PA 700 MHz Air to Ground System

[GTR8000]

Sorry, I mistyped, I didn't mean to imply that the site you're hearing loud and clear now was the Bucks site. I was trying to make the comparison between the SysID, RFSS and Site #'s between what is noted for "Bucks County TRS" and the site you're sitting on now.

The aerial surveillance TG that was mentioned is what tipped me off that the "Bucks" system was actually a site on this system. Along with the matching WACN, state license frequencies, etc. I'm hoping someone in the Bucks area will respond to that thread so we can confirm all of the site info.

 

[HM1529]

Sorry, I mistyped, I didn't mean to imply that the site you're hearing loud and clear now was the Bucks site. I was trying to make the comparison between the SysID, RFSS and Site #'s between what is noted for "Bucks County TRS" and the site you're sitting on now.

The aerial surveillance TG that was mentioned is what tipped me off that the "Bucks" system was actually a site on this system. Along with the matching WACN, state license frequencies, etc. I'm hoping someone in the Bucks area will respond to that thread so we can confirm all of the site info.

Understood. Since we were replying at about the same time, just wanted to make sure everything I typed was clear.

 

[GTR8000]

So far it seems to be shaping up like this:

System 002 = Pittsburgh area, RFSS 201 (one site, 001)

System 006 = Philly area, RFSS 203 (two sites, 001 and 003)

System 007 = Harrisburg area, RFSS 200 (one site, 001)

Of course this is all subject to change as more data is collected, but it is interesting.

 

[GTR8000]

I'm sure most have already seen this in "The Truth About PA-STARNet" propaganda...erm, bulletin...but here it is for those who haven't:

With the addition in 2011 of a statewide interconnected trunked P25 network using the 700 MHz band, PA-STARNet now has reliable and fully integrated support for aviation communications. P25, short for Project 25, is a set of standards for digital radio communications widely implemented by manufacturers of public safety radio systems. The main purpose of the P25 subsystem is to serve the helicopter and airplane fleets of PSP, the Office of Attorney General, and the Department of Military & Veterans Affairs, but it is available for ground communications as well.

Ben, based on reading that again, I'm inclined to agree with you that we should elevate this system to Statewide status.

 

[HM1529]

So far it seems to be shaping up like this:

System 002 = Pittsburgh area, RFSS 201 (one site, 001)

System 006 = Philly area, RFSS 203 (two sites, 001 and 003)

System 007 = Harrisburg area, RFSS 200 (one site, 001)

Of course this is all subject to change as more data is collected, but it is interesting.

If you look at the map of the seven regions that STARNET is broken into, this matches.

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/document/1218316/radio_maps_list_ci_6_pdf

 

[GTR8000]

It sure does, great observation.

 

[GTR8000]

I'm combing through some PDF files I found online, trying to glean a bit more detailed info regarding the sites. One thing I have confirmed is that YORK01 is a site, in fact it was the first 700 site implemented.

7. Aircraft Communications Update

Robert Barnham, Interoperability Manager, OPRS, provided an update on the aircraft communications project. Mr. Barnham stated that the 700 MHz P25 subsystem deployment is operational at one site, YORK01. All ten sites are to be completed by the end of June 2011. The test of YORK01 was successful with communications to the east as far as Philadelphia, and to west as far as Latrobe.

Two transcoders have been deployed to PA-STARNet Regions 6 and 7. All regions will get transcoders that allow P25 and OpenSky® to interoperate. This configuration uses direct internetworking rather than digital-to-analog conversion.

I've matched up two of the other sites with the closest STARNet sites.

 

[radio17]

Heard in Perkasie PA with Unitrunker.

Type: APCO P25
ID: 00001-006

769.95625 Site 203-001 weak signal in Perkasie PA

773.79375 Site 204-002 very strong signal in Perkasie

Only Group IDs I've seen are 454 455.

 

[GTR8000]

Heard in Perkasie PA with Unitrunker.

Type: APCO P25
ID: 00001-006

769.95625 Site 203-001 weak signal in Perkasie PA

773.79375 Site 204-002 very strong signal in Perkasie

Only Group IDs I've seen are 454 455.

For each site you're tracking in Unitrunker, can you please provide the following info:

- Alternate control channels and all frequencies associated with each site

- Anything showing up on the Peers tab of the Site windows

- On the Info tab of the Site window, what is showing up in the APCO P25 section for the CallSign, Channel Access and NAC fields

Thanks!

 

[Netranger801]

Camden County 700 Fireground Analog Frequencies

County 700 Frequencies

 

[chankel]

From Sellersville, south end with PSR-500; nothing new here, these frequencies have been identified already on RR

773.79375 very strong signal
NAC 01B
W 00001
Sy 006
R 204
S 002

769.95625 weak signal
NAC 01B
W 00001
Sy 06
R 203
S 001

 

[HM1529]

From Sellersville, south end with PSR-500; nothing new here, these frequencies have been identified already on RR

773.79375 very strong signal
NAC 01B
W 00001
Sy 006
R 204
S 002

769.95625 weak signal
NAC 01B
W 00001
Sy 06
R 203
S 001

Since Monday, I have logged several hundred miles of travel across Berks, southern Schuylkill, Lehigh, southern Carbon, Northampton, Bucks, and Montgomery Counties. This travel has included stops at high points (Port Clinton Fire Tower on Blue Mountain, Hopewell Fire Tower @ French Creek, Appalachian Trail @ Blue Mtn Drive, and South Mountain Park in Bethlehem).

I feel pretty confident that these are the only two transmitters covering that area. I have found nothing else active in the Lehigh Valley other than a bunch of NJ state system control channels.

773.79375 is most likely at BUCK41 (Nockamixon State Park/Quakertown) as this is the only high profile tower site in the vicinity of the strongest signals.

I did not pick up anything on the other reported Bucks County control channel (769.16875/Doylestown). Has anyone picked this site up? I'll be up closer to Doylestown next week, so I will try again. When I was in Bucks this week, it was up north around Quakertown and along the Delaware River from Riegelsville to Yardley and then from Yardley over to the turnpike Philadelphia interchange.

If there was another site in the SE part of the state, I would have to imagine it would be down in Philly somewhere, but I would think I could hear it from home if that were the case. I'm actually kind of impressed at how far away I can pick up the NJ control channels on a handheld at good elevations.

 

[GTR8000]

Unfortunately there were no submissions attached to what was the "Bucks County" system, so I have no idea where that 769.16875 came from. Whatever admin created it in the system did so with no paper trail, so that's a dead end.

It must've been active at some point, because the SysID, WACN, RFSS and Site # were all put into the DB at some point, and they match the pattern of the sites we know are on the air right now, so it was legitimate. It's certainly clear by now that whatever is or was on 769.16875 had nothing to do with Bucks County, though.

It is worth noting that 773.79375 was originally listed as an Alt CC for that "Bucks" system alongside 769.16875. We now have 773.79375 listed as the Pri CC for the 204-002 site, which Ben figures is BUCK40. There's no way they would've had two sites that close together sharing a frequency.

Here's my theory: Site 203-003 did exist at some point, maybe during early testing, and is probably off the air now. Maybe the coverage from BERK02 and BUCK40 was better than expected.

If we look at the remaining two sites in SysID 6, I do see a pattern with the RFSS and SiteID, which 203-003 really doesn't fit into:

203-001 - BERK02
204-002 - BUCK41

I guess we'll find out for sure next week when you're in the Doylestown area.

Ben, the NJ system has pretty good coverage and propagation. They use a mix of single sites and simulcast zones, so the coverage is pretty wide in certain areas. I'd actually love to find someone in the Trenton area in either NJ or PA who can scope out Site 036 on that system, it's the one site I still need some info for. But, that's a topic for another thread.

http://wiki.radioreference.com/images/4/40/NJPSIC_Site_Map.png

 

[hosehead88]

Lots of test counts all of a sudden. Will try to capture some info.

 

[HM1529]

Lots of test counts all of a sudden. Will try to capture some info.

You're close to the Reeser's Summit site which I figure is probably going to be the busiest of the sites considering most of the air assets are based in the Harrisburg/FTIG area and/or travel to and from that area. Good location to snag talkgroup affiliations and radio ID's on Unitrunker.


I ran Unitrunker on the Geigertown site for three days and only got two ARNG unit affiliations. I have it running again at home today...will see if anything pops up when I get home.

 

[radio17]

Here is more info from Unitrunker. Again, I'm not an expert, only reporting what I see.

Type: APCO P25
ID: 00001-006

769.95625 Site 203-001 weak signal in Perkasie PA

other control channels listed
769.16875 LCN 00-0001
773.79375 LCN 00-0371 that's site 204-002
774.83125 LCN 00-0454 not seen since 09-06-2012

channels used
770.66875 LCN 00-0121

no peers
no call sign
channel access P1
NAC O1B

band plan
base 769.15625
lo 00-0000
hi 00-4095
spacing 12.5
slots 1



773.79375 Site 204-002 very strong signal in Perkasie

other control channels listed
769.95625 LCN 00-0064 that's site 203-001
769.16875 LCN 00-0001 not seen since 10-22-2012
774.83125 LCN 00-0454 not seen since 03-07-2013

channels used
774.29375 LCN 00-0411

no peers
no call sign
channel access P1
NAC O1B

band plan
base 769.15625
lo 00-0000
hi 00-4095
spacing 12.5
slots 1

 

[GTR8000]

Thanks, radio17, good info that helps clarify some stuff!

By the way, Unitrunker has a tendency to "bring" control channels over to the other sites if you change frequencies on the scanner/receiver while it's activity decoding another site, which probably explains why you are seeing 773.79375 on Site 203-001 and 769.95625 on site 204-002. You should delete those channels from each site and they shouldn't pop back up. When switching site frequencies on the scanner, stop the receiver first and close the active site window, this will prevent Unitrunker from thinking the control channel you were just monitoring is part of the site window that pops up when you switch frequencies to another site's control channel.

 

[hosehead88]

You're close to the Reeser's Summit site which I figure is probably going to be the busiest of the sites considering most of the air assets are based in the Harrisburg/FTIG area and/or travel to and from that area. Good location to snag talkgroup affiliations and radio ID's on Unitrunker.


I ran Unitrunker on the Geigertown site for three days and only got two ARNG unit affiliations. I have it running again at home today...will see if anything pops up when I get home.

Do I need a tap for a 996XT or PSR-500 to do this? Sorry...new to unitrunker.

I hope you are right. A little bird also told me that this 700 system may be a replacement for OpenSky and be merged with a VHF system on the Northern half of the state....

 

[jiminpgh]

996T Discriminator Tap

This is pretty easy. I did mine in a hotel room. As I recall, the spot is on the bottom of the board, clearly identified, and even has a post to solder the wire. I went to Radio shack and got the minature audio extension wire, so I had a female connector for the scanner termination. This wire was able to clear the scanners sheet metal on reassembly.
Rich Carlson did it and here are the instructions:

http://forums.radioreference.com/uniden-scanners/39954-996-discriminator.html
UniTrunker - The RadioReference Wiki

I use Unitrunker. It was harder to get Untrunker to to work than the discriminator tap. Unitrunker is pretty cool. If you are in the Harrisburg area, there should be a lot of stuff to look at. You gonna like it!

Good luck and report what you find.

Jim in Pittsburgh

 

[hosehead88]

TG 133 was active today. Someone called Gary and asked how the voice quality was. The response was 4/5 and they were pleased with it. They were testing mobile and portable.

Portable ID 5500011