Baltimore Co. Is Rockin!

mlevin · #1 (**permalink**) 07-07-2004, 05:30 PM

What a storm, I don't think I can remeber it being so busy. Not since Isabel. My basement took a hit though, and I lost about five hundred dollars worth a musical equipment :cry:

TinEar · #2 (**permalink**) 07-07-2004, 08:15 PM

Same here in my part of AA County. I just seeded a new lawn in the back yard and the first grass was starting to poke out of the ground. About half of it washed away. I had to turn off the scanners since lightning was hitting all around the neighborhood. And it was just getting interesting.

mlevin · #3 (**permalink**) 07-07-2004, 09:17 PM

Why don't you just unhook the scanner from the outside antenna?

TinEar · #4 (**permalink**) 07-07-2004, 09:36 PM

I always disconnect from the external antenna when a storm is brewing but this storm was bad enough to make me worry about a hit into the electrical system of the house and frying all my scanners. And so I unplugged the whole mess and kept them safe from harm. I had already had two close hits that shut down the electricity for just about a second each time which shifted my computers onto my UPS units to keep them running but I took the hint and shut them all down. I've been threatening to buy a UPS for my scanners too and it will probably be money well spent.

Dispatcher308 · #5 (**permalink**) 07-08-2004, 06:02 AM

I have to agree Tin Ear it will be money well spent I think I am going to do that as well.

mlevin · #6 (**permalink**) 07-08-2004, 08:40 AM

Gotta love good old AA rechargebales.

doctordave · #7 (**permalink**) 07-08-2004, 09:37 AM

Some months ago, there was talk of possible upgrades of the Balt County trunked system. Since one of the Pct 7 units could not communicate w/ dispatch today via radio or KDT (due to poor signal), I'm reminded of this. Anyone have an update on whether there will be any enhancements made?

Also, on a somewhat related topic.....has anyone utilized a filter & pre-amp or some other arrangement w/ a scanner to better copy the Balt Co system in the Northern corridor and/or other areas where reception is sub-optimal? I'd tried a high-gain 800 antenna and had great success in boosting reception in very distal areas - but the high degree of local Nextel, paging and cellular activity negated any benefits in much of the County.

Dave

TinEar · #8 (**permalink**) 07-08-2004, 09:53 AM

A couple of months ago we were talking about Baltimore County's low modulation levels during the winter when many of us had trouble hearing them. Then it seemed they raised the mod levels and most agreed they were getting better reception starting in the spring. I'm not sure if they actually played with their signals or whether it was just a seasonal phenomenon. However, according to radio theory, you should get better reception during the winter than in other seasons so it's difficult to tell. From my location in Glen Burnie I hear everything on all their channels loud and clear but it could be a completely different story from other locations depending on terrain between you and the signal source. 800 mHz signals are line-of-sight dependent and that's the biggest factor in receiving them well. The higher the receiving antenna, the better the reception. I've had no luck at all with preamps on 800 mHz signals. RF overload seemed to be the problem.

mlevin · #9 (**permalink**) 07-08-2004, 10:33 AM

I heard unconfirmed reports back in the winter that certain fire stations were field testing XTS 5000 radios. No word on how they liked the radios or if and when they are gonna go digital. Rumor has it not until the EOC moves to it's new location in Hunt Valley. This isn't supposed to happen for another 3 years. One thing I do know it wil happen eventually, but only time will tell.

As for the reception problem. I know that certain dead-spots (cell interference) in my neighborhood have been improving so they're doing something.

Dispatcher308 · #10 (**permalink**) 07-08-2004, 11:43 AM

You have to realize that back in the day before Cellphone were on everyone's ear the Tower Placements for Baltimore Co were Optimal but now the Northern End has alot of Deadspots and Perryhall is Horrible on a Portable even with a Diapole Antenna. Something has to be done but no one is puttin up the money fot it. Baltimore Co is supposed to go digital but again the money is an issue. Also Mlevin you are right they were testing XTS 5000's not only for there own use when & if they go digital but also so they can have interoperability with Anne Arundel Co, Baltimore City, Harford Co and Howard Co since all those systems are digital. But again the County has a problem with money & the new 911 center is not ready & will not be for a while.

SO with that said it pretty much seems to be a big ole cluster with no Money

Llwellyn · #11 (**permalink**) 07-08-2004, 11:54 AM

To go back onto mlevin's original topic, an article in the post today said that Baltimore County logged 600 calls, and almost 36 water rescue boxes yesterday, around 25% more than were handled during all of Isabel. You guys got smacked big-time

Slight edit: The water rescue boxes are included in the 600 figure, and apparently I pulled the percentage out of the air. I reread the article and they just said "more than Isabel" not 25% more.

mlevin · #12 (**permalink**) 07-08-2004, 12:38 PM

All in two hours. I didn't realize that it was worse then Isabel. A record breaking day.

Well my basement is dry now, and I was able to minimize part of my loss. So things aren't so bad after all.

bear105 · #13 (**permalink**) 07-08-2004, 01:59 PM

I was hoping you folks would fill in that yesterday was NOT a normal day for the Baltimore Co FD. I turned in yesterday after hearing Howard Co FD being dispatched there, with a request to "Bring a boat". Wow...what an afternoon...

ka3jjz · #14 (**permalink**) 07-08-2004, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dispatcher308

You have to realize that back in the day before Cellphone were on everyone's ear the Tower Placements for Baltimore Co were Optimal but now the Northern End has alot of Deadspots and Perryhall is Horrible on a Portable even with a Diapole Antenna. Something has to be done but no one is puttin up the money fot it. Baltimore Co is supposed to go digital but again the money is an issue. Also Mlevin you are right they were testing XTS 5000's not only for there own use when & if they go digital but also so they can have interoperability with Anne Arundel Co, Baltimore City, Harford Co and Howard Co since all those systems are digital. But again the County has a problem with money & the new 911 center is not ready & will not be for a while.

SO with that said it pretty much seems to be a big ole cluster with no Money

Yeah, I could see that - given that Baltimore county bought a potful of XTS3000 equipment last year. All counties are in a money crunch this year.

Along those same lines, Anne Arundel isn't digital - yet. As far as I understand it, the county still needs to build a few more towers and work out some dead spot issues (sound familiar?). In fact, there was an article about this some time ago where a reporter mentioned they were testing around Marley Station, which is in a 'hole'. They have been noted using digital and encryption on a couple of tgs in the 32000 range, but everything else is analog - for now.
It will be interesting to see what happens with Harford when they get their system up. As you say, when interoperability becomes an issue - and it will eventually - Baltimore county will need to go digital sometime, like it or not. 73s Mike