STARS Info

[Bote]

STARS frequencies

After completely refarming my STARS sites into 4 blocks for I-95, US29, Tidewater, and coal country I'm thinking of just making a unified list of unique frequencies and putting them all in as one huge system.

I have discovered some inaccuracies like 158.76 MHz no longer used by Hanover County fire, instead I heard VSP traffic on it when my scanner happened to stop on it in conventional mode.

They re-use some frequencies so it would trim down what has to be programmed, but I'm not sure if there are pitfalls to programming it this way. It would stop on whatever control channel it can hear which is the way it works anyway. I'm usually traveling through Virginia and not scanning one particular area full time so as long as I can hear VSP for the area where I'm driving that's all I really need.

Any thoughts?

 

[LeSueurC]

After completely refarming my STARS sites into 4 blocks for I-95, US29, Tidewater, and coal country I'm thinking of just making a unified list of unique frequencies and putting them all in as one huge system.

I have discovered some inaccuracies like 158.76 MHz no longer used by Hanover County fire, instead I heard VSP traffic on it when my scanner happened to stop on it in conventional mode.

They re-use some frequencies so it would trim down what has to be programmed, but I'm not sure if there are pitfalls to programming it this way. It would stop on whatever control channel it can hear which is the way it works anyway. I'm usually traveling through Virginia and not scanning one particular area full time so as long as I can hear VSP for the area where I'm driving that's all I really need.

Any thoughts?

If you have a Uniden where you can do quick keys, the one big system is a good way to go. That way you can turn the sites on and off, but if you've got a GRE the individual scanlists aren't a bad option either.

 

[Bote]

If you have a Uniden where you can do quick keys, the one big system is a good way to go. That way you can turn the sites on and off, but if you've got a GRE the individual scanlists aren't a bad option either.

It's all Uniden here: 996P2 and 996XT. I was just curious if putting all unique frequencies across the whole state of Virginia into one huge site would create problems in actual use?

Right now I have the sites in geographic blocks that are selectable by Quick Keys but even that seems to be a needless distinction when there are so many frequencies re-used. The scanners don't always behave the way Real Radios do

 

[Bote]

Here is the list of 127 unique STARS frequencies, culled from 267 total.

149.52
151.025
151.04
151.0475
151.055
151.07
151.1225
151.1525
151.1675
151.1825
151.2125
151.2275
151.2725
151.28
151.3025
151.3175
151.3475
151.3625
151.37
151.3775
151.3925
151.4075
151.43
151.4375
151.4525
151.4675
151.4825
152.0225
152.0375
152.0675
152.0825
152.0975
152.1425
152.1575
152.2025
152.2175
152.2325
152.2475
152.5025
152.5175
152.5325
152.5475
152.5625
152.5775
152.5925
152.6075
152.6525
152.6675
152.6825
152.6975
152.7125
152.7275
152.7425
152.7575
152.7725
152.78
152.7875
152.8025
152.8175
154.9575
158.7225
158.7525
158.7675
158.7975
158.8125
158.8275
158.8425
158.8575
158.9925
159.0075
159.0975
159.1125
159.12
159.1275
159.135
159.15
159.1725
159.18
159.1875
159.195
159.2025
159.2175
159.225
159.2325
159.2475
159.2625
159.2925
159.3
159.3075
159.3225
159.3375
159.345
159.3525
159.3675
159.3825
159.3975
159.405
159.4125
159.4275
159.435
159.4425
159.4575
159.7125
161.8
161.8125
161.825
161.8275
161.8375
161.85
161.8625
161.8725
161.875
161.8875
161.9
161.9125
161.925
161.9375
161.95
162
851.1
851.5875
851.9
852.2375
853.2
853.475
853.6125
853.925

 

[tglendye]

... I was just curious if putting all unique frequencies across the whole state of Virginia into one huge site would create problems in actual use?...

I don't think 1 large system would cause any problems tracking STARS. I have GRE's, so I am limited- 32(?) CC's per system. I have 5 of the closest sites in separate scanlists containing only local talk groups. I also have 3 other scanlists to cover all of the CC's and all TG's that I am interested in. So, lots of duplication and waste, here.

I would rather be able to do it your way- with one large system when I am traveling, and then create a smaller system with fewer TG's for everyday listening.

 

[Ghstwolf62]

Tglendye
If you get PSREdit500 it actually does true multi-site system programming. You can select all sites and talk groups and it will do it all with no further steps on your part.

Essentially it will auto create the TSYS needed and all you do is select bank to run them in.

You can also select sites and TGs to your satisfaction without worrying about the 32 limit. In my case I have auto created all I need for the region in one bank and it scans away as I travel hitting the sites as it finds them. (set off not roam)

You can also set banks to specific talk groups based on the one import too. So bank 2 could have 12 talk groups in it and operate from your main site bank without getting all the other TGs in it.

It is the only software that will do this though.

I used to travel nationwide and it worked wonderfully in multiple states with large systems such as Illinois, Indiana and Iowa.

Hope that helps a bit.

 

[tglendye]

Tglendye
If you get PSREdit500 it actually does true multi-site system programming. You can select all sites and talk groups and it will do it all with no further steps on your part.

....

Sorry for the delay, Ghstwolf62... I meant to reply and thank you earlier. I have tried doing this with PSREdit in the past but have not had any luck. But, it's worth another shot. Maybe I can get it figured out this time. It has been a while and I can't recall what my problem was.

Thanks again!

 

[tglendye]

I have created TYS's for VSP using PSREdit. It automatically selected Scanlist 1. The first attempt, I selected Scanlists 2 & 3 as well, since the system needs 3 TYS's. Is this the correct way to do it?

With the second attempt, I only used Scanlist 1, as the software had selected. It seems as if there are 3 of each TG in the scanlist. Is this the correct way... and if so, do you need to L/O a TG 3 times when necessary.

I'm just a little confused.

Thanks!

 

[Ghstwolf62]

It auto creates the number of TSYS needed for whatever you select. The downside is that each of those auto created TSYSs get all the TGs you select put in.

So yes you get three sets of the same TGs if you end up with three TSYS. You can assign them as you want to in order to further delineate your preferences. Setting up Division 5 TGs in one scanlist and Division 6 TGs in another. It will scan back to the TSYSs for sites but keep what you want separate.

If all three of the desired TGs that you want to lock out are coming in then yes you'd have to hit "Lockout" three times.

If the TG in question isn't coming in off all the sites then you wouldn't necessarily need to l/o it out again. Depends on which sites are in which TSYS and which ones you can get.

No problem on delay, I only check in every couple of days myself.

 

[Ghstwolf62]

Salem 2 TG is back in operation yet again and 2112 is off.

Although multiple units late last night were complaining about repeaters being down after what I think was the switchover.

They could only go so far and their radios wouldn't lock onto the next site so they lost radio coverage until they went back in area.

Not hearing any complaints today so far.

 

[Ghstwolf62]

As of 0447 today they are back on 2112, again.

 

[jvdet]

where reception is poor for the scanner - what are the input freq's for each Division, might at least hear something in poor rx areas? may not get a TG that way but worth a try ..

 

[Ghstwolf62]

If I remember inputs are usually 154-156 and 157mhz area. John can expand on that if you can catch him.

There used to be a way to toggle "Show Input Freqs" in the DB here but I can't see it there anymore so it may be gone.

If you can't pick up the main voice or control channels then its highly doubtful you'll pick up the transmit freqs of the units. That is basically asking to get simplex channels and you'll only do that if you're close by.

If you can't get the control channel well enough you'd be better off trying to get the voice channels programmed in separately rather than input freqs.

 

[Ghstwolf62]

Out of curiosity does anyone know who or what "SAR 1" is?

And does anyone know what SP air unit was doing out in Alleghany all day today?

 

[LeSueurC]

Probably Search and Rescue 1

 

[Ghstwolf62]

Probably Search and Rescue 1

That would be the obvious thing but I didn't know they had one or what exactly that title meant. Heard on DEM Ops 1 last night and was curious as to who or what the designation was.

Thanks for the info

Would that be the head of the DEM I wonder?

 

[LeSueurC]

I think it's a unit with DEM, like HazMat 101 or 215 or 513, I've heard SAR 1 doing radio checks periodically

 

[Ghstwolf62]

Okay thanks.