Dept of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR) radio network upgrade

[HM1529]

Beginning in February 2010, DCNR will be embarking on a major overhaul and upgrade of their communications system. The result will be a narrowband VHF / 800MHz hybrid network consisting of fixed VHF repeaters, VHF portables, and 800MHz mobiles and bases. VHF repeaters will be linked into the state's 800MHz radio network (PA-STARNET). Information will be updated and added as it becomes available.

 

[captclint]

Currently, DCNR has capability to communicate with most of our local FD's at brush fires on VHF freq's. I would assume they would not give up that capability. Let us know if you hear otherwise.

 

[HM1529]

The plan as it was told to me is that all forest fire response vehicles will have an 800 mobile and a VHF mobile operating independently of one another. Law enforcement vehicles will have an 800/VHF crossband arrangement available.

The tentative operational plan is that, for things like wild fires, ground crews will be working with VHF equipment (portables, mobiles, repeaters) and air ops would also remain VHF. There will be a whole new set of VHF repeaters (currently being licensed) and new simplex channels. The 800 radios would be used to communicate to the regional offices and between mobiles. Office locations will only have 800MHz radios. VHF portables will have some capability to access the 800 system, although I will leave out details since that is still in planning.

It sounds like day to day operations for Parks will primarily be on 800, with some VHF use when people are away from their vehicles.

Things like DCNR Forest Pest Management (gypsy moth) spraying and DEP's black fly spraying will continue using VHF assignments for air-ground coordination.

 

[skip39]

another agency in pennsylvania using the opensky system??

 

[HM1529]

Pending licenses:

ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004113392 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF - Franklin Co site
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004113393 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF - Erie Co (Erie40) site
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004113394 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF - Erie Co (Erie91) site
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004113395 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF - Cameron Co site
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004113396 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF - Fayette (Faye08) site
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004113397 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF - Cambria Co site
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004113398 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF - Cameron Co site
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004113401 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF - Indiana Co (Indi01) site
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004113402 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF - McKean Co (Mcke01) site
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004113403 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF - Warren Co (Warr34) site
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004113404 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF - McKean Co (Mcke03) site
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004113640 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF - Crawford Co site
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004113641 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF - Cameron Co (Came05) site
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004113763 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF - Clearfield Co (Clea51) site
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004114829 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF - Potter Co (Pott12) site
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004114830 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF - Clinton Co site
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004114833 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF - Potter Co site
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004114835 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF - Butler Co (Butl01) site

Once all the licenses are approved, repeaters will be assigned names based on geographic location (just like the current system). Some of the site names from the old system will be reused if the new site is at the same location or close by.

The system design is calling for 72 wide area repeaters and approx. 25 local, special use repeaters for specific parks.

 

[HM1529]

another agency in pennsylvania using the opensky system??

partially, yes. It'll be a hybrid VHF/800 arrangement...unique to DCNR.

 

[talviar]

The Fayette Site looks like it is for Ohiopyle State Park. I'll have to punch the freqs in a scanner/radio and keep an ear on it. (Ohiopyle State Park border is the other side of the road from my house)

That will make the park happy. Their interop solution with the river outfitters will be able to be kept running. . . . . (UHF to VHF Crosspatch)

If/when I hear anything on the new freqs for Fayette I'll post.

Tony

 

[HM1529]

The Fayette Site looks like it is for Ohiopyle State Park. I'll have to punch the freqs in a scanner/radio and keep an ear on it. (Ohiopyle State Park border is the other side of the road from my house)

That will make the park happy. Their interop solution with the river outfitters will be able to be kept running. . . . . (UHF to VHF Crosspatch)

If/when I hear anything on the new freqs for Fayette I'll post.

Tony

Ohiopyle is one of the parks that will have a dedicated VHF repeater...I have a list, just didn't bother typing it...figured I would just wait until I get a more detailed list later in the year that includes frequncy assignments and repeater names.

 

[HM1529]

ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004116257 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF - Adams Co (Adam40) site

ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004116258 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF - York Co (York94) site

ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004116259 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF - York Co (York16) site

ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004116260 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF - Bucks Co (Buck31) site

 

[brey1234]

Question

Ben:

How abt Northeastern/Central PA?

 

[talviar]

Ohiopyle is one of the parks that will have a dedicated VHF repeater...I have a list, just didn't bother typing it...figured I would just wait until I get a more detailed list later in the year that includes frequncy assignments and repeater names.

I remember when they put the original repeater in at Ohiopyle (151.160TX/159.225RX)
At the time in the early 90's they were paying something like $7000-8000 per year for phone circuits for the remote base to all the points that needed it. Cost of the repeater and control points were recovered in about 2-2 1/2 years. . . . and they were able to communicate without having to relay thru one of the "base" operators when simplex didn't work. . . .

 

[captclint]

How abt Northeastern/Central PA?

While I was looking for NE PA, I found a bunch of new applications. I suspect this is not all of them yet, since I did not find Lackawanna.

ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004124758 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Wayne
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123945 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Wayne #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004124097 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Lycoming
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004118325 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Lycoming #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004124064 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Columbia
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123955 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Suquehanna
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004119611 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Suquehanna #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123951 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Tioga
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123190 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Luzerne
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123188 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Fulton
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123159 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Fulton #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123179 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Westmoreland
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123163 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Westmoreland #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123176 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Mercer
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123172 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Jefferson
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123170 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Beaver
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123167 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Clinton #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004120884 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Clinton #3
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123155 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Statewide
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004122021 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Cumberland
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004120164 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Cumberland #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004120886 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Juniata
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004120885 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Dauphin
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004119829 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Mifflin
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004119693 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Snyder
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004119612 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Sullivan
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004117889 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Sullivan #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004119610 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Lancaster
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004118328 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Centre
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004118323 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Centre #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004118327 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Carbon
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004118326 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Carbon #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004116972 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Carbon #3
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004118324 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Berks
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004117288 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Blair
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004116123 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Blair #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004116122 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Blair #3
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004116973 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Pike
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004116126 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Forest
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004116124 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Clearfield #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004116121 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Bedford
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004116120 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Cambria
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004113641 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Cambria #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004114833 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Potter #2

 

[HM1529]

Ben:

How abt Northeastern/Central PA?

I got busy and figured it was going to be too much of a pain to look up pending filings all the time with 91 repeater sites and a bunch of simplex stuff.

I will be getting a finalized list some time this year for work, so I will surely post confirmed info when I get it.

 

[HM1529]

Between your searches and mine, it appears that we've seen a little more than two thirds of the sites.

While I was looking for NE PA, I found a bunch of new applications. I suspect this is not all of them yet, since I did not find Lackawanna.

ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004124758 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Wayne
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123945 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Wayne #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004124097 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Lycoming
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004118325 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Lycoming #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004124064 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Columbia
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123955 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Suquehanna
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004119611 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Suquehanna #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123951 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Tioga
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123190 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Luzerne
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123188 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Fulton
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123159 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Fulton #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123179 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Westmoreland
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123163 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Westmoreland #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123176 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Mercer
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123172 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Jefferson
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123170 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Beaver
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123167 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Clinton #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004120884 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Clinton #3
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004123155 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Statewide
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004122021 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Cumberland
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004120164 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Cumberland #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004120886 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Juniata
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004120885 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Dauphin
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004119829 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Mifflin
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004119693 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Snyder
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004119612 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Sullivan
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004117889 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Sullivan #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004119610 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Lancaster
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004118328 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Centre
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004118323 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Centre #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004118327 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Carbon
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004118326 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Carbon #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004116972 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Carbon #3
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004118324 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Berks
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004117288 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Blair
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004116123 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Blair #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004116122 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Blair #3
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004116973 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Pike
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004116126 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Forest
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004116124 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Clearfield #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004116121 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Bedford
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004116120 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Cambria
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004113641 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Cambria #2
ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Conventional - 0004114833 - PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF Potter #2

 

[chankel]

If I am interpreting this correctly then a designator of F9W would mean that we are looking at a system capable of both analog and digital modes, and it would by necessity include voice. 151.445 has been an analog only operation for years. It will be interesting to see what digital mode they choose...hopefully P25 or One-Frequency Trunk.

 

[HM1529]

If I am interpreting this correctly then a designator of F9W would mean that we are looking at a system capable of both analog and digital modes, and it would by necessity include voice. 151.445 has been an analog only operation for years. It will be interesting to see what digital mode they choose...hopefully P25 or One-Frequency Trunk.

At this point in time, I have heard nothing and seen nothing that would indicate digital voice traffic on the system, at least not right now.

 

[talviar]

Ohiopyle is one of the parks that will have a dedicated VHF repeater...I have a list, just didn't bother typing it...figured I would just wait until I get a more detailed list later in the year that includes frequncy assignments and repeater names.

More interesting on the High band comms. . . . . Don't know if new repeaters are operational yet but. . . . .
Local park tower is a small (75' tower) tower located 400-500 feet from new state tower. VHF antenna on small tower for existing park setup was found to be bad (storm damage on this hill top takes out antennas like once a year. . . . . ) Rather than put antenna back on existing tower, the repeater was moved to state 800 tower. This caused them to lose their phone patch (too much paperwork to get the phone lines moved on to the new tower 500' away . . . . ) and the link between 911 and Ohiopyle Park.

Communication with park officials sounds like they will be moved to 800 to allow interop with 911 on State 800 and no high band equipment will be installed in park vehicles after the migration. . . .

Interesting food for thought on migrations. . . .

 

[HM1529]

Communication with park officials sounds like they will be moved to 800 to allow interop with 911 on State 800 and no high band equipment will be installed in park vehicles after the migration. . . .

Interesting food for thought on migrations. . . .

The plan is to still use a VHF and 800 hybrid arrangement. All state parks will have 800MHz STARNET radios and VHF radio in the offices. Mobiles in vehicles will be mostly 800, but some (like wildfire equipment and rangers will have both VHF and 800 mobiles). Portable radio equipment will be VHF. The idea is that most comms are mobile to mobile or mobile to base, so most traffic will be on the STARNET system. Park staff working on foot and wildfire crews will use VHF portables.

Tony, if I get some time, I will look for the update email I got from DCNR about the migration progress. Right now, work is focusing on Parks Region 3 which covers the southcentral part of PA, so there are likely more changes to come out your way.

 

[talviar]

Ben- Kinda figured.

I know Ohiopyle's transition is getting fast tracked due to "capability" to talk to 911 once mobiles on 800 are installed.

Once the first vehicle is done, Ranger Supervisor is calling me so I can go see where our county talkgroup is at in the radio and if not start the paperwork to get it added. (Amazing how much politics is involved to let entities talk to each other on an INTEROPERABLE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM!)

Sneaker net and telephone are still faster ways when talking with PSP and Penn-Dot here

I will PM private email addy to you for that message.

Tony

 

[captclint]

Any updates? One member reported hearing District 7 (Laurelton) talk the other day that they had no contact on the 800.