Listening to nysp on a scanner please help me

[AuntEnvy]

Uhhh...Well then the people supposedly maintaining this system suck. Several times from last night to just a moment ago, one of the troops calls out on Statewide. After they unkey the mic, the transmitter hangs for maybe two minutes or more. Then we have a Troop K transmitter somewhere down in Putnam (or south of that) that has the worst raspy audio I have ever heard on ANY transmitter. The Poughkeepsie dispatchers often ask the troopers to call them on the phone. And are the troopers too lazy to pick up the microphone to talk, or are the radios not driving the modulator with enough mic gain? The STAR ID data burst is plenty loud though, so maybe it's bad operator practice.

But does that sound like a system that is functioning well? Not to me! Out of everything I listen to, that system sucks. Nothing against you, but I hear problems.

So, what are these "repeater functions"? What frequency or tone is being used for that? I haven't heard any of that. Any P25 going on?

Oops! There is another Statewide transmitter hangup right now. I don't think that is a repeater tail. So the dispatcher just asked for the trooper to call him on the phone. See what I mean?

Phil

I concur. My experience with C/D/E troops is the same. Their vhf system has always been rather awful and outdated. I'm guessing it's just a money-saving technique employed by the powers that be, seeing as they simply utilize the far superior county systems at no cost to the state.

This has never made sense to me. Our county highway and school buses both had repeaters that you couldn't kill if you tried yet the police deal with spotty service filled with static and limited coverage.

 

[62Truck]

Uhhh...Well then the people supposedly maintaining this system suck. Several times from last night to just a moment ago, one of the troops calls out on Statewide. After they unkey the mic, the transmitter hangs for maybe two minutes or more. Then we have a Troop K transmitter somewhere down in Putnam (or south of that) that has the worst raspy audio I have ever heard on ANY transmitter. The Poughkeepsie dispatchers often ask the troopers to call them on the phone. And are the troopers too lazy to pick up the microphone to talk, or are the radios not driving the modulator with enough mic gain? The STAR ID data burst is plenty loud though, so maybe it's bad operator practice.

But does that sound like a system that is functioning well? Not to me! Out of everything I listen to, that system sucks. Nothing against you, but I hear problems.

So, what are these "repeater functions"? What frequency or tone is being used for that? I haven't heard any of that. Any P25 going on?

Oops! There is another Statewide transmitter hangup right now. I don't think that is a repeater tail. So the dispatcher just asked for the trooper to call him on the phone. See what I mean?

Phil

Troop F was experimenting with the Repeater function a while ago. There is a thread about it.

One of the vendors that the state uses is NYCOMCO, that alone should answer a lot of questions. The only Troop car in K that I've heard with harsh raspy audio is K203 his radio sounds like he has a cloths pin on his nose.

 

[SOFA_KING]

Troop F was experimenting with the Repeater function a while ago. There is a thread about it.

One of the vendors that the state uses is NYCOMCO, that alone should answer a lot of questions. The only Troop car in K that I've heard with harsh raspy audio is K203 his radio sounds like he has a cloths pin on his nose.

That does indeed answer a lot of questions. Their "reputation" precedes them.

The raspy audio is on a base radio. It almost sounds like it's off frequency, but listening closer it's an overdriven audio stage. The female dispatcher makes it even worse by talking louder when the mobiles say they can't understand her.

Coming from Florida, where they are now transitioning to their third 800 MHz trunked system, I'm actually glad to see good old conventional VHF still in use. It CAN work well IF maintained properly. Interopps works VERY WELL with all the conventional departments in this area. All that over-complicated trunking stuff creates "bubble worlds" of closed in departments that can't effectively escape to talk to anyone outside. The problem in the Northeast is every small hamlet wants tons of channels (on every band!), not to mention what large cities and some counties want, so getting clear frequencies is a problem. But trunked systems create barriers, and patch audio...especially digital to analog...can sound pretty bad. At least VHF is still used. 800 sucks in hilly country. I wish low band equipment was still being produced. Low band rules!

Phil

 

[62Truck]

That does indeed answer a lot of questions. Their "reputation" precedes them.

The raspy audio is on a base radio. It almost sounds like it's off frequency, but listening closer it's an overdriven audio stage. The female dispatcher makes it even worse by talking louder when the mobiles say they can't understand her.

Coming from Florida, where they are now transitioning to their third 800 MHz trunked system, I'm actually glad to see good old conventional VHF still in use. It CAN work well IF maintained properly. Interopps works VERY WELL with all the conventional departments in this area. All that over-complicated trunking stuff creates "bubble worlds" of closed in departments that can't effectively escape to talk to anyone outside. The problem in the Northeast is every small hamlet wants tons of channels (on every band!), not to mention what large cities and some counties want, so getting clear frequencies is a problem. But trunked systems create barriers, and patch audio...especially digital to analog...can sound pretty bad. At least VHF is still used. 800 sucks in hilly country. I wish low band equipment was still being produced. Low band rules!

Phil

K203 has some pretty bad audio as well on the car radio. If you Listen on DC911 Police 1 you'll notice.

There are some pretty good VHF systems in the area. Dutchess County Sheriff, DC911 Police 1 just to name a few. There might be more, however I really only monitor Dutchess.

What it comes down to is a well maintained system, and proper use. For some reason some dispatchers think they have to yell, and some cops think they can leave the mic clipped to the mic hanger while talking.

 

[radioman2001]

The transmitter I hear that sounds awful is probably Mountain Lakes in N Salem, and It definitely sounds off frequency.
I hope the state of the NYSP radios isn't a sympton (seen before with some Mot systems) of the State letting the radios go into such a bad state that someone gets hurt,and when it makes the news THEN throw a bunch of money at it to fix.
Ever since the failure of NYSWIN there has been IMO a definite decline of their radios, and system, other than what was required to go narrow band back in 2013. Most base stations were up to the early 2000's ( the last time I was on one of their sites) Mastr II, which was nearly 30 years old. The old Low Band worked much better than now. I also do see a trend of the Troops going on the local 911 radios systems of the area more, which is a definite savings for them.
As far as vendors go NYCOM is no different than Moto or any other vendor who has a slice of a large contract who receives a minimal amount for servicing the radios. That's how the contract is set up GE/MACOM/Harris bid the whole state and then divey up the state into area contracts that the individual vendors bid on for the lowest price. NYSP might be better served with their own radio shop with vendors assisting. I know that they used to at least do their own lights and radio installs at the Troop HQ.

 

[DaveNF2G]

The State was probably limiting its spending on the legacy VHF system while they were hoping for the $2B NYSWIN system. After that plan fell apart, they were left with the old neglected system they thought to be getting rid of.

School bus communications are administered completely differently from government systems. In fact, many districts contract with bus operators, who in turn have contracts with commercial radio shops.

 

[AuntEnvy]

"School bus communications are administered completely differently from government systems. In fact, many districts contract with bus operators, who in turn have contracts with commercial radio shops."

Not exactly sure what you mean by this but this was never the case where I live. The radios are licensed through and owned by the county. This year though, all schools have now been switched over from the vhf system to the county trunked radio.

 

[Mtnrider]

Well Aunt envy sounds like your county is a tad more progressive than others. Off the top of my head thinking of three county's.Whom's districts covers neighboring counties. One has VHF privately owned repeater (Private contractor and district owned fleet ) Two districts have a VHF base/mobile set up,One has a VHF repeater rented system. One has rented fleet with commercial owned UHF system. to the west of me there are like 3 districts whom share the same UHF system. simply said each district is on there own. On the NYSP Note....it stinks...Troopers know it here in our county...always using county system which is repeater based

 

[AuntEnvy]

I just always found it amusing that our highway dept. and school buses had way better radio coverage than the NYSP. I'm sure the Troopers didn't see it that way. ; )

The only time you'll hear much SP traffic anymore is car-car, when they don't want to be heard on the county radio (question/complain/crack wise) or for interstate accidents/traffic control.

 

[jeepsandradios]

NYSP might be better served with their own radio shop with vendors assisting. I know that they used to at least do their own lights and radio installs at the Troop HQ.

I believe NYSP still has a radio shop and techs in various regions thru out the state. I am sure they dont do the day to day, but sure they still keep track of infrastructure and what is repaired when.

 

[DaveNF2G]

"School bus communications are administered completely differently from government systems. In fact, many districts contract with bus operators, who in turn have contracts with commercial radio shops."

Not exactly sure what you mean by this but this was never the case where I live. The radios are licensed through and owned by the county. This year though, all schools have now been switched over from the vhf system to the county trunked radio.

The key phrase is "where I live." I have lived in western NY, where most buses were operated by the school districts and the districts held the radio licenses on the old SERS channels or had contracts with commercial radio shops for air time.

I live in the Capital District now, where much of the school transportation is provided to multiple districts simultaneously by a variety of school bus companies. These companies (rarely) have their own licensed radio systems or (more usually) use commercial shop systems under contracts.