Doloroso and Franklin are taller but the ground elevation at Natchez North is higher. Plus isnt this the one they had issues with the Trace on?
Natchez North is definitely at a high elevation, but I doubt seriously that it would have caused concerns for the Natchez Trace...it's too far away. The closest towers to the Trace would likely be Fayette/Cannonsburg or Lorman sites. Both could conceivably be seen from the Trace but not very likely...more red tape, I suppose.
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Incidentally the Fayette/Cannonburg tower site is very tall and extremely well built and designed. probably the best of all that I've seen, other than maybe Doloroso...but two totally different animals structure wise
Thanks for the info, I tracked the data channel from Natchez north tower all the way to Lorman/Alcorn turn off on the trace earlier today. On Pro96Com i never lost the data signal that was pretty impressive and that's a pretty wide area...about a twenty mile span
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Bowerton will be a bit before its live.. But it should provide good coverage to nearly Port Gibson, providing the overlap with MDOT Hazelhurst, and Jefferson North... When Bowerton, PG, and the Vicksburg twins come alive, there should be nearly seamless coverage from the LA line on 84, and I-20 to the AL line on 84, and to a quarter of the way to Meridian on 80/I-20. As well as seamless coverage from the LA line on I-55/51 to north of Jackson, and from the Coast to the I-20 line, except the far eastern portion on I-20. If they ever get to roll out on P2-C and get the rest of I-20/80 covered, that will cover the Hurrican escape routes, and the Nuclear Disaster escape routes fully.
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Also, Bowerton will fill in with the Brookhaven West, MDOT Hazelhurst, and he Simpson County sites, and Hinds County sites to give complete coverage for Copiah County no matter where in the county you roll. I-55, Highway 51, 27, 28, or even say out at Lake Lincoln. Which is good news since Copiah wants to most definately subscribe on the MSWIN.
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As for issues with the trace.. Visibility from the trace into Natchez was a huge concern. They had to do a baloon fly up to show it would not distract from the "attraction" of the trace. The Trace officials didnt want visitors seeing this huge tower sticking up as they drove in from up north.
Anybody know when MDOT will begin installing equipment. They've almost ceased using lo-band completely over this way. Last week they did the annual bridge inspection at Natchez-Vidalia, a pretty big detail for them personnel and equipment wise, I monitored their usual freqs. and never heard a peep. Also observed their vehicles, most didn't even have the lo-band whips, but they also didn't have any pig tails either. Wonder how they're communicating these days, probably cell phones...
Natchez Trace
That's kind of funny that they went through all that trouble when the biggest distraction along the entire Natchez Trace happens to be at its terminus. The Natchez High School built a huge stadium there and when the stadium lights are on at night it will actually blind oncoming traffic on the Trace. I guess their ballon flight missed that. Still a nice route to travel when the stadium lights are off...lol
That's kind of funny that they went through all that trouble when the biggest distraction along the entire Natchez Trace happens to be at its terminus. The Natchez High School built a huge stadium there and when the stadium lights are on at night it will actually blind oncoming traffic on the Trace. I guess their ballon flight missed that. Still a nice route to travel when the stadium lights are off...lol
MDOT cruisers for enforcement have low profile whips VHF Hi, and the usual VHF Hi band trunk and roof mounted. They have HT's for MSWIN, and are beginning to do installs on the newest cruisers for MSWIN mobiles. XTS2500 HT's and XTL2500 Mobiles. They will still use VHF Hi until the green light is given for transition in the Central and Southern districts... Maintenance trucks etc still have VHF Lo band. There is both an Lo band and Hi band transmitter site in both Natchez, and Wilkinson County. Enforcemnet isn't as active as say MHP, but they keep an sort of steady traffic up. When I was in MS last May, monitored a good bit of traffic around the Hinds, Copiah, Lincoln areas. I have heard no news at all that MDOT Maintenance will be on MSWIN.. So can't advise there... My inside guys at MDOT in the Maintenance divisions have all retired and or died.. Still got a few friends in Enforcement.
The following agencies will also have MSWIN vehicular repeaters installed, MHP, MDOT, and MEMA.
The following agencies will also have MSWIN vehicular repeaters installed, MHP, MDOT, and MEMA.
What band (freqs) will the vehicular repeaters be allocated? Hopefully UHF 450
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No they will be 700 MHz. Trunked. Just like the main repeaters, just in an mobile form.. So you may see twin pigtails on some cruisers. They will be low power repeaters, less than 10 watts. Just like the VHF vehicular repeaters MHP has now, only trunked 700 MHz. This will allow for far better HT coverage. Later on some subscribers like maybe JPD, will also opt to add them to their units. But part of the original contract with Motorola calls for vehicular repeaters to assist in the full 97% coverage.
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MDOT Maintenance
What a difference a week can make in the world of MSWIN. Today saw three MDOT maintenance trucks at the Natchez-Vidalia bridge. All had pigtails, so clearly they're coming on board at a pretty fast rate. Will keep advised......
The pigtail on one of the pickup trucks was located in the strangest of places. For some screwy reason it was located on the ridge of the bed of the truck about 1 to 2 feet from the driver's side door. Never seen anything quite like that before.
WOW have seen MHP do that with thier pickups.... Usually lo band on one side, hi band the other... And sometimes an CB in the middle.. So MDOT Mntnc will be on the MSWIN from the get go too... Didn't expect that. WIll mean MSWIN is going to get very very busy very fast. Get ready to hear a lot of.. "Mike, got four behind the truck.... gonna wave em through..." And the ever popular,.. "Man is it quittin' time yet?":twisted:
MDOT maintenance
Just saw another MDOT maintenance truck w/pigtail located in the exact same spot except for being on the passenger's side. Looks like they're really doing some professional installs....lol
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Maybe putting them there so the roadies won't kill em getting equipment etc... Strange they are not going rooftop.....
Certainly is strange to look at. The pigtails are so low-profile, I suspect in the bed area of a pickup is the last place you would want them. Sounds like job security for somebody who'll be replacing broken pigtails pretty often. Still say i've never seen anything quite like it...but that's MDOT for you.
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Ever seen the MHP Pickups? They have the whips Rail mounted NMO's No engine noise etc... But still... I do think roof mounts would have done better. 
And let me tell you I know all about MDOT laziness, and shortcuts, and strangeness. My dad and most of his best freinds were MDOT.. I still remember back when it was ALL orange trucks and was the MS State Highway Department...
And let me tell you I know all about MDOT laziness, and shortcuts, and strangeness. My dad and most of his best freinds were MDOT.. I still remember back when it was ALL orange trucks and was the MS State Highway Department...Similar threads
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