Lawrence Livermore Lab's trunked system details

[owldaddy]

Perhaps I can shed some light on the radio use at LLNL. I used to be a supervisor in Plant Engineering. The Wahoo units you hear are mobile units, mainly hand held. Mechanics, Techs and Electricians out in the field. The Whiskey units are the base stations, Wahoo units are dispatched by the Whiskey units. I was one of the Whiskey units for many years. I doubt you will hear Sierra Base, that is security and is encripted at the Livermore site. Mike is site 300 security, also should be encripted. You may hear Xray1 at site 300, that is maintenance mechanic responding to alarms. Lab Fire calls themselves Lab Fire. Hazards Control uses that frequency also.

I thought LBL was run by UC Berkeley, not DOE.

LBL is operated by UC Berkeley under contract to DOE. DOE owns the facility and contracts with UC to operate the facility. LLNL used to be operated by UC also, however after over 50 years as the contractor UC was replaced by a private LLC called Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS) in 2007.

 

[WayneH]

I've reviving this thread from the dead to post an update....

A few months ago LLNL started installing new P25 trunked (9600) equipment at all their sites. To my knowledge there are no new sites; it's more or less a conversion than it is an upgrade. About a week ago they brought two of the sites online [see the DB] at the Lab and at Crane Ridge (Altamont Hills). Since I've started watching it I haven't seen any activity.

New system: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory [New System] Trunking System, Livermore, California - Scanner Frequencies

Unless you live in Livermore or the SJ Valley you won't hear the two new sites.

 

[Retired911Guy]

Hi Guys, been out with an injury for about 6 months, sorry to inigo & mlangeveld for not replying for so long.

WayneH and others

LOL I never did think of Berkeley. I was hoping the DOE finally was going with their plan to provide radio services to other Feds for the Bay Area. Oh well.
-Wayne

My source close to GGNRA radio system says GGNRA and US Park Police will be moved to a NEW Berkeley-Livermore system 700-800 system within 2-3 yrs. They have to get 700-800 system up in areas where it can cover GGNRA. Currently GGNRA sites are off the roof top of the VA hospital in SF and Mt Tam and as you know it’s 400.

To get 700-800 to cover GGNRA you’d be looking at, at least the same plus 1 or 2 more sites somewhere along the coast areas of Marin. A new tower in Berkeley may be the start of getting higher or better sites for 700-800 coverage.

Also, when the GGNRA sites are up and the move is made from 400 to the NEW Berkeley system, the GGNRA dispatch (Rangers, Maintenance, US Park Police, Etc) will all be moved to the Combined Berkeley Dispatch.

Please also see my post RE: Presidio FD and Ft Cronkhite FD to be posted a few minutes later.

 

[dougr1252]

The LLL/LBL system already has a tower at LBL on 416 MHz with pretty wide coverage, but that's a long reach to Marin Co. Golden Gate Bridge District is also building a replacement 700 MHz P25 system which probably would work for GGNRA if they decided to move. Alameda and CoCo are building a new 700/800 P25 system to cover their counties only.

My source close to GGNRA radio system says GGNRA and US Park Police will be moved to a NEW Berkeley-Livermore system 700-800 system within 2-3 yrs.

 

[Retired911Guy]

Sorry, may have unintentionally posted incorrect info.

Double checked with my source and he says he doesn’t recall telling me it would 700 or 800. Both he and I are prone to memory lapses in general conversions. He admits it as well do I.

He recalled telling me that in 1-2 yrs the GGRNA Rangers, Park PD and other Misc services would be changed over to a NEW Berkeley lab system that would be expanded to cover GGNRA and other areas used by other Fed agencies, AND that would have install new radios at that time. That’s why he asked about leaving the existing system in place for SMFDs use.

I may have inferred that it would be 700 or 800 due to the new radios and keeping the old system for SMFD comments and all the posts regarding a 700 bay area interoperability system.

So this much I can verify was said,

Plans are in 1-2 yrs the GGRNA Rangers, Park PD and other Misc services will be changed over to a NEW Berkeley lab system that would be expanded to cover GGNRA and other areas used by other Fed agencies

 

[WayneH]

Earlier this year GGNRA put out a request for bid for a project to upgrade their system. FBO link: http://bit.ly/9CV4kD Thanks to unknown for finding that.

It would make sense for them to upgrade the equipment at their sites and essentially expand out the DOE system.