site help

[bondo_06092]

Hey guys,

Need some help in choosing the appropriate sites to plug in for the mass state police. I monitor the Mass Pike, Troop B, and Troop C talkgroups but would like to use the most appropriate sites while traveling mostly up and down I-90, I-91. thanks for the help!

Steve

[RKG]

The State system has 20-odd "zones" (where a zone is a unique combination of SysID and control channel(s)). Some of the zones simulcast.

As a practical matter, you need only program four zones:

A/H (860.9875 and 860.9625) (Zone 5);
D Bristol (859.8375 and 859.2875) (Zone 3);
D Cape (860.2375 and 860.2125) (Zone 4); and
C Wide (860.8375 and 859.3625) (Zone 8).

E PTL 1 and 4 are carried by both Zones 5 and 8, and will carry the 'Pike from Boston to beyond Sturbridge.

A PTL 1 is SmartZoned into Zone 8; C PTL 1 and D PTL 1 are SmartZoned into Zone 5; and H PTL 2 is Smartzoned into Zones 3 and 4.

B Troop is a different story. 800 coverage extends to only a part of the troop area, and each site is more or less its own zone. There are eleven of them.

The STATEWIDE t/g is carried in all zones.

[bondo_06092]

thank you sir for your help. so if i understand you correctly then if I put in the control channels that you suggest I will be able to pick up C troop and the mass pike? I take it gathering B troop would be an issue due to the limitations of the 800 band? All I really want from them is the great barrington area anyway.

thanks for your help!

[RKG]

I recommend you program A/H, D Bristol, D Cape and C Wide as separate systems, each with its own scan list. You can then change scan list selections as you move from one troop area to another.

Great Barrington is in B-1's area (Lee). Last time I was out there they made zero use of the 800 system, and I have no information on the current status.

[mrsvensven]

Originally Posted by RKG

The State system has 20-odd "zones" (where a zone is a unique combination of SysID and control channel(s)). Some of the zones simulcast.

As a practical matter, you need only program four zones:

A/H (860.9875 and 860.9625) (Zone 5);
D Bristol (859.8375 and 859.2875) (Zone 3);
D Cape (860.2375 and 860.2125) (Zone 4); and
C Wide (860.8375 and 859.3625) (Zone 8).

E PTL 1 and 4 are carried by both Zones 5 and 8, and will carry the 'Pike from Boston to beyond Sturbridge.

A PTL 1 is SmartZoned into Zone 8; C PTL 1 and D PTL 1 are SmartZoned into Zone 5; and H PTL 2 is Smartzoned into Zones 3 and 4.

B Troop is a different story. 800 coverage extends to only a part of the troop area, and each site is more or less its own zone. There are eleven of them.

The STATEWIDE t/g is carried in all zones.

All of the sites you mentioned are in Eastern MA. This guy is in Western MA.

If you get as far east as Worcester county, try zone 8, but west of that you will need other zones, which there are many of. This site has zones listed by county, just click on each zone to see the location and pick whatever is closest to where you are driving at a particular time. You are going to need to program multiple zones if you travel very far. This website also has maps of the site locations.