Mercer County??

[ampulman]

Hi:

As an occasional rider along the I-295 corridor, I've tried monitoring Mercer, and have yet to pick up any transmissions. My 396 showed 5 bars, but holding on the CC does not give the typical audio one would expect. Haven't been up there for quite a while.

I seem to recall reading here that the system was being 'tested' once weekly, but am wondering if it is now operational full time.

Anyone have any updates on this system? Thanks.

AM

 

[robbinsj2]

No changes. As before, it is fully "operational" from a technical standpoint but is used very infrequently.

Jim

 

[ampulman]

No changes. As before, it is fully "operational" from a technical standpoint but is used very infrequently.

Jim

Boy, talk about needless upgrading ($$$$).

AM

 

[ErikAtTheW]

What exactly were you monitoring?

Mercer county uses all conventional systems for fire and EMS, with the exception of Trenton FD.
Some police departments are trunked, but all fire and EMS are conventional.

 

[robbinsj2]

What exactly were you monitoring?

The Mercer County trunked system.

Ampulman -- the system isn't all that old, it takes a while for public safety users to do the coverage testing and other work necessary to be assured of reliable communications before they switch over. If the system is still like this in a couple years, then I'd view it as wasteful.

I should note that while I scan it almost every day, I'm only currently aware of unencrypted users. I haven't run Unitrunker on it in a while, so it is possible there are some encrypted users which my scanners skip right over.

Also, the tests now seem a little more random and frequent than they originally appeared.

Jim

 

[ErikAtTheW]

Nobody uses it as best we can figure.

I work in Mercer county and I've never heard of it.

Only thing we can come up with is that it is some kind of OEM system.

 

[robbinsj2]

OEM is currently on it, and I think the Sheriff may have access to it based on comms heard on 00019 during the Trenton FD LODD services a few months ago -- either that or they borrowed some radios from OEM.

My memory is a little hazy now, but I think 2-3 years ago someone posted on the Fordyce board that the sheriff and prosecutor would be switching to it eventually. I think maybe the roads department too, and I don't remember whether municipal police departments would be given the opportunity. At that time there was reportedly no intention to move fire and EMS up, and I have heard nothing about that, but since most of their neighbors already have or are in the process, I wouldn't be surprised if they do too in several years.

Jim