Clarification on state-wide frequencies?

[b52hbuff]

We were having a discussion about database organization in our regional discussion area. One issue that wasn't clear to me was the inent and usage of the state wide frequency pages. Here is a link and a quote to refresh our memories:
http://wiki.radioreference.com/imag...e.com_Database_Administrator_Handbook_1.4.pdf

[/Quote]
6.2.2. STATEWIDE OR MULTI-COUNTY FREQUENCIES (pg. 10)
Frequencies that are used across multiple counties within a state should generally be consolidated on a state-level agency page.
...
Traditional “common carrier” railroad frequencies should always be entered on a state-level “Railroads” agency page.

6.2.3. COUNTY-LEVEL PAGES
County-level pages are the main pages within the RR database for accessing conventional radio data. All public safety and local government frequencies should be placed on the county page corresponding to the county in which they are used.
[/QUOTE]

The discussion was started within the context of railroad frequencies, but I'm much more interested in military and state government entities.

So what characteristic of a database entry qualifies it for installation in a state page? Is it the user of the frequency? And does this mean if a very localized user is a federal or state government, then the frequency belongs on a state page?

Or are state wide frequencies defined by how the frequencies used?

Here is an example from my state that follows this explanation:
Military Operations (Regional or Statewide) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference
129th Rescue Wing (Moffett)
Camp Roberts (Monterey)
Point Mugu Naval Air Weapons Station / Port Hueneme Naval Construction Battalion Center
Postgraduate School (Monterey)

All of these are bases that are contained in a single county. And the users of these systems aren't going to take their base radios across the state. But their entries are in a statewide entry.

Here is an example of a state government entity:
University of California (UC) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

These radio systems are localized to a campus (that is in a county), but these systems are in a page that implies a state wide usage.

I see two issues. The first is a usability issue. If you're on vacation in Monterey, and you want to monitor NPS Monterey, you need to know that it is a 'state wide system'. At a minimum, you need to look two places. I agree, it is a trivial matter on the web on a computer. It is a pain, if you are doing this in the field on a radio.

The other is a geotagging issue. New entries inherit the geotag of the page on which they are installed. So until statewide entries are geotagged, they have a huge geotag that covers the state. The result is that location based scanners are scanning frequencies that they'll never monitor.

You can see an example of this in the original thread:
http://forums.radioreference.com/sa...ppened-roaring-camp-railroad-frequencies.html

 

[b52hbuff]

I know there was a lot of activity regarding the recent database makeover, so I didn't followup up on this thread. Now that a lot of these changes are behind us, I'd like bump up this topic.

Just to summarize, what is the proper usage for installing frequencies/agencies into state wide pages? Is it the agency or the actual frequency usage that defines the placement?

As an example, if a military base uses a frequency in one county, should that entry be in the county because that is where the frequency is used? Or should it be in a state-wide military page?

The ramification I'm seeing is that adding localized frequencies to a statewide page increases the size of scan lists. Frequencies inherit their pages geotag, so new/local frequencies inherit a tag that enables them troughout a state. It also makes it harder to find frequencies in a radio, since some installations are in a county and some are in a state page.

Before I submit requests to move agencies that get 'REJECTED', I'd like to get a more official answer...

 

[ericcarlson]

In general things should be on the county page. Statewide pages are only for truly statewide operations or special case multi-county uses that are not specific to a county. Your example of specific military bases is something that should be on the county pages.