The pagers may be the updated E5 version. They allow for 128bit AES encryption and is one of the main selling points. Therefore, encryption is likely. However, we won't know until someone tries it out.
Horry County SC
- Thread starter leonzo
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The pagers may be the updated E5 version. They allow for 128bit AES encryption and is one of the main selling points. Therefore, encryption is likely. However, we won't know until someone tries it out.
Well, you could always join up on HCFR... Then have one of those nifty Unications, and have MDT/MDS/Laptop in apparatus. 
Well, you could always join up on HCFR... Then have one of those nifty Unications, and have MDT/MDS/Laptop in apparatus.
As of now, HCFR is still two-tone paging on 154.4 MHz, although the audio quality is "muddy" since the P25 move (interface issue?). Don't know if they are also running the Unification system in parallel on another freq.
North Myrtle FD stopped paging on 159.2175 MHz when all moved to the P25 system. They are paging with something else though as each time a station is dispatched, they report successful/unsuccessful pages. No signal on the station TGIDs, so I have no clue what they are using or the freq. used. Maybe NMBFD is the test group for the Unification system…although knowing local politics, I would guess not!
The pagers are on WQRR724 158.7975. There are 6 sites listed for that frequency. I think all county fire agencies are on this system including NMB.
troymail
Silent Key
Sounds like they are simulcasting the digital dispatch over the paging frequency.
Sounds like it - that's one of the things Unification's paging solution is supposed to provide - confirmation that the pages were received.
Only for the GSM models.
Yes, thought about the digital simulcast, but listening to the audio there's not only the muddy sounding voice of the dispatcher, but lots of background noise…other voices, phones ringing, office type noise. Sounds more like they subbed a condenser mic for the dispatcher or somehow hosed the interface to the VHF side. I thought about rigging up my o'scope, but it doesn't record, so too easy to miss the transmission.
Yes, just odd they would also give voice confirmation on page delivery? But again, local politics says this isn't the likely scenario. North Myrtle Beach FD still does their own voice dispatching and will not consider contracting that to the county, even though it would speed up first responders and eliminate the delays with calls between dispatch centers. Given NMBs past practice, they'd go buy their own separate Unication system…and maybe they did just that.
Whatever each agency did, I'm sure it will be the public that loses out on transparency!
troymail
Silent Key
Just a guess but maybe dispatch is trying to inform receivers of the pages what the feedback report is from the system so they can determine if it is accurately reporting status... dunno. Build confidence in the system? Not sure where this paging solution is deployed elsewhere are how reliable it is....
They are continuing audio toning while they ensure adequate coverage and reliability of the PoCSAG system. As I said in an earlier post... expect audio toning to go away soon.
True for HCFR…but the statement about confirming pages related to North Myrtle FD which has discontinued two-tone pages on the normal freq., and is apparently doing something different and unknown to page.
Just trying to figure out "who's on first"!
Interestingly, I got a log hit earlier this evening on TGID 6079. Sequentially, that falls one below TGID 6080 which is HCFR TAC 1. 6080 was previously the lowest numerically in the HCFR range. Makes me wonder if that could have been something to do with dispatch or paging. I guess we shall see as the week progresses.
Hmmm…sounds like POCSAG on 158.7975 MHz
Bingo! POCSAG 512 to be exact. You referenced who's on first.... Who, what, and I don't know are ALL on first.
Good find! So now I'm curious if a pager device can be programmed to decode ALL traffic on a frequency…if it's ID is not registered to that system?
Not a big issue as HCFR (on TAC 1,2,3) and NMBFD (on dispatch) are repeating dispatches as units respond. But who (still on first) knows if that will continue...
PDW may get you 100% of the dispatches. Someone may have done that, but then again... I am speaking in purely hypotheticals here...
PDW may get you 100% of the dispatches. Someone may have done that, but then again... I am speaking in purely hypotheticals here...
Just found out the E3 pager will decode up to 64 capcodes per frequency. So looks like (hypothetically) someone will have to use PDW to relate capcodes to agencies and stations.
That shouldn't be too hard.
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HCFR is now dispatching on TGID 6091. Earlier transmission referenced something about pager battery issues. This may be a temporary situation.
Looks like first three digits are station. Fourth digit always zero. Last three are response code? 101=first responder, 205 EMS, 225 EMS plus PD? Haven't nailed down the pattern yet...
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