P25 freq that repeats South Niagara Fire departments

[technoweenie]

Well, this is a strange one. I am receiving 150.395 with a strong signal in Welland that is P25 and is repeating all of the South Niagara fire departments. It repeats all audio from Welland, Thorold, Wainfleet, Port Colborne and Fort Erie as if a scanning RX is connected to it. All audio comes through as TG1 and RID1 with NAC of 439.

Checking the TAFL it shows this frequency licensed to St. Catharines Fire and TX located at their main station downtown. I believe they used to use this as a P25 frequency from 2014 until they went to the region's 700MHz system. Is it a left over from the old system? Maybe it has something to do with inter-agency (although they can patch direct in dispatch at St. Catharines Fire).

I don't normally hear St. Catharines very well when they TX on VHF from their headquarters. It must be at Shaver Hospital by Brock, or even on Fonthill Fire Station 1 tower.

Mystery....

 

[Saint]

Well, this is a strange one. I am receiving 150.395 with a strong signal in Welland that is P25 and is repeating all of the South Niagara fire departments. It repeats all audio from Welland, Thorold, Wainfleet, Port Colborne and Fort Erie as if a scanning RX is connected to it. All audio comes through as TG1 and RID1 with NAC of 439.

Checking the TAFL it shows this frequency licensed to St. Catharines Fire and TX located at their main station downtown. I believe they used to use this as a P25 frequency from 2014 until they went to the region's 700MHz system. Is it a left over from the old system? Maybe it has something to do with inter-agency (although they can patch direct in dispatch at St. Catharines Fire).

I don't normally hear St. Catharines very well when they TX on VHF from their headquarters. It must be at Shaver Hospital by Brock, or even on Fonthill Fire Station 1 tower.

Mystery....

I will listen in, I don't even have 150.395 in my list.
Steve

 

[a417]

This sounds very similar to what some agencies do to facilitate interop. If they've changed to another band, they have a radio that rebroadcasts a couple of TGID's or frequencies onto a legacy frequency to allow people to still have limited access.

Many times this would be off duty crews (and family) at home, media, regional centers or the public without footing the bill for new hardware.

 

[rneals]

CITY OF ST CATHARINES FIRE DEPARTMENT
ST. CATHARINES, ONTARIO AND AREA
TX: 150.395 MHz
RX: 150.395 MHz
Licence: 010599547-002
CoE: 11K0F3EJN
Radius of Op: 25 km Show/Hide

 

[mikewazowski]

Someone didn't get the memo:

Reference Identifier

Cancel freqs.

 

[gary123]

Possibly a VRS in use?

 

[Saint]

Just picked up Thorold Fire loud and clear being dispatched out.
Saint

 

[technoweenie]

Possibly a VRS in use?

Too wide a transmit coverage. And I'm not sure who would be using VHF P25 unless some department has dual band radios.

Just picked up Thorold Fire loud and clear being dispatched out.

Has to be a transmitter on Fonthill. probably at station 1.

 

[Saint]

Too wide a transmit coverage. And I'm not sure who would be using VHF P25 unless some department has dual band radios.


Has to be a transmitter on Fonthill. probably at station 1.

Good audio and Thorold, Fort Erie, St Catharines fire stations had call outs at different times.
Saint

 

[Birdwatch66]

Had this tagged as "Shaver 2" from way back but never heard anything.