Massachusetts State Police Digital

[bh]

I'm having trouble figuring out which MSP system I should use with my new Uniden 436HP when it arrives. I'd like to monitor Troop A and Troop H talk groups from the Boston and Boston-north areas (to New Hampshire border). Has this area converted to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts statewide digital system (Commonwealth Of Massachusetts Trunking System, Statewide, Massachusetts - Scanner Frequencies) or should I still use the analog Motorola Type II system (Massachusetts State Police Trunking System, Statewide, Massachusetts - Scanner Frequencies

 

[cdant]

For Troops A&H you want to use the Type Analog system.


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[Dave2582]

The analog system is best. I'm on the border of mass and nh and I have site/zone 5 loaded. For what I hear, I can hear troops a, c, d, e and h. If you want digital, you need to be on rt 95 or inside rt 95 belt to hear digital. Not worth having it unless you're in the area at the time.

 

[ecps92]

And Zone 5 Only

For Troops A&H you want to use the Type Analog system.


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[garys]

And you won't hear any state police traffic on that digital system anyway.

The analog system is best. I'm on the border of mass and nh and I have site/zone 5 loaded. For what I hear, I can hear troops a, c, d, e and h. If you want digital, you need to be on rt 95 or inside rt 95 belt to hear digital. Not worth having it unless you're in the area at the time.

 

[ecps92]

Depending on the on-going events, you might, as there was some activity on the 700 Mhz Metro Boston Over-lay during the 4th.

And you won't hear any state police traffic on that digital system anyway.

 

[garys]

But you won't on a regular basis. Which was my point.

For someone who isn't familiar with the area or the MSP system, the DB here and the Wiki at Scan-ne can be confusing. The 700 Mhz overlay is not intended for day to day use by the MSP, but you can get the impression it is if you look at either resource.

The usage might change in the future, but for now at least, there should be no expectation of hearing MSP units on a regular basis.

Depending on the on-going events, you might, as there was some activity on the 700 Mhz Metro Boston Over-lay during the 4th.

 

[Supervisor601]

Makes you miss the old low-band system, no?

 

[garys]

Not at all. i can routinely hear Troops from the NH state line to the RI state line and out past Worcester. As well as the upper Cape. All via the trunk system.

Makes you miss the old low-band system, no?

 

[ecps92]

You mean the days of Skip and getting walked on ?
Or having MilOps and Cordless Phones from foreign Countries lock up your RX ??

Nope

Makes you miss the old low-band system, no?

 

[Supervisor601]

Yet they still outfit their vehicles with them. One major disaster (use your imagination as to what type) and the system goes down, they're screwed. I guess the same fate would happen for UHF systems too, given Verizon and their phone line connections to satellite receivers.

 

[garys]

The reason that they still equip cruisers with low band is that there are still some areas with poor 800 system. That's more true out west than in the east, but there are even some dead spots in eastern MA.

At some point those will be filled and the low band system will be turned off.

It would take a statewide disaster to break the system, and low band would likely also be affected.

Yet they still outfit their vehicles with them. One major disaster (use your imagination as to what type) and the system goes down, they're screwed. I guess the same fate would happen for UHF systems too, given Verizon and their phone line connections to satellite receivers.

 

[ecps92]

Y2K and some other events the Low Band and the 800 Interops worked quite well, as a back-up, and for some Pre-Planned events where the TRS went down.

The reason that they still equip cruisers with low band is that there are still some areas with poor 800 system. That's more true out west than in the east, but there are even some dead spots in eastern MA.

At some point those will be filled and the low band system will be turned off.

It would take a statewide disaster to break the system, and low band would likely also be affected.