Saratoga County TRS Official Thread

[FDNY10-75]

http://www.saratogaems.org/Downloads/Radio/EMS800RadioReferenceSheetv2.pdf

Listed above are some of the EMS/Fire/Tac talkgroups

Anyone identified any of these yet?

Fire 1 - Main fire dispatch (Replaces old fire A/B)
Fire 2 - Secondary fire dispatch
Tac 3-9 - Talk around channels for Fire/Police/EMS interoperability
Ground 1-3 - On scene Interoperability channels
Paging - Paging cross band repeater
EMS 1 - Primary EMS Dispatch
EMS 2 - Secondary EMS Dispatch
Tac 24 - Talk around channel for Fire/Police/EMS/Highway/Local Gov't interoperability
Colonie - Colonie Interop talkgroup
DRegrp - Dynamic regrouping
CAP800 - Capital District interop (not in service)
Tac 11 - Hazmat Team
Tac 12 - Cause & Origin Team
Tac 13 - Coordinators
Ctac - ?

More here - 800 Radio Resources

 

[Warthog1]

From what I understand, the Colonie group is not active yet, same with CAP800. DRegrp is made up on the fly as needed. I have most everything there, but I am going to wait to post them until after the system goes live, and I have had a chance to re-confirm them. You know how some scanner wizards just sit and wait for someone to correct....even if they are dead wrong !

 

[John_S]

The end is in sight...

Listening this evening and heard mention of training for 800 system radios. Seems like this is coming right along. Anyone know how long simulcasting will last? Probably be a couple of months before I can pony up the bucks for digital unit... looking at the 396xt. Is this a system that can be monitored by "control channel only" listening? The last time I had to program any trunking stuff was when I lived in MA and state police there used such a system....very easy to deal with. I know I'll be back with questions when I update from the 246T. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[DaveNF2G]

Still only 2 towers up in the northwest part of the county. Only 1 tower audible (weakly) in the southern part.

 

[Warthog1]

They have everything for the second Edinburg tower. ....they just have to get it in the air.
Too many installations happening. right now.
Hearing different ambulances testing on EMS 1 (2111) today.

 

[FDNY10-75]

Only other Police TG's look like

Sheriff 1
Sheriff 2
911
Tac 14, 15, 16
"Secure"
"Pvt Call"
"Lost"
Not sure if the last 3 are regular channels or if they are even trunked

 

[Warthog1]

Right now I am showing 6 talkgroups that have been encrypted.
Any idea what they are doing for MRD ? Ballston Spa PD for example ?

 

[Warthog1]

The Sheriff's Dept. and highway dept. are already on the P25 system, and the EMS switch-over will happen at 08:00 this morning. No definite date for fire yet.

 

[DaveNF2G]

They are not really "on" the system. The VHF channels are patched through the main consoles.

 

[Warthog1]

Sorry Dave.......this time I am correct. The S.O., highway, and now EMS are now ON the 800 system.
Yes, they are still simulcasting the VHF....but the traffic other than the fire service.....IS on the P25. I'm not certain about 911, because I don't believe the NYSP has 800...but it's easy for me to find out.
Paging for fire & EMS is on VHF and Talkgroup 511. This talkgroup is not for two-way traffic. EMS-1 is talkgroup 2111....that is where you will find the traffic after the initial tone-out. I have much more info on this interesting system, but I'm not ready to be told I'm wrong......again.

 

[DaveNF2G]

Here's the test - are you seeing individual RIDs for the mobile units?

 

[Warthog1]

Sorry, my 996 , PSR-600, and Pro 2096 don't do individual RID's, to my knowledge. Now I don't have a 'degree', but you need the 396 or 996 XT for that .....if I was informed correctly.

Look Dave, I have alot of respect for you in this hobby, and will be the first to admit that you are one of the best.......but this time......you're WRONG. Plain and simple.....WRONG......sorry.

I will now stop posting here too. The 'scanner wizards' that have to correct everyone that posts have managed to get me to stop posting to a group of which I am a charter member....now I am done here as well.

Sorry I have inferior equipment and can't pass your test......but then again...That exam wasn't on my schedule. Please try to accept the fact that there are others on here that have been in the hobby as long as you.........perhaps even longer. I have three radios monitoring that system....can you hear it from home ?

Goodbye RR ! You are a great bunch.

 

[FDNY10-75]

Don is correct, EMS is on. I will hold off on posting the official list and just add it to the DB when I get a chance.

 

[DaveNF2G]

How can any service be considered ON the system when the mobiles are still accessing it through a patch from VHF?

The system is not yet usable countywide, so it makes no sense to do wholesale switching at this time. There is practically no coverage in the southern parts of the county from the two towers in the Adirondack corner that are operating.

 

[kc2smb]

OnLine

The Sheriffs Department mobile units ARE using their 800 mobiles and not VHF. Have been told they are still using VHF portables temporarily. A simple way to tell is if there is no repeater hang time on 911 when a mobile unit finishes transmitting he/she is coming through via 800. Notice when SP mobiles tx on 911 there is a repeater hang time. Also EMS is switched to 800 as of Monday so the system is online. The problem with the fire service is just the sheer number of radios that need to be installed. In addition I spoke with one of the firefighters in Waterford and they have been field testing their 800 portables on the tactical talk group and I was told they are working fine in Waterford - good signal so I do not know why Dave is not getting strong signal.

I asked and was told there are no plans to patch EMS VHF (154.355) to the 800 system (to bad) but that 911 is planned to stay patched for interop with SP, Mechanicville, Sara Spgs, NYS Park Police etc etc etc

Sometimes the easiest was to find these things out is to ask the people running the system . . .

 

[E-MAC]

Saratoga county 800

It is correct that EMS and Sheriff units are live on the 800 system as well as Sara Co Hightway.
EMS will mostly use EMS1 and EMS2. The only time EMS will use TAC groups would be for large incidents , many EMS calls at same time county wide or for interoperability with other agencys.
Fire should be on in July sometime. 10 of the 11 towers are up and being used. The 11th tower will be built before end of year (projected).

 

[snorkle]

I can pick saratoga 800 in Cobleskill. the fire depts were testing their portables in school bulidings. The barkersville tower reads 99 percent here in Vail mills. Sounds better than fulton county radio system.
wb2gye

 

[Weather88]

Just to confirm what most people in here are saying, the Saratoga County 800 system is LIVE and EMS has been on it since 8:00am yesterday. I work for multiple EMS agencies in the county and we're all using it. The signal is pretty amazing. We can clearly hear everyone in the county, and I've personally used it at Albany Med and Ellis Hospital with no problems. I'm not sure why anyone here is having problems picking it up as this system has been tested all over the place here and there are very few dead spots in the County.

As someone else stated, the only reason the fire service is not online with this yet is because of the massive amount of radios that still need to be installed. Once the radios are installed, the fire service will go live with the 800.

 

[FDNY10-75]

Thanks for clearing that up.

I guess some people would rather spread misinformation than just ask the right questions...

 

[DaveNF2G]

Apparently I live in a dead spot. I receive an erratic signal on ONE control channel which is assigned to a tower in the northwest corner of the county. There are NO other control channels available where I live in Waterford.

My station is a GRE PSR-600 fed by a discone mounted 30 feet in the air. I can hear more distant counties just fine.

Another question arises - are the "Tactical" talkgroups actually trunked or are they simplex?