Is SPEN simplex point-to-point or are there repeaters?

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Roodog2k

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Recently started monitoring SPEN 1-4. Was wondering if there are any repeaters involved? Doesn't seem like it. I frequently only hear one side of the conversation. For instance, last night there was a car fire on 287, I could hear someone (not sure of the agency, maybe SP) trying to coordinate with Montville PD and FD.

I never monitored SPEN until a PD friend of mine told me to do so, said it's probably the most interesting PD channels to listen to in the state. He said he always enjoyed the chatter on SPEN. He worked in the Paterson area, but said he could hear many agencies in NNJ. I don't seem to be hearing much outside my immediate area.

So, I'm just curious how SPEN is presently implemented.
 

W2MB

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Simplex

Back in my day, it was a simplex point to point system and I'm sure by design, it's the same today. Then again, back in my early days, everything was simplex point to point on either low or high band...
 

Analogrules

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Yes, it is simplex. However, I don't think every PD in the state actively uses it even though it may be in all of their radios. For example, Monmouth and Ocean County has their own Police Alert frequency and Union County has a tg on NJICS for County Alerts.

I also would like to point out that SPEN 2 is also a Nationwide Interagency channel, however I have never heard a peep on that frequency in my lifetime.

I also never heard SPEN 3 used in NJ, but have picked up some local PD's in NY State who are also licensed to that frequency.

I only heard SPEN 4 used by some local PD's in Middlesex County in the past as an extra tac channel after major storms/floods.
 

cash082

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Slightly off topic..but has anyone else in central NJ been hearing SPEN1 get keyed up for quick seconds every so often lately? Heard it yesterday into today. Very annoying..maybe someone has some insight into it?
 

Joseph11

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For example, Monmouth and Ocean County has their own Police Alert frequency

While they do maintain their own hotline channels, SPEN 1 multicasts all the alerts from those and it's often used for communications between municipalities during big events (at least in Ocean).
 

ansky

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SPEN 1 is carried on the West Orange township TRS. If you're having a hard time hearing SPEN directly you can try listening on there if you're in the area.
 

Roodog2k

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Slightly off topic..but has anyone else in central NJ been hearing SPEN1 get keyed up for quick seconds every so often lately? Heard it yesterday into today. Very annoying..maybe someone has some insight into it?
I heard it too, I think. Middle of the night?

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
 

cash082

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Seems to have started Sat Night-Sunday overnight hours. Hearing every so often a transmission so short usually signaling dtmf doesn't come out yet.. Nor can I get a an RSSI on it. Hearing it in Southern Monmouth /Northern Ocean County.
I have caught the Dtmf a few times on these every minute or two key ups on SPEN1 And it appears to be IDing 30 something. It's been going now that I'm listening closely a few times every minute. So annoying. Anyone in central NJ Try listening for a minute on SPEN1 if possible?


I apologize about interjecting into this post.
 

Roodog2k

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Seems to have started Sat Night-Sunday overnight hours. Hearing every so often a transmission so short usually signaling dtmf doesn't come out yet.. Nor can I get a an RSSI on it. Hearing it in Southern Monmouth /Northern Ocean County.
I have caught the Dtmf a few times on these every minute or two key ups on SPEN1 And it appears to be IDing 30 something. It's been going now that I'm listening closely a few times every minute. So annoying. Anyone in central NJ Try listening for a minute on SPEN1 if possible?


I apologize about interjecting into this post.

Nah, this is sort of apropos, because I've heard some strange things too, except I live in Passaic County. I've heard what sounds like someone keying a mic over and over, almost like someone kerchunking a repeater. Only 50% sure it's on SPEN 1. Middle of the night, wakes me up. It was either SPEN 1 or NYSW RR.

Also, some clown in my town's DPW will blow blow blow into the mic over and over again at like 4 - 5 in the morning. Annoying.

Anyway, back to SPEN, that's why I was asking. One of the things I heard was something that sounded like kerchunking, so I was wondering if there are SPEN simplex repeaters.
 
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SPEN 2 I hear stuff on occasionally. Look ups, records checks and whatnot. SPEN 3 and 4, at least in my area, Dunellen, the SP Helicopters use it if they need to transport injured people from accidents, set up landing zones, etc.

But other than that, I also only hear one side of the conversation at least 80% of the time. If the agencies are close to me, then I'll hear both sides.
 

902

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Yes, it is simplex. However, I don't think every PD in the state actively uses it even though it may be in all of their radios. For example, Monmouth and Ocean County has their own Police Alert frequency and Union County has a tg on NJICS for County Alerts.

I also would like to point out that SPEN 2 is also a Nationwide Interagency channel, however I have never heard a peep on that frequency in my lifetime.

I also never heard SPEN 3 used in NJ, but have picked up some local PD's in NY State who are also licensed to that frequency.

I only heard SPEN 4 used by some local PD's in Middlesex County in the past as an extra tac channel after major storms/floods.
SPEN 2 is used in other parts of the country. It was codified as a "National Law Enforcement Emergency Channel" by the FCC, but that use is largely regional and situational.

SPEN 3 was used mostly for car-to-car operations. The proximity to Rockland County limited use, but this may have been alleviated by Rockland migrating to 700 MHz.

SPEN 4 is most commonly a multi-disciplinary major incident frequency, although it was established as a common ground channel between police, fire, and EMS. It is extensively used as an EMS liaison frequency and there have been caches of equipment throughout the state before the implementation of other systems.
 

magic_lantern

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keying up tones are annoying, can anyone determine what part of the state it is coming from.

what is the signal strength at you locations. that will help tracking it down.

Did anyone patch spen through one of those idiotic black boxes and forget to turn it off somewhere?
 

Analogrules

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Speaking of SPEN, check out the nyc forum. (SPEN 2 is now being used by NYPD at times via simulcast).
 

RadioDitch

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Speaking of SPEN, check out the nyc forum. (SPEN 2 is now being used by NYPD at times via simulcast).

It's been a couple years now, particularly during major events, that SPEN-2 and StateCom have simulcasted the appropriate NYPD Citywide channel for the duration thereof in the interest of simplistic interop.
 
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