Austin/Travis Site in Fayette County

[Russell]

Does the Austin/Travis systems really have a site in southern Fayette county? That's awful far away to really make sense. That's nearly fifty miles from the rest of the system. I can understand the possible reason for the site in Bastrop county, but the site in Fayette county is really far out. Is there property in Fayette county that Austin or Travis owns there or is this an FCC database error?

http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=TRSDB&sid=2

Russell

 

[SCPD]

Hi Russell;

It's really there. I've picked it up faintly in Columbus with signal touch-and-go as you pass La Grange along US 71. I think I recall this site broadcasting the Bastrop site as a neighbor. I have never heard any actualy traffic on it though.

-rick

 

[VintageJon]

Russell,
please consult RR Database for Austin and you'll find a Fayette County listing down the page.

There are two towers that can hit it with ease!
(Towers range from Blanco to Fayette borders...)

Surprise! Austin/Travis County Apco -25 is a BIG area-coverage! They're everywhere and likely to get more so. I've picked-up Williamson,Travis,Hays,Fayette,Blanco,and probably 2 more I canna recall off the System here... (And that's just with a ducky or 1/4 Wave per
my Avatar! When I get the beam built we'll really hear something...)

It ain't skip, it's Big Brother.

73's,
Jon

 

[Russell]

Russell,
please consult RR Database for Austin and you'll find a Fayette County listing down the page.

...

73's,
Jon

Dude,

I'm here. I see the tower listing. I dont' see any talkgroups for Fayette County. My question now is ... Why does Austin/Travis have a tower site there?

Russell

 

[SCPD]

Why does Austin/Travis have a tower site there?

Good question. I don't have an answer but here are a couple of theories.

1. to build out eastward along the US71 corridor (at least as far as I-10).

2. to provide continuous coverage all the way to Houston - effectively joining the Austin regional system with Houston's STARNet system.

This past spring a new P25 site popped up in far northwest Houston (in Tomball) using STARNet licensed channels. I don't know if that is an indication of the future of STARnet. As for site 01-08, it's hard to tell who the users are going to be until the Fayette site starts seeing some use.

-rick

 

[blantonl]

The site is there to support an Austin Energy Power Plant in that area. Austin Energy is a significant user of the system.

 

[blantonl]

More specifically, the Fayette Power Project:

http://www.lcra.org/energy/fayette.html

Sat Photo Here:

http://maps.google.com/?ll=29.916666,-96.750519&spn=0.016515,0.0156&t=k&om=1

 

[SCPD]

I'm very suprised that the power plant users aren't on the LCRA EDACS system - a system that already covers that area.
-rick

 

[Russell]

The site is there to support an Austin Energy Power Plant in that area. Austin Energy is a significant user of the system.

Well, there ya' go. I knew there had to something out there.

Russell

 

[blantonl]

I'm very suprised that the power plant users aren't on the LCRA EDACS system - a system that already covers that area.
-rick

The power plant is a shared entity between Austin energy and the LCRA... so I suspect the LCRA folks are on their system and the Austin energy folks are on theirs.

Furtheremore, if you look at the site location via sat, it is actually a few miles west of the plant on what looks to be an Austin energy substation. Thus, Austin energy probably is responsible for the lines from the plan into their coverage area, thus the Bastrop and Fayette County sites...