PA Fish and Boat Commission

[druhe]

Anyone know if PFBC migrated to StarNet ? This time of the year with trout stockings about to start, radio activity usually picks up (44.9600) however the frequency has been quiet for sometime now.

[markandjere]

Entering it now. I used to hear them sign off at night in Huntingdon from here in Franklin County.

[markandjere]

Now that I think more about it I may be thinking Game Commission 44.92(?).......

[druhe]

Originally Posted by markandjere

Now that I think more about it I may be thinking Game Commission 44.92(?).......

I think your right it's the Game Commission. I've never heard Fish Commission sign on or off at any time. The Game Commission is still active, not as much as the use to be since they now have MDT's in the WCO's vehicles.

[benrussellpa]

Both PFBC and PGC are working on migrating. Although, I think PGC is moving more quickly.

Up in the northcentral area, PGC has a lowband base linked into STARNET at the Cedar Mtn tower site in Tioga County as a pilot. PGC is also testing portables throughout the state. The SC region of PGC is where the heaviest testing is currently ongoing. They have 30 portables deployed there. NE, NC, and NW all have three portables each deployed.

PGC has regional dispatch centers while PFBC does not. I'll try to ask around to see if I can find out more details about what PFBC is doing.

[pghscanner]

Dan,

I have not heard them for years. I used to hear them on a repeater in the 44-45 range and that has been dead. Opening day used to be very active with both Fish and Game commission running patrols. I have not heard anything for a few years. The actual amount of Fish Commission officers that I have seen has also decreased dramatically the past few years as well. In fact, I have not even seen one officer the past few years on opening day. I am not fishing some remote area either.

I did see a Fish Commission truck, last year. No antennas. I spoke to the officers for a while, as they were setting up nets for a fish survey, and saw no radios.

When I am up in Erie fishing I have seen Fish Commission cars. They have what looks to be low band or high band and 800mhz antennas on the cars. The officers have VHF high band portables. Thanks to my fishing partner exiting Walnut the wrong way, I can confirm without a doubt that they use Erie Sheriff channel 158.790. I got close call hits on the input, near the Fish Commission office at Walnut as well.

Due to their absolute absence on any local freqs, I would guess they have, and it looks like they will also use local systems as well.

From what I have been told, it is a mixed bag as far as the park rangers go as well. Some look to have 800mhz, some sighted with Open Sky radios, some have been heard on local 800mhz systems, and some look to have only VHF.

[benrussellpa]

Game wardens, waterways conservation officers and the law enforcement park rangers all work on local systems as well as state equipment depending on where they are.

Both PGC and PFBC officers can be heard here on the Montgomery County trunked system from time to time. During the summer, the park rangers also come up on the county system to provide or request assistance with traffic stops and other stuff in/around the parks. Since only PGC has a reliable place to run tags (and that's only when their dispatch centers are open), the ability to talk to county dispatch is important. In talking with some of the DCNR rangers over in Bucks, too, they also carry county radios there. DCNR uses both OpenSky 800 portables and VHF portables depending on the location. The new VHF is linked into the OpenSky system at the repeater sites.

Frank, were the folks with the nets WCO's or were they fisheries biologists? The biologists do (or did) also have uniforms they could wear when out interacting with the public, but they don't carry guns. The WCO's often help the biologists out with surveys, at least they did when I interned there way back in 1997. With a few exceptions, typically only the WCO law enforcement vehicles have radios.

Attached is a graphic from the STARNET operations committee meeting in December showing amount of use during one day when Sandy was coming to town. PGC is not listed at all, but PFBC is. The second smaller circle is a breakdown of the Other category from the bigger circle. I almost wonder if PGC got lumped in or switched with PFBC since PGC is actively engaged in field testing.

[Bandre88]

I hear game commission comms from the dallas tower daily, lots of activity on the low band freq.

[pghscanner]

The truck had a PFBC markings on the door. The guys working did not have guns on them, and wore shirts with a patch, that I thought was PFBC. May not have been. I was not aware they had biologists as well. Never gave it much thought, could have been biologist.

I have not heard PFBC on Allegheny or Washington County. They must be using 800 in this area,

[benrussellpa]

If the fisheries folks (biologists, technicians, etc) are wearing a uniform, it would be blue. The WCO's uniforms are tan with badges...and, of course, guns.

PFBC Careers Brochure

[xxdanielt3]

I too have not heard anything from the Game Commission or Fish and Boat Commission either in my neck of the woods.. at least for a long while!

[Bandre88]

44.64000

WPAU527

BM

141.3 PL

PGC Reg 5

Northeast Region - Dallas

I hear a decent amount of comms from this everyday, and it seems to be all there communication including running tags, running vehicle information, checking backround for the person/persons they have in question, i must say its very active here, during hunting season such as the deer and bear seasons that freq is non stop throught the day. these are being picked up while im mobile in and around lackawanna and luzerne county.

[hippieman556]

What's in use in philadelphia

[druhe]

Originally Posted by hippieman556

What's in use in philadelphia

Not sure if you are inquiring about PFBC or PGC, either way look here Other State Agencies Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference
Also as mentioned above they maybe operating with/on a local system or possibly on StarNet

[fourthhorseman]

Originally Posted by hippieman556

What's in use in philadelphia

In philly ive heard Fish&Game key up on JBAND
asking for local district backup,in the NEAST if
i remember right..

logged a few RIDs from them.

it even makes the dispatchers do a double take..
.."Fish and Game,,on J?"

[Steveradio]

Most trucks seen have both VHF/ Lo Band Radios installed.. I know in Carbon Co they are dispatched on Police F-1 154.800 78 - Alpha to Echo
Dallas used be on 44.64
For Fish Boat believe used be 45.040 Local and 44.9600 Repeaters

[xxdanielt3]

If anyone has any info on listening in the SW part of the state, shoot me a PM

[NodrogCop]

For what it's worth, Fish and Boat are using county channels in Lancaster. They're pretty active during the seasons running tags and driver's licenses. I see their trucks and boat trailers at the landings in area pretty frequently.

PGC does use local channels, but it's pretty sproadic here in Lancaster.

My $0.02. YMMV.

Gordon

[benrussellpa]

I was out working at a stream site this morning and as I was getting ready to head back to the office, the localc WCO pulled up to investigate a complaint he had received. We chatted for a bit, but I forgot to ask him about OpenSky radios.

I did notice, however, that he had lowband and VHF Hi in his truck and an old Viking portable on his hip for the Chester County trunked system. No OpenSky visible anywhere or that might have triggered me to remember to ask him about it.

[ekim223]

I see First Energy listed on the graph. But I also remember seeing somewhere that First Energy is now rolling out its own P25 system. Does this mean they will be dropping out of the OPEN SKY?