KHP Troop D along I-70 questions

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mrkevin02

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Yesterday I traveled I-70 from Salina to Wakeeney I was hearing both Troop C (Salina) and Troop D (Hays) really good on my GRE PSR-500. Of course as I got to Hays and further west Salina dropped out. But it seemed that once I got to Ellis all KHP Troop D traffic dropped off too. By the time I got to Wakeeney I was not hearing any KHP traffic at all. At Wakeeney I turned South and dropped down to K-4 Highway then turned west again. I had only traveled 3 or 4 miles and started picking up KHP Troop E (Garden City) I never heard any Troop D again.

In the old days before they went digital I could hear both Troop E & D on a handheld scanner with the rubber duck antenna. I'm wondering is Troop D not fully digital from Hays to the State Line? If they are not digital to the State Line does anyone have or know where I can find the CONV freq's for Troop D? I seem to have lost those freq's.

Thank You for all your help.
 

n0lqt

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You have to remember that the KSICS system is a “smart-routing” system, similar to a cellphone system. Rather than having all traffic for a particular talkgroup broadcast from every tower site in that particular area, the system keeps track of where each unit affiliated with that talkgroup is located. Thus, if a KCKS Troop-A unit is at the State Fair and happens to have his/her radio turned on to TG 1199, which ever tower his radio has affiliated with (likely Hutch and/or Partridge sites) will broadcast all TG 1199 traffic from those sites as well as the ones in the KC area that have other units using that TG. If there are no units for that TG affiliated with that site, then the site doesn’t broadcast the traffic. Many, if not most all, of the individual sites are microwave and/or fiber-optic linked to "hub" sites that then form a "backbone" for the entire system.

Last year, during the State Fair there was some severe weather up in NE Kansas. All of the troopers were of course interested in what was happening. So we, here in SC Kansas, got to hear all the KHP-B traffic that evening. The same thing happened during an Emergency Managers Conference in Wichita. Everybody with a KSICS radio turned it on and switched to the talkgroup dealing with the severe weather. That little incident almost brought the system down I understand as upwards of a thousand plus radios around the State were suddenly affiliated with that one talkgroup. Up to that point, most system users just didn’t understand that they didn’t even have to transmit, as just "listening" affiliates them to that talkgroup, since like a cellphone, their radio transmits a "status" broadcast every 30 seconds or so. It is just the way the system is designed to work. I believe a memo was circulated shortly after that conference basically saying, “THOU SHALLT NOT!”

What likely happened in your case was nobody from Troop C happened to be affiliated with any of the sites your radio was picking up after you hit Ellis. Tomorrow, you may be hearing Pottawatomie County Sheriff (TG 4254) because a deputy is driving thru your area picking up a prisoner.

This is also the reason why I have my scanners set to check each of the control channels on each pass. Sometimes it might be possible for no radios from even a large active talkgroup to be affiliated with the closest tower to me. So even if I don’t get them off of the Wichita site, I likely will off one of either the Partridge, Aulne, or Butler County Simulcast sites.

Hopefully, your head didn't explode this time with my response..... :->
 

mrkevin02

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thanks, I did understand all that which means if I understand corectly there wasn't a troop D trooper anywhere in between ellis and say grainfield at that time.
 

KAA951

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thanks, I did understand all that which means if I understand corectly there wasn't a troop D trooper anywhere in between ellis and say grainfield at that time.

Correct. However KDOT has not completely built out the digital trunking system through the west region yet. Some of the towers are still on analog 800 repeaters- though I believe that they have all been recently rebanded (which could explain why you didn't hear the analog traffic either).
 

mrkevin02

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Last night as I was watching TV I did finially hear troopers from Troop D (Hays) patroling I-70. I have been hearing Oakly & Gove SO on the KSICS daily so I knew that tower was up and running. Maybe there is just not as many troopers in Hays area as there are in Garden City.
 

KAA951

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Last night as I was watching TV I did finially hear troopers from Troop D (Hays) patroling I-70. I have been hearing Oakly & Gove SO on the KSICS daily so I knew that tower was up and running. Maybe there is just not as many troopers in Hays area as there are in Garden City.

Do the Troopers in Ellis County operate on their trunked system like they do in Topeka, Wichita and KC?
 

mrkevin02

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They seem to. I heard them on the KSICS when I went thru Hays Last Tuesday.
About 5 miles west of Hutchinson on the 4th street shortcut there is a sweet spot that lasts about 4 miles going east where I heard KHP out of Garden City, Hays, Wichita & Salina plus the fair traffic.
 

mrkevin02

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Seems to be a problem For Troop D Troopers out of Hays hearing the dispatcher. I've heard a couple of troop complain that all they were hearing was digital garble. They both said they were at mile post 97 on I-70. If I'm not mistaken this is around the grainfield area. I am hearing both sides of the conversation just fine 40 south of I-70. Don't know if scanners will be affected same way if closer.
 
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