WTOP Traffic

Status
Not open for further replies.

JLHDU

Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2005
Messages
206
Location
Odenton, MD
Does anyone know what freq's WTOP monitors (or any other traffic radio station) or which freq's would be best to monitor for Beltway traffic from Route 295 to I66 on the west and north west side of the capital beltway? Whenever I listen to the traffic reports on WTOP in the morning I hear the scanners in the background. Are there any WTOP employees here at WTOP?

-J
 

kc4jgc

Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2004
Messages
1,546
Location
Virginia Beach, VA
Just a guess....

i would think they are listening to MSP, VSP & the various county/city public safety as well as watching the cameras on trafficland.com . Also, they get many calls from the public on conditions. I've even called a few times!
 

Dewey

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
1,025
WTOP scans the areas public services frequencies in addition to the various tips that they get. They also use Metro Traffic Control (Metro Networks) on 455.9125 / 141.3.

Dewey
 

kc4jgc

Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2004
Messages
1,546
Location
Virginia Beach, VA
JLHDU said:
.... and what is "Simplex"?

-J

Simplex is direct; not using a repeater. The 450 MHz media band, like most repeater systems on UHF, has mobile inputs 5MHz up from the repeater output. Metro traffic's listed freq of 455.9125, could be an input for a repeater on 450.9125.
 

JLHDU

Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2005
Messages
206
Location
Odenton, MD
kc4jgc said:
Simplex is direct; not using a repeater. The 450 MHz media band, like most repeater systems on UHF, has mobile inputs 5MHz up from the repeater output. Metro traffic's listed freq of 455.9125, could be an input for a repeater on 450.9125.

Thanks.

-J
 

ka3jjz

Wiki Admin Emeritus
Joined
Jul 22, 2002
Messages
25,395
Location
Bowie, Md.
No, the freq for Metro Traffic is what is sometimes referred to as a reverse pair. That outfit flipped their input and output channels a few years ago, when they were getting clobbered with interference, from, I think, a commercial service that was nearby. I know, 'cause I was listening the day they did the flip. It caused a bit of a hassle at the repeater site, as I understand it, but was eventually worked out.

It's kinda rare to hear about an outfit using a reverse split like this; probably one of the reasons they did it.

As for any additional lists - the 2004 Inauguration issue of the CHM (which you can get off the website) has a HUGE listing of freqs, and I'm pretty sure that a list of traffic reporters was on it. It's in a PDF format, and quite large, so if you're using a pokey dial up, it's gonna take some time to get it. The website is:

Capitol Hill Monitors

Just follow the links for the back issues of the newsletter. 73s Mike

[edit] I just confirmed that 455 mhz freq - it's quite strong here, which is surprising given that I'm working on indoor antennas. I even heard Chopper 2 coming in, transmitting in simplex, on the output while the dispatcher was talking to him. He must have been somewhat more north than I thought, and I lost him a minute or two later.
 
Last edited:

JLHDU

Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2005
Messages
206
Location
Odenton, MD
kc4jgc said:
I did copy metro traffic this morning in Springfield heading south on 95.

I'm waiting on my new antenna and I'll give it another shot on 495W from 95S down to I66.
 

Spleen

Active Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
975
Location
Baltimore, MD
...and I'm sitting in downtown Baltimore right now and heard what might be an input to someone's traffic service (it's midday, not enough conversation to identify) on 455.3875...

Edit: just heard him say "Chopper 13 to Master Control"...can't hear the other side...
 

maus92

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 23, 2004
Messages
8,041
Location
The OP
Chopper 13 / Master Control

This sounds like Channel 13 in Baltimore. They have a news helicopter, and "Master Control" is the room at a TV station where all the video (and audio) feeds are managed and switched.

CA
Annapolis
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top