Hardin County OH - County FD info

[mtindor]

@wa8pyr

Tom, help an old guy understand MARCS. It appears there is some logic to the frequencies used for MARCS, as shown on the Ohio MARCS-IP Page.

So when I query the F.C.C. databases for, (example), Allen County OH, and find our local Sheriff Dept /below is using two frequencies of 806.037500 and 851.037500, and the frequencies are not in the MARCS listing cited above, should I assume that these would fall under Conventional use?

Further, since the transmission is FCC designated 20K0F3E, should I also assume there is the possibility this transmission may use PL or DPL?

I'm trying to untwist some of the miscommunication about MARCS. Great thing about the internet is the amount of information, as well as the amount of bad information.

Cite: Allen County S.O. call sign WPUD609 (Public Safety National Plan)

I'm not Tom, but -- the database lists this use for that freq:

851.0375

806.0375

WPUD609

RM

ACSO MDT

Allen County Sheriff - MDTs

FM

Data

 

[Jphila20]

@wa8pyr

Tom, help an old guy understand MARCS. It appears there is some logic to the frequencies used for MARCS, as shown on the Ohio MARCS-IP Page.

So when I query the F.C.C. databases for, (example), Allen County OH, and find our local Sheriff Dept /below is using two frequencies of 806.037500 and 851.037500, and the frequencies are not in the MARCS listing cited above, should I assume that these would fall under Conventional use?

Further, since the transmission is FCC designated 20K0F3E, should I also assume there is the possibility this transmission may use PL or DPL?

I'm trying to untwist some of the miscommunication about MARCS. Great thing about the internet is the amount of information, as well as the amount of bad information.

Cite: Allen County S.O. call sign WPUD609 (Public Safety National Plan)

Allen County Sheriff is on MARCS. Talk Group 54757 SO02DSP Sheriff Dispatch

Allen County Sheriff's Office, Lima Fire and Police Departments, American Township Fire Department, Bath Township Fire Department, Bluffton Fire and Police Departments, Shawnee Township Fire and Police Departments are using the Ohio MARCS trunked radio system.

This looks like the old system: 155.520 KQD729 RM 85.4 PL ALLEN SO Allen County Sheriff FMN Law Dispatch
158.910 M ALLEN SO TAC Allen County Sheriff - TAC FMN Law Tac
158.775 M ALLEN SO TAC Allen County Sheriff - TAC

 

[W8HDU]

Allen County Sheriff is on MARCS. Talk Group 54757 SO02DSP Sheriff Dispatch

Allen County Sheriff's Office, Lima Fire and Police Departments, American Township Fire Department, Bath Township Fire Department, Bluffton Fire and Police Departments, Shawnee Township Fire and Police Departments are using the Ohio MARCS trunked radio system.

This looks like the old system: 155.520 KQD729 RM 85.4 PL ALLEN SO Allen County Sheriff FMN Law Dispatch
158.910 M ALLEN SO TAC Allen County Sheriff - TAC FMN Law Tac
158.775 M ALLEN SO TAC Allen County Sheriff - TAC

I've not heard any transmissions on 158.190. I have that in the scanner and it has not "hit" since 2/21/2019. I'm pretty sure that was decommissioned. Ditto KUL776 at Location 2. The fire department and police TAC are off this tower.

 

[kf8yk]

So when I query the F.C.C. databases for, (example), Allen County OH, and find our local Sheriff Dept /below is using two frequencies of 806.037500 and 851.037500, and the frequencies are not in the MARCS listing cited above, should I assume that these would fall under Conventional use?

If you look at the 'Radio Service' code in the license the GE code indicates it's licensed for conventional use only. If this frequency was used in a trunk system it would have to be a YE service code.

You can find a full list of radio service codes here: Radio Services

 

[wa8pyr]

@wa8pyr

So when I query the F.C.C. databases for, (example), Allen County OH, and find our local Sheriff Dept /below is using two frequencies of 806.037500 and 851.037500, and the frequencies are not in the MARCS listing cited above, should I assume that these would fall under Conventional use?

Further, since the transmission is FCC designated 20K0F3E, should I also assume there is the possibility this transmission may use PL or DPL?

If you look at the 'Radio Service' code in the license the GE code indicates it's licensed for conventional use only. If this frequency was used in a trunk system it would have to be a YE service code.

You can find a full list of radio service codes here: Radio Services

What @kf8yk said...

The FCC database is a useful tool. However, I always prefer to err on the side of caution and physically verify what's going on; there are plenty of instances out there of licensees using a frequency in a manner they're not actually licensed for. A good example is agencies which convert their existing dispatch frequency to a digital mode (or add it to a trunked system) without updating the license; reputable radio shops are pretty good about making sure the licensing is updated, but there are plenty of them out there which just make the sale, do the installation and then trot off down the pike.

 

[W8UU]

The FCC database is a useful tool. However, I always prefer to err on the side of caution and physically verify what's going on; there are plenty of instances out there of licensees using a frequency in a manner they're not actually licensed for.

Tom's advice is solid as usual. In southeastern Ohio, there are more than a handful of decommissioned radio systems with active FCC licenses. MARCS is the primary culprit as agencies jump on the statewide system, abandon their legacy analog radio systems, but keep renewing the licenses thinking they need them for their MARCS equipment. This actually locks up perfectly usable frequencies that may be needed by others. The opposite is true where agencies forget to renew licenses but continue to use their legacy frequencies. They may get a rude surprise with a legally vacant frequency is reissued to a neighboring county and now you have company on your dispatch frequency. Checking the FCC and RR databases *then* monitoring to confirm operation is what makes this platform so valuable.