Blair County Police Radio upgrade OpenSky?

[CHAWMAN24]

WTAJ and The Altoona Mirror ran a story about a 4.3 million dollar upgrade for Blair County’s police department radios. The story reported the county will purchase 227 portable radios, 110 mobile car units and 21 base stations. This equipment will be distributed to 14 municipal police departments as well as the Blair County Sheriff’s department. They didn’t mention specifics but on WTAJ the press conference video showed a portable radio that had Opensky stamped on top of it. I’m truly hoping Blair County isn’t making that move.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

I thought OpenSky reached its EOL years ago, many users (Milwaukee & PSP come to mind, the former of the two still in service I believe?) complained of reliability issues. I'd assume they'd move to P25 Phase-II as is the current trend. Cumberland County has an OpenSky system they're in the process of phasing out (more on that here)

 

[avaloncourt]

Is the state dumping... er selling equipment to Blair County?

 

[HM1529]

OpenSky is a dead tech. It was either stock footage ABC had or some old radio sitting around at Blair Co for the old state system.

 

[RaleighGuy]

They didn’t mention specifics but on WTAJ the press conference video showed a portable radio that had Opensky stamped on top of it. I’m truly hoping Blair County isn’t making that move.

Great way to say they aren't encrypted while being near impossible to listen to.

 

[chrismol1]

OpenSky is a dead tech. It was either stock footage ABC had or some old radio sitting around at Blair Co for the old state system.

I remember watching a news story of a radio upgrade within the past few years and laying on the table was an MT500 and an old motorola PT lunchbox radio with the 3 foot antenna among a bunch of other crap. Total crap but made for a good TV clip visualizing the need to upgrade

 

[maus92]

Here's a link to the story - looks like an equipment refresh, not a system replacement. It certainly will not be Opensky.

Blair awarded $4.3M grant

HOLLIDAYSBURG — Blair County has been awarded $4.3 million from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency to upgrade law enforcement communication equipment in 2023 and 2024. The money is expected to help the county’s sheriff’s office and 911 center, in addition to municipal police...

www.altoonamirror.com

 

[joerutola42]

hello what is blair county going to use for communication system and what is Hollidaysburg Borough police on right now

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

hello what is blair county going to use for communication system

Welcome to the RR forums. Article in post #7 doesn't outline infrastructure specifics but if I were to venture a guess given the upgrade trends of most of the country I'd say a P25 Phase-II trunked radio system, unknown vendor. Again, just a wild guess

and what is Hollidaysburg Borough police on right now

Going by info given in wiki:

• 600-619- Hollidaysburg Borough Police ( 600 Units) (CENTRAL)

And by the RRDB:

453.350	458.350	RM	350 NAC	BC Cent PD	Central Police Dispatch	P25	Law Dispatch
460.2875		M	192.8 PL	BC Cent Tac	Central Police Tac	FMN	Law Tac
460.325	465.325	RM	192.8 PL	BC Cent Ops	Central Police Ops	FMN	Law Tac

 

[joerutola42]

hi does any one know what the altoona city highway yard is on dpw for the plows heard noithing on 453.050

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

hi does any one know what the altoona city highway yard is on dpw for the plows heard noithing on 453.050

License contains 7K60FXE emissions. Perhaps they've now operating DMR on the same frequency? That'd be the first thing I would check

 

[joerutola42]

i changed it dmr still here noithing

 

[joerutola42]

hi what does that mean

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

hi what does that mean

???

i changed it dmr still here noithing

Do you have a DMR capable scanner? If not you'd hear emissions noise like this (LOUD, turn volume down) when the repeater is active

Monitoring DMR

 

[joerutola42]

i do i updated it still hear noithing on 453.50 ican hear other mdr from penn state school in altoona and hams

 

[joerutola42]

does any one know what system penelec the power company is on

 

[HM1529]

does any one know what system penelec the power company is on

FirstEnergy subsidiaries Penelec, West Penn Power, Penn Power, and Met-Ed all have talkgroups on PA-STARNET.

PA-STARNet: Pennsylvania Statewide Radio Network Trunking System, Statewide, Pennsylvania

PA-STARNet: Pennsylvania Statewide Radio Network Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

 

[joerutola42]

hi can u pick them up

 

[u2brent]

Yes, they are in the clear, when you can hear them. Not all the tgids are identified yet, the wiki could be helpful with those.

 

[joerutola42]

what is the wiki