CHP/ Riverside Co./ Indio Office / PL update

[markclark]

Hey, I didn't design the system. It didn't make much sense when the whole system had about five or six channels statewide. The Blue is not used much anyway. I live in the Southern Division, arguably the heaviest traffic zone in the state, and nothing will be heard on the Blue for hours at a time. Out in rural areas the Blue is mostly used when a unit can't reach the dispatcher on the regular service channel. If you never listened to the Blue you really wouldn't miss much.

As for the pursuit channel changes, the units frequently change channels during pursuits in the L.A., Orange County and Inland areas with no problem. It's common for a pursuit to start in the Southern, Border, or Inland Divisions go through all three Divisions and circle back to the area where the pursuit started --- with units changing channels all the way. The chase is usually handed off to other units when it enters a new area, so changing channels isn't an issue. Often the units that initiated the pursuit drop out and return to their area.

Here in the Southern Division, pursuits can be assigned to either the Blue or the local area office channel and change channels to each local channel as it travels on. Many pursuits start out on the local channel, switch to the Blue, then switch to the Gray or Purple when the pursuit enters Orange County. There really is no consistency regarding channel assignments for pursuits in this area.

As for motorcades, really, I don't think there has ever been a motorcade from Northern California to the southern border. If you want to monitor the Blue the current channels in Southern California are: 39.14(R), Border & Inland; 42.34(B), 42.18(M) Border & Inland Desert areas (Indio, Bishop, El Centro); and 45.42(R) Southern Blue. Changes are coming as we all know, such as Indio and Orange county --- now testing the new Blue, but for now that's the channel lineup.

[scottyhetzel]

Originally Posted by markclark

Hey, I didn't design the system. It didn't make much sense when the whole system had about five or six channels statewide. The Blue is not used much anyway. I live in the Southern Division, arguably the heaviest traffic zone in the state, and nothing will be heard on the Blue for hours at a time. Out in rural areas the Blue is mostly used when a unit can't reach the dispatcher on the regular service channel. If you never listened to the Blue you really wouldn't miss much.

As for the pursuit channel changes, the units frequently change channels during pursuits in the L.A., Orange County and Inland areas with no problem. It's common for a pursuit to start in the Southern, Border, or Inland Divisions go through all three Divisions and circle back to the area where the pursuit started --- with units changing channels all the way. The chase is usually handed off to other units when it enters a new area, so changing channels isn't an issue. Often the units that initiated the pursuit drop out and return to their area.

Here in the Southern Division, pursuits can be assigned to either the Blue or the local area office channel and change channels to each local channel as it travels on. Many pursuits start out on the local channel, switch to the Blue, then switch to the Gray or Purple when the pursuit enters Orange County. There really is no consistency regarding channel assignments for pursuits in this area.

As for motorcades, really, I don't think there has ever been a motorcade from Northern California to the southern border. If you want to monitor the Blue the current channels in Southern California are: 39.14(R), Border & Inland; 42.34(B), 42.18(M) Border & Inland Desert areas (Indio, Bishop, El Centro); and 45.42(R) Southern Blue. Changes are coming as we all know, such as Indio and Orange county --- now testing the new Blue, but for now that's the channel lineup.

Thanks Mark for the details. If blue is hardly used... Why did the state add 4 blue to each division. I guess I am looking for the smoking gun... I know you did not design it. As far as motorcades are conserved ...it was just an example... I was in costa Mesa years ago when John Kerry was doing a speech at the balboa bay club...anyways I was leaving south coast plaza and got on the 73 expressway and in my rear view was a motorcade and Kerrys' ontarage(typo)...so I yielded over to the e-lane and all the units just stared at me...apparently they had all the on ramps closed except mine...

[markclark]

scotty:

That's funny, they were probably freaking out that you were there, and hoping you weren't going to try (the unspeakable) which is why I won't speak it!

Anyway, I've been closely watching the evolution of this (CHP) system and I can e-mail you stuff about it; if you want.

Here's what is think the situation is -- the cars aren't generally getting new radios until a new car is purchased, so in many areas the transition begins with broadcasting in both the new and old channels until all the cars and radios are replaced. At first some areas changed over in a matter minutes once the new channels were programmed, and, the new infrastructure was in place; that has apparently changed.

Now the trend seems to simulcast the old and new channels such as Ventura, Bakersfield, and Fresno are doing; it looks like San Luis Obsipo is doing this too. Bakersfield, Turquoise, and Ventura, Purple have been broadcasting for months on both channels. Other areas out of my range may be doing this also, I know Fresno is doing it this way too. All we can do at this point is listen to the anticipated future channels, check the FCC database, and leave the PL feature on search because the original PL plan has been abandoned.

I would bet the new Red channel for Indio will be coming online soon, or maybe El Centro first.