New STARS site

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n4jri

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Thanks to a mention of QRM from a nearby ham, it turns out that we have a new STARS site on the VSP Division 1 tower near the intersection of US1 and I-295.

CC is 152.7575, alt. 152.6075 and the site # appears to be 129. It's not a very high site, so it may just be a filler in terms of coverage. Voice freqs include 152.2025 and 152.1575. Almost all traffic heard on was on TG's 1, 3, & 5280.

Good for my QTH, though.

73/Allen (N4JRI)
 

NS9710

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It's actually 152.755.

Edit: I looked in the scanner further, and get a signal on both channels but stronger and clearer comms off *.7575
 
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KF4ZTO

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Barely hearing it on my Pro-96 with the stock rubber duck (in downtown Richmond) on 152.7575
 

W4UVV

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STARS Site 129 Info

STARS Site 129 is loud and clear in Prince George...5 bars on my 996XT...88% signal decode. Shown below is about 15 minutes of Pro96com monitoring. I am about 22 air miles from the STARS Midlothian site. As I have posted several times before on the forum the surest way to confirm the actual site frequencies being used is to run Pro96com.

John

W4UVV
 
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dtscho

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I have a document that seems to indicate that this site may be called "Division 1 Dispatch." What do you guys think - good name?

Dave
 

QDP2012

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I have a document that seems to indicate that this site may be called "Division 1 Dispatch." What do you guys think - good name?

Dave

That sounds more like a TG name than a tower-site-name, to me. But, if that's how the document describes it, then sure, why not?
 
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W4UVV

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I too think it needs a new name

I have a document that seems to indicate that this site may be called "Division 1 Dispatch." What do you guys think - good name?

Dave

When updating my scanners yesterday I thought a new site name other than "Richmond" or "Richmond-129"" would be helpful. I used "Midlothian" as it was more descriptive as to the geographical site info and less confusing than having a second "Richmond" in the name of another site id within the same division. Alpha tag sizes in most scanners usually are limited to 16 characters.

John

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n4jri

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I believe it's in the Glen Allen zip code. BTW, getting 5 bars on my PSR-500 from outer Mechanicsville.

73/Allen (N4JRI)
 

W4UVV

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Why a "gap filler" STARS trs in Richmond?

I believe it's in the Glen Allen zip code. BTW, getting 5 bars on my PSR-500 from outer Mechanicsville.

73/Allen (N4JRI)

Allen,

I find it odd that a "gap filler" STARS site is needed for the inner Richmond area. My strongest CC S meter reading using a R7000 with "ATT" selected and selectable tower mounted rotatable Scantennas is from the NNE direction. Scantennas are only slightly directional so that may not mean much.

Could this be a "gap filler" site to enhance STARS I95 comms between Richmond & Thornburg? If so where is the new or existing tower which should be located on state owned property?

Have you tested reception when mobile in different directions monitoring only the CC with the HT antenna removed with "ATT" selected to possibly better isolate the CC transmitting source area?

John
 

gcgrotz

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State Police had an area office there many years ago. I haven't been that way in years but you might assume that's where it is. It was actually there before 295 was built. Glen Allen would be a good name. If it is a "fill-in" it could be for the same reason cellular has of adding capacity not necessarily adding "coverage".
 

n4jri

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Allen,

I find it odd that a "gap filler" STARS site is needed for the inner Richmond area. My strongest CC S meter reading using a R7000 with "ATT" selected and selectable tower mounted rotatable Scantennas is from the NNE direction. Scantennas are only slightly directional so that may not mean much.

Could this be a "gap filler" site to enhance STARS I95 comms between Richmond & Thornburg? If so where is the new or existing tower which should be located on state owned property?

Have you tested reception when mobile in different directions monitoring only the CC with the HT antenna removed with "ATT" selected to possibly better isolate the CC transmitting source area?

John

They've got property and the tower. Division 1 HQ is at the corner of US1 and New York Ave. (a bit south of the older version) They've got a tower with three shiny new high band arrays, pretty typical for a STARS site. I was alerted to the situation by a ham friend in the area, who's having the CC affect his ability to access the 145.43 repeater.

And the filler is welcome...SPHQ is weak at my QTH near the Henrico Courthouse. In Ashland (at the Truckstop, specifically) the handheld will constantly shift between SPHQ, Louisa, Thornburg and possibly Rumford. (it was my favorite spot for testing the multisite settings)

The capacity idea is interesting. SPHQ has a lot of freqs now, and carries traffic for a lot of distant areas. This new site (which I had hoped was just a satellite) is fairly quiet. But, I can get it on the handheld in my easy chair...

73/Allen (N4JRI)
 

W4UVV

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They've got property and the tower. Division 1 HQ is at the corner of US1 and New York Ave. (a bit south of the older version) They've got a tower with three shiny new high band arrays, pretty typical for a STARS site. I was alerted to the situation by a ham friend in the area, who's having the CC affect his ability to access the 145.43 repeater.

And the filler is welcome...SPHQ is weak at my QTH near the Henrico Courthouse. In Ashland (at the Truckstop, specifically) the handheld will constantly shift between SPHQ, Louisa, Thornburg and possibly Rumford. (it was my favorite spot for testing the multisite settings)

The capacity idea is interesting. SPHQ has a lot of freqs now, and carries traffic for a lot of distant areas. This new site (which I had hoped was just a satellite) is fairly quiet. But, I can get it on the handheld in my easy chair...

73/Allen (N4JRI)

Ok. Very good. I'll rename my scanner's Div 1 site 129 name to "Glen Allen". Tnx.

John
 

marosado25

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Looking for some help: I have a HP1 with the extreme software but I cannot get the VA State police on my unit. I am only miles away from the tower but I cannot get anything. Any thoughts?
 

BoxAlarm187

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That sounds more like a TG name than a tower-site-name, to me. But, if that's how the document describes it, then sure, why not?

Since Division 1 dispatch is located on the same property, that's probably where the name came from. ;-)
 
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