System ID: 8D9

[Enjoi19]

Got a bit of a confusing one tonight. Around Warden/401 in Scarborough, I was picking up what looked to be Guelph's system - but not the existing site. System was 8D9, RFSS 5, site was 145.

But, the control channel frequencies logged were those of the 700MHz Orillia PSRN site.

I don't think it's quite reasonable to be getting a signal where I was from either place. It was a steady, consistent signal though. Wondering if anyone can help shed any light on this one...

 

[mikewazowski]

Last time I checked Orillia, it was showing up as a subsite of the Guelph system. Different site number though.

 

[Enjoi19]

Strange. Totally wasn't expecting to see it from that location either.

 

[gary123]

My conventional list shows that 770.91375 is also assigned as OPP BEAT4 and 772.14375 PL 97.4 is OPP BEAT02 PL 91.5. An interesting reuse of the frequencies.

 

[mciupa]

I have learned that Site 145 is located at Queen's Park in Downtown Toronto. I have added a new Sys ID to the database.

 

[Enjoi19]

That would add up with the new "Toronto" site seemingly being further north and not in it's existing location. I'm receiving this fairly well from the core, so I'd say your info adds up!

 

[gary123]

PIA would be another candidate for a similar site. Although Peel and the RCMP are the usual services there it would not surprise me to find a OPP site idling there.

I also would expect different TG in use at Queens Park. We may have to wait a bit for them to go live though.

 

[mikewazowski]

Doubtful considering they don't have any presence at PIA unlike Queens Park and GHQ. I suspect these will replace the current BEAT type repeaters at these locations.

 

[exkalibur]

Pearson is well served by the Britannia site which is just a few km west of the airport. Probably not much need for a dedicated airport site.

I also would expect different TG in use at Queens Park. We may have to wait a bit for them to go live though.

They're currently on a stand-alone UHF conventional channel (that sounds like hot garbage). I'd expect them to at least upgrade to something P25, if not on the system.
If we're seeing a site located at QP, I'd say it's pretty clear they're going to switch at some point. I doubt they'll be on the same TG as the highway cars as that's a lot of unnecessary traffic. They could have put them on the existing FleetNet system originally if that was the intent, coverage certainly wouldn't have been a problem.

 

[mikewazowski]

They're currently on a stand-alone UHF conventional channel (that sounds like hot garbage). I'd expect them to at least upgrade to something P25, if not on the system.

Same with GHQ Security.

 

[mikewazowski]

I found this on the Guelph Police Service Board's website:

Radio Project Request for Proposal Report
The report was received for information. Deputy Martin reported that in 2014, the
Guelph Police Service, in partnership with Guelph Fire and the City of Guelph,
started a process to replace and upgrade the existing public safety grade two-way
radio system used by first responders. Through a consultation process, it was
decided to use a managed radio system rather than purchase and operate a system.
The tender award went to Bell Mobility and a final contract was signed in
December 2016. Implementation is anticipated in the first half of 2017.

I suspect that the Guelph system is a subsite of PSRN and is using the same core as PSRN. Much like the old Fleetnet, there's probably extremely limited roaming between the City of Guelph site and the rest of PSRN.

 

[mciupa]

Thinking out loud here.

Should the Guelph Emegency Services be listed in the PSRN menu, as it also as it is 8D9 Site 5.1 ?

Guelph Emergency Services Trunking System, Guelph, Ontario

Guelph Emergency Services Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

In the past, we have merged systems with same Sys ID's like GOTRBO Network Trunking System, Multiple Locations, Multi-State and Canadian Armed Forces Safety, Emergency and Administrative Radio System (SEARS) Trunking System, Various, Multi-State

 

[gary123]

They may all be part of a single system. Ideally the test would be to see in TG from site 1 roamed to any of the newer sites should they be in the area of those sites.

 

[mikewazowski]

Not really. The Guelph City site was part of Fleetnet but Fleetnet radios rarely roamed onto it and I don't think the Guelph City site ever carried any Fleetnet traffic. Fleetnet had a separate wide area coverage site for their users.

There's also the difference in frequencies.

At this point since these 700MHz PSRN sites are using the same system ID as Guelph, I think it's safe to say they're all using the same core and probably should be merged. Makes more sense then to add Orillia GHQ and Queens Park to the City of Guelph system.

You could even take a wild leap and surmise that Bell assumed there would be 4 PSRN RFSS zones to match the old Fleetnet system so they started Guelph off at RFSS Zone 5.

 

[Enjoi19]

Since I don’t know the more historical part of this - is there any particular reason Guelph utilized fleetnet previously?

 

[mikewazowski]

Since I don’t know the more historical part of this - is there any particular reason Guelph utilized fleetnet previously?

The story I heard from reliable sources was that the MOL determined that Guelph's VHF system was a disaster waiting to happen and for officer safety reasons, needed to be replaced ASAP. Bell needed a test bed for Fleetnet and Guelph desperately needed a new system so Fleetnet was rolled out in Guelph with a single site (Site 2) and the City moved to it. It was pretty much a standalone site with rarely any Government traffic on it. Instead, Site 12 was used by Government users.

You'll notice that Fleetnet doesn't have a Site 1 and the first site is Site 2 which was turned off when Guelph moved to 700MHz. PSRN is also missing SItes 1 and 2 in RFSS Zone 1.

 

[Enjoi19]

Appreciate the insight into this. I agree with merging Guelph into the new system (much less confusing overall, I feel).

 

[mciupa]

This is what it looks like now.

Land Mobile Radio Network Trunking System, Multiple Locations, Ontario

Land Mobile Radio Network Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

I've deprecated the Guelph Emergency Service stand alone listing and it is now in PSRN
Site 12 PSRN has changed from Guelph to Woodlawn (Guelph West)