SysID 5705 - Jefferson Co 911 - rebanding transition today

[mtindor]

As I type this, the radio techs for the Jefferson Co 911 TRS are working on transitioning to the rebanded frequencies. The are putting the system in failsoft for a minute at a time while they make changes.

I have already seen the control channel up on various of the 85x.xxxx frequencies today. I don't know if the transition will be "complete" today or if there will be bugs to work out or if they are just testing.

Just beware that if you are listening today and you don't have the post-rebanding frequencies in, you may not hear anything.

851.4125 is the current CC - but it is switching often.

Here is the system: http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=658

Note the 'rebanded' frequency section.

Mike

 

[mtindor]

System Frequencies:

851.1625
851.4125
853.2375
853.6625
- these four from WPHM479
- http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?cs=WPHM479

858.4625
- this one from WPLP550
- http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?cs=WPLP550

Mike

 

[mtindor]

More good news.

My PRO-90 and PRO-97 are tracking this system just fine. The only thing I did was change the five old frequencies to the five new frequencies, and it is now tracking fine across the board.

Mike

 

[mtindor]

They are just testing all the channels. They had a problem with channel 5 (858.4625) where we (listening on the scanner) would hear traffic, but JCOM wouldn't hear it on their consoles - they would see the radio ID come up and they would just hear muffled audio.

Investigating a connector on the "DigiDAC". They rebooted the "DigiDAC" and audio was fine after that.

Other than that, it's sounding pretty normal and fine on my scanners.

Mike

 

[rcool101]

246

My 246T works. Just changed the 4 freqs. This radio still needs the firmware coming any day now.

 

[rcool101]

780

The 780XLT also still works

 

[wa8pyr]

Investigating a connector on the "DigiDAC". They rebooted the "DigiDAC" and audio was fine after that.

I think that was actually "DigiTAC." DigiTACs are the voters which compare the received audio from all the sites and select the best one for broadcast.

P25 systems use the AstroTAC.

Tom

 

[mtindor]

I think that was actually "DigiTAC." DigiTACs are the voters which compare the received audio from all the sites and select the best one for broadcast.

P25 systems use the AstroTAC.

Tom

I see, thanks for the clarification. As you probably guessed by the "", I wasn't sure what one was and was making a best guess as to what they called it. Makes sense especially since they were having problems with audio quality before resetting it.

Mike

 

[rcool101]

Update

Thanks for the heads up Mike. The 600 was easy. In Pres Edit all I had to do was hit edit and reband and they changed to what you listed. They were on Special Events last night still upgrading. All my radios are working here

 

[mtindor]

I see that some of the agencies can now switch to the OSP Patch talkgroup and actually initiate a call to OSP. Before, they would also ask Jcomm to patch them to OSP. I'm guessing it's the same functionality that they have always had but they probably reprogrammed some of the law enforcement radios to have direct acccess to that talkgroup with a push of a button.

I've also heard I think Wintersville actually call Steub PD on Steub PD's talkgroup. And I've seen some other law enforcement agencies calling other agencies on that particular agency's talkgroup. in the past I've only seen this done after they would request a patch from Jcomm.

So apparently they have programmed the radios to make it easier for interop between some agencies without the need for JComm to initiate the patch.

Mike

 

[thekelleys01]

All agencies in the same capacity (law, fire, ems) could always talk to any other agency by changing the talkgroup on the radio, but on the old radios it was a royal pain in the a**. The new radio's are much easier to use and now all law enforcement has the ability to communicate to any agency in the county as well as osp, harrison county & belmont county. The new radio's also have access to the Ohio MARCs system, but not all the radios are programed to work with MARCs yet since the contract has not been worked out.

By changing the templates in the new radios to allow easier changing of the talk groups, it takes JCOMM out of the picture and it does not tie up an additional channel used in the patch.

 

[wa8pyr]

So apparently they have programmed the radios to make it easier for interop between some agencies without the need for JComm to initiate the patch.

Easier interop? What a concept; sounds like someone at JComm actually thinks...

Unfortunately, I see too many places going the other way, trying to load their radios with special talkgroups for every specific purpose under the sun (and rarely using them), instead of setting up a group of tac talkgroups and assigning them as needed for any purpose.

Technology can be a help, but if you try to overthink things, it'll come back and bite your hiney...

 

[mtindor]

Easier interop? What a concept; sounds like someone at JComm actually thinks...

Unfortunately, I see too many places going the other way, trying to load their radios with special talkgroups for every specific purpose under the sun (and rarely using them), instead of setting up a group of tac talkgroups and assigning them as needed for any purpose.

Technology can be a help, but if you try to overthink things, it'll come back and bite your hiney...

Good point. Since I'm not a public safety person, I really don't have any real world experience with their communication needs. I used to wonder why each agency didn't have their own talkgroup (some do, most don't). But now that you put it that way, it makes sense that they would keep things simple. Considering what a podunk county this is, I think they've got good people managing things at jc911. I think radio comms are pretty efficient here, and have gotten significantly better with the new radios/programming as thekelleys01 mentioned.

Mike

 

[Mylan]

Considering what a podunk county this is,

You've obviously not spent much time in Monroe County have you?



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Now does this mean that when MARCS and all the other local 800 systems reband, all we have to do is bust in some new numbers and we'll be good to go?....

(I just found this thread and wondered why I haven't heard anything from jcom for a couple weeks now )

THANKS amigozzz

 

[mtindor]

You've obviously not spent much time in Monroe County have you?

ROFL. No, I haven't spent much time. but I have been in Monroe Co a time or two when I worked at FIRST Internet and worked on POP sites down there. I love the area, and it actually reminded me of "home" rofl.

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Now does this mean that when MARCS and all the other local 800 systems reband, all we have to do is bust in some new numbers and we'll be good to go?....

(I just found this thread and wondered why I haven't heard anything from jcom for a couple weeks now )

THANKS amigozzz

I can't answer that. I'm not sure what it depends on - It possibly depends on what frequencies they are assigned. For a standard system, like Belmont or Wheeling PS, I'm going to guess it'll probably be similar (i.e. just change em and you'll hit it lucky by not having to worry about needing a rebandable scanner). I guess you'll know when the time comes and you can tell us rofl.

For what it's worth, my buddy contacted me yesterday and said he couldn't get a BCT8 to track Jefferson Co 911, but I found that odd considering I have a PSR-500, a PRO-90, a PRO-95 and a PRO-97 that all track it fine with the rebanded freqs. I don' tknow if he was doing something wrong or if some people with newer Unidens may have problems. I'm guessing Rick (STA75) has already reprogrammed his 396/996, and he didn't call me and tell me it didn't work so I think it does work fine. And Russ (RCOOL) indicates his BC246T works fine with the rebanded freqs.

To save me some investigative work, maybe Tom (WA8PYR) will chime in and tell us what would determine whether or not the system is going to work in a non-rebandable scanner once it is rebanded. Can you shed some light Tom?

Mike

 

[wa8pyr]

To save me some investigative work, maybe Tom (WA8PYR) will chime in and tell us what would determine whether or not the system is going to work in a non-rebandable scanner once it is rebanded. Can you shed some light Tom?

Depends on the radio and the system; some might work OK and some might not. On a system with all NPSPAC frequencies it might be fine, but on systems with mixed NPSPAC and interleaved frequencies I just can't be sure. Guess I'll find out when I reband my system, which is mostly NPSPAC... but the control channels are all interleaved.

Older radios probably won't do it, but we'll find out soon.