Missoula 800Mhz:Montana Statewide System

[AlaskaRadar]

looking through fcc grants, stumbled on a new 800Mhz grant located on Point 6 In Missoula. Able to hear it in the bitterroot and have determined it is part of the state system. So far only the state prision has been seen on it. FCC Call WRKH607, main control channel is 852.1125. Will share more as i get more info. Been monitoring less than 24 hours.

 

[jjwhite29]

I did come across that channel when I was in Missoula a month ago. I was doing a frequency search. I have not been able to pick it at my location in Philipsburg. I need to plan a trip to Missoula and run unitrunker on it.

 

[AlaskaRadar]

I am running DSD+ on it right now but need to update my antennas as daylight has wiped out the useable signal on non 800mhz anteannas. need to invest on a wide band antenna soon

 

[AlaskaRadar]

Here is the info from DSDPlus-P25 DATA captured through the day..

Site: 1.55 NAC=165 BSI=WRKH607

Neighbor: BEE00.16E-1.5
Neighbor: BEE00.16E-1.8
Neighbor: BEE00.16E-1.10
Neighbor: BEE00.16E-1.15
Neighbor: BEE00.16E-1.16
Neighbor: BEE00.16E-1.23
Neighbor: BEE00.16E-1.24
Neighbor: BEE00.16E-1.26
Neighbor: BEE00.16E-1.44
Neighbor: BEE00.16E-1.53
Neighbor: BEE00.16E-1.54

Channel 0-177: 852.1125 CC
Channel 0-227: 852.425 SCC
Channel 0-273: 852.7125 VOICE DATA
Channel 0-341: 853.1375 BSI

 

[AlaskaRadar]

Looks like some local bitterroot traffic.. MHP was heard briefly.. to much QRM with my basic omni.. Neeidng to resolve that shortly..

 

[jjwhite29]

Unfortunately my location I can't receive that I need to plan a trip to Zootown.

 

[bumby]

I have also been monitoring this 800 Mhz system on Point 6. I am located in the Bitterroot, and I am hearing sporadic traffic which appears to be from various agencies, including Montana State Prison, Flathead County Sheriff-TG 4743, and even Butte Police,-TG 10397. Traffic seems a bit inconsistent, and for the most part ceasing in the evening hours and during the night. I am guessing that the intermittent traffic is related to further testing and development of the system.

 

[jjwhite29]

Traffic just happens by chance at times. At times I get anywhere from Flathead County, Great Falls, Butte PD, Gallatin County, Prison and so on. The only Regular Montana State System Traffic I get is off Stonewall and Cominco is Lewis and Clark County and Helena and Butte MHP. I'm guessing you have ID Search on than if your picking up the Prison which is good so you can see if any Missoula units go the to the new system.

 

[AlaskaRadar]

Well at the moment, dsdplus is just running single receiver tracking on the tower. So it is bouncing to what ever talk group it gets I think. But I will confirm more when I get another better antenna up.

 

[AlaskaRadar]

Well at this time i have a 10DB gain yagi now pointed at pint 6.. Minimal MHP traffic in Missoula/Bitterroot other than that.. State prision and random other fire/law from Butte, helena, and sometimes flathead make it to the site.
At the moment i am using DSDFastlane and yes, open ID with only the stat prison locked out. It still shows ALL traffic but i only hear the unlocked channels.

 

[jjwhite29]

It's official now Missoula County and PD moving to 800mhz they just got approval from the FCC and have the new license through 2032. So I would expect this change to happen soon so every one keep a look out on new Sites and Talkgroups.

 

[bumby]

It's official now Missoula County and PD moving to 800mhz they just got approval from the FCC and have the new license through 2032. So I would expect this change to happen soon so every one keep a look out on new Sites and Talkgroups.

Thank you for this update, I have been expecting this and will definitely be on the look out for these sites and talkgroups.

 

[AlaskaRadar]

so far no Missoula Local activity on the system. It does seem like a radio or something is causing traffic to be passed to the Missoula site more as several neighbor counties have been observed. Last week Missoula PD and Sherrif were still on the normal VHF channels. Just kinda helping keep the thread active

 

[AlaskaRadar]

New group found. Units calling Sherrif Based on the call signs seems like Missoula Sherrif but this is NOT confirmed.
Also sounding like there may be plans on a new tower. MHP Radio tech talk group were talking about a site they were looking for in Florence, but did a few signal tests on 5/24. Not sure how far south they made it before signal became unstable. Will continue to monitor.

 

[bumby]

Thank you for the update....appreciate all your work and monitoring.