I-95 Trip and Frequencies to load up

yonkersbound

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May 31, 2023
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Hi, First time poster here, I didn't see any multi-state thread so hopefully this is the right place. I did some digging around looking for (probably to no real gain I'm guessing) what frequencies or data to load into my old Home Patrol-II that I noticed in the basement before I make a trip from Virginia down to Florida - primarily going to be on I-95 and 528 East. I didn't really see anything specific to this issue so I decided I would ask Claude (kinda like ChatGPT but IMHO I like the way it answers better). Anyhow, curious if anyone has takes on the below, particularly wrt which agencies are running encrypted - to that end should I even bother taking the HP2 with me. Feel free to blast me for consulting AI on this, but being new to this forum I had a hard time sorting through the massive amount of information available.

So any of you that happen to be from/know about these states, curious if any of this is accurate and/or if matters for loading up my HP2.

Thanks!
Joshua

Highway patrol agencies along I-95 and Highway 528 use several radio frequencies to communicate. The specific frequencies used in each county will depend on the state agency, but they are typically in the VHF high band of 136-174 MHz and low band of 40-50 MHz ranges. Some key frequencies to monitor for highway patrol include:
• State Police - Most state police and highway patrol divisions operate radio systems in the 154-158 MHz range. Key frequencies include 154.130, 154.215 and 157.450 MHz. They may use additional tactical and dispatch channels within 150-170 MHz.
• Highway Maintenance - Highway and road department frequencies like 158.940 and 159.150 MHz are commonly used for dispatching emergency road services and traffic control.
• Mutual Aid - Mutual aid frequencies such as 158.220 MHz are used when multiple agencies are coordinating joint operations. State police often utilize mutual aid channels when working with county sheriffs along interstate routes.
• Emergency Operations - In some areas, state police participate in the Emergency Management Network using frequencies in the 163-174 MHz band.

Key channels include 163.250 MHz and 168.200 MHz.

By state, some of the primary frequencies to monitor for highway patrols along I-95 include:
• Virginia State Police - 154.660, 154.130 and 157.450 MHz
• North Carolina Highway Patrol - 154.130, 154.440 MHz
• South Carolina Highway Patrol - 154.786 and 151.280 MHz
• Georgia State Patrol - 158.400 and 155.805 MHz
• Florida Highway Patrol - 159.420 MHz (troop A, B and D for most of I-95)
• Volusia/Brevard Co. FL (528 area) - 158.415 and 155.370 MHz

• Virginia State Police - Uses a proprietary digital encryption method for some radio traffic on their primary dispatch/tactical channels like 154.660 MHz. Not all communications are encrypted, but sensitive operations and data are secured.
• North Carolina Highway Patrol - Has installed a Motorola ASTRO® 25 digital radio network across NC. Some NCHP communications on their main VHF frequencies are encrypted using AES 256-bit key encryption built into the ASTRO radios. Not all districts have fully transitioned, but the trend is toward increased use of encryption.
• South Carolina Highway Patrol - SCHP utilizes a Harris EDACS® trunked radio system for their primary operations and vital infrastructure communications. EDACS supports 256-bit key encryption, though its unknown how much SCHP presently encrypts. They do have the capability to encrypt sensitive channels.
• Georgia State Patrol - Also uses Harris EDACS infrastructure for their radio network. GSP has the capability to implement 256-bit key encryption across their radio system, however it is unclear how much of their routine dispatch and operational traffic is presently encrypted. Likely varies in different GA regions.
• Florida Highway Patrol - FHP operates the Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System (SLERS) an APCO P25 digital trunked radio network. SLERS supports 256-bit encryption keys and FHP implements encryption on some regional command channels and special operations, especially in large metro areas like Jacksonville and Orlando along I-95.
 

n3obl

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Alot of this info is wrong. Virginia State police uses STARS a motorola p25 system on VHF Frequencies. SC patrol is an 800 P25 trunk system. Ga is definitely not on EDACS.

There is hardly any edacs systems anymore as Harris ended support years ago.
 

yonkersbound

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May 31, 2023
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haha, good to know. I was surprised it even understood the question, so was iffy on the answers being reliable. Thanks for the feedback
 

hiegtx

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Hi, First time poster here, I didn't see any multi-state thread so hopefully this is the right place. I did some digging around looking for (probably to no real gain I'm guessing) what frequencies or data to load into my old Home Patrol-II that I noticed in the basement before I make a trip from Virginia down to Florida - primarily going to be on I-95 and 528 East. I didn't really see anything specific to this issue so I decided I would ask Claude (kinda like ChatGPT but IMHO I like the way it answers better). Anyhow, curious if anyone has takes on the below, particularly wrt which agencies are running encrypted - to that end should I even bother taking the HP2 with me. Feel free to blast me for consulting AI on this, but being new to this forum I had a hard time sorting through the massive amount of information available.

So any of you that happen to be from/know about these states, curious if any of this is accurate and/or if matters for loading up my HP2.

Thanks!
Joshua

Highway patrol agencies along I-95 and Highway 528 use several radio frequencies to communicate. The specific frequencies used in each county will depend on the state agency, but they are typically in the VHF high band of 136-174 MHz and low band of 40-50 MHz ranges. Some key frequencies to monitor for highway patrol include:
• State Police - Most state police and highway patrol divisions operate radio systems in the 154-158 MHz range. Key frequencies include 154.130, 154.215 and 157.450 MHz. They may use additional tactical and dispatch channels within 150-170 MHz.
• Highway Maintenance - Highway and road department frequencies like 158.940 and 159.150 MHz are commonly used for dispatching emergency road services and traffic control.
• Mutual Aid - Mutual aid frequencies such as 158.220 MHz are used when multiple agencies are coordinating joint operations. State police often utilize mutual aid channels when working with county sheriffs along interstate routes.
• Emergency Operations - In some areas, state police participate in the Emergency Management Network using frequencies in the 163-174 MHz band.

Key channels include 163.250 MHz and 168.200 MHz.

By state, some of the primary frequencies to monitor for highway patrols along I-95 include:
• Virginia State Police - 154.660, 154.130 and 157.450 MHz
• North Carolina Highway Patrol - 154.130, 154.440 MHz
• South Carolina Highway Patrol - 154.786 and 151.280 MHz
• Georgia State Patrol - 158.400 and 155.805 MHz
• Florida Highway Patrol - 159.420 MHz (troop A, B and D for most of I-95)
• Volusia/Brevard Co. FL (528 area) - 158.415 and 155.370 MHz

• Virginia State Police - Uses a proprietary digital encryption method for some radio traffic on their primary dispatch/tactical channels like 154.660 MHz. Not all communications are encrypted, but sensitive operations and data are secured.
• North Carolina Highway Patrol - Has installed a Motorola ASTRO® 25 digital radio network across NC. Some NCHP communications on their main VHF frequencies are encrypted using AES 256-bit key encryption built into the ASTRO radios. Not all districts have fully transitioned, but the trend is toward increased use of encryption.
• South Carolina Highway Patrol - SCHP utilizes a Harris EDACS® trunked radio system for their primary operations and vital infrastructure communications. EDACS supports 256-bit key encryption, though its unknown how much SCHP presently encrypts. They do have the capability to encrypt sensitive channels.
• Georgia State Patrol - Also uses Harris EDACS infrastructure for their radio network. GSP has the capability to implement 256-bit key encryption across their radio system, however it is unclear how much of their routine dispatch and operational traffic is presently encrypted. Likely varies in different GA regions.
• Florida Highway Patrol - FHP operates the Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System (SLERS) an APCO P25 digital trunked radio network. SLERS supports 256-bit encryption keys and FHP implements encryption on some regional command channels and special operations, especially in large metro areas like Jacksonville and Orlando along I-95.
Since you;re dealing with an HP-2, why not just make sure it has the latest database in it, then get a GPS and let it handle it. Just make sure that your service types of interest are selected, and set a fairly small range since you don't want it trying to scan everything. You might find some things of interest, but hopefully, you'd get a little 'head's up' about wrecks and other incidents along your route.
 

yonkersbound

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May 31, 2023
Messages
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I would get a gps, but I'm leaving tomorrow and didn't plan ahead...

Good point on setting the smaller range, I'll prob get one after I get down there and use it another time. Thanks
 

marksmith

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Jun 20, 2007
Messages
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Anne Arundel County, MD
As a homepatrol 2 owner, clearly the answer is to use a GPS. You will never get what you want programmed into favorites lists.

Update to latest database in Sentinel and upload to the scanner. Get and connect a GPS, select the narrowest list of service types you want to listen to, and let the homepatrol do what it does best. Follow GPS and activate the appropriate local systems and frequencies as you go. It works great. I have a homepatrol 2 in both vehicles on gps and use it all the time.

I would recommend shutting off Nationwide frequencies and only selecting fire, police and ems service types. Also, set range to zero.
 

yonkersbound

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May 31, 2023
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Does anyone happen to know if Love's gas stations might have the uniden GPS components? I know they have a bunch of scanners and such but I've never bothered to look closely, maybe I'll get lucky and snag one on the way
 

garys

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Jun 13, 2002
Messages
6,069
VSP is pretty easy to monitor. Our trip down was I-81 to I-77 and I copied VSP most of the way. Also Roanoke, but it wasn't as busy as I thought it would be. I used the RRDB along with GPS and caught most of what I wanted to.

PA is interesting as the PSP is encrypted, but most of the local agencies weren't. I used a combination of systems I built and the DB.

Both NC and SC are 800Mhz P25 and easy to monitor.

I never take I-95 on my southern trips as I prefer the inland route.

Alot of this info is wrong. Virginia State police uses STARS a motorola p25 system on VHF Frequencies. SC patrol is an 800 P25 trunk system. Ga is definitely not on EDACS.

There is hardly any edacs systems anymore as Harris ended support years ago.
 

Tomcu96

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Nov 29, 2017
Messages
153
Location
Bedford Indiana
there is a really good one if you are by the airport. when you are close to BWI and Washington DC. Make sure to listen to Ambill Mills Shopping Center on check out the Live Casino and Hotel Maryland is both on DMR, I hope you guys have a great trip
 
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