Sussex Co./VSP/Prisons 700 mhz. Interop

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W4UVV

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Sussex Co. Local Government (Police/Fire/EMS & other related activities)has been issued a new license (WQYU239) for a 700 mhz. P25 P1 trs with interop comms as desired/required with the VSP sites and vice versa. Sussex Co. will maintain county control at the Courthouse. VSP trs sites will be located at the following locations: VSP Office on Rt. 460 in Waverly; Sussex Prisons I & II and Greensville Correctional Facility, Jarrett, VA,


Here is the FCC link for WQYU239:


ULS License - Trunked Public Safety 700 MHz License - WQYU239 - SUSSEX, COUNTY OF


John
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W4UVV

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Thanks for the update

Expect this to be in testing mid September.

Vern

Thanks for the update Vern. I already have this trs programed in my 536 and 996XTs. I will add this trs to my regular scanning cycle group. Please post any subsequent update info you get. It will be interesting to see what the 700 mhz. trs area pattern coverage will be in all directions. Monitors in the tri city area should create the necessary scanner file to monitor and see/hear what happens if anything.

Waverly is <15 air miles from my location. I would have preferred that the VSP techs had placed the Waverly site trs antenna on the STARS tower which is south near Waverly just across the Prince George Co./Sussex Co.line instead of installing it at the VSP Waverly office..

John
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vern23882

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The site is on the STARS tower from what I was told, along with Beaverdam Road in Waverly, and Sussex 1& II, a site at GCC and Sussex Courthouse. VSP not involved, it is a DoC & Sussex shared system. It is a phase 2 system, eastern sites are up, not much traffic yet. I can receive the data channel when connected to a 800 mHz antenna. Sussex site had to have new tower, it is up, but they are still connecting equipment there. Law enforcement fully encrypted.
I am southwest of Stony Creek.

Vern
 

vern23882

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VSP Office

Did VSP build new office on 460?, haven't been through there in a few years. I know Emporia got a new office, not sure why.
 

W4UVV

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Check the license

Did VSP build new office on 460?, haven't been through there in a few years. I know Emporia got a new office, not sure why.

I don't know. When driving entering Waverly my focus is on my speed, cross traffic, side road pullouts and making/not making the traffic light...all the potential things that make driving a pleasure.. I didn't know VSP had an office in Waverly until I read the license locations. Check the license. I'm pretty sure one of the locations listed was the VSP Waverly office.

John
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vern23882

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The RR mapping of locations looks correct. The Waverly site is on Rt 606, which is a cell tower on that road. That is also the VHF site since 2002. Duhh moment, area offices are listed on the VSP website, it's still on East Main( Rt 40).
 

N9JIG

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I have a client that said that the Sheriff and the town of Waverly have switched to the digital system this week. I gave him the license/freq info and he will program it into his 536 and start listening. I asked him to submit any info he has (or at least send it to me so I can submit it for him.

The licenses indicates both Phase 1 and 2 modulation.

If you are in the area give it a listen!
 

W4UVV

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I've lived in the area for 31+ years now

I have a client that said that the Sheriff and the town of Waverly have switched to the digital system this week. I gave him the license/freq info and he will program it into his 536 and start listening. I asked him to submit any info he has (or at least send it to me so I can submit it for him.

The licenses indicates both Phase 1 and 2 modulation.

If you are in the area give it a listen!

-----------------
Tnx but I live maybe 10 air miles north of Sussex Co. I have been monitoring only this new license on my 536 daily for over a month. It also is programed in my 996XTs.

John
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clbsquared

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Supposedly, the majority of the system will be encrypted. At least on the Law Enforcement side. There is still some debate about encrypting all of it. This is second hand info from an assistant chief in one of the VFD's.

Sent from my HTC One A9 using Tapatalk
 

W4UVV

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Time will time

Supposedly, the majority of the system will be encrypted. At least on the Law Enforcement side. There is still some debate about encrypting all of it. This is second hand info from an assistant chief in one of the VFD's.

Sent from my HTC One A9 using Tapatalk
------------------------

One fact I have known for sure for years now is when Sussex Co. upgraded their analog conventional system 15+? years ago, from the first transmission and continuing to the present day from any of their system users, their radio system audio is the absolute worst quality I ever have heard compared to all the other analog radio systems I monitor. Sussex Co. radio audio sucks to the max regardless of what make of digital scanner or analog receiver I have used!. But there is a technical reason for it.

From past research I have concluded from others who know more technically than me the problem appears to be rooted in the county's use of companded audio. Companded(compressed) audio was a popular method used 10-15 years ago on many new radio systems to include satellite audio which I also had to deal with as I then also did satellite tv commercial and private installs/maintenance. Fortunately my satellite comm receivers audio circuitry was designed to handle it. The idea was to improve the audio quality of the radio system user's radios.

The radio transmitted audio was compressed and decompressed on the receiving user's radio. Sussex Co. obviously thought it's great as their equipment was optimized for that audio method and has no problems.

However, consumer grade radio scanners are not expecting that audio method to be used and the received audio has some white noise present on the modulated sideband peaks which is just enough RFI to cause an irritation to someone listening on a scanner. Maybe that was the original plan by the county.

I can have 5 radio users all talking with different users and I can be on the opposite side of my house and out of 5 users talking at the same time, I can tell you for sure when it is a Sussex Co. radio user transmitting because of the annoying audio.

Time will tell about a new system. They may also keep their present radio system.

John
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clbsquared

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------------------------

One fact I have known for sure for years now is when Sussex Co. upgraded their analog conventional system 15+? years ago, from the first transmission and continuing to the present day from any of their system users, their radio system audio is the absolute worst quality I ever have heard compared to all the other analog radio systems I monitor. Sussex Co. radio audio sucks to the max regardless of what make of digital scanner or analog receiver I have used!. But there is a technical reason for it.

From past research I have concluded from others who know more technically than me the problem appears to be rooted in the county's use of companded audio. Companded(compressed) audio was a popular method used 10-15 years ago on many new radio systems to include satellite audio which I also had to deal with as I then also did satellite tv commercial and private installs/maintenance. Fortunately my satellite comm receivers audio circuitry was designed to handle it. The idea was to improve the audio quality of the radio system user's radios.

The radio transmitted audio was compressed and decompressed on the receiving user's radio. Sussex Co. obviously thought it's great as their equipment was optimized for that audio method and has no problems.

However, consumer grade radio scanners are not expecting that audio method to be used and the received audio has some white noise present on the modulated sideband peaks which is just enough RFI to cause an irritation to someone listening on a scanner. Maybe that was the original plan by the county.

I can have 5 radio users all talking with different users and I can be on the opposite side of my house and out of 5 users talking at the same time, I can tell you for sure when it is a Sussex Co. radio user transmitting because of the annoying audio.

Time will tell about a new system. They may also keep their present radio system.

John
W4UVV

You are correct, they have the worst sounding audio I've ever heard. And I don't use a scanner to listen to them. However, like you, from 50+ feet away I can pick them out of all the other systems programmed and I don't even need to understand what they're saying.

A couple models that I know will be used on the new system are the Harris XG-25 and XG-75M.
 

vern23882

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The official cutover date is Oct 19th at 8AM. Only law enforcement is encrypted. The audio didn't sound any better on the Kenwood VHF radios either. I've heard from other professionals that the Tait Quasi-Sync was a flawed system. As time went on, Tait ceased to support that system, parts became impossible to find, and eventually the cards in it could not be repaired. I think most of the audio issues were simulcast distortion. The sheriff's channel failed two months ago and everyone was forced onto the Fire/EMS channel.
New VHF equipment has been installed.
Paging will continue on 154.2425 PL136.5 and is patched to Fire/EMS dispatch TG.

Talkgroup 1003 should be fire/ems dispatch. The others will have to be confirmed, my list is 5 months old.
 

W4UVV

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Something's Up

The official cutover date is Oct 19th at 8AM. Only law enforcement is encrypted. The audio didn't sound any better on the Kenwood VHF radios either. I've heard from other professionals that the Tait Quasi-Sync was a flawed system. As time went on, Tait ceased to support that system, parts became impossible to find, and eventually the cards in it could not be repaired. I think most of the audio issues were simulcast distortion. The sheriff's channel failed two months ago and everyone was forced onto the Fire/EMS channel.
New VHF equipment has been installed.
Paging will continue on 154.2425 PL136.5 and is patched to Fire/EMS dispatch TG.

Talkgroup 1003 should be fire/ems dispatch. The others will have to be confirmed, my list is 5 months old.

--------------

Something's up. Dead silence here now on the Sheriff's Dispatch on 154.3775 mhz. Nothing so far either using my 536 monitoring only the 700 mhz. Sussex Co./VSP interop trs. TX output authorized is 200 watts. Even using an omni-directional at 50% efficiency 40-50 watts ERP should be in my direction. It is possible phased antennas and low power are being used. I still hear the Waverly City PD analog loud and clear on 151.3250 mhz.

No indication of a CC using the ARC536PRO VC feature. I guess 19 Oct is the day to watch.

John
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clbsquared

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--------------

Something's up. Dead silence here now on the Sheriff's Dispatch on 154.3775 mhz. Nothing so far either using my 536 monitoring only the 700 mhz. Sussex Co./VSP interop trs. TX output authorized is 200 watts. Even using an omni-directional at 50% efficiency 40-50 watts ERP should be in my direction. It is possible phased antennas and low power are being used. I still hear the Waverly City PD analog loud and clear on 151.3250 mhz.

No indication of a CC using the ARC536PRO VC feature. I guess 19 Oct is the day to watch.

John
W4UVV.
I think the Sheriff's Department is still using the Fire and EMS channel to communicate. At least they were in Thursday.

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W4UVV

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They are there

I think the Sheriff's Department is still using the Fire and EMS channel to communicate. At least they were in Thursday.

Sent from my HTC One A9 using Tapatalk

--------------------------

Yep,they are there doing a roll call. The F&R frequency does not have the offensive white noise as the Sheriff dispatch frequency did. For me that is an improvement in monitoring.

John
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vern23882

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Right now the CC is 770.85625, all ten frequencies should be entered, I have seen the CC change often. My portable still had connectivity at Southpark Mall last week, system seems to have excellent coverage.
 

W4UVV

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My problem is solved..all is ok again

Right now the CC is 770.85625, all ten frequencies should be entered, I have seen the CC change often. My portable still had connectivity at Southpark Mall last week, system seems to have excellent coverage.

------------------

Tnx Vern for the info update. After some in depth troubleshooting this morning I finally found my problem which was an unworthy RF "leaky" on uhf coax cable jumper to one of my antenna signal splitters connected to a RF pre-amped Scantenna favoring the southern direction. A new coax cable jumper quickly fixed that issue. Additionally, I was using the frequencies from WQYU238 which were only 5 of the total 10 system frequencies which were authorized in WQTZ561. I don't why WQYU238 was issued but everything now is working fine again...5 bars signal strength and good audio..

I also am using the Virtual Control feature of ARC536PRO which will log all new and previously logged talkgroup users. Immediately after powering on the 536 talkgroup "1090" displayed which was some unit checking in.

As I log new talkgroups I will try to id the user and post them.

John
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vern23882

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Anything above 1040 should be DoC. Sussex has 5 pairs, DoC has 5 pairs, combined into one system.
 

reconrider8

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So is doc in greensvile county using this now instead of their vhf? And what's the site frequencies for the Greenville cc site? I may run up there next week with my laptop and run unitrunker on it
 
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