Readfield Maine FD radio license - ??

[zerg901]

Readfield FD has license WQXY983 which has

3 repeaters on 154.145 - Hallowell + Winthrop + New Sharon

plus 8 UHF link channels

453.35 + 453.4125 + 453.45 at Winthrop

458.35 at Cobb Hill in Readfield

458.4125 at Baldwin Hill in Fayette

458.45 at Mt Vernon

460.5875 at Winthrop

465.5875 at Hallowell

Anyone hear anything on the UHF channels?

As I was typing this up - a pattern appeared to me - which I had not seen before - looks like the first 6 links are 'to and from' a central point (Winthrop) to 3 outlying hills - but those outlying hills do not match the 3 repeater sites that have 154.145 repeaters

The 460.5875 and 465.5875 links might tie together 2 of the 154.145 repeater sites

 

[sfd745]

I believe the UHF frequencies are the up/down links from their VHF voted repeater sites. My understanding is they have three sites, one master, two sub, that are linked and voted for coverage.

 

[jimbois1]

That is my understanding of the current situation as well, as zerg101 and sfd745 describe it. The whole thing with the use of 154.1450 MHz by towns in the "lakes region" over the years is more complex now than it was years ago, when it was strictly simplex.
I can remember when it was all simplex with only CSQ (no CTCSS tone) and Winthrop Comm would do tone tests for all the member towns in that mutual compact either Sunday or Monday evenings. It was like an old-fashioned telephone "party-line" during calls. You only copied mobiles with an outside antenna and when they were "hill topping" to and from calls. Being on CSQ everyone heard each other's calls at all hours of day and night.
Also, alot of co-channel interference from New Hampshire on this freq. This is one several freqs including 154.17500 and 154.1900 MHz that are simply overloaded with licensees in Maine & NH)
Seems like I recall at least one UHF voter or point-to-point operating CSQ and one of the others CTCSS 123.0 Hz. (needs further confirmation)

 

[jimbois1]

Attn: zerg901....

I did some more research on this original thread post....you only have partial info in your original post.

The Readfield Fire / Rescue radio set-up was done by Hussey Communications out of Waterville / Winslow and freq coordinated by IMSA. As best as I tell, WQXY-983 superceded KNDE-628 (still active license). Given the timeline on both of these licenses, it would correspond to when Readfield was originally dispatched by Kennebec SO many, many years ago and then contracted with Winthrop Comm as they are today.

154.1450 MHz was originally simplex (T / R) in CSQ and used by the so-called "Lakes Region" depts of Readfield, Fayette, Mt Vernon, Vienna and Manchester, as they all had mutual aid with each other. Since then, Fayette and Manchester moved to their own freqs.

Then Readfield developed the current repeaterized system on 154.1450 MHz R / 151.2950 MHz T with CTCSS 127.3 Hz T/R with UHF links and voters, first under KNDE-628 and now under WQXY-983 The call signs are "associated" in the FCC database.

Breakdown of UHF Links / Voters as follows:

KNDE-628

451.2500 R Cobbs Hill - Readfield (Downlink)
to & from
456.2500 T 1) Pea Ridge - Readfield, 2) Maranacook School - Readfield, 3) Readfield Town Hall - Readfield, 4) Readfield Fire Station at Jct Rtes 17 & 142, and 5) Metcalf Rd in Winthrop (all 5 FX1 uplinks going to Cobbs Hill)

WQXY-983

453.4500 R Blake Hill - Mt Vernon (Downlink)
to & from
458.4500 T Metcalf Rd - Winthrop (Uplink)

453.4125 R Baldwin Hill - Fayette (Downlink)
to & from
458.4125 T Metcalf Rd - Winthrop (Uplink)

460.5875 R Granite Hill (Winthrop Rd) - Hallowell (Downlink)
to & from
465.5875 T Metcalf Rd - Winthrop (Uplink)

453.3500 R Metcalf Rd - Winthrop (Downlink)
to & from
458.3500 T Cobb Hill - Readfield (Uplink)

There's a possibility that some of these like the Fayette and Mt Vernon sites may correspond with Fire Station locations, but that would need confirmation with site visit or mapping.

Also, with a few exceptions, the Metcalf site in Winthrop is pretty much the "antenna farm" for all systems that Winthrop Comm dispatches for. Oddly, it is in the middle of residential neighborhood.

NOW....I have a favor to ask of zerg901 or any other RR member in the Kennebec County area....if I can do this much research to help out on this, the least you all can do and take the next step and monitor these UHF link and voter pairs to confirm any CTSSS or DCS tones heard on these !! Let's all help out.

 

[NEK1213]

Wayne was also in the mutual aid group on 154.145.

 

[jimbois1]

Wayne was also in the mutual aid group on 154.145.

Yes !! ...That's right...how could I forget...thanks