Trunked system database updates

[evan]

FYI-Lindsay has instructed the admins to assign every site on every trunked system to the county it is located in. This means that most of the trunked systems will show that they have been updated recently. I just wanted everyone to know what was going on before you tried to open each one up to see what changes have been made.

 

[Caesar]

ah, thx for 10-14/heads up!

 

[jeffmulter]

Since many of the folks looking for Palmentto 800 information are from out-of-state, and might have no knowledge of S.C. geography, it might help to include the county name (maybe in parentheses) with the site name for statewide and regional system sites listed in the "all trunked systems" page.

Also, if the "statewide" pages for systems like Palmetto 800, Bell and Duke Energy will be eliminated, some folks are going to have problems with using the RR db to find local listening sites.

For instance, I know that the best site to listen to the Palmetto 800 system in my part of Lancaster County is NOT the Lancaster site, but the site in York County. Someone unfamiliar with the county, such as a resident or tourist, may not know. Will the Palnet site map be kept, and linked to each county Palnet link ?

And, for visitors to the state, would someone conclude there is no Palmetto 800 coverage in a county if there is not site listed for that county ? They would have know enough about the names and georgraphy of the surrounding counties to know which other counties to look for a suitable site.

Seems to me there is a place for both types of information in the database.

Along the same lines - putting system information under the "county" db - would it not be appropriate to to place the statewide conventional information under the appropriate county ?

Evan, Brian ... if we all ever get together at a hamfest or other event, I'm going to have to buy you guys lunch ! Thanks for your work, but don't go over 40 hours this week ... we can't afford to pay you guys overtime.


Jeff Multer

 

[fmon]

Evan,

Adding to comments by Jeff, this Eastern Virginia Regional Communications Trunking system is in four locations.

Site  Location
01    Independent city of Norfolk
02    Independent City of Portsmouth
03    County of Prince George
04    Independent City of Hopewell

Can you advise how this may be handled?

I don't see a database admin for Virginia but I'm sure one is assigned. Thunderbolt, webodisk and ericcarlson have historically made changes to the above system and Eric also makes many other timely changes to Virginia database as submitted.

Thanks for your great effort as an Admin, and Jeff, your comments in the forums are always highly valued in my books.

 

[evan]

Jeff-Thanks for your kind comments and great suggestions. First, I'm almost positive that the Palmetto 800 page will remain without being broken up into each county. I believe the purpose of assigning each site to a county is for future reports Lindsay wants to develop for each county, probably something like the PDF reports donation members can currently download for trunked radio systems. This is speculation at this point, but I would think the reports for each county will include the sites of wide-area systems that are physically located in that county. I believe other admins have suggested being able to tag a site not just by its physical location, but also to have the capability to tag it to show the counties it provides significant coverage to. I too would like to see that happen.

I'll definitely talk with Brian about putting the county names in paranthesis next to the site name on the Palm800 page, I think that's a good idea. The closest we have to that now is when you click the individual site, a pop-up window shows the county it's in.

The idea of putting statewide frequencies on their respective county pages has also been suggested in the admin forum and is a possibility down the road. I'm hoping one day we will be able to mark, for example, DNR repeaters to show up on county pages as well as to remain on their own statewide page.

fmon-first you have to edit the "General Information" and add all the counties it's located in. Then, you must edit each individual cell, pull down the drop-down list for the county (which now includes the counties you assigned the system to in general information).

 

[brian]

Jeff, I really like BBQ, and I'm available most any time. Just let me know.

I'm cool with putting the County name in () next to the tower name.

Seems like Grog or someone else has provided edited Palmetto 800 coverage maps with the cell numbers on the map, that might be the best reference for folks not familiar with the state. I think getting those linked from the Palmetto page is a good idea.

Brian

 

[evan]

The Palmetto 800 website also has a new May 2006 coverage map with site names on it, just no cell numbers:
http://www.cio.sc.gov/cioContent.asp?pageID=777

 

[Grog]

Seems like Grog or someone else has provided edited Palmetto 800 coverage maps with the cell numbers on the map, that might be the best reference for folks not familiar with the state. I think getting those linked from the Palmetto page is a good idea.

Brian

I still have to add the new cell site, so I should be able to finish that this evening. If we could store that on the page, it would help a lot.

I say that as someone from NC who never heard of half of the site names on the Pal 800 system

 

[jeffmulter]

Evan and Frank ... thanks for the "thanks." I appreciate it.

It surprises me just how many posts are made by people looking for frequency information that is readily available in the RR database ... even from people on the RR forums. I think it boils down to three things -

1 - getting the word out about Radio Reference
2 - making the information easy to find, and accurate
3 - making (continuing to make) RadioReference the best and first source to seek info from

So, thanks to all the folks who contribute and maintain the databases and wikis, and moderate the forums !

Frank ... congratulations on the arrival of your 4th ? great grandchild recently. I'll never catch up now !

Brian ... in North Carolina, we have to ask one question about BBQ before we know where to eat. Eastern or western style ?

Since the best time to get together always seems to be early mornings, are there any BBQ places that are open 24 / 7 ? (The Breakfast of Champions !)

Or course, I grew up in New Jersey, where "barbecue" meant hamburgers and hot dogs cooked on the hibachi during the summer. In that state, "barbecue" is a verb, rather than a noun.

Everyone have a good weekend.


Jeff

 

[crony803]

Brian ... in North Carolina, we have to ask one question about BBQ before we know where to eat. Eastern or western style ?

Since the best time to get together always seems to be early mornings, are there any BBQ places that are open 24 / 7 ? (The Breakfast of Champions !)

Or course, I grew up in New Jersey, where "barbecue" meant hamburgers and hot dogs cooked on the hibachi during the summer. In that state, "barbecue" is a verb, rather than a noun.

As a transplanted Yankee, I was thouroughly schooled on the subject of "barbeque" upon my arrival.

Back on topic, when I look at the county information for my county, York County, it already has a link to the P800 system. Are y'all talking about breaking that link down to only show the site(s) active in each county seperately from showing the entire P800 system on the state level? i.e., to only show the site information for Newport in the York County page and the entire system on the state page?

 

[evan]

I'm not entirely sure where Lindsay wants to take this. I think that it has to do with future PDF reports that subscription users will be able to download (subscription users can currently download them for trunked radio systems). Future reports for each county will probably list the frequencies of any tower of any trunked radio system located in that county. Like I've said before, I'm really not positive what he wants to do with it, and I wouldn't be worried about it-any changes will only be for the better.

On a side note, I had BBQ in Saluda, NC tonight at Green River, and I must say it was very good.
-Evan