RESQ766
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- May 31, 2017
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101 should still be encrypted though, right? Do you know what talkgroup 103 is?
Middletown p25
- Thread starter t5holmes
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101 yes full E pd they have many talk groups there’s a pd-fd tg, pd-pd tg, don’t have tg numbers yet.
Fire in Middletown tonight. Bit of communication issues as some M/A radios may not be programmed properly. Activity on new Middletown Interop repeater (old DPW). Radio has great coverage, L/C in Granby with outside antenna
159.1350 PL 229.1 - Middletown I/O
chris
159.1350 PL 229.1 - Middletown I/O
chris
A couple of incidents that Middletown had in the last couple days show limitations with the current radio setup. When the incident is happening is not when to discuss, test and practice solutions to potential radio issues. Problems that happen may not be Middletown's fault or may be due to a failure somewhere but certainly should not be unforseen.
Regarding the Dainty fire, since I cannot hear Middletown, I was listening to M/A resources. There were questions asked from several agencies about how to talk to Middletown. Issues could have been with programming, training, or individuals not following practice/protocols. Certainly one would think that training and drills would have found these issues in the several months that the system has been in service.
Last night (Sunday, 1/12) there was a Middletown police incident (shots fired from stolen car) with a long pursuit through multiple jurisdictions ending in Windsor Locks. At the termination, the MPD officers were out of radio communications. They had no other agencies with them in an area where they don't know the roads. I don't know if sitting on MPD DIspatch 1 on the home system can be programmed to roam to CLMRN TG 18301/477D (would be Middletown if they used CLMRN) when they get out of range but it probably can. If it is simply signing an agreement with the state, doesn't make sense why to not do it, even with your own system. Many towns/cities have to go across state to pick up subjects arrested on outstanding warrants. Tough if you only have analog VHF radios but now....
Anyway, hopefully the wheels are already in motion to retrain (don't forget dispatchers and those firefighters that only show up for the big ones), reprogram, and retest to prevent it from happening again. But then again, it is CT, Land of Steady Habits (or don't change anything)
chris
Regarding the Dainty fire, since I cannot hear Middletown, I was listening to M/A resources. There were questions asked from several agencies about how to talk to Middletown. Issues could have been with programming, training, or individuals not following practice/protocols. Certainly one would think that training and drills would have found these issues in the several months that the system has been in service.
Last night (Sunday, 1/12) there was a Middletown police incident (shots fired from stolen car) with a long pursuit through multiple jurisdictions ending in Windsor Locks. At the termination, the MPD officers were out of radio communications. They had no other agencies with them in an area where they don't know the roads. I don't know if sitting on MPD DIspatch 1 on the home system can be programmed to roam to CLMRN TG 18301/477D (would be Middletown if they used CLMRN) when they get out of range but it probably can. If it is simply signing an agreement with the state, doesn't make sense why to not do it, even with your own system. Many towns/cities have to go across state to pick up subjects arrested on outstanding warrants. Tough if you only have analog VHF radios but now....
Anyway, hopefully the wheels are already in motion to retrain (don't forget dispatchers and those firefighters that only show up for the big ones), reprogram, and retest to prevent it from happening again. But then again, it is CT, Land of Steady Habits (or don't change anything)
chris
As far as i know the old VHF Pd repeater is still on the air. the mobiles are tri mode they could have swapped back to the old channel that had amazing coverage. as for the Fd some of the town around there dont want to pay for expensive radios. they should have left the FD stuff alone for mutual aid. knowing middletown they wont want anyone else on there system. also a rumor i heard the new mayor and folks in portland are not happy with encryption
doctordialtone
Member
Westfield left the 159.27 up for paging only to save on number of new Unication pagers.
They're not cheap!
I retired from the Fire Commission 2 years ago and live between the station and Dainty.
They're not cheap!
I retired from the Fire Commission 2 years ago and live between the station and Dainty.
Middletown is planning to piggyback onto the clmrn soon. The system only has 5 mile range and these new pagers go out of range pretty quick. The other night some of the mutual aid companies haven’t programmed the city interop channel yet. Maybe they’ll get on that now.the cover companies in station had our new portables and were on incident 5 on the new system.
WoodburyMan
Member
Woodbury did the same when they went P25.. they didn't realize until after they got the equipment they needed 100+ new $750-$1,000 pagers for VFD and Volunteer Ambulances, so they kept the old repeater on the air simulcasting the new P25 radios and frequency. Quite the oversight to shoot $100k off on a budget item in a small town...
WoodburyMan
Member
FYI Middletown P25 is now linked to CLMRN. It will work much like their link to Wallingford's system, when if units go out of range of Middletown's sites, they will connect via CLMRN. Currently it's connected to CLMRN Troop I and Troop H Simulcast sites, maybe more.
Side note, what's the range of this system? Or power output? From Southington, I can connect to like 7 CLMRN sites (Troop B, L, A, I, H, F, Hartford), Waterbury, Wallingford, and West Hartford pretty reliably. I can't seem to get Middletown.
Side note, what's the range of this system? Or power output? From Southington, I can connect to like 7 CLMRN sites (Troop B, L, A, I, H, F, Hartford), Waterbury, Wallingford, and West Hartford pretty reliably. I can't seem to get Middletown.
Perhaps too close to that ridgeline? I was able to log them from Manchester at Buckland Mall (bit of elevation and open to the south).
From Granby, I can see the activity with DSDPlus but cannot trunktrack them, too weak a signal.
chris
From Granby, I can see the activity with DSDPlus but cannot trunktrack them, too weak a signal.
chris
900mhz
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I would think they would need the ability to have access to Troop F, especially if they trek down Route 9.
WoodburyMan
Member
More sites might be linked. I can't connect to it directly and not in range of any other sites so more could be linked. Likewise, Troop H Simulcast covers a LARGE area. As does Troop I simulcast. It's possible that covers the areas they need and didn't want to tie up bandwidth between sites if it wasn't needed.
I managed to get Whethersfield P25 from Woodbury once. It's amazing how far 700/800mhz can travel if they have ideal tower locations and elevations. Troop B from Southington is pretty amazing too.
RESQ766
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Middletown currently has an ISSI link with at least the Troop F, I, and H sites.
WoodburyMan
Member
Ah okay. I was connected to Troop F Saturday night but my DSDPlus didn't record it. I was working with a weak signal and holding a Yagi in place in a window to get it, so it's possible i missed it. I did see it on H and I and have it in my P25data file.
Going to try and hit Middletown from a different location tonight and see if I can get it. I now have a nice portable setup with a 10ft cable, LNA, and a 700/800MHz directional yagi and RTL-SDR to use on the go with DSDPlus.. should work nice.
Remember, it isn't a constant thing. It is all about the affiliations.
chris
chris
Middletown's system has a five mile range. I know my portable radio goes to about rocky hill then out of range. The unification pagers go out range in my living room, in the westfield district. Hopefully this may extend range a bit. I work in Granby and have to use live audio links to listen.
WoodburyMan
Member
FCC shows what looks like 45 watt output on their repeaters. If it's only 5mi range, I bet they have it dialed down.. either that or not all simulcast site locations are fully operational. Looks like mobile units have 20watt radios, and portables at 5watt.
Waterbury's license is setup similar and simular output, but they have two simulcast sites on either side of town (Same site, just multiple broadcast locations, I get simulcast distortion sometimes from it).
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