Prince Georges Fire Dispatch

[z_moonchild]

I’m having a problem receiving Prince Georges Fire frequencies in Montgomery County, and I was wondering if anyone else may be experiencing the same problem. Here are the frequencies I having problems with:
46.1200
495.0125 [127.3]
494.8375 [127.3]
There’s a series of long and loud tones that overpower these frequencies that make it very difficult to hear the entire dispatch. I usually miss a lot of information. When I’m in Fairfax or Prince William counties, however, the tones aren’t there and I can hear the dispatches without any problems.
There are no PL tones (that I’m aware of) for the 46.1200 frequency, so I’m always getting the tones coming over the dispatches.
The only time I get the overpowering tones over the other frequencies is when I turn off the PL tones, otherwise with the PL tones on I only get bits and pieces of the dispatches. It sounds like the overpowering tones are still keeping me from hearing the entire dispatch.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Zoom

 

[ka3jjz]

It sounds very much as if you're getting overloaded or mixing from some nearby transmitter; Montgomery county used to have an extensive 490 mhz public service system (that's now supposedly used by the school districts), and I'm wondering if that's the culprit. AFAIK, that system was on its last legs with outdated and antiquated gear, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if one or more of the transmitters were putting out spurs. In fact, I thought all that junk was to be torn out and junked, but I guess that's another part of the story.

It's also possible you're getting clobbered by a nearby pager (the tones you mentioned might point to this). Using the PLs will help somewhat of course, but it's not a perfect answer.

73s Mike

 

[Dispatcher308]

If you are hearing the tones on 46.120 overriding the Dispatcher there is nothing you can do about it. The reason is that is how the Pagers & House Bells are set off. It is a Tone and Voice Channel & the Tones go out while the Dispatcher is Talking that is why you only get part of the Dispatch.

Now on the 490 Frequencies I cannot answer that Question because only the Alert 1 tones go out over that & no Dispatch Tones are to be on that.

 

[z_moonchild]

Thanks for the response

 

[Waldo325mvfd]

Yup, 46.12 is from what I understnd a repeater of 495.0125 (Ch.1) But with page tones.

494.6625 Ch.7 South Disp
494.7875 Ch.3/5 South Fire ground
494.8375 Ch.2 North P.G. Disp
494.0625 Ch.4/6 North P.G. Fire ground( or 495.0625)
495.0125 Ch.1 responce/Disp county wide
46.12 Pagers for the volunteer Fire departments

Also the medevacs ore on 44.74, 462.95, and 462.975.

 

[Starion]

If you are hearing the tones on 46.120 overriding the Dispatcher there is nothing you can do about it. The reason is that is how the Pagers & House Bells are set off. It is a Tone and Voice Channel & the Tones go out while the Dispatcher is Talking that is why you only get part of the Dispatch.

Thanks for the info! I live in Fairfax County and I can hear the tones.. I was wondering why I was hearing paging tones while the dispatcher is talking. I'll try listening to the 490 MHz frequencies.

 

[jparks29]

its also HIGHLY likely that you're getting intermod/interference from paging towers.. most pagers operate around 930 mhz.. if it sounds like ...beeeeeeebbbboooooooooobfaslfjbasdlfajgbldsfugkablsfukgablriuhaglirgbhliarbhligu ..then it's probably paging...

 

[Waldo325mvfd]

nope it's for a fact house alarms and pager tones. 8)