Turnpike District 4 interference

Status
Not open for further replies.

HM1529

Pennsylvania DB Admin
Database Admin
Joined
Jul 16, 2003
Messages
3,087
Location
West of the Atlantic Ocean
Some kid got a hold of a radio programmed with the District 4 repeater. He's been trolling periodically throughout the morning. Dispatch finally acknowledged him a little bit ago and told him to keep it up because they were homing in on his signal and would be talking to his mom soon. I got a good chuckle out of that. I wonder if he got his hands on an authorized radio belonging to a family member or whether this is a case of some cheap Chinese radio troublemaking. I'm curious to see if the comment scares him off or not. He sounded pretty young.
 

GTR8000

NY/NJ Database Guy
Database Admin
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
15,412
Location
BEE00
Makes an even stronger case for them moving to the 700 MHz TDMA system eventually.
 

GTR8000

NY/NJ Database Guy
Database Admin
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
15,412
Location
BEE00
To the STATE TDMA system. Their own system is a terrible idea...
One man's opinion. It may make more financial sense for them to use the state system, however from a standpoint of not having to be at the mercy of the PSP when it comes to decisions regarding the sites, talkgroups, etc. Oh and they probably didn't want to be bothered with VHF sites every 50+ miles apart, instead wanting to put their own 700 sites where they needed them most.

Anyway, no sense in litigating their decision here...I'm sure they know what they're doing better than any of us armchair experts. ;)
 

n3obl

Ø
Database Admin
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
1,817
Location
PA
part of the problem with turnpike moving to state system is how they will interop with the fire, ems and tows that switch onto their channels as needed.
 

HM1529

Pennsylvania DB Admin
Database Admin
Joined
Jul 16, 2003
Messages
3,087
Location
West of the Atlantic Ocean
part of the problem with turnpike moving to state system is how they will interop with the fire, ems and tows that switch onto their channels as needed.

I would imagine this is among the options they are weighing. If PTC were to but and issue new radios, it would eliminate the contracted services saying it can't be afforded. But, we'll have to wait and see how it plays out.

I think it is interesting how many of their 700MHz sites have 5-6 frequencies assigned, more than nearly all of the STARNET P25 sites. Except, of course, what could be two of their busiest sites (Devault/Valley Forge and Emmaus/South Mountain). I am curious as to whether they would ultimately just add these sites as additional sites on STARNET, add them as a new subsystem (2), or operate a separate TRS with ISSI links between the two. I would think the first or second options would make more sense, but with PTC being PTC, who knows.
 

W3AWF

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 27, 2011
Messages
158
Location
Chester County, PA
Wow...… just wow. Did it eventually stop? I usually have it on while I travel the turnpike to work in the morning, however I took my car yesterday so I didn't have my scanner with me. I really hope that this isn't "the straw that broke the camels back" so to speak in regards to the PTC going onto the state system. Everyone can speculate as to exactly where the interference came from "Firefighter that left a radio at home with his kids, random radio left somewhere, or a Chinese POS" but it is instances like this on why nobody is on analog anymore.
 

Franofphl

Newbie
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jul 12, 2020
Messages
2
I use to be a collector on the Turnpike. I’m betting someone got a hold of a radio. They may switch over to the TDMA system now that the interchanges aren’t in use anymore. Also I have a pretty good idea who the dispatcher was. He was always fun to listen to.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top