I myself still do not know 100% how everything works and how to program correctly. So hopefully we can gather great info and make it more clear for everyone.

I live in Canyon Lake which is right between Lake Elsinore and Menifee. I always listen to the Southwest System. If I "enable" the bank with the Central System I usually pick up "Perris-3" but not as clear as the Southwest System. A couple days ago I was heading from Perris back to Canyon Lake on Goetz Rd. I was not picking up anything on the Southwest System while in Perris. As soon as I passed over the hill into Quail Valley I instantly started picking up transmissions very clear for that system.

Please verify or correct any of this information below...

If I want to listen to a system, (such as Desert System), I would have to have that system programmed into my scanner and must be in that systems coverage area. Just because I am within range of the one system does not mean I will pick up another system by having that other system programmed. EXAMPLE: If I am located in Lake Elsinore (Southwest System) and want to hear Palm Desert (Desert System) I would have to have the Desert System in my scanner and be located within RANGE of that system. If my scanner was NEVER to move out of Lake Elsinore area it would be useless to have that system programmed unless my scanner could actually reach those systems tower(s).

Sometimes you will hear Perris (Southwest) on the Central System and Hemet (Central) on the Southwest System. Due to the fact that the systems overlap each other in many areas (Goes for all systems). No matter what system a certain unit is in you will always hear them on there "home" system as well as the current system that unit is in. EXAMPLE: If only listening to the Southwest System you will hear a Lake Elsinore units transmission even if he has wandered into the Central System.

If I am located perfectly within a certain system and only want to monitor that systems talkgroups then there is no reason for me to have any other system programmed. I will not miss any transmissions from that systems talkgroups.

[ddoug4uonly]

What kind of antenna are you using? I had to go to my Base Station today which is in Perris and turned my scanner on to test reception. I am using a window antenna and didn’t notice any reception blackouts.

If you are using a handheld scanner, you may need an external antenna to improve your reception.

[318]

Conv,

You are correct. You really don't need to program the desert system in your radio if you never plan on taking that radio to the desert. If you wanted to hear that system from home, you may try a high gain, directional 800MHz yaggi antenna and point it to the East, but I doubt it would work.

~Chad (318)

[convE36]

Conv,

You are correct. You really don't need to program the desert system in your radio if you never plan on taking that radio to the desert. If you wanted to hear that system from home, you may try a high gain, directional 800MHz yaggi antenna and point it to the East, but I doubt it would work.

~Chad (318)

I think some people get confused when it comes to the programming of systems. I know I was very confused in the beginning. I have only been scanning for couple months.

[convE36]

Just to verify,

If I only want to monitor Lake Elsinore units and am located IN Lake Elsinore then I would program the Southwest System only. Even if a Lake Elsinore unit has wandered into the Central System, that units transmissions will STILL be heard over the Southwest System right?



Considering my situation, would there be any reason for me to program Central/West System for Lake Elsinore transmissions if I already have Southwest System programmed?

My goal is to not miss any transmissions from the Southwest System.

[convE36]

Does anyone know the exact locations of each systems sites(towers)? I understand each system may have more than one site within its coverage area. If a system (such as Southwest) has multiple sites, THOSE sites share the same LCN freqs right? I am confused why freqofnature.com/RR would have a site called "Corona" and numerous others not here this site.

[brandon]

If I only want to monitor Lake Elsinore units and am located IN Lake Elsinore then I would program the Southwest System only. Even if a Lake Elsinore unit has wandered into the Central System, that units transmissions will STILL be heard over the Southwest System right?

That is correct. Lake Elsinore Dispatch is always carried on the Southwest site. If some Elsinore units affiliate with the Central system you will still hear them on SW.

Considering my situation, would there be any reason for me to program Central/West System for Lake Elsinore transmissions if I already have Southwest System programmed?

If just scanning Elsinore Station, then no you don't really need them.

[rolncode2892]

You only need to program one of the systems in your scanner to monitor any of the RSO units on the west side of the county. You cannot monitor any desert units unless you are east of Cabazon.

The best way to decide which system to put in your scanner depends on where you live and which one gets the best reception for your area. The only time you need to monitor a different system is if you leave that area of coverage. If you have a handheld scanner and go from west Riverside to Temecula, you would obviously need to monitor SW instead of the west system to hear the radio traffic.

[zz0468]

I am asking for INPUT from anyone that reads this who can verify/correct any of this information. That is the purpose of this post.

I'm quite familiar with that system. Perhaps I can shed some light. Talkgroup usage can change, so I'll keep my answers general, and not talkgroup specific.

I live in Canyon Lake which is right between Lake Elsinore and Menifee. I always listen to the Southwest System. If I "enable" the bank with the Central System I usually pick up "Perris-3" but not as clear as the Southwest System. A couple days ago I was heading from Perris back to Canyon Lake on Goetz Rd. I was not picking up anything on the Southwest System while in Perris. As soon as I passed over the hill into Quail Valley I instantly started picking up transmissions very clear for that system.

Perris is in an area that's on the fringe of the West system, the Central System, and the Southwest system. And since all those systems are simulcast with very patterned antenna systems, if you're outside the primary coverage area, you'll either not hear it, or not hear it very well. The nearest transmitter site to Perris for the Southwest system is in Murietta.

Please verify or correct any of this information below...

If I want to listen to a system, (such as Desert System), I would have to have that system programmed into my scanner and must be in that systems coverage area. Just because I am within range of the one system does not mean I will pick up another system by having that other system programmed. EXAMPLE: If I am located in Lake Elsinore (Southwest System) and want to hear Palm Desert (Desert System) I would have to have the Desert System in my scanner and be located within RANGE of that system. If my scanner was NEVER to move out of Lake Elsinore area it would be useless to have that system programmed unless my scanner could actually reach those systems tower(s).

Like I stated above, if you're outside the intended service area of a system, you won't hear much, or not very well. That being said, there is a huge amount of overlap between systems, at least where it is possible to do so. But you're correct in stating that from Lake Elsinore, it's pretty pointless to listen to the desert frequencies. HOWEVER - you may occasionally find desert talk groups operating temporarily (or longer) on other systems. If a desert unit drives out of range of the desert system, and into the Central system, that unit can "drag" his talk group into the central system for the time that he is there.

Sometimes you will hear Perris (Southwest) on the Central System and Hemet (Central) on the Southwest System. Due to the fact that the systems overlap each other in many areas (Goes for all systems). No matter what system a certain unit is in you will always hear them on there "home" system as well as the current system that unit is in. EXAMPLE: If only listening to the Southwest System you will hear a Lake Elsinore units transmission even if he has wandered into the Central System.

If I am located perfectly within a certain system and only want to monitor that systems talkgroups then there is no reason for me to have any other system programmed. I will not miss any transmissions from that systems talkgroups.

Precisely.

[convE36]

Since you are very familiar with this system, is the scanriverside.com site up to date with RSO info.

I live in Canyon Lake (between Lake Elsinore and Menifee), even though I can pick up West and Central, I primarily listen to Southwest. I lock-out almost everything BUT Elsinore-1 and 2, Perris-3 and 4 and sometimes monitor the cross county 5 and 6. For Elsinore and Perris, the Southwest system on this site is the only one I should listen too right? That is the system that they will broadcast on no matter where they are right?

Today I was at the bottom of the Ortega Mountains (Elsinore Peak) right by the lake in Elsinore. I was monitoring the Southwest System. It was coming in horrible there, compared to where I normally monitor which is in Canyon Lake. I thought there was a tower on top of Elsinore? Maybe the signal was just shooting over me?? Curious...