New feature - simulcast site map

[wa8pyr]

All,

In response to several requests, a feature is now available which allows you to click a link and see a map of all tower locations associated with a particular trunked system site.

The link is to the right of the "Site FCC Licenses" section header of the Site Information screen.

As it's based on FCC license data, it may show additional tower locations included on a license which are not actually part of the simulcast site. However, any tower that's widely separated from a closely spaced group of other towers is likely not part of the simulcast, but is rather a stand alone site. The best way to be sure in such a case is to look at the license and play the Sesame Street "one of these things is not like the others" game to determine which frequencies are associated with the oddball site.

Enjoy!

 

[ChrisABQ]

I'm having issues with conventional analog simulcast on three updated systems, would these types of systems also be available in your update?

 

[marksmith]

Good enhancement.

Mark
536/436/WS1095/HP1/HP2/996T/996XT/996P2/396XT/325P2/PSR800/15X/others

 

[adcockfred]

Yeah, thanks a lot !!! Saves a lot leg work when things change, and I never know when things are gonna stop changing.

 

[dave3825]

I'm having issues with conventional analog simulcast on three updated systems, would these types of systems also be available in your update?

What systems are you asking about and what issues are you having??

 

[ChrisABQ]

Three systems in Sandoval county in New Mexico, Rio Rancho, Sandoval County and Town of Bernalillo. They have all gone simulcast and all three are causing "outside coverage area distortion" issues. It would be great, if when pulling up a license, it showed exactly which towers each frequency was transmitted from. Right now, all towers in the system are shown, but not all towers transmit all frequencies. It would be great to actually see which towers certain frequencies are broadcasting from.

 

[Spitfire8520]

In response to several requests, a feature is now available which allows you to click a link and see a map of all tower locations associated with a particular trunked system site.

The link is to the right of the "Site FCC Licenses" section header of the Site Information screen

Good PSA for this little known feature. It has been around for a decade, but it seems like no one has really ever seen the "Site Map" buttons.

EDIT: Oops, I guess my reading comprehension skills aren't that great. Great addition for those who want to see site specific information!

 

[wa8pyr]

Three systems in Sandoval county in New Mexico, Rio Rancho, Sandoval County and Town of Bernalillo. They have all gone simulcast and all three are causing "outside coverage area distortion" issues. It would be great, if when pulling up a license, it showed exactly which towers each frequency was transmitted from. Right now, all towers in the system are shown, but not all towers transmit all frequencies. It would be great to actually see which towers certain frequencies are broadcasting from.

Actually, it shows exactly what you're asking for, although it shows which tower each frequency is licensed to transmit from; the map shows all the licensed locations, the listing above the map shows the physical addresses as a numbered list, and the frequency list below the map shows what location (by number) each frequency is licensed at. If the entity is not using all licensed frequencies from all sites, there's really nothing we can do about that, as the maps are based on data pulled directly from the FCC.

This new feature enhancement applies only to trunked system simulcast sites which have multiple frequencies at multiple locations under different licenses; as long as all of the appropriate licenses are associated with that site in the RR database, the new link will show all of the tower locations listed on those licenses.

 

[marksmith]

Good PSA for this little known feature. It has been around for a decade, but it seems like no one has really ever seen the "Site Map" buttons.

EDIT: Oops, I guess my reading comprehension skills aren't that great. Great addition for those who want to see site specific information!

I have come across this feature, or something close to the site info before in a more roundabout way. This is easier.

Mark
536/436/WS1095/HP1/HP2/996T/996XT/996P2/396XT/325P2/PSR800/15X/others

 

[QDP2012]

All,

In response to several requests, a feature is now available which allows you to click a link and see a map of all tower locations associated with a particular trunked system site.

The link is to the right of the "Site FCC Licenses" section header of the Site Information screen.

As it's based on FCC license data, it may show additional tower locations included on a license which are not actually part of the simulcast site. However, any tower that's widely separated from a closely spaced group of other towers is likely not part of the simulcast, but is rather a stand alone site. The best way to be sure in such a case is to look at the license and play the Sesame Street "one of these things is not like the others" game to determine which frequencies are associated with the oddball site.

Enjoy!

Good evening sir,

Thank you for the new feature. I have a question, though.

With respect to the Charlottesville/Albemarle TRS, I'm trying to compare the new feature to the existing site Map feature, to figure out what is different.

New feature: action=siteFCCMap&siteID=4021
Old feature: action=siteMap&type=FCC&sid=2081

I can tell from the URL that the old feature was based upon the "sid" whereas the new feature is based upon a "siteID" instead.

Other than that, is the difference in the output-screen, just the list of callsigns in the upper-right corner, or is there something else happening behind the scenes that would be more obvious using a different TRS for an example? ...because so far in this TRS, the two maps seem to be the same.

Thanks for the new feature and your time,

 

[GTR8000]

With respect to the Charlottesville/Albemarle TRS, I'm trying to compare the new feature to the existing site Map feature, to figure out what is different.

The feature is really only applicable to systems that have multiple sites and/or simulcast cells.

The system you reference has a single simulcast cell, so there would be no difference between the FCC call sign mapping for the entire system vs mapping them for the site.

Take a look at a trunked system comprised of multiple simulcast cells, and you'll see the difference at the system vs site level.

 

[INDY72]

To see how it works, take a look at the Indianapolis, IN IDPS family of simulcast systems... System 1, and 2 both have 2 FCC Licenses to cover the sites. The old method would only show you the locations of the towers on ONE license at a time. The new way shows ALL the locations for ALL associated FCC Licenses for the systems.
Indianapolis Department Of Public Safety Trunking System, Indianapolis, Indiana - Scanner Frequencies

Also for even better example:
Monroe/Ontario County Trunking System, Regional, New York - Scanner Frequencies

That one has multiple simulcasts also, and multiple FCC Licenses for them!

 

[nrf]

thanks very much for this. it solves the problem I just described in a thread on MARCS. so responsive!

 

[QDP2012]

The feature is really only applicable to systems that have multiple sites and/or simulcast cells.

The system you reference has a single simulcast cell, so there would be no difference between the FCC call sign mapping for the entire system vs mapping them for the site.

Take a look at a trunked system comprised of multiple simulcast cells, and you'll see the difference at the system vs site level.

Thanks. I thought that might the case, that the one I was referencing was too small.

To see how it works, take a look at the Indianapolis, IN IDPS family of simulcast systems... System 1, and 2 both have 2 FCC Licenses to cover the sites. The old method would only show you the locations of the towers on ONE license at a time. The new way shows ALL the locations for ALL associated FCC Licenses for the systems.
Indianapolis Department Of Public Safety Trunking System, Indianapolis, Indiana - Scanner Frequencies

Thanks for the examples.

From what I can tell, the old map shows all towers for the entire TRS, whereas the new map shows only the towers for a certain cell or "site" (RRDB nomenclature).

Old Map: Whole TRS, which is composed of the following parts shown by the new Maps: Site #1, Site #2, Site #3, Site #4.

Am I understanding correctly?

Also for even better example:
Monroe/Ontario County Trunking System, Regional, New York - Scanner Frequencies

That one has multiple simulcasts also, and multiple FCC Licenses for them!

Interesting example.

This seems to be the same idea, that the Old Map shows the entire TRS's towers and the new Map shows only the towers for a certain cell or "site" (RRDB nomenclature).


Thanks to both of you for your replies and explanations,

 

[GTR8000]

It's not that complicated.

When you click on the FCC Callsigns link in the System Frequencies section, you get a mapping of every site on every license assigned to the entire system.

When you click on the View FCC Callsigns Site Map button on the Site Details page, you get a mapping of only the licenses assigned to that particular site/simulcast cell.

One shows the entire system, the other shows just a single site/simulcast cell.

 

[QDP2012]

One shows the entire system, the other shows just a single site/simulcast cell.

..as I posted earlier...

Old Map: Whole TRS, which is composed of the following parts shown by the new Maps: Site #1, Site #2, Site #3, Site #4.

...describing same situation, same relation between maps, just using different words. I used "old map" because it was the map that existed first and was being improved upon by the "new map/feature". You clarified the pages upon which the links are found, where I had not.

Thanks for the confirmation and the clarification.

 

[DaveNF2G]

Beware of FCC license site numbers when comparing across licenses. They might not correspond to each other. Also, mobiles are assigned a "site number" - does this feature ignore those entries?

Also, I have found that the site numbers in the FCC database (which are probably designated by the order in which the data are entered at the FCC) do not necessarily correspond to site numbers used by the system operators.

 

[GTR8000]

Also, I have found that the site numbers in the FCC database (which are probably designated by the order in which the data are entered at the FCC) do not necessarily correspond to site numbers used by the system operators.

The FCC license uses LOCATION numbers, not SITE numbers.

That's a very important distinction, as mobiles and 6.1 meter control stations are also assigned LOCATION numbers, even though they are not fixed SITES.

The LOCATION numbers on an FCC license have absolutely no correlation to any trunked system SITE numbering; any apparent matches are entirely coincidental (such as FCC LOCATION 1 = TRS SITE 1)