Lancaster Co. Updates

evan · #1 (**permalink**) 09-17-2006, 05:21 PM

We've had a number of submissions pointing out Lancaster County changing PL tones on a number of frequencies. Can anyone confirm if only the Fire Repeater PL changed, or did all of the fire freqs change to 136.5PL.

jeffmulter · #2 (**permalink**) 09-17-2006, 11:39 PM

154.400 R County Fire Dispatch - correct tone is 136.5 Hz. Lancaster Co was previously using 151.4 on the repeater, creating an interference issue with Wilkes County, NC Fire.

153.770 In County Fire Dispatch - correct tone is 136.5 (no longer a FG channel)

The three tac channels are still 151.4

154.025 R County EMS Dispatch - correct tone is 156.7
(The county does NOT use the licensed input of 151.055, but instead has been using 158.940 for a couple of years. Separate tones for the north and south end repeaters.)

155.175 EMS Tac 3 - correct tone is 127.3 (can also be used for backup to dispatch)

155.280 - have never heard Lancaster County EMS use

155.820 R - correct tone is 100.0, but this is not an EMS channel. It is being used by maintenance and security at White-Springs Memorial Hospital in Lancaster.

155.340 - correct tone is 127.3. This channel is used by three local hospitals ... Springs Memorial Hospital in Lancaster, Chester Regional Medical Center in Chester (Chester Co), and Piedmont Medical Center in Rock Hill (York Co).

155.205 Lancaster Rescue - have never heard them use this channel

* 155.325 Lancaster EMS Tac 6 - correct tone is 91.5; used for landing zones when the med helo from Carolinas Medical Center responds (this is the helo's flightwatch channel).

154.740 R Sheriffs Dispatch - correct tone is 127.3

155.730 In Sheriffs Dispatch - correct tone WAS 127.3, but I believe they changed the north end repeater input to 162.2 when the channel was reconfigured in January 2006.

155.070 Sheriffs Tac - correct tone is 127.3

154.830 L-E Mutual Aid In - I have never heard Lancaster Co L-E patrol units use this channel. This is the input to the regional mutual aid channel on 155.535 / 127.3 R, which is very quiet now.

156.090 Sheriffs Tac - correct tone is 127.3

155.535 R L-E Mutual Aid - correct tone is 127.3; channel is very quiet nowadays.

155.835 Kershaw PD - correct tone is 127.3, but Kershaw PD was disbanded about 3 years ago, and the county sheriffs now handle L-E in that town. I believe Kershaw Public Works has access to the channel.

867.250 Police Mutual Aid - I have never heard in use, but the tone APPEARS to be incorrect, in that the specified tone for SC Mutual Aid channels on 800 MHz is 156.7 Hz.

153.545 R Lanc Co Water and Sewers - correct tone is 173.8

158.190 In Lanc Co Water and Sewers - correct tone into 153.545 is 173.8

155.145 Lanc Co Schools - correct tone is 127.3

155.835 Kershaw - see above

156.120 Heath Springs - I have never heard the channel in use

156.225 R Lancaster Fire - correct tone is 127.3

150.805 In Lancaster Fire - correct tone is 127.3

154.370 R Old Lancaster Fire Dispatch - correct tone is 127.3, but rptr is not available for regular use. My understanding is that the rptr components could be deployed in an emergency if the regular fire repeater channel goes down. When it was actively used, the repeater input was 159.045 / 127.3 .

155.595 R Lancaster PD - correct tone is 127.3, but this repeater is not in regular use. I believe the input is 154.710 / 127.3

158.760 R Lancaster PD - correct tone is 127.3

* 151.085 In Lancaster PD - correct tone is 127.3

155.895 R Lancaster Public Works - correct tone is 127.3, and input is 159.030 / 127.3; channel is licensed for both analog and digital modes; agency also has communications in the 216 and 453 MHz bands.

155.940 Lancaster Public Works - I have never heard this channel in use.

155.865 Lancaster Housing - correct tone is 162.2 Hz.

453.5875 Lanc Co Water and Sewer - I have never heard this channel in use. It is interesting to note the strange digital emission this channel is licensed for - 3K40F2D .

evan · #3 (**permalink**) 09-18-2006, 10:18 PM

awesome, thanks! at some point we'll get them updated!

qball · #4 (**permalink**) 09-19-2006, 12:48 AM

"867.250 Police Mutual Aid - I have never heard in use, but the tone APPEARS to be incorrect, in that the specified tone for SC Mutual Aid channels on 800 MHz is 156.7 Hz."

The correct tone is listed in the current database. It is a county-wide mutual aid channel that is not specific to law enforcement, but can be used by any agencies. It also is not part of the SC state mutual aid plan....therefore not using the 156.7 PL.

"155.535 R L-E Mutual Aid - correct tone is 127.3; channel is very quiet nowadays. 154.830 L-E Mutual Aid In - I have never heard Lancaster Co L-E patrol units use this channel. This is the input to the regional mutual aid channel on 155.535 / 127.3 R, which is very quiet now."

According to the license, KWL343 this license is specific to York County now. I believe that it will be used for fire, EMS, and police mutual aid.

Just thought that I would add a couple of things.

jeffmulter · #5 (**permalink**) 09-19-2006, 10:27 PM

Thanks, QBall, for the additional information.

>> According to the license, KWL343 this license is specific to York County now.

There are still some mobile, base and control licenses in place among the agencies surrounding York County ... and those licenses won't expire until 2012 - 2013.

Any talk within York County about switching the input and / or repeater output tone on the channel pair ? I like the idea of putting the channel to use for L-E / FD / EMS mutual aid.

qball · #6 (**permalink**) 09-20-2006, 08:13 PM

I don't think anything about the channel will be changed as far as PL and input freq are concerned. Why do you ask? Have you heard any interference on that repeater?

Using for all public safety agencies should work out well especially since most radios, in surrounding counties, should have it already programmed in them. The channel should make mutual aid comms a little easier once YC moves over to the trunked system.

jeffmulter · #7 (**permalink**) 09-21-2006, 06:06 AM

I'm sorry, QBall. I thought that you were writing that the channel would be used for mutual aid within the county only exclusively.

>> Have you heard any interference on that repeater?

I've never logged any interference off the repeater ... or rebroadcasts of other agencies via the repeater ... atleast not when SCHP Chester was the control. Actually, it's been awhile since I heard anything on the channel locally.

RR shows three L-E agencies in Alabama using 155.535 / 127.3, and I have logged one of them - Russell County Sheriffs - a couple of times at home, and once (November of 2003) while passing through Crisp County in Georgia on I-75.

qball · #8 (**permalink**) 09-21-2006, 06:27 PM

jeff, i think that the plan is to attach it to the trunked system so that regional responders would still be able to contact york county agencies.

jeffmulter · #9 (**permalink**) 10-03-2006, 12:10 PM

>> 153.770 In County Fire Dispatch - correct tone is 136.5 (no longer a FG channel)

Correction ... atleast on the "north" fire repeater, the correct input tone is still 151.4 Hz.

The "south" fire repeater might be 136.5 Hz., but I rarely travel to Lancaster or the south end of the county.

qball · #10 (**permalink**) 10-04-2006, 04:02 PM

Jeff, Lancaster Co Fire, EMS, and Sheriff's Office are now all simulcast. There are no more north and south repeaters. As well, they added the 800MHz channel for all of them to use for mutual aid.

jeffmulter · #11 (**permalink**) 10-07-2006, 09:47 PM

Thanks again, QBall.

Any idea why Lancaster County EMS has never used their licensed frequency for their repeater input ?

They have been licensed for 151.055 as the input to 154.025 for several years, but instead have used a couple of different unlicensed frequencies ... including an input to one of the SLED repeater sites ( Fall, 2001 - 159.060 / 162.2 ), which would cause the SLED site to repeat the EMS traffic.

Thanks.

jeffmulter · #12 (**permalink**) 10-08-2006, 11:10 AM

BTW - the Lancaster Co EMS repeater input is now 158.940 / 156.7, which explains why I no longer hear Acme-Delco-Reigelwood (NC) fire pages via the EMS repeater.

qball · #13 (**permalink**) 10-08-2006, 12:58 PM

Jeff, I think that they had some problems with intereference and had to switch input channels a few times to try to mitigate the problem. I don't know anything about the licensing of the channels.

James · #14 (**permalink**) 10-22-2006, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qball

Jeff, Lancaster Co Fire, EMS, and Sheriff's Office are now all simulcast. There are no more north and south repeaters. As well, they added the 800MHz channel for all of them to use for mutual aid.

Hi all,
I live in Columbia, so I guess I'm maybe 50-60 miles away. I have been monitoring the Lancaster freqs. for a few years. I'm curious why it is that the SD 154.740, and EMS, freqs. are so much stronger than the PD 158.760 ? If the repeaters are linked, or simulcast seems like they would get out about the same strength. I can recieve SD anytime day or night regardless of weather (better at night of course) the PD is pretty weak. I heard 156.090 last night. Don't think I have ever heard 155.070.
I'm monitoring 158.760 now, can't copy. 154.740 is clear...? Its 1:30pm
Also, the 151.4 tacs listed above. Are those simplex, or is that IN? Never copied those either.
Thanks,
Jim

qball · #15 (**permalink**) 10-22-2006, 06:40 PM

The City and County radio systems are completely different and don't use the same tower sites. Lancaster PD is a single site system within the City. LCSD, County Fire, and EMS use a multi-site simulcast system with the southernmost transmitter site near Pleasant Hill.

All of the tactical channels are simplex...none of which are simulcast.

James · #16 (**permalink**) 10-22-2006, 08:39 PM

Thanks Qball !

Jim

wx4cbh · #17 (**permalink**) 10-23-2006, 09:15 PM

Just a thought: Wilkes County, NC uses 151.055/151.4 as the input to one of their fire repeater sites, which as mentioned earlier, is on 154.400 output. I'm always at the least amused and sometimes infuriated with what some so-called "coordinators" call "sufficient geographical separation." Seems to me that Lancaster County has paid good money for bad coordination more than once.