First Student has gone to a LTR system. really not sure of the order of frequencies or even the frequencies cause I have yet to hear what is on the license.
First Student Rochester
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I see they have a new license WQQQ789 for 461.925, 463.225 & 463.850 but it is conventional, not trunked and it is for MOTOTRBO. I don't see any license for LTR trunking.
W8RMH
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There are several community LTR systems in the area used by transportation companies. The system would not be licensed to First Student.
k2hz is acutely aware of the LTR systems in the area, given the fact that he is actually FROM the area. :roll:
No offense, but do we really need a guy from Ohio coming into the NY section to point things out that we are already aware of in our own state? You have a bad habit of popping up in the regional forums far away from where you live, and often you post irrelevant or incorrect information because of your lack of familiarity with the area. While I'm sure you truly believe you're being helpful, you're really not. :wink:
I can tell you it's not motobro,cause they are using Motorola pm400's
I monitored their 3 new UHF channels from 8-10AM and heard no activity. They have not yet notified the FCC that the system is operational so it may still be under construction. The license is for both conventional NFM and TRBO so it may be just 3 conventional repeaters with future plans for TRBO.
If the have Motorola radios then their vendor would be Flower City Communications. I also monitored the Flower City LTR system to see if they are on there but I only hear the same old users.
With several hundred mobiles I would expect to hear some activity, even if it is only driver training and maintenance, although school is not yet in session. I would suspect the new system should be operational before school starts. They waited until 3/26 to apply to renew and convert their 151.865 wide band license which expired on 4/28 to TRBO to narrow band it and it is still pending due to problems with the application so the license has not yet been narrow banded or renewed.
If the have Motorola radios then their vendor would be Flower City Communications. I also monitored the Flower City LTR system to see if they are on there but I only hear the same old users.
With several hundred mobiles I would expect to hear some activity, even if it is only driver training and maintenance, although school is not yet in session. I would suspect the new system should be operational before school starts. They waited until 3/26 to apply to renew and convert their 151.865 wide band license which expired on 4/28 to TRBO to narrow band it and it is still pending due to problems with the application so the license has not yet been narrow banded or renewed.
I know they are on the road everyday with training ,camps and such. So it puzzles me why I have heard anything either. I wonder if it's cause the frequencies are wrong? You think you would hear something.
D
DaveNF2G
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Didn't First Student buy out Laidlaw? Maybe they are on Laidlaw's old channel(s) temporarily.
Yes - All the Laidlaw licenses were reassigned to First Student years ago and they have been operating on a mix of both the ex-Laidlaw frequencies and frequencies licensed to their client school districts. It looks like the new UHF license is an attempt to consolidate their operations but it does not seem to be active yet.
I checked out their formerly active 151.865 and 155.160 today and these frequencies are also quiet now.
I wonder if they got into a situation with a plan to replace all their old VHF wideband radios with a new UHF system and then ran into some delays in the changeover.
They had some pending licenses (repeaters) for 152.2700, 152.4200 & 154.4900, but I see "that harmful interference was anticipated." Withdrawal of applications.
Just want to point out that in the CNY area, we have several school districts (3 in Oswego County) whom use the MobileTech VHF LTR systems for bus communications. You may want to search what tower sites they are using in the Rochester area. Maybe they are switching over to something like that. Each school year it seems another bus company/ district comes on board to the MobileTech system... just an idea... you never know.
Just want to point out that in the CNY area, we have several school districts (3 in Oswego County) whom use the MobileTech VHF LTR systems for bus communications. You may want to search what tower sites they are using in the Rochester area. Maybe they are switching over to something like that. Each school year it seems another bus company/ district comes on board to the MobileTech system... just an idea... you never know.
I am very familliar with Mobiletech but, if they are installing Motorola radios, that rules out the Mobiletech LTRNET system that uses special Kenwood radios. I also monitor Mobiletech regularly and they are not on there. As you said, Mobiletech is adding a lot of school districts to their system but this does not seem to be one of them.
If they do not go on their own system, the fact that they have new Motorola radios would make the Flower City LTR the most logical alternative.
First Student did get a license for the 3 UHF channels and had various licensing issues with VHF channels. The fact that they did apply for and were granted this license for a 3 frequency/600 mobiles system would seem to indicate that they would plan to use it.
The WQQQ789 repeater site is a Rochester Housing Authority high-rise building that is used by City of Rochester public safety systems and is unusual for a business user which makes me wonder if they ran into bureaucratic delays with the lease or interference issues with the public safety users.
If they do not go on their own system, the fact that they have new Motorola radios would make the Flower City LTR the most logical alternative.
First Student did get a license for the 3 UHF channels and had various licensing issues with VHF channels. The fact that they did apply for and were granted this license for a 3 frequency/600 mobiles system would seem to indicate that they would plan to use it.
The WQQQ789 repeater site is a Rochester Housing Authority high-rise building that is used by City of Rochester public safety systems and is unusual for a business user which makes me wonder if they ran into bureaucratic delays with the lease or interference issues with the public safety users.
They all have uhf antennas. I know for a fact they aren't on the Mobiletech system has they contract with Flower City. Their main antenna for the vhf was over near Colfax St on the huge radio tower.
I found out some more info. It's a digital system so the license must have changed towers are in Brighton on PinnacleHill and in Bristol. Each location has two frequencies
MOTOTRBO is digital...LTR is not. Looks like k2hz was on the right track.
So I guess the question is, do they have their own TRBO repeaters/system as licensed, or are they using someone else's system? My guess is that if their licensed frequencies are quiet, they're probably on SaiaNet.
SaiaNet Trunking System
They have always had a contract with Flower City, and the frequencies I have don't alien with Saia's. I have seen one their new radios and that was a pm400, unless they are different versions of this radio, they are ltr system radios. I have someone that is going to send me the frequencies.
I think you had better ask someone who knows what they're talking about, because your posts don't make much sense and are contradictory.
The PM400 is an analog-only radio, so either they are using a different model radio, or the system is not digital. Can't be both.
pm400 is a ltr radio conventional sir...PM400™ Mobile Two-Way Radio - Motorola Solutions USA
Now as for being digital it's not... am only relaying what the guy told me.
Now as for being digital it's not... am only relaying what the guy told me.
Yes, I am fully aware of the PM400's specs and capability. As I said, the radio is analog-only. LTR is not a digital trunking system, nor is there any such thing as "ltr radio conventional". The term "conventional" means non-trunking. The PM400 is capable of operating in both analog conventional mode, as well as LTR trunking mode (also analog).
Well then you ought to make your posts more clear, because it sounded like you were making a pretty definitive statement when you posted "I found out some more info. It's a digital system"
:roll:
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Looking at the facts that they have new PM400 UHF radios and Flower City is their vendor and they are allegedly operating on a system with sites at Bristol and Pinnacle Hill it is all consistent with the Flower City LTR systems.
I suspect the "2 frequencies" could really be 2 Talk Groups.
I searched for First Student licenses at Bristol and Pinnacle Hill and found found nothing.
I am going to keep a close watch on the Flower City LTR systems and see what turns up when schools open. The Bristol site seldom has any traffic but Pinnacle Hill is so busy with their regular users it is difficult to catch a new user by scanning in "wildcard" mode untill they get busy.
I am seeing a new TG 0-06-036 today on Pinnacle Hill that seems to be a transporation company with drivers asking questions about "AM and PM route sheets" that sounds like it could be a school bus system starting driver route training.
I suspect the "2 frequencies" could really be 2 Talk Groups.
I searched for First Student licenses at Bristol and Pinnacle Hill and found found nothing.
I am going to keep a close watch on the Flower City LTR systems and see what turns up when schools open. The Bristol site seldom has any traffic but Pinnacle Hill is so busy with their regular users it is difficult to catch a new user by scanning in "wildcard" mode untill they get busy.
I am seeing a new TG 0-06-036 today on Pinnacle Hill that seems to be a transporation company with drivers asking questions about "AM and PM route sheets" that sounds like it could be a school bus system starting driver route training.
UPDATE-
TG 0-03-011 and 0-06-036 on Flower City LTR are school bus operations and talking about routes and schools in Rochester. Either or both could be First Student. I don't know enough about their routes and bus numbers to be sure. When they get busy with their suburban district routes next week I may be able to verify if it is First Student. The 0-06-036 TG has bus numbers 7xxx and 8xxx.
There is also a school bus system TG 0-01-036 with a dispatcher "Main Street" that I have not heard before.
Not much activity from this one.
TG 0-03-011 and 0-06-036 on Flower City LTR are school bus operations and talking about routes and schools in Rochester. Either or both could be First Student. I don't know enough about their routes and bus numbers to be sure. When they get busy with their suburban district routes next week I may be able to verify if it is First Student. The 0-06-036 TG has bus numbers 7xxx and 8xxx.
There is also a school bus system TG 0-01-036 with a dispatcher "Main Street" that I have not heard before.
Not much activity from this one.
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