VDOT Safety Service Patrol in Richmond
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Ssp nova toc tac9
I've been compiling a list of Unit id's for the Wikipage and for my 436.
Can anyone tell if Units are Id'ing as ISP or IST? on Tac9? I hear both SSP and something that sounds like ISP? I am not sure if there are more than one type of unit id on the radio.
I've been compiling a list of Unit id's for the Wikipage and for my 436.
Can anyone tell if Units are Id'ing as ISP or IST? on Tac9? I hear both SSP and something that sounds like ISP? I am not sure if there are more than one type of unit id on the radio.
All TOC and SSP operations are run by AECOM under contract with VDOT
blue_duramax
Member
In the last few months NEW Safety Service Patrol trucks have been put into service statewide. Yes you are correct they are no longer state owned trucks and the contractor went with Ford F250 extended cabs with a work camper shell. Further investigation appears that on the drivers side fender there is a K40 antenna mounted..... I would assume that is NOT their primary source of communication maybe just truck to truck because there is another antenna mounted of the roof.
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See a lot of those here in Tidewater. District 5 finally moved to STARS a little while ago
W4UVV
Member
Regarding the fender mounted antenna, it is hard for me to tell for sure whether of not it is a top loaded fiberglass CB antenna or not, but my guess is it is for comms on CB Ch. 9 the Emergency channel.
John
W4UVV
6W3921 Knoxville, TN. licensed 1958
John
W4UVV
6W3921 Knoxville, TN. licensed 1958
blue_duramax
Member
blue_duramax
Member
Here is another pic. A little bit clearer of the K40
W4UVV
Member
Tnx for pic
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NOTE: The picture I was responding to was #25 which appeared to be a ball mount vice the other picture posted which appeared to have a fixed horizontal base mount.
AECOM, the statewide SSP contractor, has only one company license, (WQOF708) for VA, McLean and it is for property management. Although the fender mounted antenna is stainless steel and not physically the correct 1/4 wavelength of 9 ft. for 11 meters CB operation, I still think it is for CB Ch. 9 comms.
I understand why the whip antenna was cut shorter. If a 9 ft. fender mounted antenna, add another 3-4ft height which presents a real problem of hitting lower tree limbs, etc. I know from personal experience. In 1962 I was visiting DC heading to Hains Point. I was traveling 40-45 mph (a rarity) and went under an old concrete overpass. Exiting the other side, my bumper mounted 9 ft. whip antenna's encounter with a physical obstruction, reaction was immediate. As I exited the underpass the antenna immediately slapped down hard on the car roof which surprised, shocked and scared me. What saved me from additional grief was I had used a heavy duty base spring mount for the antenna. There are some things a person never forgets and this is one of them for me.
As an additional safety measure, I would recommend this truck driver or whomever is responsible add a light base spring to this ball mount antenna.
John
W4UVV
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NOTE: The picture I was responding to was #25 which appeared to be a ball mount vice the other picture posted which appeared to have a fixed horizontal base mount.
AECOM, the statewide SSP contractor, has only one company license, (WQOF708) for VA, McLean and it is for property management. Although the fender mounted antenna is stainless steel and not physically the correct 1/4 wavelength of 9 ft. for 11 meters CB operation, I still think it is for CB Ch. 9 comms.
I understand why the whip antenna was cut shorter. If a 9 ft. fender mounted antenna, add another 3-4ft height which presents a real problem of hitting lower tree limbs, etc. I know from personal experience. In 1962 I was visiting DC heading to Hains Point. I was traveling 40-45 mph (a rarity) and went under an old concrete overpass. Exiting the other side, my bumper mounted 9 ft. whip antenna's encounter with a physical obstruction, reaction was immediate. As I exited the underpass the antenna immediately slapped down hard on the car roof which surprised, shocked and scared me. What saved me from additional grief was I had used a heavy duty base spring mount for the antenna. There are some things a person never forgets and this is one of them for me.
As an additional safety measure, I would recommend this truck driver or whomever is responsible add a light base spring to this ball mount antenna.
John
W4UVV
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So I'm assuming that "ISP" just stands for interstate service patrol? Seems like SSP in Richmond district I'd vith a variety identifiers. Mostly what route or county they are assigned to
blue_duramax
Member
https://www.virginiadot.org/travel/resources/Base_SSP_Map.pdf
Safety Service Patrol Routes
Richmond SSP should be on TAC 4 (Safety Service Patrol - Richmond) Transportation 5030. I hear it from time to time in Roanoke
Safety Service Patrol Routes
Richmond SSP should be on TAC 4 (Safety Service Patrol - Richmond) Transportation 5030. I hear it from time to time in Roanoke
trainman111
Member
Had the pleasure of speaking with one of the Richmond SSP contractors and can 100% can confirm they're on DOT Tac 4.
Try TG 5030 on Richmond(Chesteriled) CC/
W4UVV
Member
Tnx but believe me I am very aware of both TGs 5030 and 5080. They drive me nuts!!!. 5030 has expanded to cover more of the Richmond inter area metro area and on I95 at least up to Caroline Co. Their comms seem to be more frequent than ever because of more trucks on the road in the Richmond subareas now providing road service like in Shockoe Bottom, Downtown Expressway and the Toll Road, etc. The 5030 shift changes are at 1400 daily.
Most of the time they seem to transmit when I am trying to listen to a VSP comm of interest on one of my other scanners which locked on the VSP comm first. So now I have a competition between a 5030 comm one on of my scanner 1 such as "Richmond, uh it looks like the guy has run out of gas so I am going to give him 2 gallons to get him on his way."
On scanner 2 at the same time is a VSP comm "Richmond, the motorcycle is not stopping. I'm passing the 168 and speed is 105...black bike color, driver black jacket/red helmet...traffic light." Meanwhile back on scanner 1 the 5030 dispatcher reminds him to "be sure and fill out a ticket." 5030 SSP "10-4". Meanwhile I missed part of the VSP comm on scanner 2.
Locking out these SSP TGs are futile. If you do at the next 5030/5080 transmission each will appear each time as a new unknown TG.
One way for sure that will work is to scan all the programed STARS frequencies with no searching for new talkgroups. That may be what I do. I also can use another scanner to scan Divs 1,3 and 5, only and using the ARC536PRO Virtual Control feature have the 536 scan/log/all talkgroups. If I find a new TG I can program it.
John
W4UVV
Most of the time they seem to transmit when I am trying to listen to a VSP comm of interest on one of my other scanners which locked on the VSP comm first. So now I have a competition between a 5030 comm one on of my scanner 1 such as "Richmond, uh it looks like the guy has run out of gas so I am going to give him 2 gallons to get him on his way."
On scanner 2 at the same time is a VSP comm "Richmond, the motorcycle is not stopping. I'm passing the 168 and speed is 105...black bike color, driver black jacket/red helmet...traffic light." Meanwhile back on scanner 1 the 5030 dispatcher reminds him to "be sure and fill out a ticket." 5030 SSP "10-4". Meanwhile I missed part of the VSP comm on scanner 2.
Locking out these SSP TGs are futile. If you do at the next 5030/5080 transmission each will appear each time as a new unknown TG.
One way for sure that will work is to scan all the programed STARS frequencies with no searching for new talkgroups. That may be what I do. I also can use another scanner to scan Divs 1,3 and 5, only and using the ARC536PRO Virtual Control feature have the 536 scan/log/all talkgroups. If I find a new TG I can program it.
John
W4UVV
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