OHP Low Band question

[dstew67]

These are questions that are mainly for areas that don't have a trunked system, but could probably be answered by any OHP officer. I travel north of OKC on I-35 every other weekend to do the dad-thing, and pick up my two sons for visitation. I've been doing this for the past 4 years. I also travel east of Tulsa on I-44, when I go to visit family in Missouri. So, I like to monitor OHP to make the time pass better.

I have all the VHF and UHF repeaters listed in the database, and some other freqs that I suspect could be used. I have three separate scanners going, doing different things. I have one hooked up to a nice, long whip tuned to about 45 MHz. I have the two others hooked up to different dual-band antennas. I usually have pretty good luck hearing area OHP units repeated on I-44, east of Tulsa on VHF. I have almost no luck hearing any repeaters north of OKC on I-35. The only thing I usually hear is the VHF repeater around Guthrie, and the Blackwell VHF repeater, but very rarely. Sometimes I hear a unit broadcast on their low band, without it being repeated, and then a few minutes later I'll hear that same low band freq being repeated.

Here are my questions:

Let's say you're an OHP J unit out of Enid on the south end, and another unit on the north end calls Enid. Can you hear it? Does that other unit have the ability to switch on the repeater, and does he have to do that for you to hear him?

The reason I ask, is because I never hear anything repeated on the UHF freqs, and only sometimes hear anything repeated on the VHF freqs in Troop J and K. I almost always hear units repeated in Troop L and C. I can hear a unit transmit on low band about 20 miles away, which means I hear that a lot more often that I hear it repeated. I can usually hear the units all talk here in OKC on low band if I'm in the middle of the city. It's only if I'm on one end of the metro and the unit is on the other that I miss part of the conversation.

So, anything to clear up my confusion would be appreciated.

 

[JMDISPATCH]

I Think, But I Am Not Sure But I Think That The Ohp Has Moved To The 9oo Mhz
Don't Quote Me On That But That Is What I Have Heard, I Would Love To Have Those New Frequencies.

 

[GlacierClipper]

They are on 800 MHZ.

 

[dstew67]

They are on 800 MHz where? I know they are in several places, but they never finished the build-out in other places and lost the license for the 800 freqs in those areas, and consequently are still on a conventional system. Maybe you're saying that they have moved to an 800 system in troops J, K, or L. Let me know what you meant...

 

[fast2okc]

Oklahoma HIghway Patrol

OHP Low Band Information Link

OHP 800MHz system Link

--fast2okc

 

[dstew67]

Come on guys, read the original post before you start posting links. I know what's available here. These are very specific questions. If you don't completely understand the questions, don't bother trying to answer.

 

[K5MAR]

Here are my questions:

Let's say you're an OHP J unit out of Enid on the south end, and another unit on the north end calls Enid. Can you hear it? Does that other unit have the ability to switch on the repeater, and does he have to do that for you to hear him?

South end of what? Enid? Troop J?

A tuned, frequency-specific radio will "hear" farther away than a scanner. Especially on lowband, the range will depend on numerous factors, including transmitter power, antenna height, atmospheric conditions, terrain, etc.

The repeater responds to any transmission on the correct frequency and tone, no need to switch it on.

Mark S

PS, we all try to get along here, how about keeping things friendly?

 

[dstew67]

South end of the troop.

I understand all about being being able to receive, and all that effects possible reception. My question was more if an OHP unit could, in fact, hear a transmission from another unit talking to dispatch, when those units are as far away as the other end of the troop. And, if they could hear each other, was it via a repeater, or do they actually hear the transmission on 45.18, given our Enid example. One reason I ask is that it would seem frustrating to me to try to call dispatch, when you're not hearing anyone talking to dispatch, but then you end up stepping on another unit in the middle of their transmission.

In retrospect, I did seem a little short tempered in my earlier post, for which I appologize. I certainly didn't mean to step on toes. I just wanted to focus the discussion.

 

[mfolta1]

believe it or not ALMOST every ohp unit is radio equipped for the whole state, vhf's lo bands and 800's and some county radios.

 

[WX5JCH]

No 800's in Troop H that I've seen. It would be nice. I've written to Gov. Henry about the lack of communications in the uninhabited western part of the state. No reply. Go figure.

 

[KK5FM]

A friend of mine purchased a bunch of used low-band radios from an OHP auction. While the programming was erased, there was a taped frequency and scan list on the inside cover of the radios. At least in these radios, the troopers DID scan the "inputs" of 45.18 and 44.90. So, in theory, they could hear other troopers within car-to-car range talking to troop hq on the car-to-base frequency.

 

[dstew67]

I know they can hear each other on the "inputs". My question is, if they are on opposite sides of a troop, are they able to hear each other on low band, or are they hearing each other via a repeater?

 

[n5bew1]

If they are 50 miles apart the only way they can hear other troopers calling in to HQ is if they have a radio that can hear the output of a repeater i.e a scanner or such. What they could hear is what is in range of the low band repeater receiver at the remote site and if they can hear the vhf or uhf output back to Enid or Pawnee at their mobile location. The 155.445 Crescent relay hears 44.9 low band traffic from Troop J and A as long as your can hear 155.445 you will hear calls within 25 to 40 miles of that site.

Ken

 

[K5MAR]

Dave, with such seperation, it's not likely that they'll hear each other, and reception via the repeaters is problematic, given that the state doesn't appear to be puuting much into their maintainence. So, yes, it's likely that units "could" step on each other. Remember, though, that the traffic level in the rural troops is fairly light, so in practice this isn't a big problem.

This just points out the limitations of the old lowband system, and the need for the entire state to be upgraded. But this still seemd to be a low-priority item. I have heard several times now that the Stillwater 800 MHz site is coming, but nothing has happened in the last two years. So the western part of the state (west of I-35 and north of I-40) is going to be stuck with a 50's radio system for some time yet.

Mark S.

 

[mapexdrum]

I know a few dispatchers that work for Troop K and they don't seem to think 800 is going to be implemented around here for quite sometime.

I know that Troopers in Payne Co. don't have mobile repeaters, but that the ones on the Cimarron Tpk. are getting mobile repeaters in the trunks of their units.

Pretty much if 2 units are more than about 10 or 15 miles apart, at least around here, they can't talk to each other. I often hear Troop K dispatch relaying information from one trooper to another.

 

[CommShrek]

I've written to Gov. Henry about the lack of communications in the uninhabited western part of the state. No reply. Go figure.

That would be like me writing to Gov. Henry about the lack of decent fire equipment available via Forestry to local fire departments. Simply put, you wrote to the wrong person.

 

[dstew67]

Thanks guys. This is the kinid of discussion that I was wanting. It makes sense too, with everything I've experienced traveling. I'm working on maps for myself, which indicate where all the VHF and UHF repeaters are. It's taking me a while to get them all plotted out though. I'm using Google's new "Google Earth", along with the Lat and Long info in the FCC db to plot them. When I get them finished, I'd be happy to share, and get feedback too. I'll keep you all posted.

 

[WX5JCH]

Your right, I cc'd to Sen. Inhofe, he might help I've written to him before on other matters, and he has always replied

What would it take to implement the 800 mhz system out west? Not more than 3-4 repeaters and the units radios.

btw, they have setup a new repeater here in Elk for OHP on 154.935, the mobiles are using it quite a bit for c to c stuff. Clinton has it repeating 44.70 at times also. I haven't found the input for it yet.

 

[dstew67]

Your right, I cc'd to Sen. Inhofe, he might help I've written to him before on other matters, and he has always replied

What would it take to implement the 800 mhz system out west? Not more than 3-4 repeaters and the units radios.

btw, they have setup a new repeater here in Elk for OHP on 154.935, the mobiles are using it quite a bit for c to c stuff. Clinton has it repeating 44.70 at times also. I haven't found the input for it yet.

Are they still using 159.21 as well?

 

[WX5JCH]

Nope, No OHP at all, I only hear the Texas HP repeater on 159.210 no OHP at all.