Maryland State Police

[garys]

I was just in Maryland last week. I had all of the low band MSP frequencies programmed in as well as the Carroll County talk groups listed as being for the MSP. It's been a few years since I was in Maryland and had an antenna that was good for low band. I was pleasantly surprised at how much traffic I was hearing on the various frequencies. One odd thing I noticed was that some counties, not particularly close to where I was, came in very clearly. By that I mean both base and mobile units. Then I noticed that a few of the frequencies sounded like they had digital audio even though they clearly didn't.

I know that in Rhode Island, many of the RISP VHF channels are linked with the new digital talk groups during the conversion process. The audio on some of the MSP low band channels sounded just like that. I haven't seen any information that the MSP is going to a state wide trunk system, so I was wondering if any barracks operate on the various county trunk systems and cross patch to the low band channels?

Does anyone have any ideas on this?

 

[ka3jjz]

Indeed, many barracks have units with 800 mhz handhelds, and/or are patched into the respective county's trunk system. A 'statewide' system has been batted around many times, but to the best of my knowledge, has never really come to pass, and I kinda doubt it ever will. There are just too many budgetary (and political) reasons (among others) why it won't happen anytime soon. 73 Mike

 

[garys]

That all makes sense, thanks. Nice to know that my ears can still pick out the differences.

 

[owl9704a]

Mdsp

I know I live on the eastern shore and I love the low band. Even with being in Salisbury I listen to St. Marys TRS all of the time and I hear MSP all over the place. I have the trunking set up on 4 898's but I really enjoy my little 350 that stays on low band for all of the MSP and SYSCOM traffic. I hope they never change a system that works so well.

 

[Kumba]

Indeed, many barracks have units with 800 mhz handhelds, and/or are patched into the respective county's trunk system. A 'statewide' system has been batted around many times, but to the best of my knowledge, has never really come to pass, and I kinda doubt it ever will. There are just too many budgetary (and political) reasons (among others) why it won't happen anytime soon. 73 Mike

I actually bugged MdTA police (Nice Bridge division) about this once, asking why didn't they just piggyback on Charles trunked system like MSP does. They actually wrote me back (about two months later) with this blurb:

Mr. <removed>,

Maryland is in the process of developing a new statewide communications system that will improve our interoperability with our public safety partners. Currently, we do have direct communications with Maryland State Police, Charles County and King George County. When the need arises, we have the ability to utilize the Charles County’s system to communicate with the allied agencies.

We would like to thank you for your correspondence and comments about the service being provided by the Maryland Transportation Authority Police at the Nice Bridge. We have informed the Commander at the Nice Bridge of your comments and appreciation of the work they are doing.

I imagine MD will probably bump this up in priority a little once VSTARS gets going, because it seems like MD and VA like to "one-up" each other all the time. I do know MdTA has radios to patch into Charles' system...I once heard CCSO request that an MdTA unit help look out for a suspicious vehicle in their sector once. Guy came in absolutely crystal clear on the trunked system. Compared to their normal system, it was night vs day. So that prompted me to actually write them about it.

I figure any state-wide system MD cooks up will probably not be implemented until 2020 at the earliest. And that's being optimistic. Funny how it seems like projects just take longer and longer to implement. Beltway was planned and built in what, 10 years? And it takes 15+ years just to build a bridge nowadays?

 

[ResQguy]

All you need to know about Maryland's proposed statewide system: Statewide Public Safety Wireless Comm System

 

[maus92]

Note that the system will be APCO Project 25 Phase 2, i.e. TDMA.