Reclaiming Unused VHF/UHF Freqs.

[KT7L]

RR'ers....

I have volunteered to help Summit Co. try to identify VHF/UHF licenses assigned to Summit Co., but are no longer in use so that they could re-assign them for VHF expansion needs. The State says the County is in the best position to just re-assign stuff they already own, and the FCC/State needs no approval involvement.

So.... They have the list of licenses/frequencies. What is the best way to do a long term scan on their allocatations to identify the 0 hit channels? I guess what I am asking is what software would handle this task the best? I would prefer Windows based, but could handle DOS if I had to. Sounds similar to our Utah Amateur Repeater Coordinator's job...

Tnx, Bob
Summit Co. Dispatch Advisory Board Memeber (Ha! -- how'ed I get there?)

 

[theaton]

Congratulations Mr. Board Member! That's cool.

I'm a little confused here. Don't county officials know which allocated frequencies their agencies are using? Or do they want to monitor more widely for possible interference? Who are they planning to allocate the unused VHF frequencies to, and for what purpose? (It's common for old frequencies and equipment to be passed "down" to lesser agencies when an upgrade occurs.)

Any logging software should work. If you're running a Uniden I'd suggest the free bcTool software. You can scan only the frequencies of interest and log/record everything that is picked up. But there are many other options.

-Tim

 

[KT7L]

Congratulations Mr. Board Member! That's cool.

I'm a little confused here. Don't county officials know which allocated frequencies their agencies are using? Or do they want to monitor more widely for possible interference? Who are they planning to allocate the unused VHF frequencies to, and for what purpose? (It's common for old frequencies and equipment to be passed "down" to lesser agencies when an upgrade occurs.)

Any logging software should work. If you're running a Uniden I'd suggest the free bcTool software. You can scan only the frequencies of interest and log/record everything that is picked up. But there are many other options.

-Tim

Thanks for the reply Tim...

Please don't be confused The County knows what their allocated frequencies are, and what group they are assigned to.... But its kinda like amateur repeater pairs -- because someone 'owns them', that doesn't mean they are used -- hoarding syndrome, I guess. Agencies don't typically step forward and say ' I'am not using all of mine -- take a few".

So, the normal procedure is to find dead frequencies, then go to the agency in question with more ammo.

The second question, more complicated... As you know, Summit is split North/So by mountains -- as is the county Fire services. But only one dispatch -- Summit OC/EOC. With a few more frequencies available, VHF HT's could be programmed to allow coordination, say, of firefighters and water drop tankers. Pagers could be split into North/So districts. There is other stuff too, sufice it to say they need to work through a total, interagency radio plan. I suspect that will happen next.

I'll look at BCTool.... I have an old Scancat, but don't want to use that.

Thanks! Bob

 

[bneilson]

ID Tracker II

I would use ID Tracker II
http://bellsouthpwp.net/k/d/kd5eis/IDTracker/IDTracker.htm#IDTrackerII

It works great on trunked systems and will also work on conventional.

It will create an individual audio file for each frequency and keep appending to it each time it copies a transmission. It will also log all activity to a test file so you can reference back to specific dates and times of the transmissions.

 

[kd7rto]

I’ve been using a combination of the Optoelectronics Optocom receiver and Scanstar Deluxe software (runs under Win 98, but not XP) for years. I’m convinced that this is the best package ever developed for sniffing out previously unknown conventional (and LTR) frequencies, and determining which pl/dpl codes are in use. My pro2006/optoscan also works, but the program does not perform well with my AOR receivers. www.scanstar.com.

I’ve examined a demo of the current version, called Spectrum Commander IX, but did not find any new features which would justify buying the upgrade. It also seemed more complicated and cumbersome to operate.

One receiver I recommend against for your purpose is the BC796D receiver. It’s popular for listening to trunking, but it’s RF performance is vastly inferior to my older receivers. I bought both Trunkstar785D and ARC250PRO to go with it, and all I get is digital audio files full of false squelch openings when I attempt to use it with a rooftop antenna.

My best recommendation (to anyone who does not own one), start watching EBAY for an Optocom.

 

[qlajlu]

My best recommendation (to anyone who does not own one), start watching EBAY for an Optocom

Wait ...what?

...(runs under Win 98, but not XP)...

Anyone still running Windows 98 hold up your hand.

I have either misread this or what you said went right over my head and kept on traveling...which is not unusual for me.

 

[theaton]

Summit frequencies

Thanks for the reply Tim...

Please don't be confused The County knows what their allocated frequencies are, and what group they are assigned to.... But its kinda like amateur repeater pairs -- because someone 'owns them', that doesn't mean they are used -- hoarding syndrome, I guess. Agencies don't typically step forward and say ' I'am not using all of mine -- take a few".

So, the normal procedure is to find dead frequencies, then go to the agency in question with more ammo.

The second question, more complicated... As you know, Summit is split North/So by mountains -- as is the county Fire services. But only one dispatch -- Summit OC/EOC. With a few more frequencies available, VHF HT's could be programmed to allow coordination, say, of firefighters and water drop tankers. Pagers could be split into North/So districts. There is other stuff too, sufice it to say they need to work through a total, interagency radio plan. I suspect that will happen next.

Thanks! Bob

That makes sense, Bob. I recalled that Summit County has very few licensed frequencies. I just looked them up and marked those I've heard recent traffic on. The others I've never heard at all. I'll be interested to see how this matches your study. -Tim

45.20000 * KNHD878 *
45.48000 * KNHD878 *
151.07000 * WPXU333 * Roads
154.74000 * KTN325 * Possible
154.83000 * KTN325 *
154.89000 * KTN325 *
155.08500 * KNHD878 * EMS
155.26500 * KNJP550 *
155.29500 * WPYU753 *
155.49000 * KTN325 *
155.61000 * KTN325 * Sheriff
156.03000 * WPLR640 *
158.79000 * KTN325 *
158.85000 * KTN325 *
158.98500 * KTN325 * Roads
159.21000 * KTN325 * Sheriff
159.39000 * WPYU753 *
453.42500 * WPWY965 *
460.46250 * WQAR630 * Yes
465.46250 * WQAR630 * Yes

 

[kd7rto]

Wait ...what?

http://www.qsl.net/kd7rto/utah/equip.htm
http://www.strongsignals.net/access/content/rr_optocom.html

Anyone still running Windows 98 hold up your hand.

Anyone who does not have a stack of old computers, with various os's, out in the garage, hold up your hand. With all the Pentium and Pentium II's available for just a couple of bucks (if not free), I don't know why every ham shack isn't filled with old boxes, powered up and running various dedicated applications (trunker, IRLP, echolink, APRS).

I have either misread this or what you said went right over my head and kept on traveling...which is not unusual for me.

The latest is not always the best. For one, I cannot understand why anyone in Utah (where we do not have any MPT-1327 or 9600 baud Motorola systems) would prefer unitrunker over trunker. I could go on all day listing DOS and Win98 programs which I consider superior to anything written to run under XP. Then I could go on for another day listing everything I loved about DOS and hate about Windows. (Linux is great in theory, but there's practically nothing available to control or program the receivers we use).

The same goes with radios. The design engineers today seem to assume that everyone is listening to trunking, or has a pl set, and that we do not need the RF performance we did ten years ago, when the Optocom and Pro2006 were new on the market.

 

[qlajlu]

Whoa! I wasn't trying to be disrespectful...really...and I for sure did not know I was "harassing" the Master of QSL Net. Wow! I have looked at your site soooo many times. Please, let me apologize. A case of "Hoof n Mouth Disease."

Like I said, the point went right over my head.

 

[KT7L]

Thanks, everyone! it seems I have lots of options. Tim, I'll have to get Summit's list, and start comparing with yours -- Very helpful!

KD7RTO -- You're BAD !!!! Have you been in my storage room? Don't talk to my wife! I am using my Pro2006 for my UniTrunker input. No, nevermind -- I don't even want to think about my storage room!

I'll post a progress report for everyone!

-- Bob

 

[theaton]

Summit Co. frequencies

Bob, there are also a number of unused frequencies licensed to Park City. Might they be included in the pool you are considering?

In the process of your investigation there are a couple repeaters I hope you can get some details on. There's a repeater on 460.4625/465.4625 (156.7 PL) licensed to Summit County, but I don't know which entity uses it or what it's for.

There's also a repeater on 453.225/458.225 (186.2 PL) in Wanship licensed to Granite School District that I'd like to know more about. Once I heard a bear citing reported on it while visiting Park City! It may not be on your list, but maybe other committee members would know something about it.

-Tim

 

[utahcomms]

Anyone who does not have a stack of old computers, with various os's, out in the garage, hold up your hand. With all the Pentium and Pentium II's available for just a couple of bucks (if not free), I don't know why every ham shack isn't filled with old boxes, powered up and running various dedicated applications (trunker, IRLP, echolink, APRS).

I can hold my hand up on this. My shack is in my Jeep, and there isn't the available real estate to have that many running. We have an IC-7000, Kenwood TM-D700A, Galaxy DX-979 SSB CB, Uniden BC-796D, Lowrance Baja 540C GPS, and a Toshiba Tecra A9-S9015X laptop running XP in there.

http://www.hamJeep.com

 

[KT7L]

Bob, there are also a number of unused frequencies licensed to Park City. Might they be included in the pool you are considering?

In the process of your investigation there are a couple repeaters I hope you can get some details on. There's a repeater on 460.4625/465.4625 (156.7 PL) licensed to Summit County, but I don't know which entity uses it or what it's for.

There's also a repeater on 453.225/458.225 (186.2 PL) in Wanship licensed to Granite School District that I'd like to know more about. Once I heard a bear citing reported on it while visiting Park City! It may not be on your list, but maybe other committee members would know something about it.

-Tim

Tim: That's a good suggestion on the PC frequencies -- though, as I understand it, to re-cycle an unused one to Summit would require a license change, which we were trying to avoid. Nonetheless, Summit, including PC needs a ECOMM's Inter-agency plan, and maybe they could be of use there -- or through PC Dispatch. That's a bit down the road, though.

I'll monitor Wanship for you, but I don't think I can hit it from here -- it's sort of in a hole at the bottom of the drop into the valley there. Maybe if I move my beam -- manually, of course.

Thanks!

 

[KT7L]

I can hold my hand up on this. My shack is in my Jeep, and there isn't the available real estate to have that many running. We have an IC-7000, Kenwood TM-D700A, Galaxy DX-979 SSB CB, Uniden BC-796D, Lowrance Baja 540C GPS, and a Toshiba Tecra A9-S9015X laptop running XP in there. QUOTE]

Got me beat -- In the car, only! I have 5 HF SSB radios, about 7 CW radios, 4 scanners, and several computers. Two were running full time for Packet and Trunker. But now that UniTrunker runs under windows, I was able to move that operation to my main computer. I'll probably use the 'inactive' computer to do the VHF study once I get the frequency list consolidated with the County and perhaps the state. I have lots of extra PC's laying around -- but the big limitation here is the monitors -- I don't have room for the Glass Tubes -- So I really need to add some more flat screens to fit in my shack.

For everyone's information, there is a new, frequency manager position at the State. I met the guy filling the position, Darryl Simkins, as he came to our Summit CO. Dispatch meeting -- Nice guy!

-- Bob

 

[gldavis]

Since it was mentioned in this thread, I'll put in my two cents worth. APRS is Automatic Position Reporting System. It is used by Amateur Radio Operators to pass data back and forth. Primarily their location. This link shows where my car is: http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/find.cgi?call=ke7mqf-9&terra=4
I think its neat.