Project 25 on 155.640 - Texas?

[blantonl]

Folks,

Anyone know who is using 155.640 is P25 mode in Texas? Tropo this morning is really good, and I'm hearing what sounds like an SO doing traffic stops etc.

I've heard numerous references to road "USA-1", and FM 407, but can't find anything that matches up. In addition, I hear callsigns that sound like any of the below:

KKE41
KKH41
KKA241

Unit numbers are 5000 series... like 5167 etc.

They seem to announce the callsign often, but I can't ever get a perfect copy on what they are saying.

Anyone know what agency this is?

 

[Wayne]

Just a guess but Region 5 DPS (5000 series unit designators) has a station out of Wichita Falls with the callsign KKE241. Maybe they have a new repeater?

Sure sounds like DPS, since the announcement of callsigns is rarely done anymore by anybody else...

Wayne

 

[VictorXray]

"USA-1" might be US-81 in Montague county, east of Wichita.

 

[nd5y]

The DPS digital repeater in Decatur on 156.21 or their control station in Wichita Falls on 154.665
could be getting into a 155.64/156.21 or 155.64/154.665 repeater someplace else.
That would explain hearing KKE241 on 155.64.

 

[blantonl]

Yea, that's it.

...and the repeater input issue is the only thing I could think that might be causing the P25 rebroadcast on 155.640. Strange.

 

[blantonl]

Yep, Jim Wells County has a repeater input of 156.210 on 155.640.

http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&action=isf&stcd=TX&freq=155.640

Wow... very interesting, but question (and problem) solved.

Thanks folks!

Lindsay

 

[Wayne]

The DPS digital repeater in Decatur on 156.21 or their control station in Wichita Falls on 154.665
could be getting into a 155.64/156.21 or 155.64/154.665 repeater someplace else.
That would explain hearing KKE241 on 155.64.

Could be... Several months ago when the tropo ducting was good, I logged the 156.210 (KKE241) audio on 159.210 from Houston!

By the way, I am getting Laredo DPS on 155.4525 (P25) loud and clear this morning from SE Texas.

Wayne

 

[DPS8504]

Fm407

More than likely that probably is the Wichita Falls DPS repeater you are hearing at times. 5167 is a Wichita Falls unit, when we talk to the Wise county HP units if I only have one PCO on duty, we similcast. FM407 is south of Decatur and runs east from US287.

 

[VintageJon]

When I read KKx I imediately thought DPS, but this info is very late and superceded by posts above.
When you hear KKx it's probably DPS... (KKD303 is the DPS mother-station a few blocks from me here in Austin) Suspect KKx is ID for DPS in TX...

They are going APCO-25 but it may be for the 150MHz band they have had for years...

The last letter of call-sign is often ommited or slurred. Security? Sloppy Operation?
I know the female operator so I'll ask if it comes up/seems oppurtune over a beer or three... (Will post if possible...)

-Jon

 

[mass-man]

thanks DPS8504

Boy, as the P-25 system for the TEXAS DPS hits more and more repeaters, it is a VERY GOOD thing we have DPS8504 among our ranks...

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cleve

When the units assigned to the TOLLROAD/BUSH here in Dallas go P-25, then I will HAVE to buy a P-25 capable unit. When things get crazy, it is INTERESTING monitoring!

 

[nd5y]

When you hear KKx it's probably DPS...

No, it just means it is an old callsign originally issued way back when private land mobile callsigns where issued geographically. The FCC 5th call area (TX, OK, NM, AR, LA, MS) licenses all started with KK.

 

[VictorXray]

Yup. For instantance, back when Lubbock PD was on 460MHz their call was KKB556.

 

[DPS8504]

DPS Repeaters

One of the bad things about the DPS repeater system even going digital, is that the control frequencies and PL tones and NAC codes end up being duplicated around the state. In the original post from Lindsey, more than likely our control station at my my tower south of the Wichita Fallsl was probably keying up several of the new digital repeaters in south Texas. The control antenna is pointed to the SE in order to hit the Decatur repeater and it is up at 120 feet to clear Galleher Mountain in NW Jack county. When the signal starts to skip around it gets pretty bad. I know it makes good listening in Scanner land, but it is a pain in the butt unit or at the station. Some days I just want to wrap my head with duct tape before it explodes from listening to all the skip.

Take care and be safe.

 

[twobytwo]

Yup. For instantance, back when Lubbock PD was on 460MHz their call was KKB556.

Actually 460s when first by LPD was KVV871. KKB556 was for 155.25 when used by LPD in the mid 70s . Man Im showing my age.

 

[VictorXray]

Did they switched callsigns when they went UHF? I'm pretty sure KKB556 was assigned to the 8 UHF freqs for several years (almost 10) before the 800 system. Take a look at an old Police Call if you have access to one, its there.

 

[twobytwo]

I got the info from a 1975 Police Call Book.It had both UHF & VHF freqs listed. Ill have to check my PC books(they are in the attic) to see when the change was made. The city Must have got permission fom the FCC to use the KKB 556.I remember them using the KKB556 callsign on 460.025 when they were not assigned it.

 

[mam1081]

Yep, Jim Wells County has a repeater input of 156.210 on 155.640.

http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&action=isf&stcd=TX&freq=155.640

Wow... very interesting, but question (and problem) solved.

Thanks folks!

Lindsay

So why would a P25 signal open the squelch on this repeater? P25 signals have no PL tone - only NAC codes.
Maybe the repeater "thought" it was a 167.9 tone, or was in CSQ mode. Maybe it's a P25 repeater, and set-up as mixed-mode with a NAC of 293 (bad idea, I think).
Any other ideas?

 

[bwillcox]

It is possible that the APCO 25 signal could be mixing with some other transmitter in the area that had that PL and causing the squelch to open. This kind of thing happens all the time if there is tropospheric ducting or other form of propogation affecting an area.

Can drive you absolutely insane if it is your repeater that is getting clobbered by an intermittent intermodulation product like that.

The heterodyning gets pretty interesting on the good old analog FM DPS A and DPS B when propogation is in. Kind of a mess to listen to with Dallas, Sherman, Waco and Mineral Wells all talking on the same frequency (with the same PL, even) at once. Just be thankful it's FM and not AM or nothing would be understandable!

-b-

 

[n5gqb]

Here a site listing TX FM roads:
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Downs/6244/txhwys/fm-rm-ur.html

 

[KE5GDR]

looking up highways

http://www.dot.state.tx.us/tpp/search/query.htm