ARMER's Duluth site offline?

[box23]

I was wondering if anyone else has noticed that the Duluth site's control channel on 852.8875 is gone?

I know before I could find it by searching on my PRO-97 and hear the control channel data, but over the last couple weeks when I have been in Duluth/Superior I haven't heard it.

When searching though, I do pick up the Argus Lookout control channel on 856.4625, although it is scratchy.

 

[jdm911]

It has been off line for a couple of months. Not knowing too much about how the system works I do see that the Argus Lookout tower and the Duluth tower on the state's website under 'ARMER Site Map' both sites are showing 43 as the tower number. I have been meaning to investigate this myself by driving out to the Argus area but I have yet to do so.

I wonder if Argus and Duluth are not apart of a simulcast system being that they are showing 43 for both towers? Also, I see the Wrenshall tower (not on line yet also shows 43). I do get good reception of the CC east of Duluth in Wisconsin.

 

[mmtstc]

the way it is looking on ARMER system maps, Argus lookout, Duluth Antenna Farm and Wrenshall will all be simulcast with each other as site 05-043. could be that they are working on connectivity, but the wrenshall tower is still in final Engineering Review and has no physical existence yet.

 

[box23]

Ok, I was thinking it was done being tested so they happened to turn it off since it wasn't needed. If the three sites are going to be a simulcast though, turning off one site may or may not make since, but shouldn't they be using the same frequencies from the beginning?

Now that I think of it, I don't remember hearing the Argus Lookout control channel until after the Duluth one went off the air. So testing one site at a time seems like a good explanation.

The Wrenshall tower seems to be a popular location as our WISCOM system has a planned site there also.