Fairfax County (P16) Gone?

LateNightGaming · May 2, 2023

Hey All,
Can anyone confirm that it seems the control channel for the Fairfax County SmartNet || system has changed to the 853.575 frequency. I live very close to the transmitter and can't seem to see the listed control channel. Also, even when I tune to this, I cannot get trunk recorder, or SDR trunk to even identify the system. Is it off air?

W4EMS · May 4, 2023

Try 853.1375. I entered all of the listed frequencies and this one had the tell tale audio of a trunking system CC.

LateNightGaming · May 5, 2023

W4EMS said:
Try 853.1375. I entered all of the listed frequencies and this one had the tell tale audio of a trunking system CC.

Maybe my SDR is drifting, but I dont see anything there. I live very close to one of the transmitters so im shocked I can't see anything.

W4EMS · May 7, 2023

I noticed it changed to 853.575. I have monitored the system using this frequency as both a Motorola system and a P25 and not hits over 72 hours. Perhaps someone else has some thoughts. So perhaps it is solely a backup system now. I don't have an SDR presently.

W4EMS · May 8, 2023

Have had it running 24/7 for a week with ID search and no hits. Not sure where parks and all went but not traffic noted on ProScan.

dave3825 · May 8, 2023

LateNightGaming said:
I live very close to the transmitter and can't seem to see the listed control channel.

If you live that close and don't see any of the db freqs showing on sdrtrunk, look at both licenses associated with the system and ensure your checking all. Sometimes there can be freqs on a license that were not confirmed as in use when the submission was made so if there was and not in use, but licensed, they would not show in our database.

FCC Callsign WNYZ447 (FAIRFAX, COUNTY OF)

www.radioreference.com

FCC Callsign WQCP394 (FAIRFAX, COUNTY OF)

www.radioreference.com

Possible they could have went to another system?

LateNightGaming said:
I cannot get trunk recorder, or SDR trunk to even identify the system. Is it off air?

If you see a control channel and it won't identify, what other sdr decoding software do you have?

LateNightGaming · May 8, 2023

W4EMS said:
I noticed it changed to 853.575. I have monitored the system using this frequency as both a Motorola system and a P25 and not hits over 72 hours. Perhaps someone else has some thoughts. So perhaps it is solely a backup system now. I don't have an SDR presently

dave3825 said:
If you live that close and don't see any of the db freqs showing on sdrtrunk, look at both licenses associated with the system and ensure your checking all. Sometimes there can be freqs on a license that were not confirmed as in use when the submission was made so if there was and not in use, but licensed, they would not show in our database.

FCC Callsign WNYZ447 (FAIRFAX, COUNTY OF)

FCC Callsign WNYZ447 (FAIRFAX, COUNTY OF)

www.radioreference.com

FCC Callsign WQCP394 (FAIRFAX, COUNTY OF)

FCC Callsign WQCP394 (FAIRFAX, COUNTY OF)

www.radioreference.com

Possible they could have went to another system?

If you see a control channel and it won't identify, what other sdr decoding software do you have?

I have trunk recorder. those are the only two I use.

LateNightGaming · May 8, 2023

W4EMS said:
I noticed it changed to 853.575. I have monitored the system using this frequency as both a Motorola system and a P25 and not hits over 72 hours. Perhaps someone else has some thoughts. So perhaps it is solely a backup system now. I don't have an SDR presently.

I think you have Prince Williams P25 System on 853.600. It stretches over here into the county pretty strongly

fredva · May 8, 2023

I guess I would wonder why it would be a surprise if they stopped using an unsupported system at some point. It's possible that some agencies ended up on a cellular network. Don't know that they did, but it's possible.

motorcoachdoug · May 8, 2023

You do know that FFX does have 4TG's on the Montgomery system to use along the Potomac River and only FFX units can use those TG's. Montgomery does have a frequency that they use of 853.275 but it is not a CC

LateNightGaming · May 8, 2023

fredva said:
I guess I would wonder why it would be a surprise if they stopped using an unsupported system at some point. It's possible that some agencies ended up on a cellular network. Don't know that they did, but it's possible.

Because backup systems are very important, and FCPS uses it for Bus transportation. No, they did not go LTE

W4EMS · May 8, 2023

My guess is 575 is correct, 600 not registering. That said with full strength at my location one would think with ID search something would have populated in north Fairfax. Part of the hobby to continue (or not) to track and see what transpires. Would be interesting to know where Parks and recreation landed as they had a lot of TGs on the old system.

LateNightGaming · May 8, 2023

W4EMS said:
My guess is 575 is correct, 600 not registering. That said with full strength at my location one would think with ID search something would have populated in north Fairfax. Part of the hobby to continue (or not) to track and see what transpires. Would be interesting to know where Parks and recreation landed as they had a lot of TGs on the old system.

Hm. Maybe in your part. I still don’t have a hit on 575. Give me a sec to pull out my SDR that is accurate to the nearest 2mhz, and I’ll double check. Even if it is our old P16 back for more, it’s not broadcasting over here, which, would defeat the purpose of a countywide system

LateNightGaming · May 10, 2023

LateNightGaming said:
Hm. Maybe in your part. I still don’t have a hit on 575. Give me a sec to pull out my SDR that is accurate to the nearest 2mhz, and I’ll double check. Even if it is our old P16 back for more, it’s not broadcasting over here, which, would defeat the purpose of a countywide system

More recon reveals I can't find anything. Im not sure where this thing has gone. FCPS was using it for analog voice, but I noticed it seems they bought new radio's. They look like XPR mobiles and it does NOT sound like analog voice anymore. I will look at FCC licensing to see if there is anything to be found there.

dave3825 · May 10, 2023

Nothing really on the licenses since 2021. Also not showing any digital on the license. But then again, it is the FCC

LateNightGaming · May 10, 2023

dave3825 said:
Nothing really on the licenses since 2021. Also not showing any digital on the license. But then again, it is the FCC

Yeah I’m thinking maybe they switched to something in the UHF band

dave3825 · May 10, 2023

If they did, the current licenses do not reflect anything. You are close to the transmitter but if they went somewhere else, they may not be using the same transmitter.

LateNightGaming · May 10, 2023

dave3825 said:
If they did, the current licenses do not reflect anything. You are close to the transmitter but if they went somewhere else, they may not be using the same transmitter.

True. I was hoping maybe they used the same structure at least.

Sigh. Why do I do this.

dave3825 · May 10, 2023

They may be. Use something like www.antennasearch.com and find the tower and see what it shows.

Also, look at every license associated with them (FRN Search) and see what pops.

FCC FRN: 0002064319 (FAIRFAX, COUNTY OF)

www.radioreference.com

LateNightGaming · May 10, 2023

dave3825 said:
They may be. Use something like www.antennasearch.com and find the tower and see what it shows.

Also, look at every license associated with them (FRN Search) and see what pops.

FCC FRN: 0002064319 (FAIRFAX, COUNTY OF)

FCC FRN: 0002064319 (FAIRFAX, COUNTY OF)

www.radioreference.com

Oh I have been. I've even started looking at applications for the entire county. I will use tower search and see what I come up with! Thank you.

Fairfax County (P16) Gone?

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