Rockingham County

Status
Not open for further replies.

rescue674aa

I’m an idiot
Premium Subscriber
Joined
May 15, 2009
Messages
1,048
Does anyone know if Rockingham County/Harrisburg system is all provoice? Does anyone have any info on the system?
 

kc4jgc

Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2004
Messages
1,546
Location
Virginia Beach, VA
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8320/4.5.0.81 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

This system, although analog is not monitorable. They have done something with the data channels that scanners are unable to track. I have heard traffic when freqs are programmed in conventional mode, but as you know, that does you no good anyway. As for LE, forget it. Fire/rescue the only way is to program the conventional patch freqs that are linked to the EDACS system.
 

tglendye

Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 15, 2002
Messages
1,922
Location
Virginia
This is a Pro-Voice system. The exception is the dispatch channels for city/ county fire & rescue are analog. They are also patched to the UHF paging frequencies. The only traffic you should be able to hear scanning frequencies in the conventional mode are the dispatch (Tac 1 and HFD 1) channels linked to TG's. The LCN is unknown and apparently changes- which is the primary reason scanners are not tracking this system.

To listen to any traffic you would need TAC 1 & HFD 1 (460.625 and 452.050) as well as the Interop channels in the database. Don't get excited... the Interop channels do not get used very often. Basically when an agency without a M/A-Com radio from Augusta, Page or Shenandoah comes to Rockingham.

And you can forget LE. Even SIRS is basically dead.
 

K4NDN

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jul 23, 2007
Messages
11
Location
Elkton VA
Thats good info, I was wondering why...what about Rockingham Co Sheriff and Va State Police? Digital Trunking Scanner required?
 

W4UVV

Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2002
Messages
1,634
Location
Prince George, Virginia--Central Va.
Don't give up on Pro Voice decoding yet

It's a long shot but one never knows until one tries. DSD supports Pro Voice decoding although it is not one of the more common radio systems used. If someone in the monitoring area has a DSD configuration it's worth a try experimenting for Pro Voice reception as others have done in the below link on a different Pro Voice radio system user. Usually someone will try to assist you in your efforts.


http://forums.radioreference.com/digital-voice-decoding-software/267797-dsd-provoice-settings.html

John

W4UVV
 

tglendye

Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 15, 2002
Messages
1,922
Location
Virginia
Thats good info, I was wondering why...what about Rockingham Co Sheriff and Va State Police? Digital Trunking Scanner required?

All public safety in Rockingham and Harrisonburg are Pro-Voice. JMU PD still uses (I believe) their analog UHF system. On football game days and other major events, you will hear the 8TAC channels being utilized. But basically it is used only for special assignments.

State Police are on STARS. Digital is required. 99% of what they do is in the clear and not encrypted.
 

tglendye

Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 15, 2002
Messages
1,922
Location
Virginia
It's a long shot but one never knows until one tries. DSD supports Pro Voice decoding although it is not one of the more common radio systems used. If someone in the monitoring area has a DSD configuration it's worth a try experimenting for Pro Voice reception as others have done in the below link on a different Pro Voice radio system user. Usually someone will try to assist you in your efforts.


http://forums.radioreference.com/digital-voice-decoding-software/267797-dsd-provoice-settings.html

John

W4UVV

Someone utilized what I think is this and was able to decode the Pro-Voice digital signal and created a live audio feed for a while. The only problem with the method was w/o the LCN the TG's could not be tracked and the frequencies were scanned as conventional. So you were hearing everything.

In addition to public safety, Rockingham Memorial Hospital, City transit, and city & county public works and other local gov't departments utilize the Pro-Voice system. So there was lots of unwanted traffic.

Overall, it's a decent system in that it provides adequate channels and coverage. But I hate it... too bad you can't hear it on a scanner!
 

W4UVV

Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2002
Messages
1,634
Location
Prince George, Virginia--Central Va.
It can get confusing

Thats good info, I was wondering why...what about Rockingham Co Sheriff and Va State Police? Digital Trunking Scanner required?

My post addressed only the Rockingham Co. trs which is using Pro Voice, a MA/COM digital radio system now owned by Harris Corp. VSP is P25 Phase 1 which can be monitored by Uniden and GRE Scanners. I don't know the uniques of the Rockingham Co. trs as it is out of my monitoring area.

DSD is a MS DOS software program that supports open architecture decoding of a few digital radio system baselines typically using Linux as the computer operating system. But there also is a Windows version which I use either with a XP laptop mobile or base with a Win 7 computer, and an ICOM R7000 analog receiver modified for unfiltered (baseband) audio. It works quite well. DSD requires relatively strong signals for optimum performance. For more info on DSD do a RR search and read the many posts on configuring a DSD receive system.

John

W4UVV
 

loco-lee

Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2010
Messages
113
Location
FL, VA, and NYC
DSD is a MS DOS software program that supports open architecture decoding of a few digital radio system baselines typically using Linux as the computer operating system. But there also is a Windows version which I use either with a XP laptop mobile or base with a Win 7 computer, and an ICOM R7000 analog receiver modified for unfiltered (baseband) audio. It works quite well. DSD requires relatively strong signals for optimum performance. For more info on DSD do a RR search and read the many posts on configuring a DSD receive system.

tglendye is correct -- in fall of 2010 there was a local resident decoding the pro-voice system using DSD and providing a feed on this website. Eventually the feed was removed because it violated the Radio Reference TOS by broadcasting school buses and tactical channels. There are still plenty of local people in the area using DSD for listening to this system.
 

1hank1

Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2008
Messages
8
Location
Shenandoah Valley, VA
You guys are talking well over my head.

How about some Cliff Notes? Can you buy a scanner that is capable of monitoring Harrisonburg/Rockingham County police/fire/rescue?

Be nice :)
 

W4UVV

Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2002
Messages
1,634
Location
Prince George, Virginia--Central Va.
You will need to configure a DMR/DSD Decode System

You guys are talking well over my head.

How about some Cliff Notes? Can you buy a scanner that is capable of monitoring Harrisonburg/Rockingham County police/fire/rescue?

Be nice :)

No. There is no consumer grade scanner available for purchase with the Pro Voice monitoring option. You will need to configure a DMR Decode system using DSD 1.6 software and select the Pro Voice option. It may or may not work but it is worth a try..

Read the RR forum posts for DMR/DSD to learn more about the subject.

John
W4UVV
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top