Understanding Montgomery County Pa Regional talk groups vs. Police IDs.

[GB2]

Can someone help me in understanding the regional (SE, NE, etc) vs. when they use PD 5, or PD 6? Is there some kind of broadcast preference by dispatch? Why the separate “broadcast systems”?

I have the RR wiki for both so can reference them, just not certain why the difference.

Thank you.

 

[HM1529]

Can someone help me in understanding the regional (SE, NE, etc) vs. when they use PD 5, or PD 6? Is there some kind of broadcast preference by dispatch? Why the separate “broadcast systems”?

I have the RR wiki for both so can reference them, just not certain why the difference.

Thank you.

There is a dispatch channel and a secondary channel for each police zone in the county. There are 12 zones (PD 12, Pottstown, uses PD Region 2 to talk to neighboring departments).

The secondary channels are usually used for car-car chit chat between units in that zone or between a unit and their station. They can also be used as a dispatch channel if there is a priority condition on the main channel. Most of the police zones cover more than one police department.

I wouldn't spend too much time trying to figure it out. When the new trunked system comes online officially, all police traffic will be encrypted.

 

[GB2]

Thank you. Any timeline when will go encrypted?

 

[HM1529]

Only the county knows for sure. Best guess is sometime in the next 12-24 months.

There is already a long thread here discussing Montco upgrades:

https://forums.radioreference.com/pennsylvania-radio-discussion-forum/258626-montco-upgrades-23.html

 

[GB2]

Ok and thank you.

 

[HM1529]

This is the latest blurb from the March county public safety newsletter:

Radio System Update
Construction has been completed on one of the three remaining radio towers that need
to be in place before Montgomery County’s new emergency dispatch radio system is
turned on and work is progressing on the other two.
The Hughes Road tower in Upper Merion is finished and all equipment has been
installed.
Equipment shelters have been set in place at the Roxborough tower and Montgomery
County’s equipment is being installed now.
The Turnpike Authority has begun construction of its new tower in Willow Grove and
the county will begin installing its equipment as soon as that is complete.
The system will undergo testing and adjustments in the spring and field users should
be on the new radio system in the summer.
When it is complete, Montgomery County will have a radio system with 30 towers, up
from 20 towers, and greatly improved coverage and signal strength. Reliability will also
be greatly improved with the addition of a microwave network for communications
between the towers, replacing the T1 lines that are frequently out of service.
The $36.4 million project to replace the radio system began in 2012 because most of
the existing system’s infrastructure and equipment had reached the end of its useful
life, with parts and service no longer available from the manufacturer.

 

[GB2]

That’s very informative. I understand there are times when Police/Fire need encryption during sensitive times. I just don’t agree with total blanket encryption because it puts another wall up with the community and ends transparentcy. Tax payer money funds a system people can’t hear. Just my thoughts.

 

[radio3353]

They also need to test system coverage this summer when the trees have fully leafed out. Given how winter does not seem to want to go away this year, this test may extend to next year :lol:

 

[radio3353]

That’s very informative. I understand there are times when Police/Fire need encryption during sensitive times. I just don’t agree with total blanket encryption because it puts another wall up with the community and ends transparentcy. Tax payer money funds a system people can’t hear. Just my thoughts.

The encryption train has left the station. It is time to practice acceptance to keep your sanity. Sad but true. Police chiefs do not care about listening hobbyists.