Maryland State Police - Calvert County

[WG3K]

Got suspicious about low band being used by MSP in Calvert County when I saw an MSP unit pass me in Prince Frederick the other day and saw no antennas on it longer than 700MHz. I spent the day listening for traffic on 39.280MHz and have heard nothing. It would appear that all of their traffic is on the county system. I've also been listening to the MSP Southern TG on FiRST and haven't heard anything so I'm guessing they aren't even casually using that system although I suspect they'd have decent mobile coverage with the repeaters to the north and east.

 

[maus92]

Got suspicious about low band being used by MSP in Calvert County when I saw an MSP unit pass me in Prince Frederick the other day and saw no antennas on it longer than 700MHz. I spent the day listening for traffic on 39.280MHz and have heard nothing. It would appear that all of their traffic is on the county system. I've also been listening to the MSP Southern TG on FiRST and haven't heard anything so I'm guessing they aren't even casually using that system although I suspect they'd have decent mobile coverage with the repeaters to the north and east.

FIRST is not active yet in SoMD which includes Calvert County. MSP does have a TG on Calvert's legacy 800 analog system.

 

[WG3K]

FIRST is not active yet in SoMD which includes Calvert County. MSP does have a TG on Calvert's legacy 800 analog system.

Umm... yes.

 

[maus92]

So, um, your question was...? Was the MSP car you saw assigned to the Prince Frederick barrack? Could it have been a Trooper who resides in Calvert but commutes to another assignment? As for FIRST coverage, the Traceys Landing ASR does provide some coverage in northern Calvert and Taylors Island from the east. I haven't noticed much traffic on the MSP regional Troop TGs since the system went live several years ago.

 

[WG3K]

There was no question, it was a statement. There is no more lowband in use in Calvert County for MSP. They appear to be using the county's TRS for comms.

I actually ran by the barracks and noted that none of the vehicles in the parking lot had low band antennas any longer.

 

[maus92]

I'd say it was a question wrapped up in an observation, but whatever. Seems that you have discovered that the MSP is not installing (or removing) VHF equipment from its vehicle fleet that serves Calvert County - likely in preparation for the FIRST rollout in SoMD later this year. I do recall watching an episode of Live PD that featured the CCSO a year or two ago. There was a Trooper wearing a VHF portable assisting (not sure which agency is primary in Calvert County) on one of the calls, so I assume that the exclusive use of a Calvert system TG by the MSP is fairly recent. Note that I rarely listen to MSP, and when I do, never via lowband since the TRSs are much more efficient and reliable.