Swipesy
Member
Your Post #73 shows frequency 453.8500 for Northeast, Corry, Ediboro, Albion, and Elk Creek while you Zip file shows 453.9500 for these locations.
Erie County P25 System
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Your Post #73 shows frequency 453.8500 for Northeast, Corry, Ediboro, Albion, and Elk Creek while you Zip file shows 453.9500 for these locations.
jland138
Member
That was me. The info originated from an application filed for the Erie County P25 system in 2016.
In early 2017, Canada objected to the use of 453.85 due to a system operating on the same frequency in Nanticoke, Ontario.
In early 2017, Canada objected to the use of 453.85 due to a system operating on the same frequency in Nanticoke, Ontario.
Swipesy
Member
Thanks for the clarification. I was born and raised in Erie a long time ago and still have relatives there. My dad was an Erie fireman for 32 years. Back in the early 1950's I used to listed to Erie fire on a one crystal mounted on a piece of wood with an ear plug. Times are a changing.
I can relate. Born in Erie in 1950. Been listening since about 1960 on just about every radio and scanner you can imagine. Things are getting a lot more complicated to figure out now, but if you stick to it eventually all is well.
Here's the latest update from the consultant overseeing the building of the new system:
"All but two towers are built (the last two are in progress).
Installation of equipment is in progress at the sites already completed or sites that were already ready.
We should be scheduling a public meeting in the near future."
Sounds like a ways to go before any testing.
"All but two towers are built (the last two are in progress).
Installation of equipment is in progress at the sites already completed or sites that were already ready.
We should be scheduling a public meeting in the near future."
Sounds like a ways to go before any testing.
There was a public meeting last night, but I'm not sure anyone from the public was there. I sure didn't know about it, so didn't attend. I've been busy and may have missed the notice, but I've been trying to keep an eye out for it. In any case, I hope to get at least a summary of the meeting from those involved.
From what was on the news, they said testing would take about 30 days, with training in December. The new completion date is now March of next year.
From what was on the news, they said testing would take about 30 days, with training in December. The new completion date is now March of next year.
The head consultant was nice enough to send me a copy of their presentation from the meeting. It's 46 pages and contains a wealth of info regarding channels, tower construction, implementation status, etc.If anyone wants a copy, let me know.
jland138
Member
Here's a link to the presentation from the main page of the Erie County Department of Public Safety web site (link is also at the top of their home page): https://www.eriecountypa.gov/media/...stem_project-update-october-11-2018_final.pdf
Any reference to encryption for any of the system that anyone is aware of?
I'd like to know more about the encryption as well. I heard from someone that the police departments are carrying the radios that provide encryption, whereas the other agencies (EMS, Fire, etc...) are not. I also noticed on the last PowerPoint presentation provided by MCM, it didn't say anything about "encrypted talkgroups", whereas the earlier PowerPoints did. Perhaps someone should direct this question to the Director of Public Safety for Erie County, PA. His email can be found on the Erie County, PA government website.
Personally, I'd be careful about bringing too much interest about encryption to the attention of the 911 Center. The more they hear about people with scanners, the more they might rethink the need for encryption. As much as I would like to know if they have plans for it, I have stayed away from asking about encryption in my communication with the developers. Just my opinion....
And a very good one.
Being an ex-employee of 5 years at the Erie County 911 Center as a police/fire/EMS dispatcher for practically every agency in this county (including Millcreek PD), I can tell you that it's no secret about the "scanner listeners" or the people in scanner land. Erie PD already dislikes the fact that people can listen to them, so I'm sure it's been in the talks. I've taken several calls over the years with scanners blasting in the background and the caller asking why they haven't heard anyone dispatched yet. I can't begin to tell you how many calls I took from the public saying "hey, that person you are looking for is at...", and you have to take it with a grain of salt; it could be true, or it could be the subject throwing the police off. Police chiefs have also brought up the subject at public and private meetings about encryption, so one question about encryption isn't going to have everyone go back to the drawing board and re-invent the wheel. It doesn't matter what the public wants or asks, the county will go with what they want. Just like PSP and their statewide encrypted system. I'd ask the question myself to the director, but we don't see eye-to-eye, which is one of the few reasons I left after five years of service to this County. Do any of you folks realize how much Erie PD Channel 7 is used? A lot more than you think, because the general public for the most part doesn't have the frequency (being as it's unpublished and not in the FCC database) and it also being short-range simplex, the officers can communicate without having to worry who can hear them. Why use Channel 7? Because no one really knows about it and the police can communicate without worrying so much as to who in scanner land is listening to them.
The police are well aware of the "scanner listeners" too. So many times I've had to dispatch calls via computer: "Erie County to Bravo 6, check your MDT for a call, let me know if you get it"; for trivial stuff like loud music complaints, etc... Because people are listening to the air, and when things like noise complaints get dispatched, the people turn the music off, etc... After dispatching an officer to the same address six times in three hours, each time being "unfounded", going off the air to dispatch resulted in different resolutions to the call. I've had people call in saying "don't air my name" or "don't air this call". Scanners were somewhat of a hindrance then, and we had to find ways around it; so, this isn't anything new to the 911 Center by any means. Now don't get me wrong, for the most part I support scanner listeners, it's where and how I got my feet wet.
The police are well aware of the "scanner listeners" too. So many times I've had to dispatch calls via computer: "Erie County to Bravo 6, check your MDT for a call, let me know if you get it"; for trivial stuff like loud music complaints, etc... Because people are listening to the air, and when things like noise complaints get dispatched, the people turn the music off, etc... After dispatching an officer to the same address six times in three hours, each time being "unfounded", going off the air to dispatch resulted in different resolutions to the call. I've had people call in saying "don't air my name" or "don't air this call". Scanners were somewhat of a hindrance then, and we had to find ways around it; so, this isn't anything new to the 911 Center by any means. Now don't get me wrong, for the most part I support scanner listeners, it's where and how I got my feet wet.
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I would expect testing to begin sometime soon. I have all the frequencies entered per tower in my 436/536, as in my database I mentioned before. The latest presentation mentioned testing would first be done for each tower, then systemwide. This is the first time I've tried to listen to testing of a brand new system, so if anyone hears anything before I do, please post here, so we can try to figure this out from the beginning.
Just got this update from the 911 Center Director. Looks like the testing date continues to slip:
"The new radio system (infrastructure) is being installed, and will be
operational by the end of this year.
The burn-in period, coverage and acceptance testing will be conducted after the
first of the year. The transition of public safety users will occur by the end
of the 1Q2019.
The power point presentation from our last public meeting, held in October, has
been posted to our Erie County Department of Public Safety website.
(www.eriecountypa.gov)"
Just saw on the news that Erie County is celebrating FINALLY finishing the last tower at the PennDOT facility in Union City. That's a tough job putting up a tower and antennas in this weather. They also mentioned the system was a year late, due to delays getting permits from U.S./Canada govt's. I think it's a lot later than that, but at least testing should start after the first of the year. They said hopefully it will be in operation by 3/31/19.
They should have joined the state system and they probably be operational now. They probably would have been able to get a good deal from the state since they would have quite a few valuable VHF frequencies to offer. But then some people could not get their face on TV to tell use what a great job they are doing with our $27M.
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