Alabama Highway Patrol, Troop G. Not hearing most patrol car transmissions, but hearing dispatch

[threeofnine]

Over the last two or three days I have noticed I am hearing, Alabama Highway Patrol Troop G, dispatch but rarely hear transmissions from individual troopers. Usually when this happens it means they are just too far away. However, today while getting launch one performed a traffic stop right across the street from where I was. I heard dispatch loud and clear but nothing from the Trooper so half the conversation was missing. There is a live stream from Troop G and I notice its the exact same situation on the live stream. What is going on here? I can still hear both dispatch and Troopers when listening to Troop F.

I notice that Troop G, but not Troop F, is listed as also being part of the Alabama Interoperable Radio System (AIRS) Alabama Interoperable Radio System (AIRS) Trunking System, Varies, Alabama but as a VHF patch. Is it possible they are moving over to P25 and this is why I am not hearing the transmissions? If that is the case, why am I hearing dispatch?

 

[threeofnine]

Edit. Something I forgot to mention. For the last few days radio reception has been pretty poor. Not just on my scanner, as I've heard dispatch give the 10 code for unclear transmissions and complain about reception multiple times.

 

[IcomIcR20]

I am not sure if this is applicable to your situation, but I will note that in the case of Troop D, there are times when I can hear the dispatcher but not the units. To elaborate, I monitor the Opelika AHP repeater, but sometimes things get patched together and I can hear dispatches for Montgomery and Alexander City as well, but I do not hear the units in those areas since they are operating on their respective repeaters in those cities. I only hear a unit if they are in the Lee County area and are using the Opelika repeater.

As for AHP using AIRS, that is entirely possible. I routinely hear AHP units operating natively on the MMCCD P25 system, so it would not surprise me if they use AIRS in other parts of the state. Troopers typically have the ability to access a number of systems. For instance, in Lee County I hear them on their own repeater, MMCCD, and even the Lee County Sheriff dispatch frequency on occasion.

I have also noted internment poor audio from the dispatcher at times over the past few months. The signal strength is fine, but the best way I can describe it is "stuttering" in the audio.

 

[KE4ZNR]

To elaborate, I monitor the Opelika AHP repeater, but sometimes things get patched together and I can hear dispatches for Montgomery and Alexander City as well, but I do not hear the units in those areas since they are operating on their respective repeaters in those cities. I only hear a unit if they are in the Lee County area and are using the Opelika repeater.

In the dispatcher world this is called a "Multi-Select" and happens when a dispatcher wants to transmit on several channels/TGs at once but have the units reply on their individual TGs. It is different than a patch.
Multi-select: One way outbound dispatcher across several channels/TGs where units in the field only hear traffic on their respective TGs.
Patch: channels/TGs actually patched together and everyone can hear each others radio traffic.

 

[IcomIcR20]

In the dispatcher world this is called a "Multi-Select" and happens when a dispatcher wants to transmit on several channels/TGs at once but have the units reply on their individual TGs. It is different than a patch.
Multi-select: One way outbound dispatcher across several channels/TGs where units in the field only hear traffic on their respective TGs.
Patch: channels/TGs actually patched together and everyone can hear each others radio traffic.

Thanks, Marshall. I knew I was not using the best terminology there. Appreciate the clarification!

 

[radiocrazy123]

Alabama Highway Patrol has been primary on the Southern Linc system for a while. It is LTE with AES-256 and situation awareness on. What you are hearing is just what the consoles have multi-selected or patched with AIRS or local systems for interop. They do have XL-200's, XL virtual and the Southern Linc app so they are able to switch back to the old system if they need to or any of the AIRS patches set up for them. Just depends on what covers best for them for the location. So just enjoy what you can hear while it lasts.

 

[threeofnine]

Alabama Highway Patrol has been primary on the Southern Linc system for a while. It is LTE with AES-256 and situation awareness on. What you are hearing is just what the consoles have multi-selected or patched with AIRS or local systems for interop. They do have XL-200's, XL virtual and the Southern Linc app so they are able to switch back to the old system if they need to or any of the AIRS patches set up for them. Just depends on what covers best for them for the location. So just enjoy what you can hear while it lasts.

Does this mean that eventually they likely will not be scannable?

 

[radiocrazy123]

Right now it is uncertain what the future plans are. I been told that Southern Linc is the game plan for now (2 year contract) and when AIRS is built out with full state portable coverage they will re-eval Thier position.

 

[TomServo]

That's disappointing to hear they're contracted with SouthernLinc, but I guess it does explain some of the more sporadic activity I hear from the Mobile post. Some days the VHF channel is quite active and seems to operate as a conventional repeater, other days I only hear the base, and then some days nothing at all. Ditto the patch to AIRS, some days it seems to be turned off, and other days it's quite active. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to any of it.

 

[chill30240]

Does this mean that eventually they likely will not be scannable?

That is correct. Georgia State Patrol switched to Southern Linc last year and no one is able to hear them any longer. No scanner will monitor Southern Linc.

 

[threeofnine]

That is correct. Georgia State Patrol switched to Southern Linc last year and no one is able to hear them any longer. No scanner will monitor Southern Linc.

That’s unfortunate. Hopefully they won’t fully switch over and will use AIRS

 

[morganAL]

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting on that. There are some politics involved. From an initial onboarding cost perspective, Linc is less expensive. Sure, a lot of the ALEA cars have 700/800 radios in them, but I doubt all do. I haven't seen a price for a Linc subscriber device recently but I'd bet they can buy at least 10 and maybe a few more for the same cost as 1 700/800 P25 radio. Linc also has coverage in the very rural counties of South Alabama whereas there is no AIRS coverage and those counties don't have the funding to build out and maintain sites on AIRS. Nor do they have the funding to purchase subscriber units.

 

[RadioJonD]

In the Shoals Area of Northwest Alabama, Southern Linc is all but useless. Nearest AIRS site is, I believe, in Trinity in Morgan County. So, no joy on either of those.

The Quad*Cities post augments VHF 154.8075 MHz with iNet, or maybe 911iNet now. iNet is a push-to-talk over cellular service thereby rendering radio scanner monitoring void.

iNet is an Alabama company gaining traction across the state. Q*C Troopers were brought into the system by the Franklin County Sheriff's Department which has been using iNet for going on five years now. Even with the addition of VHF 154.905 MHz in Jasper, the post can communicate with Walker County units more effectively over iNet.

All this to say, not much over conventional VHF in these parts either. Unless you count short range car to car chatter, especially by retired troopers escorting super loads at night.

I am still interested in verification of NXDN use on 154.6875, 154.7025, 154.9425, & 155.4675 MHz as authorized on the KA2108 FCC license for ALEA. I would suspect short range use by special details and/or Protective Services.

 

[threeofnine]

Troop G and F seem to be very active on VHF. However, occasionally I can only hear dispatch, but not Troopers over VHF. Funny thing is, during those times, I can hear both dispatch and Troopers via the AIRS stream.

Although I’ve not spend a lot of time in the area, I’ve never heard anything from the Troop E Jasper repeater.

 

[RadioJonD]

Troop G and F seem to be very active on VHF. However, occasionally I can only hear dispatch, but not Troopers over VHF. Funny thing is, during those times, I can hear both dispatch and Troopers via the AIRS stream.

Although I’ve not spend a lot of time in the area, I’ve never heard anything from the Troop E Jasper repeater.

That is as KE4ZNR & radiocrazy123 have referred to. Multi-Select. The occasions on which you hear only dispatch is when they are communicating with a unit not in your local area. Essentially, dispatch is transmitting on two or more repeaters/channels at the same time. If your area is "G" you will hear both sides. So, when talking with "F" units, you will only hear the dispatch side.

As for AIRS, I can't say for sure, but suspect that all VHF repeaters of "G" & "F" are patched into one AIRS talk group. Thus, both sides every time.

The reason for Multi-Select is so that all units reporting to a particular communications center will know when that center is actively talking with another unit regardless of location. Even the trooper units don't hear others not in their immediate area. Keeping everyone in the know is prudent to reduce chaos.

Another reason for Multi-Select is simplicity for the communications officer not to have to constantly pick and choose individual transmitters.

 

[threeofnine]

Essentially, dispatch is transmitting on two or more repeaters/channels at the same time.

Is there a way to find these repeaters? Only two are listed for Troop G in the database. I tried scanning all frequencies between 140.000 and 160.000, while troopers and dispatch were talking, in hoping of finding which frequencies the troopers were on but it didn’t work.

In one case the trooper was literally right across the road from me. I could only hear the one sided conversation from dispatch only.

I’m still a total beginner at all of this.

 

[RadioJonD]

Is there a way to find these repeaters? Only two are listed for Troop G in the database. I tried scanning all frequencies between 140.000 and 160.000, while troopers and dispatch were talking, in hoping of finding which frequencies the troopers were on but it didn’t work.

In one case the trooper was literally right across the road from me. I could only hear the one sided conversation from dispatch only.

I’m still a total beginner at all of this.

No idea why you couldn't hear a trooper that close.

0nly suggestion I have is to program every frequency, minus the low bands, for FCC license KA2108, good thru the end on 2033. I keep all of them running when I am travelling in Alabama. Unless a trooper is communicating on another agency's system or exclusively on AIRS, one of the ALEA licensed VHF frequencies should be in use.

0ne exception is the new license for 154.905 MHz in Walker County. It doesn't show in the KA2018 license. We need to be vigilant for more like these.

Note on the KA2108 license that three of the twenty-eight VHF-Hi frequencies are for mutual aid, VLAW-31, VLAW 32, & AL Common.

 

[wsp44]

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting on that. There are some politics involved. From an initial onboarding cost perspective, Linc is less expensive. Sure, a lot of the ALEA cars have 700/800 radios in them, but I doubt all do. I haven't seen a price for a Linc subscriber device recently but I'd bet they can buy at least 10 and maybe a few more for the same cost as 1 700/800 P25 radio. Linc also has coverage in the very rural counties of South Alabama whereas there is no AIRS coverage and those counties don't have the funding to build out and maintain sites on AIRS. Nor do they have the funding to purchase subscriber units.

Southern Linc uses L3 Harris XL series of mobiles and portables, prices are on par with what moto would charge for their multi band mobiles/portables. SL also bills monthly for service, I would guess in the ball park of $25+/-

In the Shoals Area of Northwest Alabama, Southern Linc is all but useless. Nearest AIRS site is, I believe, in Trinity in Morgan County. So, no joy on either of those.

The Quad*Cities post augments VHF 154.8075 MHz with iNet, or maybe 911iNet now. iNet is a push-to-talk over cellular service thereby rendering radio scanner monitoring void.

iNet is an Alabama company gaining traction across the state. Q*C Troopers were brought into the system by the Franklin County Sheriff's Department which has been using iNet for going on five years now. Even with the addition of VHF 154.905 MHz in Jasper, the post can communicate with Walker County units more effectively over iNet.

All this to say, not much over conventional VHF in these parts either. Unless you count short range car to car chatter, especially by retired troopers escorting super loads at night.

I am still interested in verification of NXDN use on 154.6875, 154.7025, 154.9425, & 155.4675 MHz as authorized on the KA2108 FCC license for ALEA. I would suspect short range use by special details and/or Protective Services.

I-net is a POC service that claims it's "mission critical" which is wild, considering they are using a multi carrier SIM card with carrier grade service connectivity/reliability, Non of those Kirisun or inrico private label $100 POC radios would ever be band14 or Solinc certified. That type of service is great, until it isn't... I know of a county that uses I-net as their primary form of communication, but when a major backhaul provider had a huge service disruption and brought multiple cell carrier sites in a geographical region down, guess what didn't work?

 

[N4GKS]

It seems the state of Alabama Troopers are always the last to get anything. Almost all cities, such as Huntsville, Birmingham, Mobile, Montgomery, etc. Have gone to P25, the troopers are like 20 years behind everyone else.

 

[KV4PM]

Right now it is uncertain what the future plans are. I been told that Southern Linc is the game plan for now (2 year contract) and when AIRS is built out with full state portable coverage they will re-eval Thier position.

The public utility where I work just switched to Southern Linc. It's mediocre at best and has already had multiple failures in less than a month since the rollout. It's scary to think of really mission-critical agencies being stuck with that crap.