Who uses the Thruway channels?

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KA2ZEY

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I have these programmed into my scanner and there's quite a bit of activity. Is this state police? Is it NYPD traffic? Or is the security for the tollbooth's?

453.425 is ch 1
 

GTR8000

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State Police Troop T (dedicated to the Thruway patrols), Thruway Maintenance crews, tollbooths, Thruway approved tow trucks/wreckers.

"New York" = Thruway dispatchers in Albany
"Headquarters" = State Police duty officer in Albany
"Harriman", "Yonkers", "Tarrytown", etc. = Tollbooths

There is no NYPD on the system, and the tollboths have radios for the supervising toll collector, not "security".

Look at the database and the wiki for more information.

Also, there is no difference between what is broadcast on Ch 1 453.425 and Ch 2 453.525 (also referred to as Ch A and Ch B). Both frequencies are linked, the entire system is multicast, where every other repeater along the length of the system alternates frequencies. The mobile radios vote-scan to determine which frequency has the best signal.
 
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scanman550

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The radios do not Vote scan. NYSP Troop T uses dual band Harris M7100's VHF/UHF. UHF for T way ops and VHF to communicate with the normal NYSP Troops. Other users just use m7100s or kenwoods with GE Star ANI boards. However, NYSP Troop T has gotten APX 7000s VHF/UHF in the past years are are using MDC for signaling on those.

Yes the system is multi cast but the users have to manual choose which tower to listen to based on their location. Also the system has Voted receivers.
 

radioman2001

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All the information given is semi correct. Yes NYSP Troop "T" is the main user, there are maintence trucks, vendor tow trucks and other state users on this system.

There are 2 distinct systems, one runs from mile marker 0 (zero) near NYC borders on both I-87 and I-95 to about 20 miles south of Albany. (more in the Wiki) The other covers everything else North and East. Displayed in radio as New York/Albany then the other system is Buffalo /Syracuse. What has been described as a 2 frequency is correct in that the frequencies alternate along the routes, and they also use 2 PL codes one for Albany and the other Buffalo zones. In the area of just South of Albany the frequencies continue to flip flop but with a different PL. Also as far as I can tell unless something has changed the radios do Vote Scan picking the better of the 3 closest transmitters on the 2 frequencies to receive and talk-back on.

I purchased some of their old radios years ago and that's how they were set up.
 

GTR8000

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Two PL's are used throughout the system: 97.4 and 123.0

The two PL's alternate between the four zones, preventing overlap: New York 97.4, Albany 123.0, Syracuse 97.4, Buffalo 123.0

Although there are two discrete output frequencies which are multicast, 453.425 and 453.525, there is only one input frequency used through the system, which is voted: 458.425

458.525 is the systemwide Car to Car channel, which uses a PL of 97.4 throughout.

All of this is made pretty clear on the Thruway page in the database, as well as the wiki page, as well as numerous threads in the past explaining how it all works. The Thruway's UHF system has been around in the same form for decades, there is really no mystery to it.

NYS Thruway Authority Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/NYS_Thruway_Authority_(NY)
 

GTR8000

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Actually longer than that, in the mid 70's they moved from a VHF system of same design due to constant skip interference.

I said "for decades", not "for a decade". I'm well aware of when they built the UHF system out. :wink:
 

Com-Tech51H8

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also the help trucks from dot are on the thruway system as well
 

KE7JFF

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And interestingly, the governor's car has a mobile that can talk on the Thruway radio system...
 

KS2A

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also the help trucks from dot are on the thruway system as well
613 - did something change, or is downstate different from upstate on this count? Last I saw (and heard), the HELP trucks in the Capital District were using a talkgroup on Colonie's trunk system.

Thanks
Steve KS2A

Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk
 

Thunderknight

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613 - did something change, or is downstate different from upstate on this count? Last I saw (and heard), the HELP trucks in the Capital District were using a talkgroup on Colonie's trunk system.

In the capital region they still are on the same talk group.
I think the HELP truck use varies regionally.
 
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DaveNF2G

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The HELP trucks operate wherever DOT's regional TMC has a channel or talkgroup.
 

Com-Tech51H8

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Dave,Steve,Thunderknight. But atleast in the capital region 1 help truck patrols from exit 23-exit 25a. on the thruway and has a thruway radio in the help truck(different identity then the regular call signs).. the Help Trucks Currently operate on the Colonie System
 

KC2zZe

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The HELP trucks operate wherever DOT's regional TMC has a channel or talkgroup.
Highway Emergency Local Patrols, when assigned and operating on Zone 1 Interstates, use the Thruway Authority radio system. They are the 6_ series units, with rest being:

1_ Division 1 maintenance (yellow, and now the newer white) trucks, engineers, and administration (blue or grey vehicles)

2_ Division 2

3_ Division 3

4_ Division 4

5_ Franchise wreckers

7_ Troop T personal

8_ Miscellaneous units (contractors, etc.)

9_ Thruway emergency vehicles (i.e.: "Wrecker 1" on the Malcom Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge)

All other users (interchanges, maintenance yards, etc.) ID in the clear. These IDs apply to both the primary UHF system and the secondary Maintenance UHF system.
 
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