DPS... No VHF?

[tunnelmot]

Saw this a couple days ago. No VHF whip. Sorry for potato quality pic, but noticed only a 7/800 pigtail and what looked like a Panorama 3g/4g fin. Any theories?

 

[Giddyuptd]

Looks like a quarter wave vhf on top but hard to tell. Some dps use local trunked systems with talkgroups for dps

 

[scanaholic]

Abilene DPS has quit ID'ing. No more "KKC-674" after each transmission. Sounds strange after hearing station ID's for decades,

 

[NC5267]

All the trooper vehicles have a P25 VHF radio installed when they come from Austin with the Statewide band plan and interop channels programmed. Anything else is up to the trooper as to what is programmed or other radios installed. Pretty much all the troopers will have access to a least what the local Sheriff's Department uses for communications in and around their assigned counties.

 

[Giddyuptd]

I recall there was a law that required any encrypted local entities to either provide a radio capable, or have the dps radio programmed to monitor their channels and have access to the system the dps vhf radio couldn't.

 

[bpckty1]

Try TXWarn, Montgomery County Simulcast frequencies, and scroll waaaaaay down the page to Texas Department of Public Safety. They may be TDMA, or possibly just plain digital.

Texas Wide Area Radio Network (TxWARN) Trunking System, Various, Texas - Scanner Frequencies

 

[nd5y]

A few DPS SUVs around here have what looks sort of like a ham dual band VHF/UHF antenna. They are about 2 feet long with an open coil that's not in the center, its closer to the base end. That could be confused with a 700/800 MHz gain antenna by somebody with little antenna knowledge.


Most DPS vehicles in this area have VHF 5/8 wave, 700/800 MHz 1/4 wave, and low profile cellular.

 

[Kfred]

Has anyone got a look at the radio's? May be APX 7500. one radio two bands vhf/7/800 mhz, two antenna's. control head may look like XTL2500 .

 

[tunnelmot]

Good replies.

Although the pic doesn't illustrate it, there was definitely only 2 antennas on there. Newer install (judging by the cruiser). I observed:
1.What looked like a Panorama 4g. This makes sense for data/MDC. Interesting that it wasn't the usual Larsen.
2. 7/800 MHZ. PCTel/Maxrad. This follows logic of DPS access to whatever the local 7/800 system is.

No other mounts/empty NMO's/etc/. No VHF 5/8 wave,1/4 wave or 1/2 wave.
N5DY's response makes the most sense.
"A few DPS SUVs around here have what looks sort of like a ham dual band VHF/UHF antenna. They are about 2 feet long with an open coil that's not in the center, its closer to the base end."
I have personally used PCTel multi band antennas,and they (and their clones) do usually measure around 24". This was much more closer to the usual 13" length common for 800MHZ collinears. That is what caught my attention.


An example of the only whip (other than the 4g) that was present...This whip with the classic PCTel base.

I was just curious if it was possible that some units were being equipped with only 7/800.

 

[motorola_otaku]

DPS uses 110W VHF/7-800 APX7500s with O9 control heads and integrated light/siren control statewide. The choice of antennas seems to fall to the regional radio shop. Some specialized units (like the mobile command trucks) have O7 heads.

 

[nd5y]

A few DPS SUVs around here have what looks sort of like a ham dual band VHF/UHF antenna. They are about 2 feet long with an open coil that's not in the center, its closer to the base end.

The antenna I'm talking about looks almost like this
https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/comet-m-24-1600
but it's not a mag mount and it's a lot longer than 19.5 inches.

 

[n5rv]

Gawd I hate those PCTel antennas..... my Game Wardens have broken so many of them.... I replace them with NMO-150's..... job done....

Good replies.

Although the pic doesn't illustrate it, there was definitely only 2 antennas on there. Newer install (judging by the cruiser). I observed:
1.What looked like a Panorama 4g. This makes sense for data/MDC. Interesting that it wasn't the usual Larsen.
2. 7/800 MHZ. PCTel/Maxrad. This follows logic of DPS access to whatever the local 7/800 system is.

No other mounts/empty NMO's/etc/. No VHF 5/8 wave,1/4 wave or 1/2 wave.
N5DY's response makes the most sense.
"A few DPS SUVs around here have what looks sort of like a ham dual band VHF/UHF antenna. They are about 2 feet long with an open coil that's not in the center, its closer to the base end."
I have personally used PCTel multi band antennas,and they (and their clones) do usually measure around 24". This was much more closer to the usual 13" length common for 800MHZ collinears. That is what caught my attention.


An example of the only whip (other than the 4g) that was present...This whip with the classic PCTel base.

I was just curious if it was possible that some units were being equipped with only 7/800.