New OSP / ODOT repeaters

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OregonScanner

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Just a heads up that, as far as I can tell, in the next few months OSP & ODOT will be switching to P25.

The August OWIN progress report shows that $43 million will be spent in the 2011-2013 biennium for microwave radios, $8.5 million for trunking (Willamette Valley & Bend), & $49.2 million for P25 two-way radios for OSP & ODOT for areas outside the TRS. Radios will be Harris Unity multi-band.

According to the report, OSP La Grande has already had 3 new repeaters installed (Mt. Emily, Ladd Canyon, & Mt. Fanny). Focus will be on Eastern Oregon before winter while Western Oregon repeaters are installed during winter so that they are done by next summer. All of the new repeaters are currently in the OWIN warehouse & mobile radios will be put into service in October. Encryption, trunking, & GPS will be used based upon the individual jurisdiction's needs.

All of this assuming, that they don't change their minds.

August 2011 OWIN report: http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/StateRadioProject/docs/MPR/2011.08_MPR_Full.Report.pdf
 

oregontreehugger

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Thanks for the heads up! It's nice to see a little more transparency and openness now with this project vs the OWIN "blank check." Winter will be here soon enough -- they better get cracking!

I wonder if they are planning to piggyback OSP and ODOT onto systems like Portland's TRS. Especially since they already have things like ODOT's COMET incident response trucks on there.

Unfortunately, I see the dreaded "e" word mentioned. Hopefully that is kept to a minimum.
 
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icom1020

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WSDOT is not encrypted, just not track-able since they use LTR Multinet which scanner manufacturers did not or could not conceive of including in the firmware of the current models. It is possible to listen in by monitoring the home and status channels in a game of cat and mouse.
 

OregonScanner

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I was wrong...they use Transcrypt voice scrambling modules. Oh well I live in Oregon so it doesn't bother me.
 

OregonScanner

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The WS DOT page in RR shows LTR Multinet with Transcrypt. But not being from washington i had no way of confirming. it looks like now i will be able to listen to more than just WSP.
 

jeremym70

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I can't say for 100% that they arent't using encryption at all, everything I have heard is completely analog. However their system might as well be encrypted for how annoying it is to try and listen to it. Basically their control channel called the status channel uses subaudible data, that sounds like a open carrier. However the first voice channel to be assigned is the control channel, then the control channel switches to an alternate channel, called the home channel. Once the conversation is over status data returns to the original channel. If there is more than one conversation on a site either the original status channel gets assigned to voice, if there are no additional voice channels available. Over 5 years ago you used to be able to scan just the home channels and get the majority of the traffic, however they did an upgrade and it got changed. Also all non status channels have the traditional every 10 second keyup like standard LTR systems.

I was working on mapping out channels per site in SW Washington several years back and I think I posted most of them here.

As I said its not a super exciting system until bad weather hits, however their Incident Response Team talkgroup can be interesting during major accidents.
 

Protx-1

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OODT was purchasing the Harris radio both mobile and portable but due to issues with the radio and several installation problems with the installers not installing the radios properly the contract was suspended until further notice. The Portland area IR units run off the city of Portland 800 Mhz system as well as VHF and will continue to do so until a better system is found
 

DickH

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... The Portland area IR units run off the city of Portland 800 Mhz system as well as VHF and will continue to do so until a better system is found

What's wrong with the Portland system?
 

Protx-1

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Odot ir

There is nothing wrong with the Portland system other then having dead areas on I-205 where it's difficult to transmit using a portable radio. Other then that all is well
 

DickH

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There is nothing wrong with the Portland system other then having dead areas on I-205 where it's difficult to transmit using a portable radio. Other then that all is well

Do you recall the exact places? If so, I'll pass it along to BOEC.
 
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