OFFICIAL NYSEG P25 System Thread

[rbm]

I'm wondering if anyone is aware of NYSEG changing control frequencies.

Yes they have changed some control frequencies. I don't have a current list handy.

They had some kind of interference problems that they were trying to clear up. That's been going on over the last few months.

I've attached a screen shot of the sites that are local to Binghamton (Broome County).
CC's are marked with *
The others are voice channels.
(It was accurate on 11/16/09)

Rich

 

[DaveNF2G]

Interesting. I was not aware of any sites with more than three frequencies.

What program is that?

 

[rbm]

Interesting. I was not aware of any sites with more than three frequencies.

What program is that?

That's a screen shot of a plain txt file created from Unitrunker data in a few hours one night. That's why there aren't many voice frequencies listed.

I noticed that several sites I listen too would go silent for extended periods of time. It became apparent that there was more than one control channel.

I can't say if that's something permanent or just while they're trying to clean up their sites.
The techs talk about it from time to time on TG 61530 & 65530

 

[rbm]

I fired up PRO96COM for a little while.

Here's a screen shot of the CC's I have (by site).

I'll also upload two PRO96COM screen shots showing the adjacent site CC's for two of the local sites.

Rich

 

[rbm]

Some additional information about the control channels changing.

I noticed that normally a typical site shows just a few frequencies. (around 3 to 6)

However, the other night, all sites showed multiple control channels and lots of frequencies.

Although I've noticed that happening before, I don't have a clue why that happens.

Rich

Usage Code Descriptions

Site 112 during the day

Site 112 during the night

 

[rbm]

I've updated my list of CC's for 24 NYSEG sites.

I've attached it as a plain text file. You can view it in notepad and then copy/paste from there.

There are more voice and data frequencies but this is what I could get on my one day off in the last three weeks.

The Frequency Usage Codes are as shown in the image a few posts up the thread.

Rich

 

[rbm]

A few updates to the list of sites attached above.

Site

Changed
001-012 05-2082 152.2175c 153.2150a 152.5475ivd (12/16/2009)


Added
001-020 03-2052 152.6825c

001-021 05-2016 152.0525c

001-022 05-2076 152.2025c

 

[DaveNF2G]

I would be cautious about anything that only happens at night as far as frequency usage goes. NYSEG is basically closed after 5pm, so the techs do a lot of fiddling with the system after that.

 

[rja1]

Anyone using a non trunking, P25 capable rig for monitoring NYSEG?

I would like to get a rig for the car capable of 2 meter FM and P25. I'm thinking just program all the P25 voice channels and let the rig scan just these channels. Anyone use an IC-R2500 with the P25 card to listen to NYSEG? I'm in the Hudson Valley & with a good outdoor antenna can only receive 2 CC's, using 4 or 5 voice frequencies. Sure would be nice if Icoms P25 card would work in my IC-2200, instead of the D-Star card.

My reason for asking is to skirt legal problems presented by NYS VTL 397. The last paragraph specifically exempts an Amateur mobile rig. Icom makes Business Band mobile rigs that have P25 capability, but not Motorola trunking.

Anyone have any other ideas how to get around this ancient, outdated law (We've got to stop those tow trucks from racing to accident scenes!! Hey, you Lying thieves in Albany, ever hear of cell phones?? two way radios??) To me, it's not worth taking the risk of losing my CCW permit because I got tagged with a scanner in the car.

Thanks,
Bob

 

[DaveNF2G]

First, to trigger the "amateur exemption" for a mobile ham rig, the operator of the vehicle must actually be a licensed amateur.

Second, there are no amateur radios that can transmit on 2 meters and receive P25. The only "ham digital" voice mode available is D*Star.

 

[rja1]

First, to trigger the "amateur exemption" for a mobile ham rig, the operator of the vehicle must actually be a licensed amateur.

Been licensed for about 20 years, Advanced class.

 

[W2ER]

there are no amateur radios that can transmit on 2 meters and receive P25. The only "ham digital" voice mode available is D*Star.

While this is technically true, some retired commercial P25 radio's can be reprogrammed to 2 meters. When I lived in Colorado there was an active 2M P25 repeater in Denver. D*Star was created with amateur radio in mind and it has bells and whistles that P25 does not, but it is not the only digital voice mode available.

Ed
W2ER

 

[Thunderknight]

While this is technically true, some retired commercial P25 radio's can be reprogrammed to 2 meters. When I lived in Colorado there was an active 2M P25 repeater in Denver. D*Star was created with amateur radio in mind and it has bells and whistles that P25 does not, but it is not the only digital voice mode available.

Ed
W2ER

Most commercial VHF equipment made these days is 136-174 MHz, so it does 2M nicely. Much older commercial gear (pre-P25 days) often came in multiple splits, like 136-150 and 150-174, or similar. I have used commercial P25 equipment to scan (conventionally) P25 trunked systems by locking out the control channel. It worked fine for me. I can't speak for NYSEG's system though.

But I think a bigger question mark here might be whether a commercial radio, operated by a ham and containing at least one ham frequency, qualifies for the ham exemption in 397. I don't think it qualifies for the FCC preemption.

(BTW, the same thing goes for the 70cm band, a lot of commercial gear covers 440-450 MHz range).

 

[DaveNF2G]

It might not qualify under the "preemption" the ARRL asked for, but it should qualify under the general principle as a transceiver operated by a licensed ham.

BTW, I plan to travel to WNY during my college's break in a couple of weeks to visit family and to scope out new NYSEG sites that might have come on the air.

 

[INDY72]

CC found in Monroe County area- 152.2100 Can't pull it in stronger than 50% so far...

 

[rja1]

Anyone using an ICOM PCR2500 to monitor NYSEG?

I recently picked up a PCR2500 at a hamfest in Cortland, NY. Wasn't really looking for one, but the price was just too good to pass up. It has the UT-106 DSP option, but no P25 card. I guess you could use a program like Trunk PCR.
Anyone using this rig to listen to NYSEG? Performance compared to the Uniden digital rigs?

The digital card is still expensive, so I'm a little gun shy about dropping $200 for one.

Thoughts & opinions welcome!

Thanks,
bob
n2oam

 

[PJH]

Anyone have a complete (as possible) list that they can PM or post so that I can update the NYSEG database?

 

[DaveNF2G]

The most complete list I know about is the one on my website. Grab it while it's still there.....

 

[rja1]

NYSEG And Home Patrol-1

So who else on this list is now the proud owner of the Uniden HP-1? If you are, then you probably know that most of the NYSEG sites are not geo-tagged. You will not hear NYSEG via zip codes. I'm in Putnam county, NY..........anyone have any idea where the locat sites are? I'd love to spend a day direction finding & get these sites geo-tagged so they will work via zip codes on HP-1.

If anyone in NYS knows the correct latitude / longitude for other NYSEG sites, PLEASE submit it to the the RR database.

Thank you,
bob
n2oam

 

[DaveNF2G]

If we knew, then the info would be in the database. That's the problem.