Albany County P25 and NYSP

[k2hz]

I'm currently holding on 155.445 using both my SDS100 and BC125AT and I'm getting some garbled transmissions and can hardly hear what they're talking about. I'm actually able to hear a little clearer on the BC125AT , both use stock antennas. Looking on the RR license database for Albany County Fire Control, it seems like the NYSP and the ACFC use the same location. I'm able to pick up ACFC pretty good.

NYSP uses multiple transmit sites throughout the Troop area and does not simulcast so you will not be able to hear the more distant sites. The Albany site you mention would only be used for a unit in that area and may not even be a primary site for the area. And, the car reply is on a different frequency and generally not "repeatered". While some sites have repeater capability it is not used for routine operations.

So NYSP VHF is very difficult to monitor without a good base antenna and scanning the Troop, Mobile and Car to Car frequencies. In some cases they also use "State" 154.695 simplex. So monitoring NYSP can be frustrating, especially since area dispatch may be on a county system.

 

[dom6vrr]

You may be receiving ACFC better because that license shows 6 transmitter sites and Troop G license shows only one. Where are you in relation to Pinnacle Road (Helderberg Mtn) ? Where is your scanner located in relation to where the signal comes from?



155.445 is only a base to mobile freq and you would only hear the dispatcher. You would also need one of the mobile to base freqs shown below to receive both mobiles and base. Most likely, G1 154.680.



View attachment 145523




View attachment 145525

I am exactly 8.12 miles from the Heldeberg Mountain site. Elevation for the transmitter is 545ft, my elevation is 280ft.

I'll try monitoring those Mobile to Base frequencies.

 

[jgorman21]

I'm currently holding on 155.445 using both my SDS100 and BC125AT and I'm getting some garbled transmissions and can hardly hear what they're talking about. I'm actually able to hear a little clearer on the BC125AT , both use stock antennas. Looking on the RR license database for Albany County Fire Control, it seems like the NYSP and the ACFC use the same location. I'm able to pick up ACFC pretty good.

The SDS 100 is not the “best” for VHF/UHF. As you say, you hear it better on the 125. You can make is somewhat better on the 100 by playing with the filters and using an external antenna!

 

[k2hz]

My point is you may not be hearing the Helderberg site unless they are calling a car in that area. They have many sites in the Troop G area in Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga County. The RRDB only lists a typical call sign for a multi-site conventional system while the NYSP has multiple licenses. NYSP has 19 licenses for 155.455. They typically default to use only a few sites that give wide coverage of their active areas which may not be in your immediate vicinity. Your weak transmissions could be from Washington, Warren or whatever County. With the Albany area reportedly dispatched on the County system there may be little or no use of NYSP sites in your immediate area.

Bottom line is there may be little or no activity on the NYSP VHF channels that can be heard on a handheld scanner at your location. I really don't understand what it is you expect to hear. With a handheld scanner you will only hear cars within about a mile or so of your location.

If NYSP is dispatched on the Albany County system there is really little to be heard on the NYSP channels, even with a base scanner and good high antenna. If you want to hear NYSP activity, monitor the local county Law TGs in your area.

 

[seagravebuff60]

To me it just seems weird for the NYSP to have all of these talkgroups on various P25 systems along with analog frequencies that they rarely use, and instead use Albany Law Enforcement TGs!

Actually, it's like this all across NY state. In various parts, NYSP is on the local counites systems in others NYSP operates on its own antiquated duplex VHF system. It all depends on the local area and how the calls are handled and who dispatches what.

NYSP Troop K and L here in the Hudson Valley use the antiquated NYSP duplex VHF System a lot. Especially Troop K.

 

[dom6vrr]

The SDS 100 is not the “best” for VHF/UHF. As you say, you hear it better on the 125. You can make is somewhat better on the 100 by playing with the filters and using an external antenna!

Just curious, what filters are you talking about? Attenuation?

 

[DaveNF2G]

To echo what @k2hz said, that very example of Troop Car numbers that you may be used to hearing, or expect to hear, is very different on NYSP Troop T Dispatch. Yes, I know you are talking about Albany area and not just Troop T, but still, for the sake of the discussion, go along with this. For example, you might see #T## on a plate of an NYSP Troop T vehicle, but on the radio, you might hear "7457" or some other number when they are transmitting. I don't know the logic, rhyme, or reason behind it, but that's what SP does on Troop T. I'd imagine it wouldn't be that far-fetched for that to be on local systems, too, if that's how they identify. C'mon, they wear purple ties, so you know they also got to do other weird things!

The Thruway patrols use the Troopers' badge numbers. The plates on the cars carry the nTnn numbers but they are not used on the air.

 

[lkas]

The Thruway patrols use the Troopers' badge numbers. The plates on the cars carry the nTnn numbers but they are not used on the air.

no they do not!!

 

[DaveNF2G]

no they do not!!

Which do not what? Both statements are verified.

 

[lkas]

Troopers on tway use a personal radio number issued to them. For instance in Albany which is zone 2 a trooper would be 72xx. 7 meaning a state police member then 2 for zone two Albany then the last two digits are the trooper.

 

[seagravebuff60]

no they do not!!

Have you ever listened to NYS T way to confirm this is not true?

 

[lkas]

Which do not what? Both statements are verified.

Verified by who?

 

[lkas]

Have you ever listened to NYS T way to confirm this is not true? As dave said both statements are verified.

I worked on tway for a bit

 

[k2hz]

The Thruway patrols use the Troopers' badge numbers. The plates on the cars carry the nTnn numbers but they are not used on the air.

The Thruway Troop T radio IDs are 7-(zone #)-(unit #). An Albany Zone 2 unit would be 72##. Have you ever listened to the system??

I have heard Troopers acknowledge with a badge number at the end of a transmission if that is what your are referring to.

 

[GTR8000]

The Thruway patrols use the Troopers' badge numbers. The plates on the cars carry the nTnn numbers but they are not used on the air.

Bad info, Dave. The 7xxx identifiers used on the radio is the Thruway numbering, not the Trooper's shield numbers. Troop T vehicles carry two designations: a 7xxx number, and the xT-xx plate ID which is used on other troop radio systems.

Deja vu all over again. 🤦‍♂️

 

[lkas]

Bad info, Dave. The 7xxx identifiers used on the radio is the Thruway vehicle numbering, not the Trooper's shield numbers. Troop T vehicles carry two designations: The aforementioned 7xxx number, and the xT-xx plate ID which is used on other troop radio systems.

This is even more bad info. The 7xxx on tway vehicle is used for tway maintenance on vehicle. Tway owns the troop cars ans puts their own 7xxx number on it for inventory and routine maintenance

 

[seagravebuff60]

I have heard Troopers acknowledge with a badge number at the end of a transmission if that is what your are referring to.

I think this is the standard practice across all troops in NYS. I hear it regularly on troop K. Allegedly the troopers have to say it after every transmission but thats kind over overkill.

 

[seagravebuff60]

I worked on tway for a bit

Sorry didn’t realize you were an expert in everything tway related.

 

[k2hz]

I think this is the standard practice across all troops in NYS. I hear it regularly on troop K. Allegedly the troopers have to say it after every transmission but thats kind over overkill.

Troop T is a special case as Ikas described. The Troopers are dedicated to Thruway patrol, dispatched by the Thruway and driving Thruway vehicles. So the radio procedure is somewhat unique to the Thruway with some normal NYSP procedures like acknowledgement by shield #.
And, yes, NYSP is "shield" not "badge". The Thruway civilian Dispatchers also acknowledge with their "R##" at times.

 

[dave3825]

I think this is the standard practice across all troops in NYS.

Troop L on Long Island uses zone, troop, xx format (which is also plate number on marked vehicles) on the 3 systems they occupy out here.. On the radio, its 1L20, 2L34, 5L16 (BCI) and 8Lxx for State Parks Police. But have also heard state parks pd using 9xx without 8L lately.

They also must beat the snot out of those cars. Body shop by me always has Troop L cars in for repair.