W4UVV
Member
Thirteen state/county/city private contractors which provide snowplow services for the Richmond Metro and Tri-Cities area were monitored on the Commtronics Capacity Plus (MOTOTRBO) system from Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 0730-1800 daily. Paratransit was totally inoperative during the monitoring period. I used my three DMR receive systems to monitor the three repeater frequencies selectively extracted from my master database file and shown below. Each MOTOTRBO site can support two channels of audio and/or data. From the time I began monitoring each day until I powered off daily both channels were constantly active with voice comms from the various talkgroups on all three site repeaters giving a total of six audio comms active at one one time.
I was somewhat surprised that there were very few mechanical issues. All the contractors knew what they had to do, i.e., salt spreader, plowing, where to go, etc. The only truck that hopefully returned to his base ok was the one snowplowing and lost all of his lights Friday afternoon close to getting dark. Overall they were professional and did a good job. I believe each contractor had three work shifts.
Obviously, their first priorities were clearing the interstates and major roads, i.e., Rt.288, Midlothian Turnpike, Powhite Parkway, Rt. 195,Chippenham Parkway, etc. Later Saturday and Sunday they gradually focused on the interurban areas, cities and county roads.
Commtronics Capacity Plus Midlothian site, Chesterfield Co. repeaters frequencies:
WPPW673
Mhz.
461.5125
461.7875
463.2125
When a truck gave his or her current location I noted it for further reference. Shown below are the contractor talkgroups and area ids I logged. If anyone knows for sure of the name(s) of any of these 13 contractors not already listed (only 2) please post them and I will add them to my database.
John
W4UVV
I was somewhat surprised that there were very few mechanical issues. All the contractors knew what they had to do, i.e., salt spreader, plowing, where to go, etc. The only truck that hopefully returned to his base ok was the one snowplowing and lost all of his lights Friday afternoon close to getting dark. Overall they were professional and did a good job. I believe each contractor had three work shifts.
Obviously, their first priorities were clearing the interstates and major roads, i.e., Rt.288, Midlothian Turnpike, Powhite Parkway, Rt. 195,Chippenham Parkway, etc. Later Saturday and Sunday they gradually focused on the interurban areas, cities and county roads.
Commtronics Capacity Plus Midlothian site, Chesterfield Co. repeaters frequencies:
WPPW673
Mhz.
461.5125
461.7875
463.2125
When a truck gave his or her current location I noted it for further reference. Shown below are the contractor talkgroups and area ids I logged. If anyone knows for sure of the name(s) of any of these 13 contractors not already listed (only 2) please post them and I will add them to my database.
John
W4UVV
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