ISP simplex

[kc9cra]

Not too long ago, there were isp speed traps in Evansville. I picked up a couple of guys on simplex at 161.73. They came in good, so I didn't get off the frequency. I looked up licenses, but all I got were remote pick-ups. I'm not surprised. My scanner has a weird if, but I wasn't sure what the real frequency might've been.
This is what I mean by weird if. Most units have 10.7, .8, or .85. I guess hearing something that is half the if from your freq is okay, but I was hearing 146.62 at 151.955. That's 5.335mhz which would make the if 10.67. This means that the real frequency could be 156.395, 151.06, or possibly even 172.40 or 167.065, but that one's not too likely, because it's in the fed band. There are some mutual aid channels up there though, so maybe the state boys thought they'd just chat on either one of those and not worrie about it since noone's using them anyway. It was quite interesting though.

 

[SCPD]

Body mics?

 

[kc9cra]

No, I don't think so. I figured a body mic would constantly transmit. These were definitly push to talk radios. One guy asked "Did you get that blue suv?" and the other guy says, "No, I was reading an email." Theywere definitly in separate cars. I'm thinkig one guy had a radar gun and told the other guy who to pull over. The transmissions were spread out over time, and I had to go somewhere, so I didn't get to monitor all day. Plus, the only scanner I have is a portable which equals limited uninterrupted monitoring because of the changing of bateries.

 

[Anon6083]

Could there have been any local agency involvement in the detail? Depending on the population density in the area, the radios may have belonged to a local agency that would typically use simplex radios like those that are popular on that band.

 

[kc9cra]

Which band? The only simplex around the 161.73 freq is the railroad and some marine. I guess I can undrstand the if freqs, but I distinctly remember my family saying there werre state troopers doing seatbelt/speed traps in weird places all over Evansville.

 

[Anon6083]

It was my understanding that 150-175MHz was part of the PW - Public Safety Conventional spectrum allocation. In my area, only smaller fire departments seem to use frequencies in this band, as the size and population of Fort Wayne and Allen County has necessitated the use of a trunked system, but I've seen posts regarding this band being used elsewhere by local law enforcement agencies such as county sheriffs. As ISP seems to be very involved in cooperative enforcement details regarding speeding, construction zones, and sobriety checkpoints, I thought it might be reasonable to suspect that other agencies aside from ISP could have been involved in the detail.

 

[kc9cra]

That's possibly the case, but what I meant was what part of th 150-175 band. Different parts are allocated for different things. Most of the small fire departments are from 153 to 156 and 158 to 160. That's a rough generallization. You can find lists of exact frequencies in the database, but starting at about 160, the band ismainly for railroad andmarine traffic with some old vhf remote pick-up frequencies for live broadcasts still in use. I was wondering if you were talking about the xact frequency I was on, or possibly one or more of the other frequencies I mentioned.

 

[Viper43]

a lot of departments use above 160, schools too, and businesses in some cases too. And do't forget the feds up there too....still very active both analog and digital.
As for ISP, they, and most local police departments get Federal $$$ for doing DUI/seatbelt checks and so forth. A FEW are joint efforts but usually it's the state on their own and the locals on their own. For those in Dist 52 you can occasionally catch them setting up a DUI checkpoint .
Recently I found out one unit from Fortville is working under special funding for DUI's. I found out after a truck kept going off the side of the road and then across the center line. 2 miles of this and I called it in. Surprised me when a Fortville officer was the first car to pass me, they and 3 county units stopped the truck. Turned out it was 2 females playing with a car stereo.... Anyway the one deputy told me the Fortville car was working a Federal DUI program and helping the county. Nice to know they work well together Especially since both seem to cover my area.

 

[trido]

was this heard from on the Far west side of Evansville?

Not too long ago, there were isp speed traps in Evansville. I picked up a couple of guys on simplex at 161.73. They came in good, so I didn't get off the frequency. I looked up licenses, but all I got were remote pick-ups. I'm not surprised. My scanner has a weird if, but I wasn't sure what the real frequency might've been.
This is what I mean by weird if. Most units have 10.7, .8, or .85. I guess hearing something that is half the if from your freq is okay, but I was hearing 146.62 at 151.955. That's 5.335mhz which would make the if 10.67. This means that the real frequency could be 156.395, 151.06, or possibly even 172.40 or 167.065, but that one's not too likely, because it's in the fed band. There are some mutual aid channels up there though, so maybe the state boys thought they'd just chat on either one of those and not worrie about it since noone's using them anyway. It was quite interesting though.

 

[kc9cra]

Yes, it was. I live a block off of Teacoppel

 

[cifn2]

Now, I ask why it being heard on the West Side would matter?