PA Statewide P25 Phase 2 System

[mtindor]

New FELHC licenses:

ULS Application - Industrial/Business Pool, Trunked - 0009097373 - FELHC, INC

CAME05 - Truman, PA (Cameron)
152.9375
153.2975

Along with the frequencies on this FELHC license for CAME05, PASTARNET updated their own license for the Truman site to add a repeater freq (it originally only had mobile freqs). And it was granted.

ULS Application - Public Safety Pool, Trunked - 0009102084 - COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA - Frequency Summary

Adds 155.67 to WQUW994 (in addition to the two FELHC license-pending frequencies above) for CAME05

Mike

 

[JimBobTerp]

The Center Valley site (Lehigh) has lit up with PennDOT traffic. I am not familiar enough to be more precise as to what I am hearing exactly. I am also showing a lot of new talk groups on Unitrunker.

@nosoup4u i will have to try and give it listen sometime soon and help u and everyone else

 

[GTR8000]

Two Lehigh/Allentown PennDOT TG's popped up on PIKE31 this week as well. Affiliations only, no voice transmissions.

11190 - 1782506
11520 - 1782432

 

[PaMonitor]

BRAD31 this AM, also no voice.

11679 - 1783078

Been getting the 1783078 for some time, this was the first time attached to a TG. Data only.

 

[nosoup4u]

Two Lehigh/Allentown PennDOT TG's popped up on PIKE31 this week as well. Affiliations only, no voice transmissions.

11190 - 1782506
11520 - 1782432

Those 2 talkgroups have the most hits on my Unitrunker on Center Valley

 

[GTR8000]

Two Lehigh/Allentown PennDOT TG's popped up on PIKE31 this week as well. Affiliations only, no voice transmissions.

11190 - 1782506
11520 - 1782432

Monroe PennDOT on PIKE31 last night...same as previous, no voice yet.

TG 11564 - RID 1782432

 

[JimBobTerp]

Hmmmmm i’m wondering why PennDOT in Monroe County and Lehigh County are using other sites instead of their own

 

[GTR8000]

Hmmmmm i’m wondering why PennDOT in Monroe County and Lehigh County are using other sites instead of their own

RF sites do not care about where county or town lines are drawn. This system is purposely designed so that practically any site can carry whatever traffic is required, depending on where a subscriber radio is located and which site has the best RSSI at any given time.

It was reported that PennDOT in Lehigh County have been pretty active on the Center Valley site. Nothing unusual there. I then reported a handful of affiliations on the Lehigh and Monroe talkgroups at PIKE31 by a grand total of two PennDOT radios. I would hardly call that "using other sites", as there hasn't been a single voice transmission yet on PIKE31. Probably just someone passing through, maybe a supervisor, who knows.

 

[JimBobTerp]

Since I live in Northampton County could I program other sites like beside Northampton,Lehigh and Monroe to hear active. So what other counties could I hear from my house on this system

 

[JimBobTerp]

Like I know other PennDOT and other things are up and running so I would like to hear other active from other areas if I can.

 

[GTR8000]

Since I live in Northampton County could I program other sites like beside Northampton,Lehigh and Monroe to hear active. So what other counties could I hear from my house on this system

Only you can answer that question. Program other sites and see if you can get a signal. I wouldn't hold my breath, though, that you'll be able to receive any sites except those right around you.

 

[JimBobTerp]

Only you can answer that question. Program other sites and see if you can get a signal. I wouldn't hold my breath, though, that you'll be able to receive any sites except those right around you.

OK that’s what I thought I was just double checking because my friend is getting a scanner to and he lives in the same area and he was also asking me to ask you guys

 

[GTR8000]

Take a look at the site map in the database, and determine what some of the nearby sites are. Program those sites, and see if you get any usable reception of them. There are far too many variables for anyone here to give you a definitive answer. I don't know if you are using a handheld scanner with the stock rubber ducky antenna on the ground floor of an apartment surrounded by other buildings...or if you are using a base scanner connected via LMR-400 to a dedicated VHF antenna 10' above the roof of a 2 story house at decent elevation without much around you to block distant signals. Or maybe something in between those two extremes.

Also keep in mind the always present factor that you are only going to hear activity from talkgroups that have subscribers affiliated at any particular site. If no one is affiliated with a PennDOT talkgroup at any of the sites you can receive, then you won't hear anything.

 

[HM1529]

Ft Indiantown Gap (LEBA74) Site Details (PA-STARNet P25: Pennsylvania Statewide Radio Network) - Ft Indiantown Gap (LEBA74)

Jonestown (LEBA71) Site Details (PA-STARNet P25: Pennsylvania Statewide Radio Network) - Jonestown (LEBA71)

So, both of these sites are on Fort Indiantown Gap. LEBA74 is actually at the north end of the facility by the ranges while LEBA74 is actually on the water tower at the main base grounds on the south end. Formally, the area north of Blue Mountain (between there and Second Mountain) is known as the Corridor Area while the air field and main base south of Blue Mountain are known as the Cantonment Area.

I would propose both sites ought to be named Ft. Indiantown Gap with an additional descriptor. The simplest would be North and South. Any objection? Cantonment and Corridor both seem long to add to an already long name.

Currently, the Jonestown site isn't even in the Jonestown zip code as that southern end of the base is in the Annville zipcode. The north site is on the edge of the Jonestown zip. I am leery of using either town name since the towns themlselves are both distant even though their zip codes stretch to cover the area. Ft Indiantown Gap is a well known and easily identifiable location. Ft Indiantown Gap North (LEBA74) and Ft Indiantown Gap South (LEBA74) both seem straightforward, if maybe a little long.

 

[GTR8000]

I'm seeing additional PennDOT talkgroups pop up with affiliations on PIKE31 (still no voice traffic), but I'm coming across some conflicting info in the wiki, as they are listed in two separate articles that don't always jive up: the main STARNet TG Research page and the PennDOT TG Research page.

Does anyone know which wiki article has the more accurate info?

Also, what does TCC stand for? Traffic Control Center? Traffic Control Coordinator? It would be helpful if such acronyms like TCC and RTMC could be defined somewhere on the page if they're going to be used instead of spelling out the full meaning.

TGID​	Main TG Research​	PennDOT TG Research​	RID​
11190	DOT Maintenance District 5E Line Painting	Maintenance District 5E Paint	1782506 1782508 1782509 1782510 1785275 1785276
11202	DOT Maintenance District 5 Primary (RTMC)	Maintenance District 5 Admin	1782812
11520	DOT Maintenance District 5-3 Lehigh Co Main Office Allentown/Garage	Maintenance District 5-3 Lehigh Main Office Allentown	1782432 1782540
11564	DOT Maintenance District 5-4 Monroe Co Main Office Stroudsburg/Garage	Maintenance District 5-4 Monroe Main Office Stroudsburg	1782432
11578	?	?	1782800 1782801 1782805 1782865 1782868
11579	?	?	1782855
11580	(not listed)	Maintenance District 5-5 Northampton Main Office Easton	1782801
11592	DOT TCC	TCC	1782512

 

[n8jsw]

Just a heads up Site 131 (McDonald WASH39) is shownig a new peer of Site 1.30 West Mifflin (ALLE25)

 

[HM1529]

PennDOT appears to have four regional traffic management centers that monitor the various systems in place (cameras, ITS, etc).

Southeast Region RTMC covers just D6.
Eastern Region RTMC Is based in D8, and also covers D5, and D4.
Central Region RTMC is based in D2 and also covers D3 and D9.
Western Region RTMC is based in D11 and also covers D1, D10, and D12.

PennDOT also has a statewide traffic management center in Harrisburg.

All of these used to be referred to as traffic control centers. TCC should be the statewide talkgroup.

Here are a couple links to give an idea how these facilities operate.

Western Regional Traffic Management Center | Pittsburgh Highways

pittsburgh.pahighways.com

Collaboration between PennDOT’s Central Region Traffic Management Center and local 911 Centers Saves Time and Lives

PennDOT worked with local 911 centers to share information and alert motorists of roadway incidents faster.

www.penndot.gov

 

[GTR8000]

I'm seeing additional PennDOT talkgroups pop up with affiliations on PIKE31 (still no voice traffic), but I'm coming across some conflicting info in the wiki, as they are listed in two separate articles that don't always jive up: the main STARNet TG Research page and the PennDOT TG Research page.

Does anyone know which wiki article has the more accurate info?

Mystery solved , talkgroups submitted.

 

[scnrfrq]

Just to verify, when you enter sites manually into a favorites list for this system, do you have to enter all frequencies for each site, or just the main control channel shown in red in the database? Currently I have all frequencies entered, but I'm wondering if scanning would be faster with just the main control channels entered, if that still worked.

 

[GTR8000]

Just to verify, when you enter sites manually into a favorites list for this system, do you have to enter all frequencies for each site, or just the main control channel shown in red in the database? Currently I have all frequencies entered, but I'm wondering if scanning would be faster with just the main control channels entered, if that still worked.

Just the control channels are necessary with this Motorola ASTRO 25 system, however it normally doesn't hurt to enter them all*. And no, it won't make scanning any faster by having 2 vs 3 frequencies entered. The scanner locks onto the active control channel and waits for group voice grants; there is no actual "scanning" involved as there is with conventional frequencies. Oh and do not ignore the alternate control channels listed in blue, as it is possible for a control channel at any site to roll from primary to alternates for a number of reasons.

* In some rare cases, nearby reuse of frequencies can cause issues if you are in range of multiple sites using the same frequency(s), but it's usually not something to be concerned with.