MARCS-IP ("New MARCS") Site and Talkgroup Discussion

[eorange]

Heard a lot of choppy traffic on 769.50625 - mentioned site was still down at the Justice Center, and mostly chit-chat after that.

Still no control channel, and in fact still hearing TV audio on that freq for the Mayfield site.

 

[Swipesy]

Bud -

I heard transmissions today also out here in Geauga County. First time around Noon on Rt 422 and I-271. Then this evening from 4:30PM to 6:30PM I heard two mobile units, one on Harper Rd in Solon and the other on Miles Rd entering Chagrin Falls. They were testing reception.

I only have the Cuyahoga Project loaded in My PSR500 as a P-25 Trunk System.

John

 

[tonya]

769.75625-769.50625

I'm going to put these into my scanners. I'm all over Cuyahoga Co in my car all day. Just to be clear these are conventional freqs? I'll report any activity I might hear.

 

[eorange]

They will be trunked freqs, but they're not being trunked. This is because the control channel isn't active yet, at least for site #1 which is Mayfield.

So yes, I've been listening to these as conventional channels for now.

 

[Swipesy]

They will be trunked freqs, but they're not being trunked. This is because the control channel isn't active yet, at least for site #1 which is Mayfield.

So yes, I've been listening to these as conventional channels for now.

Clarifying my statement of tracking them as a P-25 System, I concur with Erik that they are coming through as Conventional for now with no TalkGroup information, etc. All that is happening with my setup is that the scanner is reading the frequencies in the P25 system as Conventional.

John

 

[Steveofcleve]

Cuy Co Project

Have been monitoring 769.50625 and 769.75625 as CONV and have picked up quite a bit of traffic. Have also heard traffic from within Lake Co using 769.50625.

 

[Thunderbolt]

All of the recent Motorola P25 simulcast systems here in Michigan, do have the ability to use select frequencies in conventional mode, should the site controller fail for any reason. The older transmitters stay keyed all the time, even when there is not radio traffic being passed over them. However, the new equipment acts like a regular repeater in P25 mode. I would suspect that is what is going on with 769.50625 and 769.75625 MHz.

73s

Ron

 

[Thunderbolt]

I see that the state of Ohio, has applied for another radio license to build Phase-Two of simulcast system in the Cleveland area:

FCC Application

73s

Ron

 

[eorange]

When you say "Phase-Two"...did you mean from a project perspective, or "P25 Phase 2"? I am thinking the former.

 

[budevans]

The following is from Paul Mayer's request letter to the FCC.

This application is for nine General Use frequencies at four sites which will be
considered Phase Two. Phase One was applied for previously using the same
frequencies and was granted call sign WQME391. Additional phases will follow
at a later time when both sites and funding are obtained.

So the answer is phase 2 is an additional build out. Other build outs (phases) to follow.

 

[budevans]

By the way here is the frequency list. 1 - 9 were approved for phase one. Frequencies 10 - 18 are the new phase 2 requested.

1 - 769.50625
2 - 769.75625
3 - 770.00625
4 - 770.50625
5 - 770.78125
6 - 771.23125
7 - 771.95625
8 - 772.65625
9 - 772.98125
10 - 799.50625
11 - 799.75625
12 - 800.00625
13 - 800.50625
14 - 800.78125
15 - 801.23125
16 - 801.95625
17 - 802.65625
18 - 802.98125

 

[budevans]

Here are the site locations for Phase 2. Three existing MARCS sites, plus one new build (I-480 & Stearns Road).

New site:
I-480 & STEARNS ROAD
NORTH OLMSTED, OH CUYAHOGA County

Current MARCS Strongsville site
194 PEARL ROAD,
BRUNSWICK, OH MEDINA County

Current MARCS Cleveland Hopkins Airport site
5300 RIVERSIDE DR
CLEVELAND, OH CUYAHOGA County

Current MARCS Richfield site
INT BLACK & BOSTON MILLS RD 2 MI N
RICHFIELD, OH SUMMIT County

 

[budevans]

North Royalton has received a Federal Grant to purchase new Motorola Radio's for the Police force. Their Safety Director worked with the Cuyahoga County Communication Committee to secure the grant.

Here's the link to the August 11th press release http://www.northroyalton.org/Mayor/081110 Press Release radios.pdf

Anyone know if they are moving to the new Cuyahoga County/MARCS Radio System or going with SWRCN?

 

[ibagli]

I think work has started on the Richfield and Strongsville sites. There was chatter on the Helpdesk talkgroup today referencing those sites.

 

[freqhunter]

After a week of listening here on the eastern side of Lorain County........ not a peep! : (

 

[budevans]

I haven't heard a peep in the last week. The last transmission I heard, early last week was a roll call / test. I heard East Cleveland, Cleveland Hts, Mayfield Hts, Solon and several responses from Geauga County.

I suppose Motorola and MARCS are busy with the Phase II build out. I see that the FCC has added the requested 9 repeater input frequencies to the WQME391 (MARCS Cuyahoga County 700Mhz) license.

Hopefully we'll soon see some movement from the Conventional repeater to Project 25 Trunk testing.

 

[Thunderbolt]

Unid p25 trs

I have a really strong P25 trunking data channel on 774.78125 MHz. The system ID is: 348 and the WACN is BEE00. This system must have gone online recently, as I have not heard it before. Is anyone across Lake Erie in Ohio, receiving this new TRS?

In addition, I have another P25 control channel on 766.01875. System ID is: 3C1 and BEE09 is the WACN. Could either one of these be the new MARCS 700 MHz TRS?

73s

Ron

 

[wa8pyr]

By the way here is the frequency list. 1 - 9 were approved for phase one. Frequencies 10 - 18 are the new phase 2 requested.

10 - 799.50625
11 - 799.75625
12 - 800.00625
13 - 800.50625
14 - 800.78125
15 - 801.23125
16 - 801.95625
17 - 802.65625
18 - 802.98125

Frequencies 10-18 as you have listed them are repeater input frequencies. The actual repeater output frequencies are 30 MHz lower.

 

[wa8pyr]

I have a really strong P25 trunking data channel on 774.78125 MHz. The system ID is: 348 and the WACN is BEE00. This system must have gone online recently, as I have not heard it before. Is anyone across Lake Erie in Ohio, receiving this new TRS?

In addition, I have another P25 control channel on 766.01875. System ID is: 3C1 and BEE09 is the WACN. Could either one of these be the new MARCS 700 MHz TRS?

348 is MARCS. The other one might be the new Lake County P25 system. Not surprising they would go live for testing about the same time, as they are to be connected together at the ISSI level (note the different WACN ID numbers).

I'm not expecting MARCS to stay online for long, or if it does there won't be much happening for a few months; they're experiencing interference from a TV station in Canada which isn't scheduled to move frequencies until early next year. After that, the MARCS site can begin testing.

 

[eorange]

they're experiencing interference from a TV station in Canada which isn't scheduled to move frequencies until early next year.

Which site has the Canadian TV interference? I had found this:

http://forums.radioreference.com/oh...um/188695-tv-image-700-mhz-marcs-channel.html