Texas DPS Moving to APCO 25?

[nduke1]

Anyone know if there is a move to get DPS' VHF System on APCO-25?

My friend back home (Odessa-Midland) called last week wanting DPS frequencies again, reporting their channels have been quiet. I sent him the spreadsheet in the database, and noticed Abilene's primary was now APCO-25.

I am in Dallas, and here, they still are on same old channels as I best can tell.

Any one with any idea? I know Midland County SO put APCO-25 on their Primary. Was thinking DPS may be moving same way. :?

 

[scanfan03]

Here in Houston they are still none digital and don't think they will go digital any time soon until HCSO goes digital. Anyways they wouldn't be able to get any wreckers to tow any vehicles if they went digital.

 

[Stephen]

They are starting to implement it through out the state. They are going to the narrow band freqs, the radio can go dual mode between digital and analog if they need to.
The DFW area troopers are still on analog and will implement later on.

 

[nduke1]

Thanks for the reply guys.

I later did a search in the forum and found some additional info.

Pretty odd I suppose. I work for the state, and do not see DPS getting any money to update the system in an expedient fashion.

Still, I suppose almost time to shell out the 500 bones and upgrade.

Guess I'll look for one this time that supports narrowband as well.

 

[DPS8504]

DPS Digital APCO 25

DPS Region 4 which is the Midland, El Paso, Abilene, Pecos, San Angelo region has been the first to move to the new digital system being installed through out the state. There were some bugs, but have since been worked out.

 

[2101]

It seems as if DPS is slowly moving that way... Wilson County Sheriffs all use digital Apco 25 and the DPS troopers have the capability to talk on that system as well as the analog. Guadalupe County Troopers are now sporting EFJ portables now as well. I don't know that the Guadalupe County troopers are using digital but the radios they are carrying have the capability. I read somewhere (probably here) that TEXAS DPS gave a contract to EFJ for digital radios. There was some plan a while back from the Texas Sheriffs Association to do a test of APCO 25 digital along a IH 35 corridor from Georgetown down to Laredo but I have heard nothing new on that.

 

[pacrat551]

There was some plan a while back from the Texas Sheriffs Association to do a test of APCO 25 digital along a IH 35 corridor from Georgetown down to Laredo but I have heard nothing new on that.

I too heard about that during a Motorola MTUG meeting last year. It's supposed to be an APCO 25 VHF "Test" system that will be linked with every major radio system down to laredo. But as 2101 stated, I too have heard nothing new on it

 

[blantonl]

That might explain the 150 MHz bandplans that Pro96com is reporting on the Travis County / Austin P25 system.

 

[pacrat551]

That might explain the 150 MHz bandplans that Pro96com is reporting on the Travis County / Austin P25 system.

That is possible, I was at the meeting where they did the test between VHF, 700 and 800. It was all pretty cool, the main controller for the system controlled all 3 sites so that all 3 radios could interact with each other. they even had a system watch type program displayed on a projector to show the radio ID's as they were transmitting.

 

[DPS8504]

Linking Systems

DPS in is the early stages of implemenint a test to link all DPS radio consoles with all DPS Comm sites and then with other agency consoles for an interoperability test. OK Highway Patrol has been ask if they would like to be included in the test. Due to be implemented Nov 1, 2004.

 

[nd5y]

How are they linked? VoIP?

Tom ND5Y

 

[nd5y]

Re: Linking Systems

DPS in is the early stages of implemenint a test to link all DPS radio consoles with all DPS Comm sites and then with other agency consoles for an interoperability test. OK Highway Patrol has been ask if they would like to be included in the test. Due to be implemented Nov 1, 2004.

This morning I heard Lampasas conducting interoperability tests
transferring their traffic to Waco and Austin.

Tom

 

[TexScan780D]

Midland DPS

The Midland DPS is digital on frequencies 154.6725 mobile and 155.4525 base. The base also transmit both on the base and mobile at the sametime, I don't know why.

:wink:

 

[mam1081]

Actually, the Base transmits on 155.4675 and the mobiles talk in on 154.6875. Midland also dispatches the 159.2175 repeater than covers Howard, Mitchell, and Glasscock counties. Abilene dispatches east of that on 155.8875 repeater (Nolan & Fischer Co). Ozona also dispatches on a 155.8875 repeater somewhere south of Big Spring/Colorado City (I don't know where that repeater is exactly). Ozona also dispatches 159.2175 repeater near Rankin, TX. I've weakly heard Ozona on 159.2175 near Monahans - not sure if that's the same repeater or not. Pecos seems to have a repeater on 158.825 that is far NorthEast of Pecos (not sure as to the exact location). Pecos dispatches on 155.4525, and has another repeater on 155.7375.

Anyone know any of the NAC codes? I'm curious to see if they set up the Digital repeaters like the analog ones - all the same freq, just different tones for different "channels". Are there Repeaters 10-19 on digital also, or are they location specific across the state?

 

[mam1081]

Today I heard some units calling Ozona on the 159.2175 repeater (in digital), and dispatch coming back in analog. About 5 minutes later, I heard dispatch in digital again...

You would think they would just stay in one mode!

 

[Stephen]

Who knows them radio techs are very undecisive at times. I am wondering when the repeater here is going to get switched I was at the site of Denton Repeater and it is still the old ass GE repeater from about 1925. Though, I am sure they will be moving it out sooner or later.

 

[Ed]

Texas DPS Moving to APCO 25

Houston Region will be moving to APCO25 near the end of 2005 or the beginning of 2006. I asked one of the radio Tech and that's what he said. I know the Dayton repeater was replaced and a new one was installed in Huffman and yes, it's APCO25 capable.

I was in west Texas and the Radio Shack PRO-96 did a very good job monitoring DPS near Abilene.

 

[N5AMS]

looks like i need to get prepared is dayton going APCO25 anytime soon? and is liberty county doing this also?

 

[precoislen]

It seems as if DPS is slowly moving that way... Wilson County Sheriffs all use digital Apco 25 and the DPS troopers have the capability to talk on that system as well as the analog. Guadalupe County Troopers are now sporting EFJ portables now as well. I don't know that the Guadalupe County troopers are using digital but the radios they are carrying have the capability. I read somewhere (probably here) that TEXAS DPS gave a contract to EFJ for digital radios. There was some plan a while back from the Texas Sheriffs Association to do a test of APCO 25 digital along a IH 35 corridor from Georgetown down to Laredo but I have heard nothing new on that.

Bexar County Troopers are starting to sport the EFJ portables also, model 51SL's. Still operating in Analog.

 

[mam1081]

P25 Testing - TXDPS - Lubbock

P25 has been heard this morning on 154.68 (maybe 154.6875?) and 155.46. Testing (low power). Perhaps Lubbock DPS is about to swap over!