Yuma Regional Communications System

[Exsmokey]

I'm not familiar with Project 25 Phase I trunked systems. Are they similar to Type II Motorola and SmartZone trunked systems where you can enter just the control channel for each site into one trunked system in a scanner (I use PSR-500's and 600's)? If not, does it require all the frequencies for a site and only one site per system?

The great thing about Motorola SmartZone radio systems is you can enter all the control channels into one system, for the entire SmartZone radio system and receive everything in the area covered by the sites. When one site gets a marginal signal, the radio chooses the site that has the better signal, similar to a trunked radio, but it doesn't change sites in the middle of a transmission. It waits until it starts scanning again. Of course pushing the scan button in the middle of a transmission that is very weak will result in the scanner finding the site with the best signal. It sure would be nice if the Yuma system works like this.

I'm interested in programming this system into my "Southern Arizona" file and I'm interested in listening to ADOT in the Phoenix area. I will be traveling there to visit family in late February or early March.

[KB7MIB]

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In the Phoenix area, I monitor 4 tower sites of the YRCS in one scan list. I have it set to check all control channels, as I noticed when using 4 scan lists, that not all transmissions were carried on all 4 sites. Sometimes only 2-3 sites were used.

[KB7MIB]

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I also use a PSR-500, btw.
Program in all the control channels, primary and alternate. Then the talkgroups you want. DPS doesn't use it much. ADOT, and MVD enforcement are very active.

[ecps92]

Depending on how the SysAdmin designed the system, not all TG's are active on all towers all the time, usually for some TG's it would require someone to affiliate [turn on a radio and switch to that TG] to the TG for the tower to activate [for a select period of time, if no more affilications occur] the TG This is especially true on Adjacent Zones to the Prim Coverage of the TG

Originally Posted by KB7MIB

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In the Phoenix area, I monitor 4 tower sites of the YRCS in one scan list. I have it set to check all control channels, as I noticed when using 4 scan lists, that not all transmissions were carried on all 4 sites. Sometimes only 2-3 sites were used.

[Exsmokey]

Thanks for your replies. I will put most of the sites in my southern Arizona file. I have to hustle and get that file up to date. I wondered why I couldn't hear ADOT during my trip to Scottsdale for Christmas 2011.

We usually travel down U.S. 95, then on to U.S. 395 past Las Vegas, then past Kingman, through Wikieup to Scottsdale via AZ 101. The trip goes through some wonderful wide open spaces with little development, but having to travel through Las Vegas is tough and it makes me nervous. I get to listen to three states and seven counties along the way. I always listen to the DOT's when I'm traveling. Listening to the Phoenix District of ADOT has allowed me to detour around major traffic jams as DOT personnel usually describe the road conditions very well over the air unlike Highway Patrol officers. The officers tend to be very brief, while the DOT people describe everything so very well. They will talk about which lanes are moving the fastest/slowest, suggest the route of detours for additional DOT responding to the jam and keep track of where the congestion begins. A GPS unit only tells you that there is heavy traffic ahead and then routes you on surface streets, sometimes by routes that may not be the best. I would rather hear it from experienced local folks. .

If this system continues to grow I will be able to build one trunking system in my PSR-500/600's with many, many sites included. Not like Nevada's EDACS system where each site had to be in separate files, so the the most that can be included is twenty sites. If you travel long distances twenty is not enough.

Are there still plans to expand this system statewide? I think this was mentioned in some threads a few years back.

Thanks again!

[KB7MIB]

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I think the Phoenix ADOT district starts at about AZ 74 (Carefree Highway) when coming down US 60 (Grand Ave). You could take 74 from the 60 to I-17, then south to the 101 as an option. Bell Rd is a major arterial that runs from the Sun Valley Parkway...

[KB7MIB]

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at 175th Ave and Bell Rd, all the way to Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd in Scottsdale.
Oh, Carefree Highway does continue east from I-17, (although not as a state route) to, I believe, Scottsdale Rd.

[Exsmokey]

Originally Posted by KB7MIB

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I think the Phoenix ADOT district starts at about AZ 74 (Carefree Highway) when coming down US 60 (Grand Ave). You could take 74 from the 60 to I-17, then south to the 101 as an option. Bell Rd is a major arterial that runs from the Sun Valley Parkway...

That is the way we go. I just didn't describe the last portion of my route. I used to go down to I-15 on U.S. 395, through San Bernardino, taking I-10 to AZ 101 and on over to Scottsdale. The problem with that route is the traffic on the 10 and vehicles doing 85+ miles per hour. It it very dangerous when trying to pass trucks. The problem taking the U.S. 95/U.S. 93 route is there isn't a practical way to avoid Las Vegas and I not only dislike driving there, I strongly dislike being there. Once we manage to get through the drive is so much better than taking the I-10 route. If I-17 becomes badly congested we have the option of taking the Carefree Highway over the Scottsdale Road as our family lives in north Scottsdale.

I took a look at my ADOT maps and the Phoenix District begins at the intersection of U.S. 60 and AZ 330. On the Carefree Highway there is nothing showing up on the district map that is obvious about the boundary between the Prescott and Phoenix districts. It appears as though the boundary is at about milepost 23.

[Exsmokey]

I forgot to mention that I've been traveling in Arizona since 1972. My first wife's family lived in both Kingman and Phoenix. I lived in Flagstaff from 1972 to 1978. In those days we had to shop in Phoenix for things like furniture, tools and the like. We drove all over Phoenix as a result. I had a crystal scanner in my truck but it was too expensive and too time consuming to switch crystals to listen to Phoenix area radio traffic.

Even then, major traffic jams on I-17 occurred as the congestion caused by the 4 lane interstate backed up for many miles before it widened to 6 or 8 lanes. We moved to New Mexico and then to eastern California and continued to travel to Arizona. After my first wife was gone, I met my second wife and most of her family lives in the Phoenix. I've spent a month at a time there a few times.

Even with all this time in Phoenix I always appreciate the insight of those who live there. I enjoy keeping up with the radio systems there and listening to the agencies there. We may move there as we get older and need help. Thanks to all the Arizona residents on RR I will be able to move and be right up to date, enabling me to program my scanners well.