Sticky Thread for Tropo/Skip Signals (TropoChaser Glee Club)

[skipshark773]

while browsing the ULS the other day, I noticed a strange thing. It would appear that almost all of howard county's old VHF frequencies have been overtaken by the MD DNR. They were granted to DNR on 06/30/2004 under licence WQAM220. They are as follows:

151.115 (old Highways)
154.220 (old fireground)
154.845 (old Police 2 Input)
155.115 (old Police 5)
155.370 (old Police 3)
155.595 (old Police 2)
155.820 (old Gov't 3)
159.090 (old Police 1)

does anybody know if this licence is a leftover licence from a DNR/Howard County Coordination effort?

Mike

 

[mlevin]

I do know that Howard still uses 154.220 to patch MSP Medivacs into the trunk. Don't know about the others.

 

[skipshark773]

right, it looks like they kept the following frequencies:

154.250 (Fire dispatch)
154.220 (Fireground/Patch to MSP)
153.770 (Input to Fire 1)
155.115 (Police 5)
155.820 (Gov't 3)
155.925 (Sheriff's Office)
156.015 (Input to Police 5)
158.895 (Input to Gov't 3)

I havn't listened to VHF howard county for a long time now so i dont know if they still use these. I would assume that the Police/Government ones wouldnt be used anymore.

 

[TinEar]

Yes, they absolutely have kept 154.22.
Freq 155.115 I only hear the DE traffic simulcast from their TRS sytstem
Freq 159.09 I hear PD activity that I haven't identified yet. They use DPL412. I don't think it's DNR police though.

 

[skipshark773]

Freq 159.09 I hear PD activity that I haven't identified yet. They use DPL412. I don't think it's DNR police though.

The Northeastern Regional Police in York County used 159.090 with a DPL. I cant remember what it is though.

 

[TinEar]

Thanks skipshark...much appreciated. Unfortunately, they aren't in the database - at least not that I've been able to find. That's one of the selections dished up in the ULS but I haven't found anything to cross reference it, and of course they haven't transmitted a callsign so I can prove who it belongs to.

[Edit] By the way, 151.2425 doing key ups again as I type.

 

[doctordave]

Hmmm.....I'll plug in 159.09 and see what I get. I am not aware of this particular freq for York Co. Speaking of York Co, there is a great website w/ quite valid data.....created by a York 911 center guy:

http://greg.halpin.com/freqs.htm

I'll have to check the very spotty PA RR database to see if this stuff is logged.

 

[skipshark773]

awhile back when i used to commute into York County on a regular basis, I used to hear them dispatching on 159.090. Unfortunately I don't know if this is true anymore and the York County page in the database is minimal at best. I have a small file on York County but it hasnt been updated in at least 2 years. Let me check and see if i can find that one webpage that explains how York County dispatches its police...ill post it here when i find it.

[edit]: looks like dave beat me to it...thats exactly what i was looking for.

 

[TinEar]

Dave, excellent site he has. I slapped a bookmark on that baby immediately. Many thanks.

All the southern PA counties sound like local Glen Burnie agencies tonight - as does our 155.115 NPCD-DATUM-CDE freq. <sorry, couldn't resist>

 

[doctordave]

Either of you still copying comms on 159.09? I've had nothing for 10 min.....will continue to monitor....

Ha! Al....I like the acronym! Some of the DE alpha designations are a bit lengthy, indeed.

Yep, Halpern does have a great website. I used it when previously based out of York Hosp and found the freq data right on target.

 

[TinEar]

I have it in my scan and it hasn't stopped on that freq in about an hour but you know how that goes...it could be silent now or I'm missing every transmission. I have all my other active scanners on Lancaster and Berks counties, one on Blades DE 154.40 and one on the 155.115 freq. Some of the VA VHF freqs are coming in very well tonight like Fredericksburg PD on 154.725.

Just moved one of them to park on 159.09.

 

[doctordave]

Nothing on 159.09 for 20+ min. Midnight timecheck coming up, so we'll see. I note that it is not only listed to the PA regional dept that shipshark mentioned, but is also a PD freq of some sort for Somerset Co. The other listings in PA are likely too far North to pull in....maybe. Haven't yet checked NJ/DE listings.

{edit} Multiple VA & NJ listings, as well....quite a few possibilities here.

 

[TinEar]

The conditions are so good tonight that it's difficult to identify anything new. I'm hearing two, three, four agencies on some of these VHF freqs.

Armed robbery in Lancaster City, Dave. 155.43

Just had a transmission on 159.09 and I missed it while listening to the robbery info in Lancaster.

Gloucester and Camden Counties from NJ rolling in nicely also.

 

[doctordave]

OK....must be South or way East.....I have been locked onto it for 30 min w/ zilch coming through.

Am getting the Lancaster stuff.....thanks.

{edit} The 155.43 is apparently Lancaster metro area County PD patrols.....F-1 Lancaster City 154.875 has related comms.

 

[TinEar]

They transmitted a Morse callsign on 159.09 a couple of minutes ago and the first two letters got drowned out by other activity from the gaggle of scanners. It was _ _ QM220

Dave, did you hear that transmission at 00:10? The dispatcher called G44 and asked if he was 10-4. The mobile responded, 10-4. (159.09)

 

[doctordave]

Al....that callsign is very close to the one listed to DNR....checked all surrounding states and no other listing even comes close. Perhaps DNR is morse coding it, but you are still getting voice comms from someone else? Sounds like you are not hearing DNR-type chatter.

{edit} Al, I was away from it and parked on Lancaster.....have it back on now to see if anything comes up....

 

[TinEar]

Mobile unit 20 just called "King George."

King George County VA???????

Yup...that's it...King George County VA and it's in the database. Never expected that one.

[Edit] And that solved another problem. I had a U/I fire freq of 155.76. That no doubt is King George County also. I just loaded them both into the scanner. However, that callsign I heard must belong to someone else.

 

[doctordave]

Wow....impressive distance for reception.....well that explains the voice comms......still, the morse identifier is way off for King George and only seems similar to that of DNR....wonder if DNR will start using it soon? Must admit, I'm surprised that DNR is gobbling up so many new VHF-High freqs....I suppose an agency can never have too many.

{edit} WQAM220 is the ULS DNR callsign for our freq.

 

[TinEar]

Yup...that must have been it...I must have had a dyslexic moment while copying that Morse and put the "Q" in the wrong position.

[Edit] at about 15 after the hour the Morse callsign WNYP971 was transmitted which absolutely confirms King George. Guess DNR is just staking their claim by transmitting their callsign there.

['Nuther edit] Wasn't dyslexic after all. They are transmitting the callsign as WAQM220. Whoever set up the broadcast for the Morse callsign is the one with dyslexia and reversed the A and Q.

 

[skipshark773]

wow, king george, VA...didnt see that one coming...i havn't heard anything from them but i did hear the one morse identifier (which i was assuming was DNR's).