Assistance Request - VTAC13 and Rockingham County Seacoast Fire

[jmfirefighter]

Hello All,

I am hoping that I can request the assistance of the scanner and HAM community in locating where a transmitter that is rebroadcasting Seacoast Fire (154.190 PL 136.7) over VTAC13 (158.7375 PL 157.6) is located. This is occurring somewhere in the Rockingham and Strafford County areas. A dispatch center can hear it on their VTAC13 receivers located on Belknap and Blue Job, but ground based units can hear it occasionally. I was able to catch Seacoast Fire traffic on VTAC13 in the Newmarket/Newfields/Stratham/Exeter area today, but there was a lot of static and I was definitely on the fringe of reception (using a Motorola APX8500 with 5/8 wave VHF antenna). I'm sort of assuming it's north of that area and likely portable or mobile based equipment, rather than fixed tower mounted infrastructure.

I've already ruled out local and state dispatch centers in the area, including Rockingham County.

If anyone is willing to assist with keeping an ear open on VTAC13 and seeing if they can get a good RF level within a town or geographic area out that way, I would really appreciate it! I'm going to do my own direction finding as well, but the more willing ears I can get the better.

Thank you in advance!

 

[Firebuff880]

You don't have any active incidents or recent incidents where a Incident Command might have had a JPS or system patch of some sort active and it never got torn down ?? Maybe check with the IMT coordinator or the various EMAs in your area ?

 

[jmfirefighter]

Hello,

Thank you for the reply. There have been no incidents that would have required the patching of these two channels, something of that magnitude would have involved myself or my organization. The only other group capable of doing this outside of a local or state dispatch center has already been ruled out as well.

The last major incident in NH where an ICS system was active and required patching was the NASCAR race in Loudon, and I can personally vouch all that gear is gone.

 

[Firebuff880]

10-4

Suggested checking around based on experience, as I once chased a similar issue, when we found it, it was a JPS patch in an MCV left "on" after a mobilization exercise. Our issue was intermittent because when they rolled it onto the ramp to wash every so often the patch came on during the bath

Good luck --

 

[n1das]

It's 10-5 instead of 10-4 in NH. 10-4 in NH means repeat your message. Nashua PD and Hudson PD are the two exceptions in NH where they use the APCO codes. I can't listen to Nashua PD anymore since they flipped the E switch last year.

I am familiar with Seacoast NH Fire 154.190 PL136.5. I lived in the NH seacoast area back in the 80s during my college years. There always was lots of traffic on "190" back in the day.

I'll keep ear on 158.7375 PL156.7 in my travels.

 

[PrivatelyJeff]

10-4

Suggested checking around based on experience, as I once chased a similar issue, when we found it, it was a JPS patch in an MCV left "on" after a mobilization exercise. Our issue was intermittent because when they rolled it onto the ramp to wash every so often the patch came on during the bath

Good luck --

Reminds me of this: Same Traffic Report for Obama's Inauguration Broadcasted for 8 Years

 

[ecps92]

Have your SWIC pass this along to the ME and MA SWICS to share thru their distribution lists, with the band openings of late, it could be from MA or ME and an errant console patch

Nothing heard down south of Boston MA

Hello All,

I am hoping that I can request the assistance of the scanner and HAM community in locating where a transmitter that is rebroadcasting Seacoast Fire (154.190 PL 136.7) over VTAC13 (158.7375 PL 157.6) is located. This is occurring somewhere in the Rockingham and Strafford County areas. A dispatch center can hear it on their VTAC13 receivers located on Belknap and Blue Job, but ground based units can hear it occasionally. I was able to catch Seacoast Fire traffic on VTAC13 in the Newmarket/Newfields/Stratham/Exeter area today, but there was a lot of static and I was definitely on the fringe of reception (using a Motorola APX8500 with 5/8 wave VHF antenna). I'm sort of assuming it's north of that area and likely portable or mobile based equipment, rather than fixed tower mounted infrastructure.

I've already ruled out local and state dispatch centers in the area, including Rockingham County.

If anyone is willing to assist with keeping an ear open on VTAC13 and seeing if they can get a good RF level within a town or geographic area out that way, I would really appreciate it! I'm going to do my own direction finding as well, but the more willing ears I can get the better.

Thank you in advance!

 

[nhfirefighter]

Have your SWIC pass this along to the ME and MA SWICS to share thru their distribution lists, with the band openings of late, it could be from MA or ME and an errant console patch

Nothing heard down south of Boston MA

I agree, 154.190 is used on the mid coast of Maine as well albeit with a different PL. if they have a patch running CSQ it might be picking up NH Seacoast.

Also not hearing anything in the Carroll County region today.

 

[jmfirefighter]

The offending station was located in the NH Seacoast, it was an in-building repeater that was rebroadcasting on VTAC13 and wasn't just covering in the building anymore.

 

[ecps92]

Glad it got resolved quickly

The offending station was located in the NH Seacoast, it was an in-building repeater that was rebroadcasting on VTAC13 and wasn't just covering in the building anymore.