Orange EMS Station ID

[oc911emsandfire]

Something I've noticed which is starting to bug me...something I don't understand (and maybe this is more of a rant than a question) is why orange 911 EMS can't stop broadcasting the station ID when there is traffic.

For instance, when I scan, and on my feed, the EMS ops channel is CSQ. I notice that, especially at night or with Port Jervis EMS, after someone keys up, the station ID is broadcast in Moorse code.

Now, I'm pretty sure I've never head the station ID when on the ambulance, which leads me to believe that the station ID is CSQ. SO long story short, the station ID is stepping on units in the field trying to have to get information to the dispatcher and no one knows what the problem is because they're all listening with the PL on.

Is there really not any way for them to fix this problem? Couldn't they delay the station ID for a while longer after a transmission?

Anyone else notice this or have thoughts?

 

[zerg901]

I think that some Morse IDers will check the channel for activity before sending the Morse Code ID. But I think they are pretty dumb. They dont know enough to keep their mouth shut when someone says "go ahead" or "over" (and are obviously expecting a reply).

On the other hand - do you know for a fact that the ID is blocking messages? Is this a 2 freq system? Maybe the ambulances are actually transmitting on some other freq? Or this is a patch from some other channel?

 

[GTR8000]

What part of OC are you located in, PJ area? Which tower are you nearest to or hearing the CWID from, Graham? The new Matamoras site?

CWID is almost always transmitted CSQ, so it wouldn't be heard by anyone monitoring 153.860 with the 77.0 PL enabled.

Also keep in mind that the CWID is being transmitted on the repeater output, not the 158.865 input. So unless the CWID is transmitting while there is an active carrier on 153.860, it shouldn't cut out any transmissions. The CWID is supposed to check for a carrier before transmitting.

I was just listening to PJ EMS with OC911 replying on both Graham and Matamoras and I heard no CWID after any of the transmissions.

 

[oc911emsandfire]

Deleted...Double Post

 

[oc911emsandfire]

I'm in the New Windsor area and closest to either Beacon or Scunny. But, I'd say 9 times out of the 10 I hear it, its from an agency that usually uses the western-most towers. Not sure which ones exactly.

From how I understand the EMS comms work is that, and correct me if I'm wrong as these are all things I've been told and don't know for a fact, is that the 911 center transmits on the input freq and listens on the output freq (hence why they can't hear units to 911 when 911 is transmitting...or never hear me at least). Therefore, woudln't ID coming from an outgoing, repeated channel block out whatever 911 was hearing on this allegedly backwards system?

As to the ID after transmissions...I usually notice it late at night (midnight and beyond). It also seems to be a gremlin of sorts. When I try to listen for it, I never hear it. When I'm doing something else and casually listening, I catch it. And I'm 99.99% sure its on 153.860 because I listen to the repeated channel (ie 153.860) and can hear the ID and the garble when the unit and station ID start stepping on one another.

 

[GTR8000]

If you're hearing it mostly after PJ EMS transmits, it's probably coming off the new Heater Hill tower in Matamoras.

That is correct, 911 transmits on the input just like any mobile would. They use different PL tones on the input to select the specific tower they want to transmit on, same as the mobiles. If you listen to 158.865 in PL search mode, you'll see a bunch of different PL's pop up when 911 transmits.

 

[GTR8000]

I just heard it on 153.860. It's definitely CSQ. It's outputting "WAU718", which is a bit unfortunate. I was hoping it would output "WPKT567" so I could narrow it down to the Matamoras site. I'll keep listening/logging and see if I can figure out what site it's coming from, and if it's stepping on normal transmissions.

 

[oc911emsandfire]

I cought it stepping on a unit on my feed actually...in case you want to actuall hear it. Sounds like they stepped on Greenwood Lake 366 about 2330 4/25. The time on the recording is 27 minutes into the 1103-1134pm recording on 4/25. You can hear them key up first, they unkey, then the ID takes over and steps all over their next transmission.
Not sure which tower they use. Might it be the Mt Peter tower?