Bucks County PSP O-SKY versus VHF

[n3wrx]

Part-time resident of Bucks county.

Even with my portable, I can still hear communication on TAC-1, and some of the base frequencies assigned to the PSP in the area.

Anyone know if they are just using VHF partially as a backup or if I'm hearing 100% of the traffic on VHF analog?

Seems to me that since they're a border county with NJ, they're likely to keep VHF for interop with NJ, which uses a hybrid analog/digital Motorola 800MHz trunked SmartNet system state-wide. Which, in turn, will mean they will probably use VHF as much as they can get away with since I keep hearing how poorly this OpenSky system performs.

-j

 

[RichardKramer]

PSP Open Sky/Starnet

Here in Berks County, PA, PSP Troop L Reading and many other area PSP barracks are using their VHF High Band radios as back-up as the O.S. system has alot of dead spots. Since this O.S. system has been implemented the cost has soared from $200 million to almost $400 million. I think the VHF system was one of the best the PSP had since they moved from VHF Low band years ago. What a waste of taxpayers money!

Rich - Reading, PA

 

[HM1529]

PSP Dublin and Trevose are only using VHF when units are in areas that have poor coverage on the new system. Most comms are on 800.