- Status
Our admittedly very backwards and not progressive County tried forcing alpha paging on us as well. A few departments jumped on board and tried it and it was a huge failure. All have dropped it and gone back to the much better voice paging. I'll take my voice pager over that alpa pager any day.
I see on RR database there is 800MHz repeaters. Are they being used in relay with the current LowBand system currently or are they there and will be used as the main system when everyone switches over?
W3DMV
Member
The 800 Mhz frequencies are hard wired to the low band system. Once in a
blue moon several are used in normal repeater mode for special event type operation.
Appears to be an attempt to keep the frequencies occupied, while awaiting construction.
The first attempt at deploying this system resulted in several of the licenses being
cancelled for failure to construct.
These older licenses were recently renewed and will become part of the new
trunked system when completed.
The exception is the one listed as "Court House Security". That pair is used as a
normal repeater.
County recently requested extended groth status for the new system. and providing
the FCC with a schedule spanning well into 2018. The consultant is still playing around with
the license list, and changes seem to be frequent on a weekly basis. Many frequencies
have required letters from other users approving the request since the coverage contour
falls within their protected area.
Looks like the list is up to 19 sites and about 15 frequencies. That should provide 99%
coverage below street level... I'm not sure most big counties have that many, and this
is a small county.
Cost still hovering around $27 million and more likely will be substantially more. The
entire county budget last year was $41 million. Can't wait to see my next tax bill !
Many sites will lease at existing tower sites. Have passed many new sites that will
require tower erection but no construction has been noted.
Will post if I see "bull dozers"....
blue moon several are used in normal repeater mode for special event type operation.
Appears to be an attempt to keep the frequencies occupied, while awaiting construction.
The first attempt at deploying this system resulted in several of the licenses being
cancelled for failure to construct.
These older licenses were recently renewed and will become part of the new
trunked system when completed.
The exception is the one listed as "Court House Security". That pair is used as a
normal repeater.
County recently requested extended groth status for the new system. and providing
the FCC with a schedule spanning well into 2018. The consultant is still playing around with
the license list, and changes seem to be frequent on a weekly basis. Many frequencies
have required letters from other users approving the request since the coverage contour
falls within their protected area.
Looks like the list is up to 19 sites and about 15 frequencies. That should provide 99%
coverage below street level... I'm not sure most big counties have that many, and this
is a small county.
Cost still hovering around $27 million and more likely will be substantially more. The
entire county budget last year was $41 million. Can't wait to see my next tax bill !
Many sites will lease at existing tower sites. Have passed many new sites that will
require tower erection but no construction has been noted.
Will post if I see "bull dozers"....
Septa3371CSX1
Member
With that kind of price tag seems to me that maybe Adams County should look into other alternatives to 800 MHZ trunking. Did they look into any of those options (VHF High or UHF conventional repeaters, a UHF trunk system, possibly piggy backing onto an adjacent trunked system (i.e. York or Franklin), joining the State TRS (whether it be the current OS system or the future P25)? I feel those options may run cheaper for Adams County.
W3DMV
Member
Testing
Sounds like some very early testing has been heard over the past
week.
I have visited most of the sites and there is lots of work to complete.
Some sites have towers with no antennas, others with antennas and no
equipment building etc.
Early data (on air)
System ID 1E8
TOWER ID 122 (T0116)
WACN BEE00
Wednesday CC 857.8875
Friday CC 858.2625
-----
The signal here in Gettysburg is not very strong, so I would assume the
on air site is out in the far fringe of the county. Will post more as it becomes
available..
Sounds like some very early testing has been heard over the past
week.
I have visited most of the sites and there is lots of work to complete.
Some sites have towers with no antennas, others with antennas and no
equipment building etc.
Early data (on air)
System ID 1E8
TOWER ID 122 (T0116)
WACN BEE00
Wednesday CC 857.8875
Friday CC 858.2625
-----
The signal here in Gettysburg is not very strong, so I would assume the
on air site is out in the far fringe of the county. Will post more as it becomes
available..
troymail
Silent Key
Consider submitting to the RRDB listings?
858.2625 looks to be on two active licences:
Gettysburg - http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?fccCallsign=WPZA544
Biglerville - http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?fccCallsign=WPZA535
Not finding anything for 857.8875
Last edited:
W3DMV
Member
Still very early yet. The control channel has changed several times
in the past two weeks. The freq was a typo on my part.
Looks like 19 frequencies and 19 tower sites. That should
provide 99 percent coverage six feet underground.
This county is physically very small and it will be very
interesting how the end configuration works. Looks like
another simocast nightmare.
Will try to feed info to the DB as things settle down. The EMA
director said in a news release that he expects completion later
this fall.
-----
in the past two weeks. The freq was a typo on my part.
Looks like 19 frequencies and 19 tower sites. That should
provide 99 percent coverage six feet underground.
This county is physically very small and it will be very
interesting how the end configuration works. Looks like
another simocast nightmare.
Will try to feed info to the DB as things settle down. The EMA
director said in a news release that he expects completion later
this fall.
-----
beastieboy101
Member
Here are a couple screenshots from my Pro-668 hooked up to pro96com last evening (6-21-15). I was at Lake Meade and could pick up both Site 121 & 122 fairly well. No radio traffic but I did notice the system is displaying the flavor as Phase 2. The Frequency Identifier Tables look very strange as well.
Attachments
W3DMV
Member
The two sites shown are the only two that have been on the air and yes
some of the info is a little fuzzy. Every other day the flavor shifts from
phase 2 to phase 1 and back.
Many sites are still incomplete, missing antennas, no equipment shelter
so it maybe awhile until some serious testing gets underway.
The county EMA director keeps saying the system will be online this
fall but unless they they forgo coverage testing and other essentials,
it doesn't seem possible.
-----
some of the info is a little fuzzy. Every other day the flavor shifts from
phase 2 to phase 1 and back.
Many sites are still incomplete, missing antennas, no equipment shelter
so it maybe awhile until some serious testing gets underway.
The county EMA director keeps saying the system will be online this
fall but unless they they forgo coverage testing and other essentials,
it doesn't seem possible.
-----
W3DMV
Member
Cumberland Twp undergoing training today on new system.
Several cars now have 800 Mhz antennas
----
Several cars now have 800 Mhz antennas
----
beastieboy101
Member
Sounds like stuff is starting to fall into place. I will be in Adams Co this friday & will be able to hook up my pro668 to pro96com.
W3DMV
Member
I have the current Pro96com readings but the techs are still changing
things. I watch the system full time but don't know when the final
programming will be completed.
This morning two frequencies are missing from the east site so the
big hammer must still be working ! Thought I would put off posting the info
until the final setup is done.
Have a good trip...
things. I watch the system full time but don't know when the final
programming will be completed.
This morning two frequencies are missing from the east site so the
big hammer must still be working ! Thought I would put off posting the info
until the final setup is done.
Have a good trip...
beastieboy101
Member
Had some traffic on talkgroup 127 just a few minutes ago. Definite TDMA channel in use. I couldn't tell what was going on since it was a broken conversation. My pro-668 did show D2 on the voice; meaning it was using a TDMA channel.
beastieboy101
Member
W3DMV
Member
Your readings look close to mine today. 127 was being used by PD units to train
at a county session this week.
I really don't know where the system will land. My decoders indicate p25 P1 for a few
days, and then p25 Ph2 for a couple. Several times this week they have juggled some
of the frequencies around, and several times both the east and west sites were missing
some frequencies and at one time they had a frequency plugged in that expired several
years ago. . Your readings are from the east site. The control freq for the west site is
858.9875.
If your anxious to stuff some numbers into the DB, help yourself. I'm waiting for
better stability in the readings I live two blocks from a site and run two different
receivers, and both utilize different software packages and they both agree so I assume the
data I see is correct.
--- Good luck
at a county session this week.
I really don't know where the system will land. My decoders indicate p25 P1 for a few
days, and then p25 Ph2 for a couple. Several times this week they have juggled some
of the frequencies around, and several times both the east and west sites were missing
some frequencies and at one time they had a frequency plugged in that expired several
years ago. . Your readings are from the east site. The control freq for the west site is
858.9875.
If your anxious to stuff some numbers into the DB, help yourself. I'm waiting for
better stability in the readings I live two blocks from a site and run two different
receivers, and both utilize different software packages and they both agree so I assume the
data I see is correct.
--- Good luck
beastieboy101
Member
I am picking up the system from Lake Meade and my pro668 keeps switching between tower 121 and 122. Heard a bunch of traffic last night on 127 but couldn't hear alot of it unless I turned my squelch down to 0.
The screenshot I posted yesterday clearly shows the TDMA talkgroup channels.
Channel 02-0840 = 856.2625 slot 0
Channel 02-0841 = 856.2625 slot 1
Channel 02-1064 = 857.6625 slot 0
Channel 02-1065 = 857.6625 slot 1
Since the usage designator shows voice only for those 4 channels. Others were for data and alt cc's.
I know the right side of the screen that shows the site information flavor; is often wrong. I have pro96com running almost daily on the new P25 phase 2 system in Prince William County VA. It always says the flavor as phase 1; even though the phase 2 TDMA talkgroups are always active for the school security and buses.
troymail
Silent Key
Started researching this system last night and its pretty interesting so I made the drive up this morning. Plan to cover a good portion of the County today checking it out.
The two simulcast sites look pretty typical but the other three....they really look odd.
More later.
The two simulcast sites look pretty typical but the other three....they really look odd.
More later.
beastieboy101
Member
Don't know if this will help at all but I believe the callsign for the system is WQRS246.
Pro96com showed callsign WQTT552 or WQTT572 or WQTT576. Seems like WQRS246 is correct since the frequencies all match up to what I had yesterday.
Attached the fcc transmiter site locations for WQRS246. I am closest to the York Springs & Hanover, PA sites.
Attachments
troymail
Silent Key
I'm pretty sure that TGID 127 is a patch related in the Fallenext Firefighters service this weekend in Emittsburg. Also seeing some TGID in the 200xx range.
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