Just moved to Boston area, saying hi.

[Squelchtone]

Hello Boston area listeners.

I just relocated for work from Western Mass (Wilbraham) to Waltham and wanted to say hello. I tried finding a "say hi, I'm new" but was not able to find one, so please delete/move this if it doesn't really belong in the Massachusetts sub forum.

Not sure why I never joined a forum about scanning before, it seems like a great place for like minded people to talk about our hobby. I suppose I've always viewed it as a very independent activity. Been scanning since I bought my Pro-46 back in 1994, following trunked systems before they had trunk tracking scanners, monitoring all sorts of interesting signals such as POCSAG and MDT, and the rest as they say is history. I mainly listen to local police and fire in whatever town I'm living in, and I listen to surrounding towns while in the car.

A BC785D just fell in my lap, minus the APCO25 card, and since Westover ARB was the only digital system near me in Western Mass, I never bothered getting a fancy radio like the BCD996T when they first came out.

I'm very tempted to get a BCD996XT for the house and one for the car, but I think I'll mess around with the BC785D for a while to see what all the fuss is about.

So far, I'm only monitoring Waltham PD on 470.5125, but would like to find some up to date freq lists for surrounding communities. Also interested in B Troop Pike trunking info any AirWing freqs/groups they use in this part of the state.

Thank you,
Squelchtone

 

[Junior08]

Welcome!

You should be able to find up to date information here in the radioreference database. Another great source of information for frequencies can be found at Your Page Title

 

[w2csx]

I think you said you moved to the Boston area, so having B troop isn't the troop you want. You want either Troop A or H or both along with troop F for Logan airport.

 

[Squelchtone]

I think you said you moved to the Boston area, so having B troop isn't the troop you want. You want either Troop A or H or both along with troop F for Logan airport.

Hello, and thank you for the quick replies.

I think you're right.. I'm used to B3 Springfield and B6 Northampton on I-91, while E3 was Mass Pike State Police Westfield, and I'm not sure if it's only E Troop on the Pike in WMass and changes from Worcester to Boston.

I had a system map in an old scanner master frequency guide, not sure where that book is at the moment.

Squelchtone

PS. I just located this page, when I start programming the BC785D we'll see if it's still active: Mass Turnpike Authority - Scan New England Wiki

(hope its ok to post links here from that other site)

 

[N1BHH]

I think we can also direct you to: Scanner Programming Files

The wiki at Scan New England is pretty darned accurate.

 

[ecps92]

E Troop [MSP] and Turnpike Admin/Maint is rare on the VHF [it does occur, but rare] inside the Rte-128 belt [Metropolitan Highway System]
and is more prevelent on the MSP 800 TRS

Take peek at the RR DB for Middlesex/Norfolk/Suffolk counties as well as the same counties at ScanNewEngland for much of the PD/FD/EMS you seek

Hello, and thank you for the quick replies.

I think you're right.. I'm used to B3 Springfield and B6 Northampton on I-91, while E3 was Mass Pike State Police Westfield, and I'm not sure if it's only E Troop on the Pike in WMass and changes from Worcester to Boston.

I had a system map in an old scanner master frequency guide, not sure where that book is at the moment.

Squelchtone

PS. I just located this page, when I start programming the BC785D we'll see if it's still active: Mass Turnpike Authority - Scan New England Wiki

(hope its ok to post links here from that other site)

 

[RKG]

For fire freqs, try Boston Sparks Association - Boston, MA.

And, by the way, you are likely to have trouble hearing the MassPort trunked system from Waltham; it is low in power and directly only at the Airport and the Seaport Blvd. areas.

 

[Squelchtone]

Thank you everyone for the good links. I just got another BC785D, this one w/ the APCO 25 card, and finally bought the correct serial cable to make it talk with ScanControl software. So much easier/faster to bulk program this thing than from the front panel buttons.

Very happy to be back into the hobby. I'll have to start some MA related threads one of these days, and I think it's safe to say this thread can be finished up or locked.

Thanks all, and happy monitoring,
Squelchtone

 

[CoolCat]

Welcome to the forum

..and welcome to Waltham (I moved to Waltham about 2 years ago myself).

 

[N1BHH]

The most up to date frequency listings are here: Main Page - Scan New England Wiki

There are a number of us updating and adding to the listings by the hour. Check it out.