Bogus database updates? (Zone 2)

[bpsmicro]

I was looking at the Zone 2 list, and I see a bunch of TG changes in the past 24 hours. But oddly many of them do not correlate with anything I'm seeing.

For example, 3Papa is now listed on TG 8288. Not only am I listening to 3Papa on 8816 as they have been for a while, IDTracker has not logged a single hit on TG 8288 on any of the five towers I constantly monitor. There *is* the chance I missed some chunks of time overnight though.

I'd like to recommend to the folks making the DB update submissions that you be *really* careful to determine that you're not listening to some short-term TG usage (eg. the equivalent of an old TAC for a specific event/call), or perhaps some other short-term link or switch.

I can imagine for the next while there will be a lot of bouncing around, so our poor DB maintainers are going to be run off their feet if we're not careful. I suppose there's no particular reason why they wouldn't just randomly select a different TG for each shift, which would really play havoc.

 

[OntarioScannerNut]

Yesterday up in the valley with OPP investigating major accidents in the area. Upper Ottawa Valley was using 2OPS21, while the rest of the regular 2OPS40 was being used for an incident up in the Prov. Park, and other incidents around the valley.

I posted an update to this yesterday, and I was able to have it confirmed with someone that has trunker etc....

But, that must be a secondary talkgroup for them or something, because it seems all comm's are back to regular use now.

I hear 2OPS40 all the time off the BEAT Repeater. and I'm still hearing the UOV Detachment. I notice it was taken off the list for 2OPS40.

I was looking at the Zone 2 list, and I see a bunch of TG changes in the past 24 hours. But oddly many of them do not correlate with anything I'm seeing.

For example, 3Papa is now listed on TG 8288. Not only am I listening to 3Papa on 8816 as they have been for a while, IDTracker has not logged a single hit on TG 8288 on any of the five towers I constantly monitor. There *is* the chance I missed some chunks of time overnight though.

I'd like to recommend to the folks making the DB update submissions that you be *really* careful to determine that you're not listening to some short-term TG usage (eg. the equivalent of an old TAC for a specific event/call), or perhaps some other short-term link or switch.

I can imagine for the next while there will be a lot of bouncing around, so our poor DB maintainers are going to be run off their feet if we're not careful. I suppose there's no particular reason why they wouldn't just randomly select a different TG for each shift, which would really play havoc.

 

[bpsmicro]

When you think of it, it makes perfect sense for them to raise talkgroups for "special incidents". It's like each car having 40+ separate channels, all under the control of a single control center (the PCC). The flexibility is most impressive, but unless/until they finally come up with something resembling a "standard" set, we're gonna go nuts reprogramming our scanners.

I gave up putting area information into the TG alpha tags on my 796D, and just stick with the 2OPS* labels. I have a spreadsheet that I have set up with area mappings, which I update and print as required to keep close to the scanner.
For example, on the scanner I label 008928 as "2OPS40". On the spreadsheet, I have a TG column with 008928 = "2OPS40 3T 3M 3F 3B", and another column associating "3Tango = Renfrew".

Of course, in my younger days I'd have this all memorized by now. :roll:

 

[ov1]

Updates to Zone 2

Many of the talkgroups added in the last few days, are alternate talkgroup for the County in which they belong. EG 2OPS37 the alternate talkgroup for this one is 2OPS10 all units that use 2OPS37 can use 2OPS10 at the approval of the com center.

Trunker was used to confirm useage of a talkgroup and listening to dispatchers confirmed the tagging.

 

[OntarioScannerNut]

Re: Updates to Zone 2

Perhaps then they should be just named alternative ch's or tg's then, if what your saying is that they will all still be sharing tg's.

Arnprior just recently switched over to 2OPS40 also I guess because of too much traffic on 2OPS37 with Ottawa and Lanark.

But I thought also someone in ScanOnt mentioning that they would at some point all have there own seperate tg's then.

Good listening yesterday, don't know why but I was able to hear East/West End Ottawa units on 417 as well as Lanark Co. on Sim11, both sides of the comm's too which seemed kinda stange considering I'm a good piece from either of those areas.

Many of the talkgroups added in the last few days, are alternate talkgroup for the County in which they belong. EG 2OPS37 the alternate talkgroup for this one is 2OPS10 all units that use 2OPS37 can use 2OPS10 at the approval of the com center.

Trunker was used to confirm useage of a talkgroup and listening to dispatchers confirmed the tagging.

 

[OntarioScannerNut]

Re: Updates to Zone 2

Speaking of this. Where is the towers that Sim11 works off of. Are they located at the same spots as the Towers for the trunk system?

Good listening yesterday, don't know why but I was able to hear East/West End Ottawa units on 417 as well as Lanark Co. on Sim11, both sides of the comm's too which seemed kinda stange considering I'm a good piece from either of those areas.

 

[bpsmicro]

Re: Updates to Zone 2

Many of the talkgroups added in the last few days, are alternate talkgroup for the County in which they belong. EG 2OPS37 the alternate talkgroup for this one is 2OPS10 all units that use 2OPS37 can use 2OPS10 at the approval of the com center.

That makes sense. But I think given the limitations of the current list, it is my humble suggestion that we keep the list focused on the primary TGs only. Perhaps later if we see secondary TGs in play a lot, we can find a way to note that on the list.
It's just that as new people come on board with their shiny new digital scanners, we want to make it as easy as possible to get them operational with minimum confusion.

Longer term, maybe the answer is yet another table sorted by detachment area/county listing primary & secondary TGs (example: "Grenville - 3Papa - 8816*, 8288"). That way somebody who *only* wants to listen to Grenville county knows what to do. Naturally, the Keeper Of The Table gets to make that call.

Brad.