New fire Freqs, Frederick County

[smwincva]

With the move soon to the new Public Saftety Building (1080 Coverstone Dr, near the airport) will apparently mean several new fire & talk around freqs.

I have been listening to traffic on 155.9625 since December while it was being beta tested. This freq only has an ERP of 50 watts and I only get 2 bars here in town.

A few months ago, firefighters & EMS were told to bring their pagers in during thier monthly meetings for reprograming.

From the FCC database, I have found that 3 freqs will repeated (but NOT from each tower).

The repeated freqs are listed under current license KAR780. Those are:
154.1075
155.9625
155.295

The 155.295 has been ch 3 in the past decade, but in base mobile format. It is now repeated at one tower, according to the FCC info. A few days ago a fire call was put there. Although I missed the bulk of radio traffic at the start (I was outside) I heard units marking available well after the knock. I thought that was because I was only a few miles away. I really was not paying close attention at the time.

I saw that there is a new freq of 158.9025 not yet listed on the database page (also the 2 new repeated freqs).

There is a fixed relay listed for Gainesboro area at 453.575, although I have not heard anything on it.

And less than a month ago, license WQGR399 was issued. Unit counts to be using the freqs were listed as 200, 300, or 500. Current the fire & sherriff departments can not talk directly to each other on the radio. This seems to mean that the all public safety personel will now have direct radio access. There is only 1 base tower, near Shawnee Land. Its also listed as "temporary", which I think that in the short term future that the Winchester & Frederick County may consider building a TRS. ( I checked the FCC page, none are listed currently for either agency.)

The new freqs are:
151.1375 FD/SO
154.265 FD
154.295 FD
154.4525 FD/SO
155.475 SO
155.7525 FD/SO
158.7375 FD/SO

These are not repeated, and some are shared with other agencies in the region. One will also be used by Clarke County's new system, once they come online. I have not heard any traffic on the new freqs above yet.

Steve

 

[W4UVV]

Statewide VTAC Frequencies

I didn't check all of the bottom listed frequencies but 151.1375, 151.4525, 155.7525 and 158.7375 mhz. are statewide VTAC frequencies.

 

[smwincva]

vtac freqs

I was wondering what VTAC meant, & Googled it. It turns out it is a new(er) national network of interoperative channels. That explains why some of the freqs on Frederick's system is being used by others too. I stated in my previous post that the FD and sherffifs office can't talk to each other directly. At the moment, the SO can't talk to any neighboring jurisdiction (less Winchester PD). (They can use SIRS, when the radios are in working order.)

http://forums.firehouse.com/showthread.php?t=87207

--Steve

 

[W4UVV]

A brewing failure to communicate?

I was wondering what VTAC meant, & Googled it. It turns out it is a new(er) national network of interoperative channels. That explains why some of the freqs on Frederick's system is being used by others too. I stated in my previous post that the FD and sherffifs office can't talk to each other directly. At the moment, the SO can't talk to any neighboring jurisdiction (less Winchester PD). (They can use SIRS, when the radios are in working order.)

http://forums.firehouse.com/showthread.php?t=87207

--Steve

Isn't Clarke Co. installing some weird brand X trs that is not APCO 25 complaint? What if Clarke Co. doesn't also use the VTAC frequencies? They will probably drop SIRS. Are they back to the Alexander Graham Bell option?

 

[smwincva]

Isn't Clarke Co. installing some weird brand X trs that is not APCO 25 complaint? What if Clarke Co. doesn't also use the VTAC frequencies? They will probably drop SIRS. Are they back to the Alexander Graham Bell option?

Last I heard Clarke does not have access to SIRS or 154.28. When Frederick County Fire goes for mutual aid, the units will mark up with Frederick Co dispatch, then dispatch calls Clarke by landline to say their enroute! Only a few pieces of Frederick equipmant still have Clarke's soon to be defunct low band radios.

And according to the FCC data page on Clarke's new system, it will operate in conventional mode (not a TRS) . Although it has been noted in this forum some freqs will be in APCO 25 and at least 1 will be encrpted.

Steve

 

[W4UVV]

There's hope

Last I heard Clarke does not have access to SIRS or 154.28. When Frederick County Fire goes for mutual aid, the units will mark up with Frederick Co dispatch, then dispatch calls Clarke by landline to say their enroute! Only a few pieces of Frederick equipmant still have Clarke's soon to be defunct low band radios.

And according to the FCC data page on Clarke's new system, it will operate in conventional mode (not a TRS) . Although it has been noted in this forum some freqs will be in APCO 25 and at least 1 will be encrpted.

Steve

That's ok. I assume they are high band vhf frequencies. If they do it right like the Dinwiddie Co. vhf stand alone P25 operation it will be most excellent. If not, then there's another fine comm mess. I would think with the mountaintop T/R locations available they should have great coverage. Vhf P25 signals have impressive ground wave coverage.

 

[KF4ZTO]

I've been to Clarke County many times and heard them on 154.280 while driving through that area. I have also heard their units on SIRS, transmitting a 100.0 PL tone.

I don't know if they plan on keeping the lowband radios in their cars or not once they switch over to P25 VHF...and yes, the Sheriff channel will be encrypted and it is NOT trunked, simply Project 25 voice but conventional. I do agree with 'UVV, that would probably be the best plan...however the whole encryption of the Sheriff channel doesn't make me happy.

 

[atlong]

Yes, Clarke County is definitely licensed on 154.2800. I've heard them many times communicating with Jefferson County, WV on Mutual Aid calls. Also, AFAIK, Clarke will be transitioning to a P25 encrypted (PD only) Non-TRS comm system hopefully by the end of the year.

Anyhow, to stay on topic, I'll program in the new freqs for FredCo, VA and listen in. I'm in Charles Town, WV, so I'm not sure I'll hear too much if these are low pwr rptrs. Good catch, tho.

 

[smwincva]

Yes, Clarke County is definitely licensed on 154.2800. I've heard them many times communicating with Jefferson County, WV on Mutual Aid calls. Also, AFAIK, Clarke will be transitioning to a P25 encrypted (PD only) Non-TRS comm system hopefully by the end of the year.

Anyhow, to stay on topic, I'll program in the new freqs for FredCo, VA and listen in. I'm in Charles Town, WV, so I'm not sure I'll hear too much if these are low pwr rptrs. Good catch, tho.

As far as Clarke using 154.28 & SIRS, I heard Clarke using both of the freqs in the past. But the experience I describe above was heard about 2 or 3 weeks ago. Perhaps they were having radio problems that day.

On the Frederick County repeaters, the 2 new ones are listed at 50 watts ERP & transmit I believe from the western transmitters only.

While the radios were beta tested, they were talking as far away as mid Hampshire County WV, northern Fauquier County, & Warren County on US 340.

FWIW, there was another fire call on ch 3 Sat evening. It was only about a mile from my location, but I don't think it was repeated. I could not hear every single transmission from the portables.

Steve