Big Find tonight in Southern California

[pepsima1]

There is a new P25 Phase 1 digital system system online and that is up and running and being patched from their current system. I am in the discovery phase right now. Stay tuned for further news.

I have alot of information to share when time permits which I will probably submit tomorrow.

Its a huge find for me. Very exciting. Every talkgroup is so far in the clear right now which is a good thing.

[Markb]

Dude! Can you give is an agency or any other information besides just a teaser??????

[pepsima1]

Originally Posted by Markb

Dude! Can you give is an agency or any other information besides just a teaser??????

Give me about 30 minutes to compile some info and draft up a document

[pepsima1]

Well I made an excellent find tonight. Orange County is up and running and testing their new
Motorola P25 Phase I trunking System. I think system is being patched from their current system.

This system is being tested and running for ORCO Fire right now. I was stumped about a month ago in one of my postings that I noticed a P25 channel broadcasting a new site when I was sniffing the 800mhz band and then ran PRO96com P25 decoder and sure enough it up and running so far. These are existing frequencies from their current Crystal Cove site broadcasting in P25. This is a huge find for me.

866.7125 voice
867.7125 voice
868.3125 alternate Control data channel
868.7125 main Control data channel

Noted talkgroups so far are. There are more and more talkgroups affiliating this evening.

167 - 5 Bravo Orco Dispatch
177 - 5 Alpha Aircraft Support
2560 - DSP-DSP Control One Patch

Call sign - WNSS313
SysID - 45C
Tower ID - 121 (T0115)
WACN - BEE00

I am still in the discovery mode and using a wildcard to note all in-coming new talkgroups.

[f40ph]

Thank you for the work!

standing by...

[Markb]

I drove around the area a few weeks ago and it appears that the signal is strongest near the OCFA HQ/ Sta 49. My assumption is that they're doing building coverage testing for the future system. Going to P25 is somewhat controversial in the Fire Service, so I would bet there's a lot of prep work going into building the system and making sure things will work in an acceptable fashion. OC has some legendary comm people, so I'm sure it will be done right.

[pepsima1]

Yes there was alot of issues when they built their system 15 years ago with being able to receive 800mhz signals through buildings with police and fire. But things got worked out as well as they had to spend alot of money and put in repeaters in the Mission Viejo mall so the Countywide system would work in that dead area for police and the fire department.

This is why also too that formally known Santa Ana Fire now is ORCO fire still operates on the South Cell because of dead and spotty areas in Santa Ana with The Countywide Cell.

The good thing is the system will be built the right way and add the proper sites through out the beach areas too. Alot of dead zones on the 133 from Irvine to PCH and also thru Laguna Beach and also going southbound to Dana Point.

I am just curious how its going to be built out and how many sites will be going up.

[scottyhetzel]

So is O.R.C.O. ( sheriff & small cities) Law enforcement going P25 and Metronet getting ready for interop. ?

[pepsima1]

All of Orange County Sheriffs and small city LE has been P25 for years now and fully encrypted

[scottyhetzel]

Originally Posted by pepsima1

All of Orange County Sheriffs and small city LE has been P25 for years now and fully encrypted

I remember hearing Newport p.d. On 460.275 back in the day...what year did they go silent ?

[pepsima1]

I think they went silent back in 1998 somewhere that year.

[Markb]

Originally Posted by pepsima1

Yes there was alot of issues when they built their system 15 years ago with being able to receive 800mhz signals through buildings with police and fire. But things got worked out as well as they had to spend alot of money and put in repeaters in the Mission Viejo mall so the Countywide system would work in that dead area for police and the fire department.

This is why also too that formally known Santa Ana Fire now is ORCO fire still operates on the South Cell because of dead and spotty areas in Santa Ana with The Countywide Cell.


The good thing is the system will be built the right way and add the proper sites through out the beach areas too. Alot of dead zones on the 133 from Irvine to PCH and also thru Laguna Beach and also going southbound to Dana Point.

I am just curious how its going to be built out and how many sites will be going up.

You have to keep in mind that a Motorola radio has much more sensitivity and selectivity than a scanner, so what may appear to be a dead zone to you may be far from the case when using professional equipment. They will likely need to add more sites, but much of the work is done.
I believe that there is a building code section in OC that requires builders to install Bi-Directional Amplifiers in new construction to facilitate in-building coverage, which will be the one of the issues in going to digital. Issues with LE comms may have already provided the momentum for this, but most of the time the cops are outside or can use TA channels more readily than the fire side of the house, so there may be a harder push, since the dangerous stuff for firefighters is usually inside buildings.

[pepsima1]

Originally Posted by Markb

You have to keep in mind that a Motorola radio has much more sensitivity and selectivity than a scanner, so what may appear to be a dead zone to you may be far from the case when using professional equipment. They will likely need to add more sites, but much of the work is done.
I believe that there is a building code section in OC that requires builders to install Bi-Directional Amplifiers in new construction to facilitate in-building coverage, which will be the one of the issues in going to digital. Issues with LE comms may have already provided the momentum for this, but most of the time the cops are outside or can use TA channels more readily than the fire side of the house, so there may be a harder push, since the dangerous stuff for firefighters is usually inside buildings.

Makes sense that most of the work is already done since LE is already P25 and most of the sites are already up. But Orange County has been built up more and more in the past 15 years so adding more sites for better coverage

Wonder how the frequency allocation is going to work? Are they just going to use the same frequencies and re-allocate them through out different cells and also what about re-banding? I think they were in the 4th phase of rebanding and I dont think its been done yet?

[Markb]

They did the SmartX upgrade a few years back, which should allow them to easily switch over once they are ready to do so. My guess is that the system will stay the way it is. They could add a few 700 Mhz channels or maybe go to 700 all together, but I don't see any reason why anything should change. They have enough frequencies to handle the call volume.
I don't think they will add any cells to the system. If anything they would add simulcast sites to the cells that need it. I am seriously speculating here though.
As far as the rebanding. It has not been done yet. I understand that the agreement with Mex has been completed, so it's probably not too far off. I bet it will be done before the CCCS switches over to P25.

[MtnBiker2005]

{Linking to the other thread with notes}
Orange County CCCS

[oracavon]

Originally Posted by pepsima1

I think they went silent back in 1998 somewhere that year.

Actually, the switch to the current P25 system started in 2000, with Tustin and Irvine being the first 2 cites to switch over that year.

[pepsima1]

Talkgroups noted last night were


2560-?
3170-?
2540-Sound like Radio Techs
167-5 Bravo
177-5 Alpha
183-5 Delta
391-?

Today just
167-5 Bravo
2540-Radio Techs

No other talkgroups broadcasting today so far. Alot of activity on talkgroup 2540

[Markb]

2540 sounds like Station 98's SILVER-1.

Definitely weird hearing OCFA's dispatches in P25.

[pepsima1]

Okay good to know. Glad you are picking up the system and listening too.

Yeah its kind of weird hearing dispatch in P25 but its pretty cool that they are moving forward on the upgrade. Its a pretty clean sounds without the analog static that I hear most of the time depending where I am in the county.

[pepsima1]

Originally Posted by pepsima1

Talkgroups noted last night were


2560-?
3170-?
2540-Sound like Radio Techs
167-5 Bravo
177-5 Alpha
183-5 Delta
391-?

Today just
167-5 Bravo
2540-Radio Techs

No other talkgroups broadcasting today so far. Alot of activity on talkgroup 2540

185- 5 Echo
391- Tan-Call