OSP oddities in Jefferson Co

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mtindor

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I've noticed that Post 41 Steubenville seems to be handling dispatching for Post 79 New Philadelphia on one or more days a week - I haven't made note of exact days, but I am seeing it happen more often.

Also, Post 41 was quite active yesterday, and today I have had hundreds of hits on New Philadelphia, Lisbon, St. Clairsville, and Cambridge talk groups but I have heard ZERO from Post 41 cars [at least on P41 / P41 TAC]. Looks like all the Steubenville post up and disappeared.

Hmm, I recorded it all - but I haven't listened to much. It may be that Post 41 talkgroups weren't active today because perhaps Post 79 New Philadelphia is reciprocating on the dispatching duties and maybe was handling Steubenville today.

Anybody in the area who listens - please comment.

Mike
 

hoser147

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Mike heard it happen in this part of the state also. If the dispatcher is on break or inservice training or radio problems they switch the ops over to another post. Hoser
 

radioscan

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It happens down here all of the time between Post 9 and Post 83.
Its no big deal and nothing to get excited about.
 

rcool101

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I hear them all the time especialy Cambridge though I have mine set to search. They have been doing alot of radar stops using air not sure if they use a plane or chopper. Today they were nailing cars for rolling stop signs by air. They got a guy for doing 104 mph on Rt 7 around Toronto the other day. Any time its nice out they will be out.
 

Mylan

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The reason you didn't get any hits on 41 wuz because during the patch they were using 79 TG.

Could that be the case or am I confused about what U R sayin'?


Reason I say that is because I know for a fact that when 7 is patched with 84, they use 84 TG while 7 TG is totally silent..... The 7 units, during this period, are on 84 TG even though the CAD and radios are being handled by the dispatcher from 7..... and the same thing goes with 41 and 7 and 30 and 7 and all the rest of the state

basicly what I have figured out is that U never know what to expect with the radio patch when it comes to one post handling traffic for another... I guess it just depends on how that particular disp. sets it up and it seems that they all do it differently.
 

mtindor

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radioscan said:
It happens down here all of the time between Post 9 and Post 83.
Its no big deal and nothing to get excited about.

No excitement here. I'm just making comments about something occurring now that didn't use to occur. So if people in Jefferson Co are listening and wonder why they are hearing P41 on P79 TGID's and vice versa, they'd know why.

Mike
 
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mtindor

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rcool101 said:
I hear them all the time especialy Cambridge though I have mine set to search. They have been doing alot of radar stops using air not sure if they use a plane or chopper. Today they were nailing cars for rolling stop signs by air. They got a guy for doing 104 mph on Rt 7 around Toronto the other day. Any time its nice out they will be out.

Indeed Toronto has been quite the hotspot for the OSP plane over the past few weeks. I basically heard the plane the other day almost pleading with a local unit to go up to Toronto and work a trap with him. Guess they are picking on all the commuters to/from the Sammis project on their way to/from work.

mike
 

mtindor

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Mylan said:
The reason you didn't get any hits on 41 wuz because during the patch they were using 79 TG.

Could that be the case or am I confused about what U R sayin'?


Reason I say that is because I know for a fact that when 7 is patched with 84, they use 84 TG while 7 TG is totally silent..... The 7 units, during this period, are on 84 TG even though the CAD and radios are being handled by the dispatcher from 7..... and the same thing goes with 41 and 7 and 30 and 7 and all the rest of the state

basicly what I have figured out is that U never know what to expect with the radio patch when it comes to one post handling traffic for another... I guess it just depends on how that particular disp. sets it up and it seems that they all do it differently.

I'm sure you're right Mylan. I had been seeing this happen with P79 on P41 TGIDs - I have no clue why I couldn't put 2 n 2 together and figure out that what I was hearing was a lot of P41 traffic on P79 TGIDs that day. Sometimes I'm not too swift You're right though. I realized what was going on a day or two after I posted. Until this year I don't ever remember seeing that happen on any regular basis with P41 / P79, but now it looks to be fairly common.

Mike
 

mtindor

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Mylan said:
basicly what I have figured out is that U never know what to expect with the radio patch when it comes to one post handling traffic for another...

Yep. I'm not complaining - Used to be very little traffic around here til they started doing that. Now there is always something to hear on MARCS. It's all interesting to me.

Mike
 

Mylan

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hERE'S A GOOD ONE... post 7 and 84 are patched right now... 7 is dispatching and they are using post 84TAC channel...... I am still trying to figure out why they have been doing this ALOT lately? (what- did the scheduled dispatcher not show up 4 work?)


So get this... for the last 2 months, I have been working on the top of the new stack at the cardinal plant ... and two things, #1, the reception up there on my pro96 is sick. In fact, on some vhf channels I'm getting several different agencies that I have know clue who they are... Sumutha the ones I figured out were, hocking, holmes, coshocton, wayne, licking, marion and knox..... also fayette pa, garrett co md, and preston co wv... I am too busy to write down freqs and notes and then research that info here or I'd be doing that.

Also, The other day when the plane was working the north zone in 41, they got that report of the "abducted" 14yo, I was at 976', all eyes, hoping to spot that black caddy (with binocs of course) before the patrol did. Watching all the OSP ground and air activity was quite interesting because from the roof of that structure, I can view rt 7 from rayland to the north end of brilliant ( MP4- MP9).... In addition, that smokestack is right by the south "zone" for Co. 41 so if the plane works it in the next couple weeks, I will be sure to get some birds-eye pictures.

Later Days
 

mtindor

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I envy your position at work (atop the stack) and admire your ability to perform such a job. That's scarey ****e for most of us, no matter how much safety is involved.

I used to live right above the Sammis stacks (if I was atop the Stratton MARCS tower I could probably look down the throat of them). I have often wondered what kind of reception I would get on top of the stacks [assuming I wasn't gutless and had the opportunity]. Consider the height above average terrain. Consider the river as a reflector for a large portion of signals. Consider zero obstructions as far as the eye can see (as you attested).

That's gotta be a real blast to listen to a scanner from up there. Licking and Knox are very interesting catches. Holmes is a good location and not surprising that you would hear them. I often worked a buddy of mine up in Amish Country on packet years ago. I used to hear Lorain Co years ago in the 154.935 LEERN checkups. Garrett Co is an amazing feet. Jeesh I do envy you. Stop teasing us man!

And do get some OSP plane pictures - and your caption can be "who's the eye in the sky now?"

Thanks for sharing that interesting story.

mike


Mylan said:
hERE'S A GOOD ONE... post 7 and 84 are patched right now... 7 is dispatching and they are using post 84TAC channel...... I am still trying to figure out why they have been doing this ALOT lately? (what- did the scheduled dispatcher not show up 4 work?)


So get this... for the last 2 months, I have been working on the top of the new stack at the cardinal plant ... and two things, #1, the reception up there on my pro96 is sick. In fact, on some vhf channels I'm getting several different agencies that I have know clue who they are... Sumutha the ones I figured out were, hocking, holmes, coshocton, wayne, licking, marion and knox..... also fayette pa, garrett co md, and preston co wv... I am too busy to write down freqs and notes and then research that info here or I'd be doing that.

Also, The other day when the plane was working the north zone in 41, they got that report of the "abducted" 14yo, I was at 976', all eyes, hoping to spot that black caddy (with binocs of course) before the patrol did. Watching all the OSP ground and air activity was quite interesting because from the roof of that structure, I can view rt 7 from rayland to the north end of brilliant ( MP4- MP9).... In addition, that smokestack is right by the south "zone" for Co. 41 so if the plane works it in the next couple weeks, I will be sure to get some birds-eye pictures.

Later Days
 

Mylan

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FWIW we are painting the top 100 feet (for protection from discharge) and when we are done in Brilliant, Stratton is next (although it's not as tall) it's like this... I may have 3 different agencyz on one freq (im usin no tone on most channels) and when one is talkin, clear as a bell, a stronger signal comes on the air and cuts the other one off... kinda sounds a little like being "walked on"...( I hear that at home sometimes also) lots of W PA stuff on there that I cant decipher..................
 

wa8pyr

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radioscan said:
It happens down here all of the time between Post 9 and Post 83.
Its no big deal and nothing to get excited about.

The official answer to the "why" question, from today's Columbus Dispatch:

• reduced overtime for dispatchers by piloting a system that allows dispatchers in neighboring patrol posts to absorb extra work from an especially busy post. The Mansfield dispatch center, the first to use the new arrangement, saw its overtime costs decrease 74 percent in the six-month period ending in April, patrol officials said.
 

Mylan

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wa8pyr, Thank you 4 reporting what you saw reported...



... So just this morning, the belmont county post dispatcher "took sick leave" at 8:30 and handed the reigns to washington county././. not an overtime issue but thats what happened there today

also, sometimes the post that is being handled by another does in fact have their dispatcher on duty but for some reason they cannot handle the cad and radio for a time then, without warning, he/she comes back on and says: "I can take it back now".

I don't think that is an ot issue either...

I think that the only time that it is OT related is when the post is handled by another for an entire shift...
 

wa8pyr

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wa8pyr, Thank you 4 reporting what you saw reported...

... So just this morning, the belmont county post dispatcher "took sick leave" at 8:30 and handed the reigns to washington county././. not an overtime issue but thats what happened there today

also, sometimes the post that is being handled by another does in fact have their dispatcher on duty but for some reason they cannot handle the cad and radio for a time then, without warning, he/she comes back on and says: "I can take it back now".

I don't think that is an ot issue either...

I think that the only time that it is OT related is when the post is handled by another for an entire shift...

Actually, it's all OT related. I'm not a dispatcher anymore (I'm now in the communications administration end), but I was for 22 years, and it hasn't changed in all that time. Using your "for examples"...

1. If someone calls off sick suddenly (even after the shift has begun), someone has to fill the seat, which means calling in another dispatcher. That's time and a half. Or if it's that dispatcher's second day off, in many places that means double time. More OT.

2. Often a dispatcher has an additional project they have been assigned (updating the CAD / GIS or whatever), and can't be a dispatcher at the same time. Someone has to fill that seat while they're busy on project stuff. Although this can be scheduled in advance, either the project person comes in early or holds over, or another dispatcher comes in or holds over. Either way... more OT.

I can't think of a single situation where OT isn't going to be involved when you have to fill that seat in the comm center. It's such a specialized profession that you can't just have anyone do it.
 
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