Hardeman County/Boliver TN

[btritch]

I am in paragould Arkansas which is by way of the crow flies according to microsoft streets and trips 101.7 miles NW of Boliver TN...The skip must be bad tonight becuase I am hearing what appears to be Boliver PD on our local fire department channel, However, They are TXing on 154.995...According to the database this frequency is not listed at all for Hardeman County or Boliver TN..But it is indeed boliver TN, I have heard LPN's Returned and DL's returned numerous times and it comes back to a Boliver Address...One unit actually called for Boliver Dispatch earlier, Can anyone in TN around that area or someone that is familiar with that area confirm that for me?

Like I said, Here in NE Arkansas 101 miles away, They're loud and clear! But it's not listed in the DB for that city/county/state..Anyone know any different, I started to submit it to the database once it wasn't listed but I want to confirm first, Thanks!

 

[RandyB]

Tropospheric ducting has been great that past few nights. Baxter County, Arkansas Sheriff's Department repeater is on 156.21 MHz with a PL of 100.0 Hz. This happens to be the same frequency and PL tone used on the INPUT side of THP's high-band VHF repeater in Nashville. So, I've been able to listen to Baxter County through THP's repeater.

One interesting note about THP's high band system -- there are several repeaters throughout the state, each with a unique input PL tone. All off the output tones are the same (159.09 MHz PL 100.0 Hz). However, access to each repeater is determined by the PL transmitted. Since 156.21 MHz is a common repeater output in many locations, monitoring 159.09 can be quite interesting during these ducting / skip events. For example, Hamilton, Ohio Police Department's repeater transmits on 156.21 with a PL of 107.2 Hz. Their signal often makes it into THP's high band system during these tropospheric ducting episodes.

These occurrences are pretty common this time of year and I enjoy doing the detective work during these anomalous prorogation events.

As for Paragould--I have no clue. As you said, Bolivar isn't on 154.995 according to the database and an FCC database search. In fact, they're not even on the VHF band at all. All their communications are UHF. So, I searched surrounding counties and cities, none of which use either 154.995 or the input frequency to your local fire repeater, 159.405. Who knows! Keep listening for clues. You should have the opportunity to do so again tonight as conditions should favor ducting once again.

 

[btritch]

Tropospheric ducting has been great that past few nights. Baxter County, Arkansas Sheriff's Department repeater is on 156.21 MHz with a PL of 100.0 Hz. This happens to be the same frequency and PL tone used on the INPUT side of THP's high-band VHF repeater in Nashville. So, I've been able to listen to Baxter County through THP's repeater.

One interesting note about THP's high band system -- there are several repeaters throughout the state, each with a unique input PL tone. All off the output tones are the same (159.09 MHz PL 100.0 Hz). However, access to each repeater is determined by the PL transmitted. Since 156.21 MHz is a common repeater output in many locations, monitoring 159.09 can be quite interesting during these ducting / skip events. For example, Hamilton, Ohio Police Department's repeater transmits on 156.21 with a PL of 107.2 Hz. Their signal often makes it into THP's high band system during these tropospheric ducting episodes.

These occurrences are pretty common this time of year and I enjoy doing the detective work during these anomalous prorogation events.

As for Paragould--I have no clue. As you said, Bolivar isn't on 154.995 according to the database and an FCC database search. In fact, they're not even on the VHF band at all. All their communications are UHF. So, I searched surrounding counties and cities, none of which use either 154.995 or the input frequency to your local fire repeater, 159.405. Who knows! Keep listening for clues. You should have the opportunity to do so again tonight as conditions should favor ducting once again.

I'm JEALOUS NOW! I TRY PURPOSELY to monitor Baxter County Sheriff's Office Intentionally EVERY NIGHT and cannot hear them! I try to hear them on purpose.! LOL However, The surrounding county next door uses the same output frequency but the PL is different, I'll keep listening for clues though! Also on your 159.090 here in the state we have Fulton and Poinsett County Sheriff's Offices, Ours here for county is 159.210 PL 100.0 and City is 151.040 PL 88.5 What's it showing on Ducting for Friday night, I have to go to bed soon tonight but not tomarrow night, What's the scoop for tomarrow night?

 

[RandyB]

Yeah, Baxter County HAPPENS to be the county that transmits the right frequency and PL combination to interfere with THP's VHF repeaters.

As far as forecasts, go to William R. Hepburn's Tropospheric Ducting Forecasts page. These maps show areas of expected low-level temperature inversions, which are necessary for a good ducting event.

 

[btritch]

I see, So you're picking up Baxter SO from THP's actual towers themselves which are probably way up in the air, Therefore, Giving a big advantage, I only have a PSR 500, Scantenna about 50 feet up and 75 feet of LMR 400 cable, See the advantage, LOL, Hey, Let me run this by you, I cannot hear Baxter County SO here but you say that's the same as THP's INPUT or OUTPUT frequeny? Because late nights A LOT I hear someone way off on the BCSO frequency BUT it's not BCSO because I know how they operate and I can tell the difference, By chance could it be THP?

EDIT: I've been thinking, Perhaps it could be another Boliver somewhere I'm hearing, I assumed it was TN, But it maybe another state, Hmm... Looks like it's time to look it up now...Thanks for the help/suggestions/answers/links/etc. I appreciate it.. Boliver Appears to be in a few locations MO, Ohio, NY, TN, and PA..Could be any of these, guess I'll look up and see if any of the frequencies match, I don't believe this!!! 5 Boliver or Bolivars in the nation and NONE of them according to RR use that frequency but I distinctly heard the words BOLIVER several times over the last few months....Therefore, That leaves me wondering, Thanks Again!

 

[RandyB]

Yes, quite an advantage when THP's towers are doing the listening for you.

It could be anything that you're hearing. A lot of departments use 156.21 MHz. It seems unlikely that it's THP. First of all, there's not a lot of traffic on THP's VHF frequencies. Second, 156.21 is only the input frequency to the repeaters, so it would be difficult for you to hear them from your location.

Some of the users of 156.21 within a couple hundred miles of you include:

Lawrence County, Arkansas Sheriff
Saline County, Arkansas Sheriff
El Darado, Arkansas Police Department
Christian County, Missouri
Cole County, Missouri
Charleston, Missouri

Maybe it's one of them? Did you happen to catch a PL tone?

As far as the unidentified "Bolivar" signal, keep searching--don't give up! I've always thought the effort it takes to identify distant or unknown signals was the most fun part of the hobby. Don't limit your search to Bolivar, consider towns that sound like Bolivar, too. Listen for clues like street names, etc.

 

[btritch]

Yep, PL is the same as THP and Baxter County, 100.0

 

[btritch]

Ok, Guys, With A little help from the skip/tropospheric forum, I think I've finally got this boliver problem narrowed down the the T, Here's the deal: There is a Boliver MO, Ok, On their system they use 159.405 as an output frequency on their system -Here's the link to that system: http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?ctid=1562

Now, One my fire departments here (Oak Grove Heights) uses 154.995 for an output frequency which is the one I'm hearing Boliver on, HOWEVER, Notice that the INPUT frequency for their repeater is 159.405 - Here's the link for that one: http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?ctid=135

And Here's the link for the post that it was figured out in: http://www.radioreference.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112757

So I have learned a few things from this experience, 1) It doesn't necesarrily have to be the department you're hearing OUTPUT frequency, It could very well be their INPUT frequency which I always thought was low power but apparently doesn't have to be...

And 2) That next time I'll look more closely at both frequencies..

Thanks For Everyone who helped with this problem.. I really really appreciate it!