Freeway Service Patrol

[dougr1252]

The database says the FSP LTR system is no longer used or being replaced. The Mission Peak site is still used by FSP. I've read over the years that they're switching to Nextel. Is that what's happening?

Scanner Frequencies: Freeway Service Patrol (Bay Area) Trunking System, Various, California

Here's what I have for that site:

09 - 483.6875
10 - 489.3875
12 - 490.0125
17 - 490.9875

FSP is 0-12-208

 

[inigo88]

I think I've heard them on the Big Rock site too within the last couple of weeks.

Big Rock Ridge (Novato, CA): [LTR Standard, Area bit 1]

R14 - 483.3375
R18 - 483.5625 (HOME)

Talkgroup:

1-18-208 - "FSP 1 - Big Rock"

-Inigo

 

[jmm346]

As of today, still active on Diablo, at least the dispatcher is.

 

[MtnBiker2005]

The FSP talkgroups are listed under the Crystal Communications LTR systems.

Crystal Communications (Loma Prieta)
http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=449

Crystal Communications (Monument/Mission Peak)
http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=450

Crystal Communications (Mt. Diablo)
http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=448

...etc

 

[WayneH]

I don't know why the FSP entry was basically torn apart, and done by an admin who doesn't even live in this State. I'll look in to this.

 

[inigo88]

I second your sentiment Wayne, PM sent your way.

Inigo

 

[WayneH]

Since the system entry for the FSP - basically a centralized entry for them - is basically gone and not retrievable, do we want it back? I believe it contained only data I got out of an FSP base radio and I think a few Groups were incorrect (it was used to rebroadcast CHP so some were not used).

If there's enough interest I'll rebuild it.

 

[inigo88]

I'd like to see it back. For one thing I think it contained some systems that weren't fully operational yet. The Big Rock site only has 2 LCNs according to my LTR Analyzer logs, but the corresponding system you retrieved from the FSP radio had several more that may have been put there preemptively in case of expansion. I found that especially helpful when looking for new freqs on some of the systems.

Not to mention the main reason, which is that it's very helpful to be able to see all the FSP systems/talkgroups in one place and not have to search through EVERY LTR Standard system in the Bay Area to find the correct one (and there are a lot!).

Inigo

 

[dougr1252]

Ok, this makes more sense now. I didn't realize the talkgroups were added onto the Crystal systems. I'd also like to see some kind of links for FSP again since they're not easy to find otherwise and they're still busy as ever. The old frequency info didn't seem quite right, so I was also saving data to see where those talkgroups showed up. If we have the database back we can get it fixed.

I notice that sometimes the dispatcher responds to units that I don't hear on any of the channels, but I always hear her side so maybe they link multiple sites for dispatch. Unitrunker also does LTR so you can see the other channels in use, but LTR Analyzer is the best for grabbing data.

 

[inigo88]

I've noticed the same thing. I've heard in the past that FSP is the last priority for CHP dispatchers at Golden Gate in Vallejo, so they put one person on the position for the entire Bay Area and everything that dispatcher says just simulcasts through every FSP dispatch talkgroup on the Crystal Systems.

One easy way to tell if the message to the FSP Truck is in your system's area or not (and hence whether you'll hear a response) is by their truck's unit ID. They work the same beats as the actual CHP units and use the exact same unit ID, with the addition of a "6-" prefix.

So for example, in Marin CHP (Corte Madera office is denoted by 34-), unit 34-20 operates on a beat on Highway 101 in the vicinity of Central San Rafael and Corte Madera, on the "Violet" frequency 42.16 Mhz / 42.64 Mhz.

If I hear FSP Dispatch call "6-34-20," I know that's the FSP tow truck operating on 34-20's beat, and I can expect a response on the LTR talkgroup I'm listening to (on the Big Rock system in the Corte Madera office's coverage area).

Hope that helps,

Inigo

 

[vince48]

Inigo
You are so good at dissecting the different agencies operations, how do you do that? Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge.

vince48

 

[dougr1252]

That is good info. Their IDs sounded very similar to CHP.

They have some interesting stuff on their website:

Bay Area Freeway Service Patrol Documentation
Beat numbers and contractors

 

[WayneH]

I'd like to see it back.

I'll work on it.

 

[inigo88]

Hey dougr1252,

I've seen that FSP brochure in the past with the beat map. Those FSP documents have different beat numbers than CHP, but the beat numbers on the FSP maps that have been provided don't coincide with the truck unit IDs on the radio - which match the CHP numbers instead. Those maps are useful though, because they can actually help us reverse engineer what the physical dimensions of the CHP beats are. Presumably though FSP usually covers 2 or more CHP beats in each one of theirs because there are a lot more CHP cruisers on the air than there are FSP trucks, so the FSP beat dimensions may be further subdivided by CHP (or may not even overlap 100% of the time).

For my previous example, the FSP brochure shows an area just north of the Golden Gate Bridge as "Beat 7", but the CHP unit that patrols this area is IDed as "34-20" (or "34-10," so FSP beat 7 may contain two CHP beats). 34 denotes the Corte Madera office and 20 denotes their beat or coverage area. Hence, the FSP truck for Beat 7 will actually identify on the radio as "6-34-20", even though there's nothing there in the ID identifying the truck as being on FSP beat 7. I've monitored this system in action by correlating exit street names with both the FSP beats and the CHP beats and it checks out. This is presumably to ease the workload on the CHP dispatchers by using their existing beat system and not making them use new numbers for existing coverage areas.

Regards,

Inigo

 

[WayneH]

I got shot down on creating another system so I'm going to create a Category under Metro SF and group the systems together.