The FCC granted a request in July to increase the height of the county owned Cedar Hill Park (Bivalve) site by 30' to 51.8m. Might explain why it was off the air earlier this summer. I hope to check up on the system sometime this week, hence the flurry of research I've been doing recently.
RFP for New Wicomico Public Safety Radio system
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Adding,
The original system design study had lots of options for towers, mostly building on existing sites. One of the proposed sites was a new commercial tower to be built at the Wicomico County Schools Bennent complex. It appears that option was not pursued, and was replaced by a simulcast site at the Wicomico County Civic Center (not studied,) and has its own license, WQYM691. Also not in the study was the aforementioned Cedar Hill Park site, WQYM454. Furthermore, there was no plan to "absorb" the Salisbury Police and some of their frequencies, but that's what has happened. I mention this because even if you hire a consultant, that doesn't mean that the system design concept will prove to be adequate. But it does give some amount of third party legitimacy.
The original system design study had lots of options for towers, mostly building on existing sites. One of the proposed sites was a new commercial tower to be built at the Wicomico County Schools Bennent complex. It appears that option was not pursued, and was replaced by a simulcast site at the Wicomico County Civic Center (not studied,) and has its own license, WQYM691. Also not in the study was the aforementioned Cedar Hill Park site, WQYM454. Furthermore, there was no plan to "absorb" the Salisbury Police and some of their frequencies, but that's what has happened. I mention this because even if you hire a consultant, that doesn't mean that the system design concept will prove to be adequate. But it does give some amount of third party legitimacy.
I was in Salisbury yesterday. Not much has changed with the Wicomico P25 system. The simulcast site is on the air, but was not using any of the Salisbury frequencies, which makes sense since Salisbury's system is still online and using them (Salisbury was using four of their five freqs.) The Cedar Hill Park / Bivalve site was showing as a peer / neighbor site, but I was too far away to receive it, so I cannot confirm if it was actually on the air. Not sure when the height increase modification will occur, and if that is holding up the cut-over. I'm assuming that during coverage testing that the need to increase the tower height was discovered, and that further tests will need to be conducted once the work has been implemented.
Wicomico went live with PD today. I will submit what I have tonight.
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Great news. Was this officially announced, or just happened? Are you aware of an onboarding schedule? Do you have Unitrunker or Procom to check the site frequencies?
A friend let me know it was happening. They also said FD is supposed to be tomorrow. Other than that I do not know.
I am running Unitrunker. I will double check the frequencies but from what I remember they are correct.
I am sure the next question will be about Bivalve. I have not checked anything with it besides that UT says it is a current peer.
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The reason I ask is because I'm curious how the use of Salisbury Police frequencies by the new Wicomico system is going to be transitioned. Maybe once the SPD units move over to the Wicomico system, their freqs will be enabled on the Wicomico system, and disabled on the Salisbury system? I'd be great to see the current state as of today, then look at it tomorrow when the FD moves. I'm tempted to change my schedule to be in the area tomorrow.
SPD was moved today with the rest of the PD. The SPD system is currently still up.
857.7625 is frequency 4 and 859.7625 is frequency 10 on the new P25 system they are currently active. The other active frequencies are 2 856.7125(Control Channel) and 3 856.9625.
I will submit PD in a few minutes.
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857.7625 is frequency 4 and 859.7625 is frequency 10 on the new P25 system they are currently active. The other active frequencies are 2 856.7125(Control Channel) and 3 856.9625.
I will submit PD in a few minutes.
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mdmedicgod
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The fire side goes active 10:00 a.m today
What's the word on the cut-over? Fire and Sheriff / Police depts fully transitioned? I'm also curious about the status of the legacy Salisbury and Wicomico systems - have they limited freqs (the new system reuses both Wicomico's and some of Salisbury's channels) - interested in how that was staged.
Interesting talkgroup layout with fire in the 20xxx range and police in the 10xxx. Seemed that new systems stick with a smaller talkgroup range (Talbot 115xxx, Worcester 13xxx, etc.).
Well, they don't have to go by increments of 32 like what is usually seen with SmartZone.
I see that their station / vfd TGs start at 20901 and continue incrementally, FG channels 2001x. Not sure how the FG vs. East / West (2010x) TGs are assigned.
I see that their station / vfd TGs start at 20901 and continue incrementally, FG channels 2001x. Not sure how the FG vs. East / West (2010x) TGs are assigned.
mdmedicgod
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SDS100 Vs G5
Is either one handling the new system better than the other? Im looking to purchase either.
Is either one handling the new system better than the other? Im looking to purchase either.
troymail
Silent Key
Yes... that is odd. Seems like Wicomico isn't 'playing nice' with the talkgroup IDs... haven't really seen that for quite a while.
Good question, but I suspect both will be more than adequate. I was planning a trip that way over the holiday since I couldn't make it earlier in the week. Hopefully I be able to squeeze in a decent amount of testing.
Receiving the new system on unication G5
Today i programmed my G5 with the new system. Much to my surprise I was able to receive the Wicomico p25 system in Bethany Beach DE. I heard talkgroup FG 2 and Salisbury Police. I am using a high gain 7-800 mhz motorola portable antenna but still happy to pick the system up. I didn't even think the system was in use yet.
Today i programmed my G5 with the new system. Much to my surprise I was able to receive the Wicomico p25 system in Bethany Beach DE. I heard talkgroup FG 2 and Salisbury Police. I am using a high gain 7-800 mhz motorola portable antenna but still happy to pick the system up. I didn't even think the system was in use yet.
The Wicomico tower sites near the eastern border aka Pittsville are omni, vs. oriented inward as they are in more urban systems. I programmed my G5 to receive the Wicomico P25 system, but didn't hear them in Talbot by the airport. The terrain is a bit more undulating to the northwest, so that might have something to do with it.
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troymail
Silent Key
Given the seemingly "unusual" talkgroup IDs for the system, curious if anyone can advise if they also ignored what should be standard radio ID ranges as well.... anyone? Bueller?
They should be:
264xxxx
265xxxx
They should be:
264xxxx
265xxxx
Here are what the IDs currently look like.
Fire = 264aabb
aa=station # and bb=unit or officer # so rescue 8 is 2640803
Sheriff = 2644xxx
Fruitland PD = 26444xx
Delmar PD = 26445xx
Salisbury PD = 26444xx
WCDC = 2645xxx
Schools from what I can tell are 265xxxx
I think you get the point.
I have UT running at home in Salisbury.
Fire = 264aabb
aa=station # and bb=unit or officer # so rescue 8 is 2640803
Sheriff = 2644xxx
Fruitland PD = 26444xx
Delmar PD = 26445xx
Salisbury PD = 26444xx
WCDC = 2645xxx
Schools from what I can tell are 265xxxx
I think you get the point.
I have UT running at home in Salisbury.
troymail
Silent Key
Well, at least they are using radio IDS that fit the plan.
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