Erie County P25 System

Status
Not open for further replies.

terryho

Member
Feed Provider
Joined
Jun 22, 2009
Messages
110
Location
Lake City, Pa
Bye bye to police, will have to piece things together from ems and fire call information, after something has happened!
 

Railbender

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Sep 10, 2008
Messages
347
Location
NW PA
I heard A Greenfield patch last night and an ECI patch a few minutes ago. Here is my current TG list if you want to ID scan. Remember all 2XX TGs will probably be encrypted.

System019 Talkgroups 9/21/2019

1 - Radio Service
2 - Radio Service
3 - Radio Service
4 - Radio Service
5 - Radio Service
6 - Radio Service
7 - Radio Service
8 - Radio Service
101 -
102 -
103 -
104 -
105 -
106 -
107 -
108 -
109 -
110 -
111 -
112 -
113
114 -
115 -
116 -
117 -
118 -
119 -
120 -
121 -
122 -
123 -
124 -
201 -
202 -
203 -
204 -
205 -
206 -
207 -
208 -
209 -
210 -
211 -
212 -
213 -
214 -
215 -
216 -
217 -
218 -
219 -
220 -
221 -
222 -
223 -
224 -
225 -
226 -
227 -
228 -
229 -
230 -
231 -
232 -
233 -
234 -
235 -
236 -
301 -
302 -
303 -
304 -
305 -
306 -
307 -
403 -
404 -
405 -
406 -
407 -
408 -
409 -
 

terryho

Member
Feed Provider
Joined
Jun 22, 2009
Messages
110
Location
Lake City, Pa
I heard A Greenfield patch last night and an ECI patch a few minutes ago. Here is my current TG list if you want to ID scan. Remember all 2XX TGs will probably be encrypted.

System019 Talkgroups 9/21/2019

1 - Radio Service
2 - Radio Service
3 - Radio Service
4 - Radio Service
5 - Radio Service
6 - Radio Service
7 - Radio Service
8 - Radio Service
101 -
102 -
103 -
104 -
105 -
106 -
107 -
108 -
109 -
110 -
111 -
112 -
113
114 -
115 -
116 -
117 -
118 -
119 -
120 -
121 -
122 -
123 -
124 -
201 -
202 -
203 -
204 -
205 -
206 -
207 -
208 -
209 -
210 -
211 -
212 -
213 -
214 -
215 -
216 -
217 -
218 -
219 -
220 -
221 -
222 -
223 -
224 -
225 -
226 -
227 -
228 -
229 -
230 -
231 -
232 -
233 -
234 -
235 -
236 -
301 -
302 -
303 -
304 -
305 -
306 -
307 -
403 -
404 -
405 -
406 -
407 -
408 -
409 -
Thanks now to match TGID to talk groups. Then have a list of their simplex frequencies for simplex communications to scan.
 

mfullererie

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Apr 23, 2009
Messages
39
Location
Erie, PA
I was told that we might hear the Dispatch Call Paging audio on Normal Scanners, maybe on 453.95?
I was told that there will be a paging group for Millcreek (I would guess using one of their current frequencies) and then another group for all of the other county departments. I asked which tower they were going to use for that and they said that they will be dispatching off of multiple towers, and that if you run with someone like North East that you could be in Springfield and your pager would go off. I don't see how that can happen unless they are going to use multiple frequencies (one per tower) and the pagers can determine where you are?
 

scnrfrq

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 26, 2002
Messages
968
Location
Erie, PA
I have it on good authority from Millcreek that the new system will be online Wed. at 6 AM. I just don't know if that means Millcreek, so Erie would be Tue.
 

Railbender

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Sep 10, 2008
Messages
347
Location
NW PA
"I don't see how that can happen unless they are going to use multiple frequencies (one per tower) and the pagers can determine where you are? "

By using different pager tones for each department or group. The pager will only activate to the proper tone.
 

scnrfrq

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 26, 2002
Messages
968
Location
Erie, PA
The news keeps talking about all agencies being able to talk to each other now. So if there is an incident with police and fire and ambulance needing to talk to each other, will we hear it in the clear on scanners since PD is encrypted and all other agencies are not?
 

N3KGD

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Sep 30, 2007
Messages
305
Location
Erie, PA
The news keeps talking about all agencies being able to talk to each other now. So if there is an incident with police and fire and ambulance needing to talk to each other, will we hear it in the clear on scanners since PD is encrypted and all other agencies are not?

Correct. The fire and EMS departments do not have the radios with the encryption hardware. As such, the police, along with fire and EMS agencies would switch to the Countywide Inter-agency talkgroup or Special Events talkgroup where they can all communicate (whereas the police will be transmitting without encryption on said talkgroup for fire and other agencies to receive).

So, yes, you will hear the police in the clear only in a situation like you had previously mentioned. Otherwise, you will no longer hear any police communications, unless the analog systems remain online as a redundancy backup. I have a feeling Millcreek PD will maintain their VHF frequencies - to have their own radio system independent of the County.
 
Last edited:

scnrfrq

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 26, 2002
Messages
968
Location
Erie, PA
Correct. The fire and EMS departments do not have the radios with the encryption hardware. As such, the police, along with fire and EMS agencies would switch to the Countywide Inter-agency talkgroup or Special Events talkgroup where they can all communicate (whereas the police will be transmitting without encryption on said talkgroup for fire and other agencies to receive).

So, yes, you will hear the police in the clear only in a situation like you had previously mentioned. Otherwise, you will no longer hear any police communications, unless the analog systems remain online as a redundancy backup. I have a feeling Millcreek PD will maintain their VHF frequencies - to have their own radio system independent of the County.

How about when Millcreek fire depts. and MPS have an event on Presque Isle? Will we hear them talking to the rangers there? The rangers are on the state Opensky system, so it's encrypted. They will soon transition to the new state P25 system, and it's unknown if that will be in the clear or not. The Game Commission is in the clear, so maybe DCNR will be too.
 

mfullererie

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Apr 23, 2009
Messages
39
Location
Erie, PA
"I don't see how that can happen unless they are going to use multiple frequencies (one per tower) and the pagers can determine where you are? "

By using different pager tones for each department or group. The pager will only activate to the proper tone.
Right, but if they are going to use one frequency on multiple towers simultaneously on a conventional system (which is what it sounded like when I talked to someone at ECDOPS), then the towers will "walk on" each other right? I know that each department has a different set of tones.
 

mfullererie

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Apr 23, 2009
Messages
39
Location
Erie, PA
How about when Millcreek fire depts. and MPS have an event on Presque Isle? Will we hear them talking to the rangers there? The rangers are on the state Opensky system, so it's encrypted. They will soon transition to the new state P25 system, and it's unknown if that will be in the clear or not. The Game Commission is in the clear, so maybe DCNR will be too.
I've heard that there is supposed to be some sort of interoperability with the state, but I haven't been able to really lock down how that's going to work yet. I can't imagine that the state will let the county on PSP operations groups?
 

scnrfrq

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 26, 2002
Messages
968
Location
Erie, PA
They just switched EPD over at 7:20. All cars called in on TG 201, but encrypted of course. They are testing the 300 TG's now.
 

ffemt134

Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2003
Messages
122
Right, but if they are going to use one frequency on multiple towers simultaneously on a conventional system (which is what it sounded like when I talked to someone at ECDOPS), then the towers will "walk on" each other right? I know that each department has a different set of tones.

Not if it's set up right.....analog simulcast is used all the time on conventional systems.
 

EriePA

Newbie
Joined
Apr 24, 2009
Messages
5
Location
Erie PA
Looking to possible get the Uniden Bearcat BCD436HP. Does anyone think It will have the new frequencies yet? I’ve never had a digital scanner and I dont know where to begin to program the new frequencies. I’m think this might be the easiest way to go. Any other suggestions out there.
 

scnrfrq

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 26, 2002
Messages
968
Location
Erie, PA
Looking to possible get the Uniden Bearcat BCD436HP. Does anyone think It will have the new frequencies yet? I’ve never had a digital scanner and I dont know where to begin to program the new frequencies. I’m think this might be the easiest way to go. Any other suggestions out there.

I have the 436 and 536. I've been listening to scanners here since the 1960's. I got a 396 many years ago to listen to systems in FL. It was my first fairly difficult scanner to program. Then when I got the 436/536's I had to learn another new way to program. I use Sentinel on my PC - easiest way for me.

As far as how well they work here, we'll see. I've been listening to the new state P25 system, and they work pretty well for that. As far as this new county system, I'll know after a couple weeks. Don't be reluctant to ask questions - we're all here to help!
 

scnrfrq

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 26, 2002
Messages
968
Location
Erie, PA
I have the 436 and 536. I've been listening to scanners here since the 1960's. I got a 396 many years ago to listen to systems in FL. It was my first fairly difficult scanner to program. Then when I got the 436/536's I had to learn another new way to program. I use Sentinel on my PC - easiest way for me.

As far as how well they work here, we'll see. I've been listening to the new state P25 system, and they work pretty well for that. As far as this new county system, I'll know after a couple weeks. Don't be reluctant to ask questions - we're all here to help!

This RR forum is another good resource:
 

scnrfrq

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 26, 2002
Messages
968
Location
Erie, PA
They said on the news tonite that Fire and EMS won't go live till 10/7. That's way off their plan to do things all in one week, so we'll have to see.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top