City of Findlay, Ohio to switch to OHIO MARCS by Fall

[Scannerhead1983]

It's rather interesting to see these threads about Findlay. AMDPX has brought up a good issue regarding Findlays transmitter location. 201 Crystal avenue is occupied by one of Time Warner Cables district offices. There is NO tower whats so ever. I've been listening to there system from the time it first went on air. The OSP tower emits a 100% signal strength for Findlays control channel. (867.6125 & 868.6875mhz) It switches between both. But there is also another tower adjacent to FFD station 2 on north main street. The property at 201 crystal avenue used to be the old contenental cablevision building and had towers and satellite dishes behind it, But when TWC took over they tore all of that stuff out. Ether way Findlay's Transmitter site was moved to another location and just not reported to the FCC. I think they are already transmitting off of that tower with there analog system now, and have been for quite some time. Again this is just an assumption. There are numerous antennas atop the tower now, And OSP has been transmitting on marcs since around the time the system went on air. Because they used to use the 42.xxx & 49.xxx frequencies. The OSP should in theroy only need to use 1-2 antennas to utilize marcs, The rest are probably for findlays system, It uses 6 repeaters now, 5 for voice 1 for data for the system and they also have a repeater that transmits there MDT data.

 

[Dubbin]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8330/4.5.0.77 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

I for one am excited about the changes that are going to happen around here, well other then needing to buy a new scanner for my feed...

 

[mtindor]

Check out Site 293 in the RRDB for MARCS.

A new license WQKL660 was issued that includes two voice frequencies for the Findlay site.

In the FCC application there was a PDF document under the attachments section called REQUEST FOR WAIVER. That attachment has some useful information that you Findlay/Hancock guys might want to look at.

Here is the FCC application.
- scroll down under the Attachments section, and next to Waiver you will see Request for Waiver. Click on that

This seems to indicate that there are two trunked freqs on this license and that eventually 5 frequencies from Findlay Services trunked system may be used.

Deduce what you may. Anybody in that vicinity should listen around for a new control channel, probably on one of those two frequencies on the new site license - or perhaps even one of the frequencies on the Findlay Services system.

If anybody finds a new control channel, please get the Site ID, the Site Alias, and any site neighbors (if you are using a trunking program) . Obviously the site ID now is a temporary site ID because the site ID is currently unknown. Please submit any confirmed information to the RRDB under the MARCS system.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[AMDXP]

Thanks for the find Mike!

According to the FCC site these are the 2 voice frequencies that are being added by MARCS to the Findlay Site.

000868.05000000
000868.95000000

 

[AMDXP]

That FCC application for that Callsign also indicates everything was approved yesterday!!! (7/7/2009)

We're pretty much waiting on MARCS to setup the voice freq's on the transmitter. Then Findlay to program and install the radio's (same thing for the county).

I'm sure that OSP will have to have their radio's updated for the new frequencies.

 

[dhughes20]

Thats a good question right now I have a BC350 which I got last year and I don't know if I am going to have to upgrade myself so if some one could answer this for me I would truely appreciate it thank you. I heard radio shack pro 164 would work. I just don't know.

 

[Dubbin]

Thats a good question right now I have a BC350 which I got last year and I don't know if I am going to have to upgrade myself so if some one could answer this for me I would truely appreciate it thank you. I heard radio shack pro 164 would work. I just don't know.

Yes you will have to upgrade to a digital scanner.

 

[dhughes20]

So will the Pro 164 work some other person told me no it would not work. Why are the digital scanners so expensive. What would you guys prefer.

 

[mdulrich]

No, the 164 will not work for MARCS. I personaly like the Uniden scanners and would use the 396XT for MARCS.

Mike

 

[dhughes20]

How much do they cost I am on a very tight budget my radio shack doesn't sell any digital handheld scanners that is around 200 dollars.

 

[ctpd845]

If your looking to spend around $200 for a digital scanner then you are going to have to look for one on ebay or the for sale forum here on radio reference. Otherwise your looking around $500 for a new Radio Shack pro106 / pro197 or GRE PSR500/600.