radio net for scanner listeners

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zz0468

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This sounds like an application better served with ham radio. Maybe a 40 meter net in the evenings or something for discussions, and a yahoo group for the breaking news items. The money spent on air time would be better spent for study materials for those who are currently unlicensed.
 

af5rn

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zz0468 said:
This sounds like an application better served with ham radio. Maybe a 40 meter net in the evenings or something for discussions, and a yahoo group for the breaking news items. The money spent on air time would be better spent for study materials for those who are currently unlicensed.
I agree the casual discussions would be better worked out on the amateur bands. Unfortunately, a lot of people simply will never make that leap. It's so easy that a monkey can be an Extra these days, but most people just aren't into that kind of commitment, despite their interest in communications in general.

As for the breaking news thing, a Yahoogroup is useless. You have to be sitting in front of your computer 24/7 and refreshing your e-mail every 5 minutes to get anything timely there. And that is assuming that there are not serious delays or outages at Yahoogroups, which frequently happens. The whole point of BREAKING news is to get it as it happens, not after it happens. Telephone, pager, or radio communications is the only way to accomplish that. I mean, if I can be sitting on my arse waiting for incoming e-mails, I could be scanning for myself and not need Yahoogroups to inform me. The important function that the net could serve is to keep us informed when we are not sitting in front of the computer or scanner. Otherwise, it really serves no useful purpose.
 

Sac916

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Mac128k said:
Aren't there pager services that can report breaking incidents to you? Might be easier than toting a radio around. Of course that wouldn't really help if people wanted to discuss what they were hearing.


Side topic, but in regards to notification networks/application

I'm certain that most scanner enthusiasts have a cell phone - and most are adept with text messages. I strongly suggest the SMS social network Twitter.com

I have created a group/community for the Sacramento,CA region and it has worked out quite well. It can be used as an example.

http://scansac.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/scansacramento

It could be applied to a statewide notification by simply tracking a keyword such as " califpursuit " or " CApursuit " via Twitter.
 

scannerboy02

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antfreq said:
Side topic, but in regards to notification networks/application

I'm certain that most scanner enthusiasts have a cell phone - and most are adept with text messages. I strongly suggest the SMS social network Twitter.com

I have created a group/community for the Sacramento,CA region and it has worked out quite well. It can be used as an example.

http://scansac.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/scansacramento

It could be applied to a statewide notification by simply tracking a keyword such as " califpursuit " or " CApursuit " via Twitter.

I would second this. it seems to work very well for us in Sacramento and has lots of room for expansion.


As a part time news assignment editor and part time stringer I would use the radio net not only to give and get info on breaking news but I could also give live updates from the scene to those monitoring on the scanner.

I would like to know the number of talk groups we could have at $30 a month? It could be possible to have both breaking news talk groups and chit chat talk groups at the same time.
 

Mac128k

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antfreq said:
Side topic, but in regards to notification networks/application

I'm certain that most scanner enthusiasts have a cell phone - and most are adept with text messages. I strongly suggest the SMS social network Twitter.com

I have created a group/community for the Sacramento,CA region and it has worked out quite well. It can be used as an example.

http://scansac.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/scansacramento

It could be applied to a statewide notification by simply tracking a keyword such as " califpursuit " or " CApursuit " via Twitter.

This is pretty cool. I am going to play with it a bit. I can't pull Sac stuff in but maybe I can do the same for the East Bay.
 

mkewman

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scannerboy02 said:
I would like to know the number of talk groups we could have at $30 a month? It could be possible to have both breaking news talk groups and chit chat talk groups at the same time.

i like the idea of a "broadcast" talk group and a "talk around" or FORMAL chit chat (such as discussion regarding current incidents). I'm interested as well.
 

kenjicam

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I currently run a two radio incident notification system here in Los Angels area (ERS) with coverage in other parts of Southern California. We currently have two talk groups on our main sites. One for Dispatches of working incidents only, a Command talk group for fire ground operations and some chit chat, and a talk around frequency.
This is the format we have been using and it works, and I think would work with the new system.
I have spoken to the guy heading up this new project and it sounds like it could be a great system. However, we are both in agreement in that with any type of project it takes participation from the members to make it work! That is one of our biggest problems we have had with the ERS in the last couple of years. If you don't put anything into to it, then you just have a nice radio on your belt! Any type of group is only as good as the members are willing to make it.
Kenji Luster
 

Mac128k

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E5911 said:
Well I guess This may fly

Ok here are the steps
1-meet with Fisher and set it up -initially we would get 2 talkgroups 1 for area wide and a alternate. I want 3: one for CA, 1 for AZ and One for all area. Each subsciber would need to sign a TOS, and and go thru the Yuma office to get the radios programmed. I will advise on the fees. Each subscriber will be issued a unit number that will cooresspond to you area, norcal, socal, az and nevada. I will be developing proceeduresand they will go out along with a dedicated email address. I hope to incorperate text msging to enhance the process.

Im actually surprised at the turnout. Im on shift for the next 3 days so I will get on this first part of next week. Will post additional details PM me with questions

Pete

Did this die on the vine?
 

inigo88

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scannerboy02 says:

As a part time news assignment editor and part time stringer I would use the radio net not only to give and get info on breaking news but I could also give live updates from the scene to those monitoring on the scanner.

Just be advised, the Fisher Wireless system is LTR Passport and can be "monitored", but not be trunk tracked by any scanner. Therefore anyone using the system and just wanting to hear the talkgroups in question will either need to purchase a passport radio from Fisher, or monitor all the freqs on the local site conventionally (and hear any other talkgroups that use it). The third option, is you may be able to trunk track it using software by Eric Cottrell called LTRTrunk and available if you search the RR.com forums, but you'll need to build a low pass filter dataslicer circuit board, and have two scanners connected to the computer. I've played around a lot with these programs and with monitoring the Fisher system, but never had the opportunity to try and computer control a scanner to track one talkgroup.

Just FYI...

-Inigo
 

E5911

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Radio Net For Scanner Listeners

All
I have been slammed with OT at work, so I have not had a chance to meet with Fisher. I got a quote and there are things I need to ask questions about, not the least of which is the monthly charge, whitch I was led to believe was going to be reduced or negociable. I am shooting for a fee of $25 or less a month, so we will see. Second there are some technical issues like if I get set up as the first unit how do I get set up to PRivate call the last guy who signed up a month from now, WITHOUT paying for reprogramming?

I want to ensure this gets started as well as possible, to prevent extra costs down the line, especially since Fisher wants all the programming done here in Yuma.

Some stuff I did find out about: There will be no penalties if our group say uses a large amount of system resources. On the other hand, we are looking at the possibility of system busy signals.

The Quote for radios is $400. I think we can find used gear cheaper, but if members want to pay for new moto radios you, we will have a price list.

I will post more info when I get it.
 

af5rn

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Sweet! Thanks for taking the initiative here. But we lived this long without it, so I won't be getting impatient while you get it worked out, lol. I'm looking forward to this though!

Anybody else have any opinions or expectations regarding the utilisation of this system?
 

rtbob

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threads & radios

Been on vacation, It seems like the 3 threads have finally been pulled together cool,
As for radios the CDM 1550 LS+ seems to search & lock on a site better and faster that the Kenwood & Icom radios, I have several radios 1550LS+, 1250LS+, 1225 & tk 880 radios so I can suggest by experience, look on Ebay for used radios like Item number: 270240524593 this guy listed it as a CDM1550 LS radio where it is a 1550 LS+ (passport) or Item number: 200226375779 or the HT1250LS+ Item number: 300227252052 ( the LS is LTR you need the LS PLUS version for passport trunking) the system dose work well but as quoted there are times the stsyem is busy and you go in to que, and for those who think a scanner will listen to the system, unless you are logged on to the system on one of the 73 sites opps 72 (they took down the stratosphere site in vegas) the systen dose not know anyone is there and the talkgroup will not be broadcast in that area. There is one other drawback if any of the links go down between the sites you dont get anything especially if you roam to a different site. If there are a few members of the group in a particular geographic area San Diego, Sacramento, Phoenix, Yuma, Etc. an alternate (home) should be set up especially if someone is going to try to encourage volunteers or responders etc to join the group but that may cost $$$$
Well it seems like this might work out for the group, any Idea what the group name will be?
 

ssd

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I'll be happy to draw up a logo. :D[/QUOTE]

ok now we need to get some call sings? dos any one have a good call?
 

af5rn

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ssd said:
ok now we need to get some call sings? dos any one have a good call?
Well, we need someone to volunteer to manage things and be our liaison with the cops. We can call him "Supervisory Manager And Law enforcement Liaison".
 

inigo88

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Why, that would make his full title the "Supervisory Manager And Law enforcement Liaison to the Pacific Emergency Network and Information System." :)
 
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