STARS--New Talkgroups

[gcgrotz]

Good Morning:

I am hearing some kind of weak bursty data here in C'ville on 152.5175 on the Icom 746 with a scanner antenna on the roof. It comes and goes so if it is P25 it is not a CC, at least here. I don't have the '396 handy to verify if it is P25, and it probably would not work because of de-sense from the paging TX up the street. I'll have to try it from over that way if nobody beats me to it.

As for that tower location based on the lat-long posted above, there is a tower on that ridge, I was up that way on US15 a couple times recently. I think it is VSP since back in the 80's there was actually a fire lookout tower at that spot and the VSP was on it then. You can see it from 15, there are a number of dishes on it and it is not cellular. I know that VSP has a MW path from BearDen to somewhere around Gordonsville.

 

[Kumba]

Hmm, I see two TGID's logged under Division 7 for the NoVA groupings. Anyone know what the closest site for picking up STARS traffic would be from Alexandria, VA or down in Southern MD? None of the listed cities look close to me, though I have no idea where the newly-listed Site 127 might be located.

 

[dtscho]

On Wednesday evening, heard traffic on talkgroup 29 on the Thornburg tower. The volume was low, so I couldn't really make out what they were saying, but it sounded like surveillance-type traffic.

Based on the Division 1/Division 5 talkgroup layouts, this talkgroup is probably 2A.

Maybe Culpeper (Division 2) is getting ready to come online...

Dave

 

[shumadine]

I heard testing on talkgroup 00756 several times this week in Richmond. Looks to be another Wytheville group.

 

[MOTORHEAD3902]

It is.

 

[tglendye]

Hmm, I see two TGID's logged under Division 7 for the NoVA groupings. Anyone know what the closest site for picking up STARS traffic would be from Alexandria, VA or down in Southern MD? None of the listed cities look close to me, though I have no idea where the newly-listed Site 127 might be located.

I think Fork Mt. or Thornburg would be the closest. There aren't any active in NOVA as of yet.

Todd

 

[Webodisk]

VDOT heard testing on friday Tg 5039 they were using low band ch-30 to compare test results in the tunnels in tidewater area CH-30 used to be the smart traffic center they have moved to 47.220 pl 77.0 which used to be STC unit to unit comms when I worked there.

 

[n4jri]

I think Fork Mt. or Thornburg would be the closest. There aren't any active in NOVA as of yet.

Todd

Depending on the curve of the river, the Edgehill site in King George may give Thornburg some competition. It's probably a particularly good bet for Southern MD.

73/Allen (N4JRI)

Edit - I almost forgot, that's the new site 127

 

[Chris45]

Manassas

Does anyone have any idea how far north in the Valley that the Fork Mtn. site reaches?

I can hears STARS in Manassas like it was in my back yard.

 

[n4jri]

I can hears STARS in Manassas like it was in my back yard.

I can hear Fork Mtn. on a handheld inside a car up until I'm 2 or 3 miles south of Front Royal. I think that someone reported hearing it Loudoun, but I don't know what they're using or how consistent reception is.

73/Allen (N4JRI)

 

[dtscho]

On Saturday, I had Fork Mountain with two bars on a handheld inside a car from George Mason University (Fairfax).

Dave

 

[n4jri]

On Saturday, I had Fork Mountain with two bars on a handheld inside a car from George Mason University (Fairfax).

Dave

And with all that coverage they STILL can't get Div.2 up and running. tsk.tsk...

73/Allen (N4JRI)

 

[tglendye]

I can hear Fork Mtn. on a handheld inside a car up until I'm 2 or 3 miles south of Front Royal. I think that someone reported hearing it Loudoun, but I don't know what they're using or how consistent reception is.

73/Allen (N4JRI)

Hi Allen. Are you using the stock antenna? I don't have real good luck with my PSR500 inside a vehicle unless I am using an external antenna. Otherwise the signal is strong w/ an external. I have an antenna on my vehicle, but not my wife's.

Todd

 

[topcop1833]

using a STARS mobile, I can TX/RX from the base of the washington monument. I was hitting the thornburg tower. 64 to the west, up and over afton mt, until about 64/81, good comms on fork mt.

 

[fmon]

Nearly every trip to/from WV I copy Fork Mt on a hill top around mile marker 35 I-64. Looks to be around 80 sober crow flying miles. Earlier contacts with 2096 but last trip in May was a 600. Both with RS through glass antenna.

 

[n4jri]

Hi Allen. Are you using the stock antenna? I don't have real good luck with my PSR500 inside a vehicle unless I am using an external antenna. Otherwise the signal is strong w/ an external. I have an antenna on my vehicle, but not my wife's.

Todd

I use the RS 800 duckie inside the vehicle. Radio is either in a cup holder or hanging from a dashboard air vent.

73/Allen (N4JRI)

 

[rfburns]

There's quite a few locations around Winchester where you can hear Fork Mtn, but I-81 itself is mostly shadowed. I continue to hear 700 Meg mobile extenders in Loudoun (RT 7), Fauquier and Warren (I-66).

 

[beastieboy101]

rfburns is that the 764.40625mhz freq you are describing or are there different 700mhz freqs for STARS

 

[tglendye]

I use the RS 800 duckie inside the vehicle. Radio is either in a cup holder or hanging from a dashboard air vent.

73/Allen (N4JRI)

I'm a little envious. My 500 does well, but not that good.

Todd

 

[rfburns]

is that the 764.40625mhz

Mostly 764.45625, but occassionally 764.40625.