Low Band status

[BigLebowski]

So I am planning on cruising up to Dayton this week.. first time visit for me.

I see OSP has migrated to MARCS but their cars appear to all still have low band (or CB?) Antennas?

Is there anything left to listen to in the 35-50 range? Driving across the southern part of Ohio from West Virginia and I thought I might load some stuff into the low band radio for the trip.

Thanks!

 

[phask]

So I am planning on cruising up to Dayton this week.. first time visit for me.

I see OSP has migrated to MARCS but their cars appear to all still have low band (or CB?) Antennas?

Is there anything left to listen to in the 35-50 range? Driving across the southern part of Ohio from West Virginia and I thought I might load some stuff into the low band radio for the trip.

Thanks!

Not that I know of - I have zero low band programmed, though some VFD still use it.

 

[wa8pyr]

Not that I know of - I have zero low band programmed, though some VFD still use it.

The antennas on OSP cruisers are for CB; they haven't been on low band since at least 2000 if not earlier, in the days of the original MARCS.

There are still some petroleum companies and other business users still on low band; it works better in the hilly terrain they usually lurk around in. A few locations in PA still use it for fire paging, and I've heard Licking County, Ohio fire paging on 33.86 as well. Don't think anyone around Dayton is still using it; I think Jefferson Twp FD was the last one and they gave it up as far as I know.

I'd suggest setting up a 30-50 MHz search and see what happens.

 

[millrad]

Low band is still used in CT and Eastern NY. In the Middletown-Portland (CT) area, fire and EMS tones are simulcast in the 46 band. In Tolland and Windham County, tones are simulcast in the 33 band.
Putnam County, NY looks like this:
Frequency License Type Tone Alpha Tag Description Mode Tag 46.38000 KED862 BM123.0 PLPutnam FD DsFire 1 - Fire/EMS Dispatch FM Fire Dispatch 46.50000 KNFB981 BM123.0 PLPutnam Fire2Fire 2 - Fireground FM Fire-Tac 46.30000 KED862 M123.0 PLPutnam Fire3Fire 3 - Fireground FM Fire-Tac 46.04000 KNDL866 B123.0 PLPutnam FD 4Fire 4 - Fireground FM Fire-Tac 46.44000 WPPD340 BM127.3 PLPutnam FD 5Fire 5 - Fireground FM Fire Dispatch 46.10000 WPPD340 M123.0 PLPutnam FD 7Fire 7 - Fireground/Landing Zone FM Fire-Tac 46.54000 WPPD340 M127.3 PLPutnam FD 13Fire 13 - Mobiles FM Fire Dispatch 453.93750 BMPutnam FD LkFire Link to 46.38 FMN Fire Dispatch
CONNDOT still uses channels in the 47 MHz range, and Norwich CT police dispatch on 39.900 MHz.
Low band is not dead. It's just used in specific regions of the country and not others.

 

[BigLebowski]

Cool deal.. thanks guys!

 

[gtaman]

Only lowband in central Ohio would be small TWP road crews.

 

[N8MWY]

My local road department is still active on 37.96. Paris Township, Stark County, Ohio.

 

[N8MWY]

[U]BigLebowski[/U], what are you using for a Low Band radio? Just curious.

Don

 

[BigLebowski]

A Macom Orion