Ok, so I'm using an ICOM F70DT to listen to NYSEG's trunked system. I didn't want to get involved with a trunking HT, as I don't have a system key, don't want to end up with a bricked radio, etc. NYSEG has sites in many different locations across NYS. In the database, I see that in one location they use a specific frequency for a CC, while in another location that frequency is used as a voice channel. Right now , I have all the voice channels from the entire state programmed into one zone. Once I figure out how to make this HT scan, I'm pretty sure it will work reasonably well.
What I'm wondering is: Are these voice channels & CC's that are assigned to each site be utilized at a different site, say, if there was an weather incident that caused lots of outages & the one or two voice channels assigned to that area were insufficient to maintain the high volume of calls? Do I need to load all the CC's in addition to the voice channels, in case they decide to use a designated CC as a voice channel in a different site? I don't even know if their trunking system has the capability to do something like that. I do have many crossover frequencies (used as CC's & voice channels in different sites) programmed in & the F70DT's P25 vocoder works great........I don't hear any data bursts at all. On my R2500 & AR-DV1 I hear data bursts on the voice channels all the time.
And, yes, I know a trunking scanner would take care of this, but I don't want to run afoul of VTL 397. I do not want to risk losing my unrestricted carry permit. I I'm a ham & have a zone programmed with many 2 Meter repeaters. The law is poorly written, and open to all sorts of interpretation. The way I read it, anyone who has a VHF / UHF HT or mobile rig in their vehicle (except the Rat Shack HTX-202 & HTX-204) is in violation. Read the last sentence of 397, seems like they wrote this law when receivers were crystal controlled. I took the route I did because most LE see 397 & immediately think SCANNER. Sure would be cool if someone came out with a dual band HT that had P25 and trunking capability.
Bob
I'm not trying to start another thread about 397, as that has already been beaten to death here. I would appreciate any hints or tips about trying to make this work reasonably well.
What I'm wondering is: Are these voice channels & CC's that are assigned to each site be utilized at a different site, say, if there was an weather incident that caused lots of outages & the one or two voice channels assigned to that area were insufficient to maintain the high volume of calls? Do I need to load all the CC's in addition to the voice channels, in case they decide to use a designated CC as a voice channel in a different site? I don't even know if their trunking system has the capability to do something like that. I do have many crossover frequencies (used as CC's & voice channels in different sites) programmed in & the F70DT's P25 vocoder works great........I don't hear any data bursts at all. On my R2500 & AR-DV1 I hear data bursts on the voice channels all the time.
And, yes, I know a trunking scanner would take care of this, but I don't want to run afoul of VTL 397. I do not want to risk losing my unrestricted carry permit. I I'm a ham & have a zone programmed with many 2 Meter repeaters. The law is poorly written, and open to all sorts of interpretation. The way I read it, anyone who has a VHF / UHF HT or mobile rig in their vehicle (except the Rat Shack HTX-202 & HTX-204) is in violation. Read the last sentence of 397, seems like they wrote this law when receivers were crystal controlled. I took the route I did because most LE see 397 & immediately think SCANNER. Sure would be cool if someone came out with a dual band HT that had P25 and trunking capability.
Bob
I'm not trying to start another thread about 397, as that has already been beaten to death here. I would appreciate any hints or tips about trying to make this work reasonably well.