Fish and Game "switching to Nor Comm" ???

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nn6d

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a northern unit announced he was "switching to Nor Comm - to rest of you guys"

as if QSY to different freq or band?

what the hell does that mean ?

what is nor comm ?
 

SCPD

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I only know about "northern," the state park/dept. of fish and wildlife communications center in Rancho Cordova. There are three of these dispatch centers in the state, "northern", "central" and "surcomm." Why it isn't called "southern" is something I haven't figured out. Norcomm sounds like someone that might have been from the south used to "surcomm" and calling "northern" "norcomm."
 

hpycmpr

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"Sur", I believe, is Spanish for south. And stepping further into my minimal knowledge I will venture that "Norte" is Spanish for North. Using three letter abreviations...
I won't touch central ;>)

Steve
 

SCPD

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Central

Central is closing its doors. All the traffic is being split between surcom and norcom.
 

SCPD

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Central is closing its doors. All the traffic is being split between surcom and norcom.

Thanks for the heads up. Central had less coverage area and was really a holdover from State Parks. There is quite a cluster of numerous state parks around the Monterey Bay and their dispatch centers (if you could call them that) were spread about in interesting ways that didn't make sense to those who weren't working for the organization. Fish and Game (now Fish and Wildlife) was dispatched in a variety of ways. Some from their regional offices and some by county 911 centers. The consolidated approach makes far more sense. I believe it could only happen when both agencies were able to afford getting connected to the state's microwave system. This happened when State Parks began switching to 800 MHz back in the 80's. When they did so for Bodie State Park and the Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve in Mono County they were dispatched by Sugar Pine State Park at Lake Tahoe or by the county 911 center in Bridgeport where, at times, they would have the state park radio turned down.
 
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Central is closing its doors. All the traffic is being split between surcom and norcom.

Man I going to miss the 3 dispatchers they had! Do you know when they will closed down?



Thanks for the heads up. Central had less coverage area and was really a holdover from State Parks. There is quite a cluster of numerous state parks around the Monterey Bay and their dispatch centers (if you could call them that) were spread about in interesting ways that didn't make sense to those who weren't working for the organization. Fish and Game (now Fish and Wildlife) was dispatched in a variety of ways. Some from their regional offices and some by county 911 centers. The consolidated approach makes far more sense. I believe it could only happen when both agencies were able to afford getting connected to the state's microwave system. This happened when State Parks began switching to 800 MHz back in the 80's. When they did so for Bodie State Park and the Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve in Mono County they were dispatched by Sugar Pine State Park at Lake Tahoe or by the county 911 center in Bridgeport where, at times, they would have the state park radio turned down.

90% of the time the State Parks officers in Monterey Bay dispatch themselves via scanner or VHF radios listening to local radio traffic. Radio traffic gets real heavy during the summer and holidays. I think Central dispatches all the way down to Pismo Beach i'm not sure how far up the coast they dispatch from Santa Cruz.
 

maximusmouse

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Is there any light anybody can shed on the sur cal radio set up? I have been listening to the freqs in the database and never hear anything. Any info would be appreciated.
 

scottyhetzel

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Surcom

Is there any light anybody can shed on the sur cal radio set up? I have been listening to the freqs in the database and never hear anything. Any info would be appreciated.

I hear surcom all the time in the coachella valley (Riverside Co. East)... Ocotillo Wells OHV area is very active. Maybe your area there is not much traffic or your listening to just one repeater. Have you left your unit csq. ?
 

SCPD

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Is there any light anybody can shed on the sur cal radio set up? I have been listening to the freqs in the database and never hear anything. Any info would be appreciated.

From Santa Clarita you won't hear much, or not at all, on State Park frequencies. One member here posted that he was hearing the Hungry Valley OHV park on 700 MHz from there.

Other than that the only repeater you might be able to hear is on Castro Peak in the Santa Monica Mountains. Given the 800 MHz frequencies that are involved, topographical features between you and the repeater probably eliminate any chance of receiving Castro. I believe that the ridge with all the electronic sites on it is called "Oat Mountain," and would block signals from Castro. There is another repeater somewhere n the Santa Susana mountains, but is closer to Oat than Castro so it would be blocked. Most of the state parks in southern California are on the beach so it can be hard to pick up much traffic from inland locations. There is a lot of traffic on repeaters located on Catalina island. My mother used to live in the LAX area and I could not pick up Catalina or Castro Peak from there so imagine how much harder it is from Santa Clarita/

Santa Clarita looks to me that receiving anything distant from you would be tough. Mt. Pinos and Frazier may provide you with some good listening that may involve Ventura, Kern and L.A. County. In addition all the Oat Mountain repeaters must boom into your location.
 

bryan_herbert

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Here in Newhall...

'Jade' 868.5625 D115 (Angeles, Malibu, Topanga) is loud and clear with just an indoor whip antenna.
'Yellow' 867.5625 D125 (Hungry Valley) definitely requires an outdoor antenna, a discone works fine.
 

maximusmouse

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WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who taught me how to spell?

Thanks Brian, I will try that.
As you suspected, I indeed am hearing broadcasts as far as the 101 Fwy and Las Virgines.
Thanks again!
 
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