Virginia Statewide Agencies Radio System (STARS)

[George]

I was recently in Northern Virginia and was unable to receive any Virginia State traffic on my Uniden 396XT as I had a couple of years ago. I update my radio with a few frequency changes/additions for the Northern Virginia sites. I did receive a Virginia DOT user a few times while I was in the search mode. I have the repeater sites of the STARS system for Northern Virginia programmed in my radio. No data is programmed in the Band Plan for any of those site. Is there a Band Plan for the STARS system? If so, please post, since that would be the issue.

I was monitoring Fairfax County's P25 system on my Uniden 396XT during this same visit and was able to monitor Virginia State Police Fairfax 1 Patch and Virginia State Police Fairfax 2 Patch on their system with no problem.

I had every current frequency listed in RR for each Northern Virginia Site programmed in my radio but nothing other than that Virginia DOT user. I am not new to this hobby, I have owned many monitors from tunable, to crystals to programable, programming scanners for others for many year. I have been doing trunking since the BC235XT. The Uniden 396XT is capable of monitoring Project 25 Standard Phase I. STARS is a Project 25 Phase I system. What am I missing??

Thanks,
George

 

[BM82557]

Network: BEE00.19E ; VA STARS

Bandplan #0: Base=851.00625 Offset=-45 Spacing=6.25 BW=12.5
Bandplan #1: Base=762.00625 Offset=+30 Spacing=6.25 BW=12.5
Bandplan #2: Base=136. Offset=+0.9 Spacing=2.5 BW=12.5
Bandplan #3: Base=146. Offset=+0.9 Spacing=2.5 BW=12.5
Bandplan #4: Base=156. Offset=-0.9 Spacing=2.5 BW=12.5
Bandplan #5: Base=166. Offset=-0.9 Spacing=6.25 BW=12.5
Bandplan #6: Base=136. Offset=+0.9 Spacing=6.25 BW=12.5
Bandplan #7: Base=161.59375 Offset=-0.9 Spacing=6.25 BW=12.5
Bandplan #8: Base=151. Offset=+0.9 Spacing=2.5 BW=12.5 Slots=2
Bandplan #9: Base=158. Offset=+0.9 Spacing=2.5 BW=12.5 Slots=2
Bandplan #10: Base=156. Offset=+0.9 Spacing=2.5 BW=12.5 Slots=2
Bandplan #11: Base=851.0125 Offset=-45 Spacing=12.5 BW=12.5 Slots=2
Bandplan #12: Base=762.00625 Offset=+30 Spacing=12.5 BW=12.5 Slots=2

 

[immelmen]

That is interesting...is STARS a Phase 2 capable system now? The five TDMA channel assignments in the table are new since the last time I looked.

 

[TJX400]

That is interesting...is STARS a Phase 2 capable system now? The five TDMA channel assignments in the table are new since the last time I looked.

It is not. They continue to use FDMA equipment. The procurement that is upcoming within the next number of years will include TDMA and full encryption for VSP.

 

[George]

Network: BEE00.19E ; VA STARS

Bandplan #0: Base=851.00625 Offset=-45 Spacing=6.25 BW=12.5
Bandplan #1: Base=762.00625 Offset=+30 Spacing=6.25 BW=12.5
Bandplan #2: Base=136. Offset=+0.9 Spacing=2.5 BW=12.5
Bandplan #3: Base=146. Offset=+0.9 Spacing=2.5 BW=12.5
Bandplan #4: Base=156. Offset=-0.9 Spacing=2.5 BW=12.5
Bandplan #5: Base=166. Offset=-0.9 Spacing=6.25 BW=12.5
Bandplan #6: Base=136. Offset=+0.9 Spacing=6.25 BW=12.5
Bandplan #7: Base=161.59375 Offset=-0.9 Spacing=6.25 BW=12.5
Bandplan #8: Base=151. Offset=+0.9 Spacing=2.5 BW=12.5 Slots=2
Bandplan #9: Base=158. Offset=+0.9 Spacing=2.5 BW=12.5 Slots=2
Bandplan #10: Base=156. Offset=+0.9 Spacing=2.5 BW=12.5 Slots=2
Bandplan #11: Base=851.0125 Offset=-45 Spacing=12.5 BW=12.5 Slots=2
Bandplan #12: Base=762.00625 Offset=+30 Spacing=12.5 BW=12.5 Slots=2

Question, The 396XT and HP436 has Bandplan #0 to #9, then A to F, Does A =10; B = 11; C = 12? The Input Spacing for VSP is either 6.25, 2.5 or 12.5 for the respective Bandplan? No Offset or BW is entered?
Thanks!

 

[tvengr]

Question, The 396XT and HP436 has Bandplan #0 to #9, then A to F, Does A =10; B = 11; C = 12?

In the hexadecimal number system, numbers 0 thru 9 and letters A thru F are used. A thru F represent the numbers 10 thru 15. A thru F are the only letters used.

 

[George]

In the hexadecimal number system, numbers 0 thru 9 and letters A thru F are used. A thru F represent the numbers 10 thru 15. A thru F are the only letters used.

Thanks!

 

[maus92]

I was in central VA today, I-95 from Springfield to south of Fredericksburg. I was receiving STARS, but I must admit that I wasn't getting 100% coverage in all areas - seems to have a lot of holes, but then again, I wasn't using an external VHF gain antenna. I also had trouble with the Louisa County simulcast around Lake Anna, and I know that there is a site on the south shore. Spotsy, Stafford, Caroline, Orange no problems.

 

[TJX400]

I was in central VA today, I-95 from Springfield to south of Fredericksburg. I was receiving STARS, but I must admit that I wasn't getting 100% coverage in all areas - seems to have a lot of holes, but then again, I wasn't using an external VHF gain antenna. I also had trouble with the Louisa County simulcast around Lake Anna, and I know that there is a site on the south shore. Spotsy, Stafford, Caroline, Orange no problems.

Yeah, an external antenna tuned for VHF would definitely fix that. I have STARS in one of my portables, and the difference of moving it from a cupholder in my truck up higher (window level) is huge. VHF propagates miles further than 800, but that comes at the cost of reduced coverage in buildings and vehicles. That's why they have the DVRS in each vehicle. Pros and cons exist as they do with any other system.

 

[maus92]

I've been digging into the licensing for STARS and I've noticed that there are some errors in the RRBD. I'll submit corrections when I encounter them, but I have a general question about the site naming conventions used in the system's RRDB entry. For other systems, a site name will reflect if the site is a multicast site or a simulcast site, usually by adding "simulcast" to the site name. Are there any simulcast sites in use for STARS?

 

[N4VKF]

I monitored a chase in Division 7 yesterday off the Thornburg site. The channel was Fairfax 1. Did equipment change on nova sites?

 

[TJX400]

I've been digging into the licensing for STARS and I've noticed that there are some errors in the RRBD. I'll submit corrections when I encounter them, but I have a general question about the site naming conventions used in the system's RRDB entry. For other systems, a site name will reflect if the site is a multicast site or a simulcast site, usually by adding "simulcast" to the site name. Are there any simulcast sites in use for STARS?

There are not, they’re all C4FM sites. If STARS encompassed jurisdictions more than it does now (similar to NC’s VIPER or SC’s Palmetto 800) you’d probably see simulcast cells. But as it stands now there are none.

 

[maus92]

There are not, they’re all C4FM sites. If STARS encompassed jurisdictions more than it does now (similar to NC’s VIPER or SC’s Palmetto 800) you’d probably see simulcast cells. But as it stands now there are none.

Thanks. There are site entries in the rrdb entry for STARS that reference multiple licenses and transmit sites which would not be the case for a multicast site. Do you have any insight into why this is so?

 

[fredva]

I monitored a chase in Division 7 yesterday off the Thornburg site. The channel was Fairfax 1. Did equipment change on nova sites?

I can tell you that Fairfax traffic coming across the Thornburg site isn't that unusual. Whether it is Fairfax 1 or Fairfax 2, I can't say because I'm often driving and not looking at the display. I believe that Fairfax traffic comes and goes on Thornburg. It may have to do with whether a Fairfax unit is close enough to affiliate with that tower or not.

 

[maus92]

That's would be typical behavior for a multicast system. If a trooper was affiliated with (in the coverage area of) the Thornberg site but was using the Fairfax 1 talk group, traffic on the Fairfax 1 talk group would be heard off the Thornberg site for as long as the trooper using the Fairfax 1 talk group was in the coverage area of the Thornberg site.

 

[TJX400]

That's would be typical behavior for a multicast system. If a trooper was affiliated with (in the coverage area of) the Thornberg site but was using the Fairfax 1 talk group, traffic on the Fairfax 1 talk group would be heard off the Thornberg site for as long as the trooper using the Fairfax 1 talk group was in the coverage area of the Thornberg site.

That's correct. If my memory serves me correctly, this can work with all sites within a defined RFSS. It may be limited by how the system's microwave system is setup, so, for example - I doubt the Amelia site would allow a subscriber to affiliate with a FFX talkgroup, because I'm not convinced it'd be able to establish a connection via microwave with a tower carrying FFX traffic. However, on occasion, you can sporadically hear FFX, APP, CHE, and RIC on the Chesterfield site, since it's at SPHQ and is the master site of STARS. It's a highly complex system, so it's difficult to speculate exactly how the affiliations are granted site by site. (to clarify, though, if a subscriber did affiliate with FFX on the Amelia site, and it was accepted, you would only hear FFX on the Amelia site. It would not carry the traffic to other sites that are "relaying" the FFX traffic over to Amelia via microwave)

 

[N4VKF]

Ok they may have changed settings due to the amount of traffic broadcast on that site. I do agree that I hear div7 less these days.

 

[maus92]

That's correct. If my memory serves me correctly, this can work with all sites within a defined RFSS. It may be limited by how the system's microwave system is setup, so, for example - I doubt the Amelia site would allow a subscriber to affiliate with a FFX talkgroup, because I'm not convinced it'd be able to establish a connection via microwave with a tower carrying FFX traffic. However, on occasion, you can sporadically hear FFX, APP, CHE, and RIC on the Chesterfield site, since it's at SPHQ and is the master site of STARS. It's a highly complex system, so it's difficult to speculate exactly how the affiliations are granted site by site. (to clarify, though, if a subscriber did affiliate with FFX on the Amelia site, and it was accepted, you would only hear FFX on the Amelia site. It would not carry the traffic to other sites that are "relaying" the FFX traffic over to Amelia via microwave)

It really depends on the system design and permissions. On the Maryland statewide system, an authorized subscriber can make a call on a statewide talk group when affiliated with a Zone (RFSS) 1 member site and can be heard across the state with a subscriber using the same tg affiliated with a Zone 3 site (in Maryland there is an interzone network layer). To clarify your example, any affiliated subscriber using the Fairfax tg would hear traffic from the subscriber accessing the tg from the Amelia site no matter what site they are affiliated with (assuming that the Fairfax tg is enabled for the site). If there are not any users affiliated with the Fairfax tg while in the coverage area of an intermediate site, the Fairfax tg traffic would not be transmitted on the intermediate site. Site logic can be mind-bendingly complicated at times, lol.

 

[N4VKF]

I like how VDOT ssp in Richmond has changed their radio callsigns. Instead of route or county names they are now more aligned with the rest of the state. They now I'd as "SSPxxx"

 

[CurtisPayne145]

I like how VDOT ssp in Richmond has changed their radio callsigns. Instead of route or county names they are now more aligned with the rest of the state. They now I'd as "SSPxxx

They used to be "DOTxxx" a few years ago and i noticed the switch when I was listening to Fairfax 1 and heard SSPxxx and for the life of me could not figure out who was SSP until finally looking it up and realizing it's Safety Service Patrol (thank you Google) lol