Palmetto 800 P25 2021

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brian

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Not too long ago, Berkeley County established a new simulcast broadcast site that covers all of Berkeley County. It's a new site (simulcast means it's site that's composed of multiple tower locations) that didn't exist before. More recently, the Moncks Corner site was removed from service. It's coverage area was taken over by the new simulcast site.

See if you can determine which Palmetto 800 site your scanner is receiving traffic on.

If you haven't done so recently, you'll need to update the database in the scanner and ensure that you have site 1-06 imported and active. That's the new Berkeley Co Simulcast site that uses 700MHz frequencies. You'll want to remove the Moncks Corner site.

I hope that helps.

Brian
 

gorj

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I updated the HomePatrol Sentinel data base and see that Berkeley County Simulcast is under Palmetto 800. Fourteen frequencies in the 700’s. The type is “ Site “ in the HomePatrol data base. None of these are transferring over to the scanner (HomePatrol 2). I’m using a computer with Windows 10. thanks
 

mrat1234

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Site wise over half of the sites on Palmetto 800 have had their power increased from 100 watts to either 125 or 150 watts. So you may receive more sites than you think you can. I'm on the very edge of the Newberry county simulcast and receive it fine using a portable radio (Harris p7100). Their has also been 2 new sites added to the system. Blackstock in Fairfield county and Santee in Orangeburg county. Both 700MHZ sites.
 

mrat1234

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Hey everyone this is a 2019/2020/2021 Palmetto 800 update.

Berkeley County - The whole county switched to Palmetto 800 in July of 2019. With the switch came the addition of a 10 site 700mhz simulcast site which includes the 2 former 800mhz standalone sites.

Newberry County - The whole county switched in 2019/2020. With the switch came the addition of a 5 site simulcast site which includes the former standalone Newberry site.

Marian County - The whole county switched in October 2019. With the switch came the addition came a 4 site simulcast which includes the former standalone Marian site.

Aiken County - A new site has been constructed in the beech island area and has been combined with the former standalone Aiken site to make a 2 site simulcast site serving the county.

Pickens County - A new site has been constructed in may 2020 on the university of Clemson campus to improve capacity in the region.

Fairfield County - A new site was constructed in the Blackstock area. This site closes a big gap in Palmetto 800 coverage especially along I-77 and the Lake Wateree Recreational area.

Chester County - The city and county Fire departments and EMS are proposing a penny tax so they can switch to Palmetto 800. The Sheriffs office and Chester PD are already Palmetto 800. Great Falls PD is on VHF DMR running full time DE and fire using county fire frequencies.

Laurens County - The county Fire department is proposing a penny tax to switch over to Palmetto 800. The Sheriffs office and EMS are already Palmetto 800.

Calhoun County - EMS and Fire have switched most if not all to palmetto 800 as of 2021. All law enforcement was already Palmetto 800.

Greenville County - The whole county switched to Palmetto 800 in 2020/2021.

Augusta-Richmond County GA - The county has fully switched to their new 100% encrypted trunked radio system. The Augusta/Blythe/McBean sites are inactive and can be removed from the database as well as all of their talkgroups.
 

mrat1234

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Orangeburg County - A new site was constructed in Santee. This site improves portable coverage and capacity in the area mainly to the bottom half of Calhoun county.
 

mrat1234

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Does anyone know what talkgroup they are using in Chester for the manhunt. I tried Chester SO Dispatch and the LE Common talkgroups with no luck.
 

mrat1234

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LE Common 9 is very active at the moment. They have a spotting of the Terry suspect
 

mrat1234

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I would keep an eye on Laurens county. Looks like their upgrading the whole county to palmetto 800.


I also have been told by a friend in Chester County that they have also passed a penny tax to move all of Chester county Fire and EMS to palmetto 800. The county has this as a high priority after the poly plant fire showed that Fire and EMS could not talk to Law enforcement as law is on 800 and Fire and EMS are on UHF. He said he wasn't sure but heard that in addition to moving all Fire and EMS to palmetto 800 the county is looking at adding a tower to improve handheld coverage.
 
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mrat1234

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Is anyone in the area or can travel to the area of Ember Lane in Lancaster county. I was reviewing documents on palmetto 800 and found that they have recently put a new site in the area. Its 800mhz and the FCC license is WRAM822. Was wondering if anyone could try to go to the area and see if they can identify the new site.

 
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mlindler

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All of a sudden about 2-3 weeks ago Several Unication pagers (G4 and G5) suddenly stopped receiving all traffic from the Laurens County 97 site. No programming changes. All are programmed identical and have worked fine for several years. DSD+ from @brian show that nothing has changed, but clearly something at the site has changed. Joanna and all other adjoining sites come in clear. Has anyone else noticed any issues? I am stumped!laurens.png
 

mrat1234

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Palmetto 800 seems to be having severe issues. All night I've heard a million repeat requests (10-9) and units on multiple sites and talkgroups going in and out. and some units actually having to call their dispatch center. I have checked a lot of the blue talkgroups as well on the database page and a lot them are showing the same all over the state. is anyone seeing/experiencing this.
 

Wnqk784

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Nope seems fine here in Florence I'm hearing them on the Florence simulcast and on the Darlington and Lee towers with no issues
 

mrat1234

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Is anyone in the area or can travel to the area of Ember Lane in Lancaster county. I was reviewing documents on palmetto 800 and found that they have recently put a new site in the area. Its 800mhz and the FCC license is WRAM822. Was wondering if anyone could try to go to the area and see if they can identify the new site.


Yesterday I went by the Ember Lane area (Lancaster County) and was only able to catch a control channel for the Ember Lane site 854.6125. I was unable to catch the alternate control channels or site id as I was driving by on the way to a meeting. The only traffic I heard on the site when I passed by was Lancaster county Fire/EMS.
 

K2ERI

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Onnthe 800 system for site 1-12 summerville site for charleston county can only.pick up ems but not fire side any ideas?
 

mrat1234

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The 2020-2021 palmetto 800 report came out and listed several new sites i will list below so they can be identified.

Network Expansion Federal grant reductions and increased expenses continue to limit expansion of the Palmetto 800 system into rural counties of the state. The increased cost in insurance, operations, and maintenance of the state’s cache of emergency communications equipment and portable towers also limits funds for expansion of the statewide radio system. Many of the existing handheld radios have reached the end of their expected lifecycle and need to be replaced with models that support all the technology now deployed across the Palmetto 800 radio sites3 . However, the system does continue to expand as funds allow.

Elloree: This site in eastern Orangeburg County provides coverage to both the I-26 and I-95 corridors. It also provides some coverage over upper Lake Marion. The site went live July 1, 2020.

Rowesville: Located in southern Orangeburg County, this site provides needed coverage in a part of the state where previously Palmetto 800 accessibility was very limited. The site became available July 3, 2020.

St. George: This new site in Dorchester County provides additional coverage to the northern part of the county, improving coverage over I-95 and US-78 both of which are critical transportation arteries in the region. The St. George site became operational Aug. 13, 2021.

Kirksey: Southern Greenwood County and western Saluda County had no previous coverage before the Kirksey site came online Aug. 19, 2021. This site, located right off US-25, extends Palmetto 800 coverage into a very rural part of the state on a key highway

Ember Lane: An additional site was completed in March 2019 (Ember Ln.). This site provides coverage in the lower end of Lancaster County and the Lake Wateree area of Fairfield and Kershaw counties.
 

K2ERI

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I see some sites have what their calling a site neighbors what would that mean basically? Im new to the 800 system
 
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