Blue Ridge Parkway - Changes ?

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kb4cvn

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Last Wednesday (04-26) I heard the Parkway supervisor ranger (#201) talking to other rangers about attending a "radio meeting" in Bedford later in the week.

Since Saturday, I have not heard a single transmission on any of the Parkway repeaters in range of my location in Amherst County.

At the time, I assumed that the "radio meeting" was for the LE Rangers who use the CVRCS system, which is soon migrating from EDACS to P-25. But, in the meantime they have gotten real quiet.

Anyone know if they have made some changes?
 

Ghstwolf62

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Got the scanner running a specialized bank search of Federal freqs in the 163-174 range NAC search only. Won't get any analog comms but hopefully will turn up something.
 

ecps92

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Don't rule out the 162 frequencies below the NWS.
You might find some interesting finds ;)
Got the scanner running a specialized bank search of Federal freqs in the 163-174 range NAC search only. Won't get any analog comms but hopefully will turn up something.
 

huntsman2

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Only thing heard today was maintenance in the morning on 172.750 analog repeater. I searched p25 162-174 all day with nothing heard.
 

Ghstwolf62

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The only hits I got for known freqs on digital were 172.650 at 4F9 and not much of that.

I got 172.725 and 172.750 DCS 025 but no digital on them or any of the usual ones. No traffic on 173.7625 which I usually get a lot on.

Got digital on GW South but that's not BRP.

Did find two new Federal freqs I can't identify and aren't in the DB from what I can tell.
173.775 PL 110.9 They referred to the channel or repeater as "Briarwood" No clue.

Also picked up P25 Digital on 169.950 with an NAC of 526. Couldn't tell who they were but they were in the clear. Dispatch only though it seemed.
 

Ghstwolf62

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Still getting 169.950 P25.
Earlier got dispatch referred to as Roanoke from "IC Training" and they referred to the channel as "On Elliot" which might be Elliot's Knob.

It also has the roger beep like the GW digitial freqs have.

Picked up both sides today. Have recordings I will have to review later which might provide more info.

Picked up digital on 166.9 today but that's not BRP. Still no other digital stuff like usual.
 

Ghstwolf62

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Don't rule out the 162 frequencies below the NWS.
You might find some interesting finds ;)

Thanks. I put it in that way to save explanation.

I found some links to preconfigured federal scan search files a few years back. Files for each of the the scanners covering the fed bands. 138-151 minus non fed freqs, 162-174 minus NWS and then the 380-400 and 406-420, They were all NAC search modified.

Made federal searches a lot easier. Someone put in a lot of time to put in every single possible frequency to scan.

Anyway its scanning the 162 part, thanks.
 

ecps92

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another one to modify is 406-420 should be 400-420
There has been use found below 406 and it was LMR :cool:
Thanks. I put it in that way to save explanation.

I found some links to preconfigured federal scan search files a few years back. Files for each of the the scanners covering the fed bands. 138-151 minus non fed freqs, 162-174 minus NWS and then the 380-400 and 406-420, They were all NAC search modified.

Made federal searches a lot easier. Someone put in a lot of time to put in every single possible frequency to scan.

Anyway its scanning the 162 part, thanks.
 

snowmn

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Dispatch put a broadcast out at 4pm today that the repeaters were fixed and back in service on 172.750 analog.
 

Ghstwolf62

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Further on the 169.950. After listening to recordings

Training is actually Westside IC trainee calling into dispatch to report on a fire.
Units are Augusta 1, Augusta 2, Augusta module 1 and Augusta module 2, and Division 4.

Always Roanoke Dispatch and referred to as calling "On Elliot"

North River Office/work center. Westside Fire, and North Ranger River District and shooting range were referenced in relation to the fire.

Units referred to returning to their office and called it "Augusta Springs"

That's all I got except for GPS coordinates of the fire.

Still don't know if this is BRP or some other ranger type thing. Maybe someone can chime in about it who knows area and more info.

Been concentrating on P25 so nothing new on 173.775
 

ecps92

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USFS has a Hot Shot crew "Augusta" stationed in Augusta Springs
https://www.fs.fed.us/fire/people/hotshots/IHC_index.html

They are out of George Washington and Jefferson NF
https://www.fs.fed.us/fire/people/hotshots/IHC_list.html#augusta

Could be with the NTIA changes, the new GW/Jeff Repeater , or not :confused:
Further on the 169.950. After listening to recordings

Training is actually Westside IC trainee calling into dispatch to report on a fire.
Units are Augusta 1, Augusta 2, Augusta module 1 and Augusta module 2, and Division 4.

Always Roanoke Dispatch and referred to as calling "On Elliot"

North River Office/work center. Westside Fire, and North Ranger River District and shooting range were referenced in relation to the fire.

Units referred to returning to their office and called it "Augusta Springs"

That's all I got except for GPS coordinates of the fire.

Still don't know if this is BRP or some other ranger type thing. Maybe someone can chime in about it who knows area and more info.

Been concentrating on P25 so nothing new on 173.775
 

tglendye

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I agree. With what Ghstwolf62 documented, certainly a USFS GW/ Jefferson National Forest channel. Great catch!
 

ecps92

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Found a 1992 document that indicated a Repeater at Elliott Knob for the USFS
Also listed one for North Mountain, all for George Washington


I agree. With what Ghstwolf62 documented, certainly a USFS GW/ Jefferson National Forest channel. Great catch!
 

ecps92

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Which Forest does the Coordinates put the fire in ? :confused:
Further on the 169.950. After listening to recordings

Training is actually Westside IC trainee calling into dispatch to report on a fire.
Units are Augusta 1, Augusta 2, Augusta module 1 and Augusta module 2, and Division 4.

Always Roanoke Dispatch and referred to as calling "On Elliot"

North River Office/work center. Westside Fire, and North Ranger River District and shooting range were referenced in relation to the fire.

Units referred to returning to their office and called it "Augusta Springs"

That's all I got except for GPS coordinates of the fire.

Still don't know if this is BRP or some other ranger type thing. Maybe someone can chime in about it who knows area and more info.

Been concentrating on P25 so nothing new on 173.775
 

Ghstwolf62

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Thanks for the info ECPS92 that confirms it then. I kind of thought it might be related as it had the same roger beep as GW north and south do but wasn't sure.

Someone really needs to tell the dispatchers on these channels to take the mic out of their mouths. Way to close and it really negatively impacts transmissions. The recordings are gone now once I copied the info off of them that I thought I'd use. I didn't copy the coordinates unfortunately.

Back on BRP I got transmissions on 172.750 and 173.7625 today both confirmed BRP use via appropriate NAC.
 

ecps92

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Odd tho, if it had been in place for such a long time, it was never listed in the
US Forest Service Radio Repeater Program
which has not been updated since 2016 :(
Thanks for the info ECPS92 that confirms it then. I kind of thought it might be related as it had the same roger beep as GW north and south do but wasn't sure.

Someone really needs to tell the dispatchers on these channels to take the mic out of their mouths. Way to close and it really negatively impacts transmissions. The recordings are gone now once I copied the info off of them that I thought I'd use. I didn't copy the coordinates unfortunately.

Back on BRP I got transmissions on 172.750 and 173.7625 today both confirmed BRP use via appropriate NAC.
 

Ghstwolf62

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Been hearing testing going for the last few days. 725 and 750 primarily and different repeaters. They will test "Apple Analog" then "Apple Digital" the "Rocky Analog" and Rocky Digital"

Today one of the units said "Testing new Harris handheld on Rocky digital" so it sounds like they're getting new Harris radios.
 
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