RWC Simulcast C Observation

[cellphone]

I noticed that recently Simulcast C is no longer transmitting Phoenix PD South Mountain Precinct (400) channels A4 and B4 or Maricopa PD. These talkgroups are now transmitted on the South Mountain High site where they have not been in the past. Fire K Deck channels are also now transmitted on the South Mountain High site where they have not been in the past. I’m guessing they are starting to prepare Simulcast C for the upgrade and change to 700mhz frequencies. I read in some RWC meeting notes that they were also installing antennas to direct the South Mountain Site toward Maricopa as they are concerned about coverage in the City of Maricopa when they take down Simulcast C.

Chandler PD is still active on Simulcast C.

 

[KB7MIB]

Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (BREW; Opera Mini/6.0.3/27.2354; U; en) Presto/2.8.119 320X240 LG VN530)

Folks should give a listen to the talkgroups that are being migrated to the South Mtn IR site. Being a single site, there won't be multipath interference issues like you find on the simulcast sites, so they should be easier to listen to. This may give those of us who've never heard them, a chance to hear Maricopa PD.
Even if they are trying to reorient the antenna(s) to insure coverage in Maricopa, they won't be able to completely take coverage away from the Ahwatukee area, Chandler and south Phoenix to do it. Especially since the FD K-decks and the PD South Mtn precinct TG's are being migrated up there, and various city services and mutual aid G- and O-deck TG's have been up there.
Of course, the chance to hear Maricopa PD may not last any longer than it takes to switch Simulcast C over to 700 MHz and do the needed testing to make sure it works correctly, but we can enjoy it while it lasts

 

[KB7MIB]

Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (BREW; Opera Mini/6.0.3/27.2354; U; en) Presto/2.8.119 320X240 LG VN530)

I've heard Maricopa PD, Phoenix PD A-4, and several FD K-decks, all on the South Mtn IR, in addition to the Phoenix sanitation department traffic that was already there.

I have also caught TG 4555, on both the South Mtn and Thompson Pk IR's. It's not in the DB. If anyone else would like to add it to their monitoring, maybe we can ID it and add it. (Police? Security? Park Rangers?)

 

[AZScanner]

Here's a good link on what's happening with Simulcast C: http://www.rwcaz.org/webdocs/2014board/20140123rwc-board-packet.pdf

Long and short of it:
Upgrades to Simulcast C are scheduled to continue until 11/3/2014.
Simulcast B and A aren't slated to begin converting over until January 2015 and January 2016 respectively.
Full transition to Phase 2 700MHz is scheduled to be completed by 12/31/16.

Just a couple of years away, folks. Save your pennies if you don't already have a P2 capable radio.
-AZ

 

[KB7MIB]

Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (BREW; Opera Mini/6.0.3/27.2354; U; en) Presto/2.8.119 320X240 LG VN530)

TG 4555 is a college/university security. I've heard references to a garden center, culinary, and the international student area.
I don't know yet what college/university.
At first I thought it might have been security for the Arizona State Hospital, but they don't have an international student area

 

[AZScanner]

Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (BREW; Opera Mini/6.0.3/27.2354; U; en) Presto/2.8.119 320X240 LG VN530)

TG 4555 is a college/university security. I've heard references to a garden center, culinary, and the international student area.
I don't know yet what college/university.
At first I thought it might have been security for the Arizona State Hospital, but they don't have an international student area

I've been hearing this TG on White Tanks as well. According to the RWC website, one of the member agencies is Maricopa County Community Colleges. So that's likely who we are hearing. Never really paid attention to them before now. Nice find!

-AZ

 

[KB7MIB]

Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (BREW; Opera Mini/6.0.3/27.2354; U; en) Presto/2.8.119 320X240 LG VN530)

Ah, now to identify the individual colleges
I now have 4554 on both North Mtn and White Tanks.

 

[cellphone]

It seems like they are starting to take some of the Simulcast C transmitters offline. In the past I have been able to receive Simulcast C with 5 bars of signal from my home with a handheld antenna. Now I am getting it at 1-3 bars.

Chandler talkgroups are the only active users of Simulcast C. All other talkgroups that were active in the past are now on the South Mountain High Site.

 

[Kars10az]

Simul C is being worked on. Transmitters will be taken down and put back up when the work is completed. I'm not sure what kind of work they're doing on it. It may be a few months before the work is completed. South Mountain is picking up the slack while they work on C. One person said they're upgrading to make it TDMA-ready and another source said it's just routine maintenance. Who knows.

 

[cellphone]

I found some more good info on the RWC website that explains what is going on. It appears that Simulcast C is now offline except the transmitter at Hamilton and Pecos as coverage from Simulcast F and South Mountain site were not adequate for Chandler. Here is from meeting notes:

700 MHz Narrow-Banding, TDMA, Lifecycle Hardware Phase
-Simulcast F increased by 2 channels
-Simulcast C traffic nearly all transferred to F
-South Mt Overlay Site antennas are being changed to boost coverage in
Maricopa, testing to be completed in early April
-Coverage in Chandler not adequate without Pecos site (Hamilton); Motorola
developed a proposal to keep Pecos site partially on-line to provide coverage
-Simulcast C will be turned off in late April pending the results of coverage testing

http://rwcaz.org/webdocs/2014board/20140327rwc-board-packet.pdf

 

[cellphone]

It seems that they are starting to turn up more transmitters on Simulcast C as I am now back to 5 bars of signal from Ahwatukee. It is now 700mhz freqs and a different site number as stated in another thread. There was a lot of testing by radio Techs last week on Simulcast C, and they had talkgroup 203 active with constant audio last week likely for coverage testing. Talkgroup 203 is not currently active but listen for it in the future during testing.

Only Chandler talkgroups and occasionally radio tech talkgroups are being carried on Simulcast C currently as they are likely still making changes.

 

[cellphone]

It seems like even more transmitters for Simulcast C are online as I have solid 5 bars in more places again. Also Phoenix PD 400 and Maricopa PD are now being carried on Simulcast C again. I have not caught any fire talkgroups on Simulcast C yet.

 

[Phoenix805]

Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (BREW; Opera Mini/6.0.3/27.2354; U; en) Presto/2.8.119 320X240 LG VN530)

TG 4555 is a college/university security. I've heard references to a garden center, culinary, and the international student area.
I don't know yet what college/university.
At first I thought it might have been security for the Arizona State Hospital, but they don't have an international student area

Were you guys sleeping when the other threads were alive?
I thought these MCCCD security TGs were ID's and updated to the RR database.
4555 has been ID's as being used by Gateway College (300) and Scottsdale College (1100)
4554 has been ID'd as being South Mountain College (700) and Paradise Valley College (600)

 

[KB7MIB]

I was the one who started the other thread, right after I posted here.