Dorchester County summerville

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connah

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Is anyone in the Summerville area able to hear traffic off the Knightsville site (018)? The signal died suddenly for me a little after 3pm today and is nothing but static. I manually scanned the 800mhz band and the only carrier I get is the North Charleston emergency services one on 853.9500. But 860.4625 is nothing but static. Just me?
 

N0ION

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I've also been seeing carrier (sometimes) on 853.125, which is Moncks Corner, and both it and the Summerville site 853.950 are showing the Palmetto system ID (BEE00). But heard no traffic as yet.
 

N0ION

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Just (at about 2:45 PM) heard an EMS unit conversing with Summerville ER on the Summerville tower frequency, so it looks like traffic may have moved over there. Haven't heard anything else though...

And as of 6:45 PM, have heard nothing else at all.

And at 7:15 PM I heard another EMS units in contact with Summerville ER, but that's all I've heard.
 
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N0ION

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I've been listening for different talk groups on the Summerville site, and other than the Summerville ER (01593) the only things I've heard are 01667 Charleston County SO North Dispatch, and 01776 N. Charleston PD North Dispatch.

That Summerville ER talk group is supposed to be the one for Charleston County talking to the ER, but it's the same one I heard before being used by Dorchester County, and that's who I heard tonight.
 

connah

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But you're not able to receive anything on 860.4625, the normal carrier frequency for the KNightsville site 018? I can no longer find ANY frequency in Summerville that carriers normal Dorchester Emergency Services. Just 853.95 which is North Charleston Police and Fire in Summerville.
 

N0ION

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Looks like the Knightsville repeater site is operating on one of its listed alternate control channels at 858.76250 MHz. That's putting out the BEE00 system ID.

Just heard Dorchester County EMS dispatch there, so that's the answer. Any of the listed control channels can theoretically be used, but generally they stick to the primary one. This is obviously the exception.

Mystery solved!
 
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connah

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Cosnut, you're awesome! Thanks so much! I have no idea why I didn't find that on my tuning scan through the 800mhz band. I'm back up and running! The reason it died for me to start with is because I only had the control frequency (the original one of 860.4625) programmed in to save time when scanning. But this is exactly why RR lists alternates. :)
 

N0ION

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That's one of the disadvantages of a scanner vs. a trunking radio. The radio doesn't normally scan. Once it has established its working control channel, it stays there, checking only when the signal drops below a certain threshold for alternate control channels, whether on the same or other sites. A scanner could be designed to do the same if dedicated to one system, but you don't know where different talk groups for different services may be active. It's particularly bad in hilly areas where there are many localized dead spots, and multiple sites are needed for complete coverage of a relatively small community or service. Tac channels can keep moving between different repeater sites depending on the exact location of the personnel using the talk group. And while they're generally broadcast over several sites due to the number of "authorized" listeners, it's not always true. So scanners have to balance the need to monitor multiple control frequencies with the reality of sometimes missing parts of transmissions due to scanning time.
 

mayerjj

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I'm curious if there are plans to get any Dorchester Co traffic out on the Berkeley Co sites in Moncks Corner and Russellville. I have both programmed in and only seem to get Berkeley Co LE and SCHP. I've been scanning and doing trunked 800mhz systems for over 10 years but this P25 conversion is kicking my butt trying to figure out what lines up to what site.

A little bit off topic but I'm also curious why Charleston has both a County and a State Simulcast. I technically live a few miles in the boundary of coverage for both but rarely if ever get any traffic from them. I'm wondering if Charleston Co will integrate with the rest of the state for interop. I know of a few incidents where Charleston Co assets have gone out to Moncks Corner for mutual aid and their radios were basically useless.
 

connah

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Release #4

Hi all! Here is Release #4 of my spreadsheet for the Knightsville Site (018) on the Palmetto P25 (1D9). Lots of new updates and new channels in this release so check it out. **DON'T FORGET** The power of this spreadsheet is in the "Filter" button located at the top whose icon looks like a funnel. You can sort it on anything you like to get the information customized for your specific needs. Please let me know if you have any suggestions!

Release #4 for Knightsville Site:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ndiTuEU3fkNbu2MnjeUY1lO-DaB8_zmDm_wQcIVvq4/edit?usp=sharing

Remember to look at the "Legend" tab to see what everything means.
 

connah

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All:

I accidentally forgot to update the Radio IDs tab in Release #4. I've just dumped hundreds more Radio Unit IDs into Release #4 on the Radio IDs tab. This is helpful for those who'd like to keep track of a conversation when the speaker doesn't say who they are.
 

llcook25

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Hi, I have learned a lot from reading your earlier discussions and I have a Uniden BCD325P2. I have been trying to get Colleton County fire rescue on the scanner, but with no luck. If Colleton County SC fire rescue is encrypted, does this mean I cannot ever get them to come in? I was going to buy a 800 antenna, but not sure that would change anything. I am not very good with scanners, but do know how to program frequencies. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks
 

INDY72

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If there is an E in there encryption status field, they are full time encrypted and can NOT be heard. It is extremely unlikely that they would EVER change this back to clear. It has happened on a VERY FEW agencies but again it is EXTREMELY RARE for an agency that is fully encrypted to ever go in the clear again. If you see an e that means partial use of encryption which could be ONLY one side encrypted, or that they only use encryption only for sensitive comms

Colleton Fire Rescue is E on dispatch but clear on the ALERTING TG, and clear on Sheriff, strangely, but there it is.
 
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llcook25

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Thanks so much milf. Hate to hear it is encrypted, but glad I now know. If you don't mind another question, can you tell me what Alerting TG is? Thanks
 

INDY72

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Colleton County Talkgroups On the Palmetto 800 P25

DEC HEX Mode Alpha Tag Description Tag
2932 b74 D Colltn F/R Alert Fire and EMS Alert Multi-Dispatch
2931 b73 DE Colltn F/R Disp FD and EMS Dispatch Multi-Dispatch
2954 b8a DE Colltn FD Admin Fire Admin Fire-Tac
2921 b69 D Colltn SD Disp SD Dispatch Law Dispatch
2922 b6a D Colltn SD Tac Sheriff Tac Law Tac
2951 b87 DE Colltn SD Ops 8 Sheriff Ops 8 Law Tac
2962 b92 D Walterboro FD Walterboro FD Fire Dispatch
2961 b91 D Walterboro PD Walterboro PD Law Dispatch
2972 b9c D Edisto FD Ds Edisto Island FD Dispatch Fire Dispatch
2971 b9b D Edisto PD Ds Edisto Island PD Dispatch Law Dispatch
2973 b9d D Edisto Ops Edisto Island Ops Multi-Tac
 

brian

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The Alert talkgroup is probably used for the initial dispatch, maybe including some alert tones. The Dispatch talkgroup is probably used for units to advise the dispatcher of their status - in route, on scene, in service, etc, and any other operational communication between responding units.

If this is true, you'll be able to hear initial dispatches but not any of the operational communications.

As Milf noted, it's unlikely that an agency will de-encrypt their communications after making the switch. It has happened, but rarely. I'll comment that it's rare for routine fire and ems communications to be encryoted. I'm pretty sure that Colleton county is the only county in the state with that arrangement. Beaufort County encrypts EMS but not fire, while their fire departments do have some encrypted tac and admin talkgroups. Even stranger is that they chose to encrypt fire and EMS traffic but not Law Enforcement.

If you're concerned about it, it's worth a polite letter or email to county elected officials and emergency service leaders in your county.
 
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