NY State Police Ithaca

[Homer_LCPDFR]

I don't think is true for ALL of upstate.

I second this, but it's worth noting having a trunked system doesn't change much. Troop G routinely uses 155.445 in Albany County and Rensselaer County which both have trunked systems. Units in the former (I can't speak too much for the latter) are also dispatched on the trunked system (with some exceptions, such as non-Thruway interstate cars). Some units are only dispatched on the trunked, such as Capitol units that have their own dispatch TG. It all varies by troop.

 

[k2hz]

I don't think is true for ALL of upstate. I routinely heard NYSP units calling B-Com on 155.595 and B-Com replying back on 154.905 calling out traffic stops, being dispatched to calls, etc. while I was in Blue Mountain Lake last month. I've also heard Clinton County assigned NYSP units in Zone 1 converse with B-Com as well as Clinton County Sheriff's Office communicate with "SP Plattsburgh", with Franklin and Essex County operating similarly. I think for units on a trunked system, what you described may be the case, but much of Troop B is still dispatched by B-Com while also having the ability to speak with county law enforcement dispatch as well as needed.

I agree that is some rural areas, specifically in Troop B, where there may not be a countywide 911 dispatch facility the NYSP may still do their own dispatch. I also used to hear this occasionally in Troop A. SP Amity dispatching their cars but have not heard them recently. In my area, Troop E and the portions of Troops A and D that I can hear Troop frequency is generally silent.

 

[ak716]

I agree that is some rural areas, specifically in Troop B, where there may not be a countywide 911 dispatch facility the NYSP may still do their own dispatch. I also used to hear this occasionally in Troop A. SP Amity dispatching their cars but have not heard them recently. In my area, Troop E and the portions of Troops A and D that I can hear Troop frequency is generally silent.

All I hear in Troop A lately is late-night radio checks on the NYSP channels, and some "company car" lol.

 

[GTR8000]

As with most things in NYS, it's something of a disjointed mess. In some areas, the NYSP have almost entirely discarded VHF in favor of the county/regional trunked systems. They have even given up dispatch in some areas, whereas in other areas they retain the primary dispatch role, even when operating on a county system. It sometimes varies by zone within the same troop.

Downstate example is Troop F, where Zones 1 and 3 remain on VHF in the counties north of Orange. Zone 2 patrols in Rockland (SP Haverstraw/PIP coverage) has been on the county's 700 system for nearly a decade, dispatched by county 911. Zone 2 patrols in Orange operate on the county's 700/800 system exclusively, but are still dispatched by SP Middletown on their own talkgroup. Well, when they're not being dispatched by county 911 on the "Priority" talkgroup, that is.

 

[GRV8000]

As with most things in NYS, it's something of a disjointed mess. In some areas, the NYSP have almost entirely discarded VHF in favor of the county/regional trunked systems. They have even given up dispatch in some areas, whereas in other areas they retain the primary dispatch role, even when operating on a county system. It sometimes varies by zone within the same troop.

Downstate example is Troop F, where Zones 1 and 3 remain on VHF in the counties north of Orange. Zone 2 patrols in Rockland (SP Haverstraw/PIP coverage) has been on the county's 700 system for nearly a decade, dispatched by county 911. Zone 2 patrols in Orange operate on the county's 700/800 system exclusively, but are still dispatched by SP Middletown on their own talkgroup. Well, when they're not being dispatched by county 911 on the "Priority" talkgroup, that is.

So much incorrect information 🤦🏻‍♂️

I can assure you the VHF system has not been “discarded”

 

[k2hz]

So much incorrect information 🤦🏻‍♂️

I can assure you the VHF system has not been “discarded”

While the system itself is still in place there are the areas I have described where NYSP has turned over all dispatch to the local counties rendering the VHF system generally unused for routine operations other than car to car. So the point is the use of the system for dispatch has been "discarded" although the infrastructure is still there.

 

[n2nov]

So much incorrect information 🤦🏻‍♂️

I can assure you the VHF system has not been “discarded”

Care to elaborate? What is and what is not in use?

 

[jeepsandradios]

The entire VHF system is in place and last I heard being upgraded. What it is used for is the debate. The most debatable term in use is "upstate". CNY, WNY, ADK are all terms used. For the op in Tomkins it will vary. I have heard some traffic on Troop C for that are but also alot on the P25 system. ADK park is normally always VHF ( =no TLMR in the blue line to my knowledge yet).

 

[W1KNE]

So much incorrect information 🤦🏻‍♂️

If there is "so much incorrect information", why don't you actually be useful and post the corrections instead of a facepalm emoji?

 

[k2hz]

Monitoring NY State law enforcement agencies in a given region is a YMMV situation, especially if there is countywide Law dispatch in effect either through a trunked or legacy conventional MRD system in use. This applies to the ENCON Police as well as NYSP.

If NYSP no longer has any dispatch responsibility in the area, their staffing needs change and there may be a "communications specialist" with many duties with monitoring the radio being incidental vs a dedicated dispatcher at a radio console. The other factor is the prevalence of smartphones often a better alternative for administrative communications. Why call via radio to a person who may or may not be able to promptly respond while busy with other duties, and that person probably will have to contact someone else to deal with your issue, when you can directly call or text to the right person.

When ENCON went to Central dispatch for the WNY regions radio traffic eventually died out other than car to car. Calls to Central often went unanswered or were answered on the wrong tower. I have given up monitoring since a few years ago, after days of silence in Region 8, an ENCON officer called Central to advise "I will be out of cell coverage for a while so if you need me you will have to try the radio".

From the perspective of the operator at the state agency, why bother to figure out what tower to use to contact the car, that may not hear you with their radio on priority scan for local dispatch, when you can call or text.

About a year ago I intensively monitored all NYSP channels within range to respond to an inquiry about why there was no NYSP feed available for the area. All I heard over 3 days was occasional car to car and an "item review" FCC ID and radio check at Midnight. So I responded that there was nothing worthwhile to be heard.