Piscataway TRS? Motorboat digital noise?

[SnakeEater9920]

Alright, so I'm listening around the area on my scanner; and It just so happens I'm now hearing a motorboat noise on a few of the Piscataway TRS channels. If you don't know what Motorboat is, It's this annoying sound that comes over when agencies use a digital radio, and you have an analog scanner. Now, I'm listening with my Analog scanner since my Digital one is still packed away due to a move. The only time I hear that noise, is when they change the control channel every night.

I'm right next to them in Dunellen, and this signal is coming in very clear. I've never heard this on their channels before. And I don't know of any other agency close by who uses digital communications on their five 500MHz channels.

Anybody else hearing this who monitor the area? Maybe It's just random, or maybe I'm just picking up a far away signal from some other agency.

Thanks.

Mike.

 

[fineshot1]

Alright, so I'm listening around the area on my scanner; and It just so happens I'm now hearing a motorboat noise on a few of the Piscataway TRS channels. If you don't know what Motorboat is, It's this annoying sound that comes over when agencies use a digital radio, and you have an analog scanner. Now, I'm listening with my Analog scanner since my Digital one is still packed away due to a move. The only time I hear that noise, is when they change the control channel every night.

I'm right next to them in Dunellen, and this signal is coming in very clear. I've never heard this on their channels before. And I don't know of any other agency close by who uses digital communications on their five 500MHz channels.

Anybody else hearing this who monitor the area? Maybe It's just random, or maybe I'm just picking up a far away signal from some other agency.

Thanks.

Mike.

I see you posted this in the early am hours.

At that time and most of the morning hours this morning there was
a huge band opening in both the vhf & uhf bands and you most
likely were hearing stations off in the distance.

 

[W2SJW]

More than likely? Burlington County. Their intellirepeater sites share all those frequencies except 501.3375.

Less than likely, but still not impossible - York County, PA. If you were hearing this via a handheld, most would agree that it was Burlington County.

I was working in Riverhead on L.I. back in the early part of 2001, and I was hearing Philly PD (back when they were on 453 analog) in my hotel on a Yaesu VX-5. The next morning, the fog was insane, and I was able to work my club's amateur VHF repeater in Green Brook from out there on only 25 watts.

God I miss those days...

 

[SnakeEater9920]

Ah, okay. I figured It was something like that. Because I was like "I sure as heck hope Piscataway isn't planning on going over to Digital" There's like, no need for it.

And I was hearing this on my BC370CRS.

 

[hostmaster]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I have heard from several people who would know that Piscataway IS going digital this year.
That actually is why I am on the forums tonight... Trying to get more info...

 

[W2SJW]

There is nothing 'bad news' about going digital, so long as they don't encrypt.

My props go out to Woodbridge, for keeping their primary & first-secondary in the clear when they put up their new system (someone there has a level head!)...

 

[hostmaster]

Unfortunately, I have been told it will be encrypted...