FLDOT Frequency hopping?

[jhal94]

Every time I attempt to scan on the highway for roadwork to avoid it I hear a segment of conversation which then ends and starts a beeping sound then disappears. I then scan up and find the same people on a different frequency which then does the same thing. I know FHP uses EDACS encrypted but who is this?

 

[Bolt21]

What frequencies are you hearing activity on?

Specific location?

Are you scanning known FL DOT freqs or putting your scanner into "search" mode?

 

[jhal94]

What frequencies are you hearing activity on?

Specific location?

Are you scanning known FL DOT freqs or putting your scanner into "search" mode?

Im putting it into search mode and hearing it from 850-865 all along I-75 and I-4. It goes: conversation-beep beep beep, scan up, same conversation-beep beep beep, scan up, over and over again. I assume Its FLDOT because FHP is encrypted and I hear it from pinellas county to orlando to jacksonville.

EDIT: I am using a PRO-164

 

[Squad10]

The beeps possibly indicate an EDACS type trunked system. May want to do some location/frequency detective work using this:

Florida Trunking Systems

 

[tampabaynews]

It can't be FDOT because they cease to exist after they merged with FHP last year. FDOT officers were sworn in as FHP troopers on July 1st and operate on the same SLERS channels as the existing troopers.

 

[W8RMH]

You are hearing an EDACS trunked system. That is why the frequencies change. There are nearly 20 EDACS systems in Florida.

 

[Bolt21]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 2.3.3; en-us; Sprint APA9292KT Build/GRI40) AppleWebKit/533.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/533.1)

Ryan, I think he's referring to DOT as in highway repair and maintenance DOT, not the old MCCO (big truck police).

 

[ki4wbn]

There is still a FLDOT, but it operates only as the roadwork guys. It could also possibly be the FL DOT Road Warriors?

FL DOT CVE merged with FHP. It would not be these guys, as they are both digital and encrypted talkgroups.

You are hearing the EDACS system. The talk groups they are using are analog talkgroups, which is why you are able to hear them. Most talkgroups on the system are digital and the sites themselves cannot be monitored due to the way the Sitepro controller encodes the control channel, even though it is basically a traditional EDACS system. However, if it is an analog talkgroup, as long as you are tuned into the frequency that the traffic is going through, you will hear the traffic. (Though you will also hear a lot of digital traffic)

 

[W4KRR]

The FDOT Highway Maintenance crews use VHF low band in the 47 MHz range. This doesn't seem like what you were hearing.

 

[Bolt21]

The FDOT Highway Maintenance crews use VHF low band in the 47 MHz range. This doesn't seem like what you were hearing.

That's what I was thinking...

 

[jf4164]

Florida DOT is still in the low band in Florida. They are one of the few users of low band.
They just finished a low band repeater system here in South Florida. They are in the 47 mHz band.
They also operate out of vehicle repeaters (one watt) to walkie talkies in the 150 band.
All of the frequencies are in RR.
One of our club members is head of the radio shop for DOT and gaqve us a nice tour and explanation of their system.

This system has nothing to do with the Road Warriors. This is for state DOT vehicles.

WA4VPY--John--West Palm Beach

 

[ki4wbn]

Agree with all above. FLDOT uses low band, but they do have SLERS talk groups, so technically they could also be on the SLERS system in some areas.
The Road Rangers have another set of talk groups, completely separate from DOT.

Would imagine they would only use the SLERS though if they were doing coordination with other agencies, such as FHP, since very few FHP vehicles have low band, or VHF radios in their vehicles anymore.

 

[FLA2760]

I have never heard any radio traffic from FL DOT on their new low band system, have any of you?

 

[W4KRR]

My experience is that the system isn't very busy. The use of cellphones has greatly reduced the radio usage in the past few years.

In some parts of the state, low band simplex channels may still be in use, it depends on exactly where you are. In any rate, the simplex and repeater output channels are all in the 47.xx MHz range. Repeater inputs, if in use, will be in the 45.xx MHz range.

 

[radiomanNJ1]

First the person asking the inital question was not clear about whom he was trying to listen to.

Second in the quote below to be very blunt you don't have a clue and are guessing. FL DOT Maint. vehicles are only on low band. They do not have SLERS radios, they do not coordinate as you are guessing. No FHP vehicles have any low band anywhere in the State. The former MCC officers who are now troopers have no low band.

Please don't imagine it only fuels the information errors out there.

Agree with all above. FLDOT uses low band, but they do have SLERS talk groups, so technically they could also be on the SLERS system in some areas.
The Road Rangers have another set of talk groups, completely separate from DOT.

Would imagine they would only use the SLERS though if they were doing coordination with other agencies, such as FHP, since very few FHP vehicles have low band, or VHF radios in their vehicles anymore.

 

[ki4wbn]

FDOT has been issued a few SLERS radios. Can't confirm anything more than that-other than they also have talkgroups.

Also, some of the older FHP vehicles do still have low band in their vehicles. They do have power and an antenna attached, so technically are operational. As to whether or not they use them, or are supposed to is beyond me. I am just going off what I have actually observed as I work on the equipment in these vehicles. A few also have VHF's still. The numbers of both though are in the single digits though for the Panhandle area.

The reason I am speculating is because I have not heard what he is talking about, nor am I there in that part of the state to find out. Based on everything else said (or not said) and reasonable deduction, that is the only reason I mentioned it. Was not trying to mislead and fuel incorrect info, just trying to help out to help him determine what he is hearing.

 

[ki4wbn]

I'll back out and watch for somebody who does have the correct information.

 

[radiomanNJ1]

Why do you keep posting stuff you assume? This is why we have so much confusion on the threads.

No FHP cars are left on the road anywhere have low band radios. Stop. They have not had them for years. It's not a matter of a year or two it's been many years.

But again the first post was not clear. Was he asking about the former MCC of DOT? I don't know and the poster has not been back to make it clear to the thread.

There was a move to put some RT pacs in the some of the vehicles using the old VHF FHP channels that appears to have gone nowhere.

 

[ki4wbn]

No FHP cars are left on the road anywhere have low band radios. Stop. They have not had them for years. It's not a matter of a year or two it's been many years.

I was wrong, you were right. FHP does not have low band.
The only thing some FHP vehicles do still have are some VHF radios. I had gotten them confused, sadly. Again, no low band VHF

Sorry about the confusion I produced, and thank you radiomanNJ1 for keeping everything straight despite my confusion.

If the poster comes back, I hope we can all help out and get him an answer, after all this is a forum =)