Lexington FCC Info

[KR4BD]

Marshall:

Late this afternoon, it seems like they restored the original layout, but my Pro-92 does not like it. Many of the frequencies have the EDACS beep on them. My Pro-94 however, seems to be working normally. I have not changed any of the programming in either scanner yet, but am monitoring all the new frequencies in conventional mode for now.

If this is like it was when the FD first come onto the UK system in 2000, there will be a bunch of juggling LCN, talkgroups, etc., before it all "settles out".

 

[KE4ZNR]

Marshall:

Late this afternoon, it seems like they restored the original layout, but my Pro-92 does not like it. Many of the frequencies have the EDACS beep on them. My Pro-94 however, seems to be working normally. I have not changed any of the programming in either scanner yet, but am monitoring all the new frequencies in conventional mode for now.

If this is like it was when the FD first come onto the UK system in 2000, there will be a bunch of juggling LCN, talkgroups, etc., before it all "settles out".

Yeah..between you me and steve we should be able to figure it out...I have my Pro96 out in my car at the moment because my boss has been around the workplace today..normally when foot traffic is slow I can have it running in the background here at the jobsite...I am gonna head home around 6pm and plan to monitor the system in both convent and trunked modes...

 

[unitcharlie]

Sounds like they are testing each freq.... today I had a couple of hours while driving around to listen.... they had 856.9375 and 857.9375 fired up.... simulkcasting Lex Fire/EMSW/Animal Control/LEXTRAN/UK Parking/UK Computer Techs and two different groups I didn't recognize but NOT Lex FD Radio Techs).... didn't decode anything in PL or EDACS modes..... gonna have to program both sets of freqs (in and out) and go to the various listed sites to see what is happening.....

 

[unitcharlie]

Heard some control channel noise on this freq: 858.9875 the read out indicated Control 4 (in EDACS). This freq is also licensed to Frankfort 911 and others but the signal was too strong to have come from FFT.... haven't had the chance today to check the rest of them....

 

[KR4BD]

:?: :?: :?: :?: :?:

Am I the only one having problems receiving the local Lexington EDACS system right now while it is transistioning?

My Pro-92 will not track it at all anymore. It just gets EDACS beeps and no tracking.

My Pro-94 gets most of it, but it seems to sometimes miss calls where it never did before and occassionally gets a transmission that won't mute the EDACS beeps.

and

My Pro-2052 is not muting EDACS beeps some of the time.

The new frequencies (ending in .4375) have been monitored in conventional mode with FD and Lextran traffic, but I am only getting random transmissions. The 856.4375 frequency is usally a control channel.

Once things settle out with all these changes, I will use my Pro-92 to figure out the LCNs, etc. I am sure there is a bunch of patching going on with the FD to keep it on the old frequencies during the changes.

I have also obversed the FD Dispatch sometimes using 00-001 as a talkgroup ID on my Pro-94 (in addition to 08-021).

Any of you other regulars to this system have any observations or comments?

Thanks. :roll: :roll:

 

[unitcharlie]

Hi Guy:

The 96 picks them up in their old configuration.... I have the new freqs (from Marshall's post) programmed in the 92. I can't monitor them in EDACS mode but I can hear Lex Fire/Lextran/FayCo Skl Busses/Animal Control/somtimes Sanitary Sewers..... when I go to EDACS settings with them they act conventional...

856.4375 IDed as CNTRL 01 this morning.... 858.9875 IDed as CNTRL 04 earlier.

Week before last was the first time I monitored 00-001 it was during the daily DES Radio Net check.... later I heard Lex Fire Dispatch talking to units that had been dispatched for a missing child search. They were using that talk group....


Sorry, it has been very busy the past couple of weeks so I haven't been able to keep up with the message boards to well.....

 

[KE4ZNR]

I have dropped the ball on this one too guys...I have been so busy with work lately then my wife's uncle passed away last Wednesday so we are going to the funeral in Shelbyville tomorrow...then in 2 weeks one of my 2 younger sisters is getting married in Central NC...so I have had almost zero radio time recently....but I hope to get back to the scanner hobby soon...

 

[unitcharlie]

Marshall...
Hope to see you back here soon.... it has just been a very busy spring.

 

[KR4BD]

:?: OK...What is going on with this system? Is anyone else having problems monitoring it since the changes started? My Pro92A will no longer track anything on this system. It is hearing the Control channel and you can hear the transmissions but when put into trunking mode, it will not track anymore. I have not changed any programming in it. My Pro94 will still track most of it, but there are glitches at times....and my Pro-2052 will not release to the next frequency at times...so you have to listen to the EDACS beeps. I have also noticed that the FD often times has to repeat things because they must be having some problems with it, too. Something has changed. I have noted a lot of transmissions on the newly licensed frequencies (FD and others), but can't seem to figure how they are working into the system. On the new frequencies, 857.4375 AND 858.2125 were BOTH simultaneously Control Channels last night and this morning. Both are not very strong at my office just south of the UK campus. 858.2125 is particularly weak. The FD seems to be using BOTH 08-021 and 00-001 talkgroups for dispatch. I am not hearing any mobile units on the 00-001 group, just dispatch. I must admit I have been busy with work and was out-of-town on business all last week, so I have not had any leisure time to try to put the pieces together. :?:

 

[unitcharlie]

At this point it seems the old system is still the primary system with testing on the new system..... I quit trying to listen to the new system until things get a little more reliable.... will pass along anything I figure out....

 

[unitcharlie]

Some Lex Firefighters were testing the range on the "new" system this afternoon.... They had a handheld apparently programmed to the new system.... my 92 (where I have the old system entered) died this morning.... needed to reload it...

 

[unitcharlie]

Here is what I have picked up....
856.43750 reads EDACS Control 1, 858.98750 reads EDACS Control 4... complete with beeps, but it still isn't acting like a system, more like the channels 7 and 8 are being used to retx the stuff on the old system...

 

[KR4BD]

My Pro-92 will not track the old system anymore. Can't figure it out. My Pro-94 and Pro-2052 still track it with some glitches like ocassional beeps after the transmissions. They have changed something with the "old system" set-up during all the changes and transistion. Been too busy with work to really take a good look at what is going on. Maybe the "old system" will stay with the new sites being used to "fill in" outlying, poorly covered areas???

 

[unitcharlie]

I had to reload my 92 to track it, had a lot of CC noise and beeps anbd very little tracking of anything... didn't change anything, just reloaded. It is ok now.

This transition is driving me batty! The freq--856.4375--that ID's as CC1 is on Site One (Winchester Rd.); the freq--858.9875--that ID's as CC4 is from Site Three (Clays Ferry)... wonder if all the freqs will be thrown in to one LCN and then the site with the strongest signal becomes the relay point? Control still appears to be Third Street (near Lex Fire Dispatch Center).

Quizical?

UPDATE:

At 1430 local there is a Battalion Chief testing the three sites talking to Station Ten.... all of his transmissions have been on TG Fire #3... from various locations in the county directed to the various sites....

 

[unitcharlie]

UPDATE...

The new Lexington Public Safety TRS will replace the current system. All agencies on the old system will migrate to the new one when it is on the air. Word is they are going to try to make it so a scanner will read it as one system.... there are three sites to assure solid coverage in all parts of Fayette County. Fire Dispatch will be on all three towers so dispatch functions for Fire will be audible to everyone, once the trucks arrive, howver, they will go to the tower that has the strongest signals or more than one tower could pick them up....

Currently the Radio Techs are testing the new freqs using the microwave relay and in conventional mode.....

stay tuned....

 

[KR4BD]

Thanks for the info. My Pro-92 seems to be working again. For a while, the testing on the system drove it nuts. My Pro-94 and 2052 have been able to track during these changes, but with some (mostly minor) glitches at times. I will be happy when it all settles out.

 

[unitcharlie]

The Lex FD Radio gurus were out testing the towers today.... they travelled and had a 3 by 5 signal as far south as Berea... the static in the tx appeared to be from the handheld being used in the test but the tower at Clays Ferry worked it like a charm.... the tests appeared to be on the freqs that are common to both systems.... I didn't listen on the other radio to see if they were working all the new freqs...

 

[KR4BD]

System Changes??

For several hours, on Wednesday evening, November 23, the FD was totally absent from the "main" system at UK with the 11 EDACS frequencies. That system was up as UK Police, Lextran and other traffic was present. I did find FD traffic on their "newer" frequencies, however, which are on the Channel 27 and Channel 56 towers (I think). Late in the evening, FD traffic was back on the "main" system again. Does anyone have a list of the frequencies and the LCN for these new towers? These are the frequencies ending in .4375 (among others). I have been noticing a lot of "weirdness" lately with the FD usage of the system and frequent use of patching talkgroups.

Any ideas?

 

[jcpd9720]

This may get me shot... I hate the 800 mhz systems! So much difficulty trying to hear anything... I just read all the posts, and it scares me! I have never monitored any 800 systems, don't even have a scanner to do so. I like Vhf and Uhf! MetroSafe and all our agencies will soon be on one of these systems, and I think I am going to cry! When we do, and I have to break down and buy a scanner capable of doing so, can you guys give me guidence? Control channels and talkgroups are all foreign to me, and I will be one of the dispatchers using the system.

 

[unitcharlie]

Hi Tom:
There are actually 22 freqs in the "new" Lexington system--I haven't figured them out yet.... I have been told that this is a multi-cast system, a la the KSP system except it is trunked and the entire set of freqs is supposed to work as a single system rather than what it looks like on paper.... from looking at the ULS listing there are freqs spread between four sites and not all freqs are at all four sites...

Earlier ths week they were programing radios and appeared to move Fire Dispatch to 00-001, but they were back to 08-021 this morning.....

I don't kow what the additional freqs are nor if they are farmed from a system that isn't in use, they don't appear to be newly assigned freqs, unless there is no license for them.....

Hi Lee:
Regarding your dilemma.... it is a pain getting thru the learning phase of monitoring trunked systems,. but once you can "think" trunked" you are home free.... I don't really know enough about The new Louisville System to help you with the specifics--but will be learning it when it is in operation so I, too, can listen in.... From the early indications it appears you might need a few banks top listen to MetroSafe as well...

What I would suggest is that you get a trunking scanner now and start learning the finer points so when the Derby City goes trunked you are up-to-speed.... I would suggest buying the programming software and learning that as well (for which ever scanner you buy) and that will take a lot of the stress out of learning the system.... Look for a used/inexpensive scanner and try your hand before the pressure is really on. Good Luck