STARS--New Talkgroups

[rfburns]

I also had CC activity on both 152.5175 (Edgehill???) and 152.7275 (listed as Warsaw and Franklin). They were showing P25 and sounded close, but the scanner wouldn't show a decode rate???????????????? Todd

152.5175 was grid testing data from site 109, probably Pinnacle. Can you hear Pinnacle from your location?

My guess is that 152.7275 was grid data from site 110 in which case 152.7275 will be the alternate CC for site 110. Do you have any guesses as to where site 110 is located?

 

[skthomp]

Pinnacle

I am in West Virginia and line-of-sight to Pinnacle.

However, I have not yet figured out how to program STARS in my Pro-106. Working on that.

In the meantime, I recall that the VSP put a transmitter for Culpepper at that location and is running a separate frequency for it. Do you happen to know the freq?

Steve, N4TX

152.5175 was grid testing data from site 109, probably Pinnacle. Can you hear Pinnacle from your location?

My guess is that 152.7275 was grid data from site 110 in which case 152.7275 will be the alternate CC for site 110. Do you have any guesses as to where site 110 is located?

 

[tglendye]

152.5175 was grid testing data from site 109, probably Pinnacle. Can you hear Pinnacle from your location?

My guess is that 152.7275 was grid data from site 110 in which case 152.7275 will be the alternate CC for site 110. Do you have any guesses as to where site 110 is located?

I checked the TRS in my scanner and realized I didn't have site 109's CC entered- it is now, though. If I remember correctly, 161.8125 (site 10) usually comes in strong (I'm in Rockingham Co)- but then so does Fork Mt, which is in Madison.

I think I have heard the radio tech's before reference Massanutten Mountain. Does anyone know if there is a tower slated for there? That's typically the best peak for coverage for Rockingham.

 

[fmon]

I am in West Virginia and line-of-sight to Pinnacle.

However, I have not yet figured out how to program STARS in my Pro-106. Working on that.

In the meantime, I recall that the VSP put a transmitter for Culpepper at that location and is running a separate frequency for it. Do you happen to know the freq?

Steve, N4TX

If programming manually set TSYS to P25 Auto. Program a nearby active control frequency save out then scan. A default wildcard will be set to scanlist 1 for ID's but you can program known ID's after programming the frequency. A programming shortcut can be found using the link under my signature.

 

[skthomp]

STARS in the Pro-106

Thanks. I'm programming it with Win500 and I think I cracked the code tonight using a suggestion posted here earlier by another member. I created two TSYS objects and entered the control channels and alternates (it takes two objects to enter that many channels). Then I set a Wildcard for each TSYS and uploaded to the scanner.

Right now, it's late at night and I'm in West Virginia. Tomorrow, I'll be driving into the Northern Virginia area and should be able to test whether this worked. At the moment, all I can say is that the scanner appears to bring up both TSYS.

Steve, N4TX

If programming manually set TSYS to P25 Auto. Program a nearby active control frequency save out then scan. A default wildcard will be set to scanlist 1 for ID's but you can program known ID's after programming the frequency. A programming shortcut can be found using the link under my signature.

 

[mmbridges]

VSP Division 5

Does anyone have a link to resources that will help me decipher Virginia State Police Division 5 talkgroup alpha tags and descriptions in the RR database? In particular what areas do Chesapeake 1 and 2 cover? What are:

54 - Blue 5
55 - Red 5
61 - Surveillance 5A
62 - Surveillance 5B

Thanks!

 

[Jim41]

Does anyone have a link to resources that will help me decipher Virginia State Police Division 5 talkgroup alpha tags and descriptions in the RR database? In particular what areas do Chesapeake 1 and 2 cover? What are:

54 - Blue 5
55 - Red 5
61 - Surveillance 5A
62 - Surveillance 5B

Thanks!

Chesapeake 1 is the dispatch channel for the area covering the following localities:
Accomack Co., Northampton Co., Gloucester Co., Middlesex Co., Mathews Co., James City Co., Williamsburg, York Co., Hampton, and Newport News.

Chesapeake 2 is the dispatch channel for the area covering the following localities:
Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Isle of Wright Co., Southampton Co., Brunswick Co., Greenville Co., Surry Co., and Sussex Co.

Blue 5 and Red 5 appear to be for special events or disasters.

Surveillance 5A and 5B appear to be for surveillance or investigation activities.

Jim41

 

[rfburns]

I recall that the VSP put a transmitter for Culpepper at that location and is running a separate frequency for it. Do you happen to know the freq?Steve, N4TX

As far as I know it is 158.985. It doesn't get used very much. Once in awhile someone will ask Culpeper to switch to it. Most of the time I believe Culpeper is on Hogback.

 

[skthomp]

STARS on the Pro-106

Think I have STARS working on the Pro-106, thanks to info provided here by other members. Here's a short summary, in case others want to do it. With the data entry and using Win500, it takes about a half-hour.

1. Create two TSYS (I call mine STARS 1 and STARS 2).

2. For each, set Type to P25 AUTO.

3. Enter all of the control and alternate freqs for STARS from Radio Reference. Each
TSYS will hold only 32 freqs, which is why you need two of them for STARS. Presumably you could get by with only one TSYS if you only entered the freqs for transmitter sites in your area, but I went statewide.

4. Set a Wildcard for each TSYS.

5. Upload to the scanner. I put both TSYS into the same scan list. We'll see how that works out when the system is fully operational.

So far, here in the Tysons Corner area, I've only heard some radio techs testing and I'm not sure which transmitter site was in use. It was good copy, though.

Now...all we need is for them to finish building this moose so there will be something to listen to.

Steve, N4TX

 

[fmon]

5. Upload to the scanner. I put both TSYS into the same scan list. We'll see how that works out when the system is fully operational.

That will work You have statewide controls, why not program the known ID's and alpha tags to each TSYS?

 

[mmbridges]

Additional Alpha Tag Decoding

Chesapeake 1 is the dispatch channel for the area covering the following localities:
Accomack Co., Northampton Co., Gloucester Co., Middlesex Co., Mathews Co., James City Co., Williamsburg, York Co., Hampton, and Newport News.

Chesapeake 2 is the dispatch channel for the area covering the following localities:
Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Isle of Wright Co., Southampton Co., Brunswick Co., Greenville Co., Surry Co., and Sussex Co.

Blue 5 and Red 5 appear to be for special events or disasters.

Surveillance 5A and 5B appear to be for surveillance or investigation activities.

Jim41

Thanks Jim41! I am trying to setup some scanlists for my-father-in-law and I am not in the Southampton area. I don't want to keep bothering folks asking what does this or that alpha tag mean so have you heard that saying about teaching a man to fish?

Are there a couple of references you can point me to for deciphering additional alpha tags in the RR database? Or can you tell me how you acquired this info?


Thanks!

 

[mmbridges]

Interop/Mutual Aid Talk Group descriptions

VSP Red 5 is TG55, likewise VSP RED 1 is TG7 and VSP RED4 is TG757. There is a RED TG and BLUE TG for each division.They are each used as special event TGs to clear up localized chatter from the regular relay and TAC TGs. The color TGs and the TAC TGs are separate and distinct TGs. Chesapeake TAC2 is TG52. TG53 is DIV5 TAC, used for wide area unit to unit comms. For that matter, each division is given a divisional TAC, i.e. DIV 1 TAC is TG5. There are others, as each division follows the same basic template of 2 relay TGs, 2 Tac TGs, 1 divisional tac, a red and a blue, plus mutual aid, interop, and MCALL and MTACs (a, b, and c), as well as STATE TAC for statewide unit to unit calls. Additionally, specialty units (scuba,TACT TEAM, aviation...)are given their own "private" TGs, BCI uses a whole 'nother buncha TGs, and Training has a set, too.
The TGs are out there, they just need to be inventoried.:wink:

I know this is an old post but it contains clues to help me in deciphering some of the alpha tags in the RR database. Can you or someone else describe in a bit more detail what the mutual aid interop talkgroups are, how they work and who uses them?

For instance what goes on in the following Chesapeake Division talkgroups?

6140 Mcall 5
6141 Interop 5
6142 Mutual 5
6143 MComm 5-A
6144 MComm 5-B
6145 MComm 5-C

Oh yeah. I couldn't find the talkgroup ID for "STATE TAC - statewide unit-to-unit calls" in the RR database.

Thanks!

 

[fmon]

Thanks Jim41! I am trying to setup some scanlists for my-father-in-law and I am not in the Southampton area. I don't want to keep bothering folks asking what does this or that alpha tag mean so have you heard that saying about teaching a man to fish?

Are there a couple of references you can point me to for deciphering additional alpha tags in the RR database? Or can you tell me how you acquired this info?

Thanks!

Down town Drewryville is about 10 miles from STARS tower in Emporia or 17 from Franklin tower. You should also hear some Div 1 traffic if the ID's are programmed.

 

[mmbridges]

Greenville Correctional Center Activity

Virginia Department of Corrections.... Check out this link for facility types and locations:

Commonwealth of Virginia - Department of Corrections - Facilities

Did anyone hear recent activity on any of the STARS department of corrections talkgroups regarding the execution of the Metro DC area sniper? I know he was executed in Greenville Correctional Center in Greenville County, VA.

More generally does anyone know which facilities the following talkgroups cover and what gets discussed on each?

2206 Ops Central
2207 Unknown use
2209 Blue Central
2210 Red Central
2212 Ops East
2213 East Tactical
2215 Blue East Ops
2216 Red East Ops
2218 Statewide Transportation

I'm trying to setup some PSR-600 scanlists for my-father-in-law who lives in Southampton county. Unfortunately I live in MD and can't listen in to these channels to try and find out what they are myself. I purchased the unit already and want to have it pre-programmed for him when I go down for Thanksgiving. I figure I can do some fine tuning after I get there but I will have a short window and wanted to do as much as I could beforehand.

Thanks!

Mike

 

[mmbridges]

Department of Game and Inland Fisheries

Down town Drewryville is about 10 miles from STARS tower in Emporia or 17 from Franklin tower. You should also hear some Div 1 traffic if the ID's are programmed.

Thanks for the info fmon. Any recommendations on further alpha tag deciphering for division 5? I'm trying to organize scanlists for a PSR-600 I purchased for my father-in-law. In order to pick and choose what to put in each list I need to understand what the talk groups mean and what is discussed on each. I can't listen in to determine this myself since I am in MD. I want to have as much pre-programmed as possible before I take the unit to him this Thanksgiving Day. So far looking through all of the old STARS posts has shed quite a bit of light on a number of the RR database alpha tags.

I'm thinking my father-in-law might like to listen to the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries talkgroups because a lot of hunting goes on in his area and he might find some interesting traffic.

Do you or anyone else know what area/counties the various regions cover for these talkgroups?

Talkgroup ID's 3211 through 3240.


I was thinking Region 5 might cover the same region as VSP Division 5 but was not sure. Thanks again for all your help!

Mike

 

[MOTORHEAD3902]

Game commission regions and VSP divisions aren't analogous. Southampton is in region 1.
What exactly do you want to know about what talk groups?
VSP:
Chesapeake 1 (simulcast w/159.165): division 5 dispatch channel N of the James River
Chesapeake 2 (simulcast w/159.135). division 5 dispatch channel S of the James River
Chesapeake 3 (no simulcast) division 5 dispatch channel for special events (tg 100)
Tac 1: car to car for ch 1 units
Tac 2: car to car for ch 2 units
Blue 5: Special events/prolonged incidents (each division has a "blue", numbered to the div)
Red 5: non-extant as a numbered channel currently
Surv 5: just what the name implies (tg61)
Surv 5b: non extant currently

The database isn't so current, with regards to tg numbering, but this should getcha up and running as far as recognizing what goes with what talkgroup on the VSP portion of the system.

 

[tglendye]

There was a VDGIF Region Map on there web-site, but it doesn't seem to be there anymore. It might be floating around on this site somewhere, but I couldn't locategeographic boundaries, but I couldn't find it.Here's a really rough idea of the Game regions.


I "stole" this from N4JRI's post on another tread dealing w/ DGIF regions:

n4jri:

1 (Charles City) - most counties east of the fall line
2 (Lynchburg) - west of the fall line, south of the Appomattox River, east of the Blue Ridge mtns
5 (Fredericksburg) - west of the fall line, north of the Appomattox, east of the Blue Ridge
4 (Verona) - Shenandoah Valley & west
3 - everything else, probably from the Roanoke or Blacksburg area south & west.

Hope this helps. BTW, if you're talking about a statewide law-enforcement channel program SIRS... 39.540. It's amount of use varies b/n areas.
Todd

 

[W4UVV]

Thanks for the info fmon. Any recommendations on further alpha tag deciphering for division 5? I'm trying to organize scanlists for a PSR-600 I purchased for my father-in-law. In order to pick and choose what to put in each list I need to understand what the talk groups mean and what is discussed on each. I can't listen in to determine this myself since I am in MD. I want to have as much pre-programmed as possible before I take the unit to him this Thanksgiving Day. So far looking through all of the old STARS posts has shed quite a bit of light on a number of the RR database alpha tags.

I'm thinking my father-in-law might like to listen to the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries talkgroups because a lot of hunting goes on in his area and he might find some interesting traffic.

Do you or anyone else know what area/counties the various regions cover for these talkgroups?

Talkgroup ID's 3211 through 3240.


I was thinking Region 5 might cover the same region as VSP Division 5 but was not sure. Thanks again for all your help!

Mike

DGIF uses STARS MDTs as their primary means of communications. What little voice comms that occur typically are checking in/off duty, giving dispatch the patrol area for their shift and an occasional tac comm to another unit.

 

[rfburns]

I would think 161.8275, not 161.825 as in the database, is the correct frequency if following the proper step.

I believe 161.8250 is the correct frequency. It is in table 4, ch 2330 which comes out to 161.8250. I don't think all the sites could be broadcasting an incorrect table. If the table is incorrect, the channels/frequencies in that table would be messed up throughout the system.

 

[skthomp]

STARS and the Pro-106

Will do that when I have more time. Just listening now to confirm that my programming works, which it seems to do.

This (Thursday) morning, with the Pro-106 and its ducky on the top floor of a two-story house near Tysons Corner, I got traffice on 151.2125 (Fork Mountain, which is in Madison County, which seems like a stretch), 151.4125 (Mt. Weather) and 159.1275 (Hogback Mountain, in Warren County).

Steve, N4TX

5. Upload to the scanner. I put both TSYS into the same scan list. We'll see how that works out when the system is fully operational.

That will work You have statewide controls, why not program the known ID's and alpha tags to each TSYS?