Low Band VHF IN 2018

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rbrtklamp2

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I have a local public works agency in my area in the 45. XX range and I believe my county still uses a 39.XX frequency for emergency managment plus using rolling code coice inversion on it, and I believe my state has a handful of 45.xx range frequencies still in use for the IL EMA and possibly the IL Nat Guard as well.

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kruser

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Are any public safety agencies or utilities still using low band vhf?

I don't know the numbers but there are actually quite a few licensed users on low band.

Here in Missouri, the State Patrol is keeping their low band system running along with the statewide P25 system.
They actively use the low band system when a trooper cannot be reached on the P25 system. They also conduct low band tests on the weekends.
I'm not sure how many mobile users still have low band radios in their cars but I've also not heard of them removing any.

I also recently read a post here about P25 showing up on low band. I can't recall the user or user type though.
I've always wondered how well a P25 system would work on low band with the bands crazy propagation.
I know I pickup a fair amount of several hundred mile skip signals when tuning around for distant site within my state. It's kind of cool seeing a P25 site pop up from several states away!

Not sure about utility companies. I know low band was very popular with utilities. Our old electric company had a well built low band network in the state but it had its problems just like public safety with getting signals in and out of the hills of the Ozarks.
 

kruser

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Are any public safety agencies or utilities still using low band vhf?

I just ran a license check for Missouri alone.
The FCC site shows 241 licensed users on low band.
I noticed many of them showed very recent renewals also so those users may be actively using low band or maintaining their license for a backup radio system.

Surprisingly, the BNSF railroad held a lot of active licenses across this state. I've never tried monitoring any rail activity on low band!
 

spongella

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Our local fire company still uses low band VHF for comms when activated, then at some point they switch to UHF. In general though I don't hear much anymore on 30 - 50 MHz. Might pick up some interesting comms when the band is open though.
 

daddyjohn

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Empire District Electric still uses low band in Joplin, Mo.

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nd5y

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Surprisingly, the BNSF railroad held a lot of active licenses across this state.
44.58 is BNSF's ELOS data system. If you put your scanner in AM mode and open the squelch you might hear extremely short data bursts if there are any in your area or the band is open.
 

kruser

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44.58 is BNSF's ELOS data system. If you put your scanner in AM mode and open the squelch you might hear extremely short data bursts if there are any in your area or the band is open.

Thanks for that info!
I figured it must be used for something common seeing every BNSF low band license had the same frequency licensed.
 

mm

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46.xx MHz fire paging, 48.xx MHz electric utility co-op, 40.9 MHz national guard helicopters and some 44.xx MHz private loggers/forestry is still heard on a weekly basis in Northwest Oregon.
 

flythunderbird

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The WV State Police still has lowband frequencies, but I'm not sure how often they are used as they also use SIRN (maybe simulcast on lowband, IDK).
 

KB7MIB

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Maricopa County (Phoenix, AZ) still has a lowband simplex frequency for emergency management.

El Paso Natural Gas Company may still have several lowband repeaters around Arizona.

There are still 4 lowband frequencies assigned for nationwide interoperability use.

John
Peoria, AZ
 

PrivatelyJeff

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The California Highway Patrol (CHP) still uses VHF Low Band for their primary dispatch and has no plans to change.
https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?aid=995

It kind of surprises me that they still do. You would think they would move to a 700 system and cut down on radio gear they need. Or even have all state services move to a consolidated P25 system like some states.
 

SteveSimpkin

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It kind of surprises me that they still do. You would think they would move to a 700 system and cut down on radio gear they need. Or even have all state services move to a consolidated P25 system like some states.

I *think* it is because of propagation and coverage. The terrain is so extreme in places, like Truckee, that if they moved to 700/800 MHz they would need a lot more radio sites.
Some additional information about the history of CHP's radios.
 

PrivatelyJeff

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I *think* it is because of propagation and coverage. The terrain is so extreme in places, like Truckee, that if they moved to 700/800 MHz they would need a lot more radio sites.
Some additional information about the history of CHP's radios.

I can see that in some areas, but not everywhere. It’s also weird that they also still use standard UHF as well, so that’s at least 3 radios per unit.
 
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