Van Wert MARCS Site

[wbowery]

The Van Wert MARCS tower between Middle Point and Van Wert is now active. I think the frequencies being used currently are on the state's temporary fixed station license (WPQX322). The old Van Wert MARCS license expired, and I haven't noticed any new frequencies being applied for.

The site IDs as 6F0Fh - 0028. The current control channel is 868.6625. Frequencies used that I've caught so far are 866.7625 and 867.750.

Putnam County, Allen County and OSP traffic have been heard so far.


Warren - KC8YKQ

 

[cfr301]

The Van Wert MARCS tower between Middle Point and Van Wert is now active. I think the frequencies being used currently are on the state's temporary fixed station license (WPQX322). The old Van Wert MARCS license expired, and I haven't noticed any new frequencies being applied for.

The site IDs as 6F0Fh - 0028. The current control channel is 868.6625. Frequencies used that I've caught so far are 866.7625 and 867.750.

Putnam County, Allen County and OSP traffic have been heard so far.


Warren - KC8YKQ

Hi warren, I'm unable to hear the Control Channel over here in Wapakoneta, and I have an outdoor Antenna.

Rick

 

[mdulrich]

I'm picking up the control channel south of Elida on a 396T, no outside antenna. TRUNK88 is reporting the site alias as MDLPNT so it should be listed in the DB as Middlepoint

Mike

 

[mtindor]

I'm picking up the control channel south of Elida on a 396T, no outside antenna. TRUNK88 is reporting the site alias as MDLPNT so it should be listed in the DB as Middlepoint

Mike

Mike,

What's the alternate CC? I listed it as "Middle Point" per a google search revealing it to be spelled in two words. If locally this isn't true nad it is actually Middlepoint, let us know.

Mike

 

[mtindor]

The Van Wert MARCS tower between Middle Point and Van Wert is now active. I think the frequencies being used currently are on the state's temporary fixed station license (WPQX322). The old Van Wert MARCS license expired, and I haven't noticed any new frequencies being applied for.

The site IDs as 6F0Fh - 0028. The current control channel is 868.6625. Frequencies used that I've caught so far are 866.7625 and 867.750.

Putnam County, Allen County and OSP traffic have been heard so far.


Warren - KC8YKQ

Thanks, Warren, for letting us all know. Always nice to see a new MARCS site up!

Mike

 

[wbowery]

I'm picking up the control channel south of Elida on a 396T, no outside antenna. TRUNK88 is reporting the site alias as MDLPNT so it should be listed in the DB as Middlepoint

Mike

It is two words, Mike - Middle Point. At least that is what is says on our water bills, post office, etc. : )


Warren - KC8YKQ

 

[wa8pyr]

I'm picking up the control channel south of Elida on a 396T, no outside antenna. TRUNK88 is reporting the site alias as MDLPNT so it should be listed in the DB as Middlepoint

Mike

I would suggest listing it as "Van Wert (Middle Point)" as 99.9% of people won't have a clue where Middle Point is, whereas many will at least have a halfway decent idea where Van Wert is.

 

[jackj]

Where?

I would suggest listing it as "Van Wert (Middle Point)" as 99.9% of people won't have a clue where Middle Point is, whereas many will at least have a halfway decent idea where Van Wert is.

You are undoubtedly right about that Tom but how many people have ever heard of Neapolis?

Jackj

 

[mdulrich]

Mike,

What's the alternate CC? I listed it as "Middle Point" per a google search revealing it to be spelled in two words. If locally this isn't true nad it is actually Middlepoint, let us know.

Mike

It was too late to be typing, yeah Middle Point.

Alternate CC is 867.7500

Mike

 

[mdulrich]

Just a quick comment about this new site. I can't believe they would actually put this up with only 3 frequencies. It is maxing out frequently with trying to carry OSP, MCE, Allen and Putnman County traffic, not to mention any other stuff that is affiliated with it. Since Post 81 is now a dispatch point for District 1 there is quite a bit of OSP traffic and Allen and Putnam County Public Safety are both busy. TRUNK88 is boinking almost constantly at times that all voice channels are busy. Delphos PD and FD are rumoured to come online in January and this will just compound the problem. I'm sure there are going to be unhappy users who can't use MARCS in this area. And it looks like there are lots of radios affiliating with the site.

Mike

 

[mtindor]

Just a quick comment about this new site. I can't believe they would actually put this up with only 3 frequencies. It is maxing out frequently with trying to carry OSP, MCE, Allen and Putnman County traffic, not to mention any other stuff that is affiliated with it. Since Post 81 is now a dispatch point for District 1 there is quite a bit of OSP traffic and Allen and Putnam County Public Safety are both busy. TRUNK88 is boinking almost constantly at times that all voice channels are busy. Delphos PD and FD are rumoured to come online in January and this will just compound the problem. I'm sure there are going to be unhappy users who can't use MARCS in this area. And it looks like there are lots of radios affiliating with the site.

Mike

Given that there isn't a license issued for this specific site yet, i'd be willing to bet that they are probably waiting to see what kind of loading they are getting to determine how many additional frequencies they will need.

The Salem Ohio site does the same thing on an active night, although it doesn't sound quite as busy as Middle Point. Interesting when monitoring with Trunk88 and hearing the constant sound of all channels busy.

I'm sure the OIT guys have some really nice stuff they sit in front of that shows them loading statistics on each and every site and that generates daily/weekly/monthly/yearly reports , and so I wouldn't be surprised if over the next month you see additional freqs added.

That's pretty crazy though that it's so active so quickly. Just goes to show you how much coverage must have been lacking in that area before the site went online.

Mike

 

[mtindor]

yeah Middle Point.

Alternate CC is 867.7500

Mike

Thank you. Added.

M

 

[mtindor]

I would suggest listing it as "Van Wert (Middle Point)" as 99.9% of people won't have a clue where Middle Point is, whereas many will at least have a halfway decent idea where Van Wert is.

I thought about that when adding it, as I didn't know where the hell Middle Point was either heh. But when Mike pointed out that other sites are named that way I figured I might as well add it as Middle Point. That's like the 438 Kirkwood site. People in Belmont Co know that Kirkwood Heights is RF hill around Belmont Co.... but people outside of Belmont typically don't have a clue that it's Kirkwood (since the location is really Bridgeport, OH).

So I'll leave it up to you to decide what to do with it.

I would have renamed it Van Wert (Middle Point), but then in the DB you'd end up seeing:

Van Wert (Middle Point) (Van Wert)

which i think would look pretty corny.

Mike

 

[cfr301]

I just checked the CC again and the Alternate, Have to have Squelch WIDE open to barely hear the Motor Boarding of the CC here in Wapak. Maybe its set directional of the Signal is blocked to me, I was hoping for much better results.

Rick

 

[wa8pyr]

Given that there isn't a license issued for this specific site yet, i'd be willing to bet that they are probably waiting to see what kind of loading they are getting to determine how many additional frequencies they will need.

It's also very possible that they have gotten a few active then knocked off for the new year holiday, and that you'll see more frequencies show up next week as they get repeaters added and combiners tuned up.

 

[wa8pyr]

I just checked the CC again and the Alternate, Have to have Squelch WIDE open to barely hear the Motor Boarding of the CC here in Wapak. Maybe its set directional of the Signal is blocked to me, I was hoping for much better results.

Good possibility that the antennas are on the opposite side of the tower from you to provide some signal steering in that direction. I've got one not too far from me (Orient) where I have a similar problem because the antennas are on the south side of the tower facing the prisons. I can hear it just fine but the RSSI is quite a bit lower than the relatively short distance between there and here would otherwise suggest.

 

[hoser147]

I just checked the CC again and the Alternate, Have to have Squelch WIDE open to barely hear the Motor Boarding of the CC here in Wapak. Maybe its set directional of the Signal is blocked to me, I was hoping for much better results.

Rick

Might have something to do with your location, or as you stated with the antenna. Im getting 99% here Site 28 MDLPNT

Thanks for the heads up Warren.

 

[K8TEK]

I just checked the CC again and the Alternate, Have to have Squelch WIDE open to barely hear the Motor Boarding of the CC here in Wapak. Maybe its set directional of the Signal is blocked to me, I was hoping for much better results.

Rick

It might have something to do with you having your attenuator on.

 

[K8TEK]

Oh, I don't feel like typing out the site peers, so here they are.
View attachment 26580

 

[mdulrich]

Given that there isn't a license issued for this specific site yet, i'd be willing to bet that they are probably waiting to see what kind of loading they are getting to determine how many additional frequencies they will need.

I thought of that too, but with Allen County and Putnam County both having their county public safety agencies on MARCS and good possibilities that there would be affiliations from these agencies, coupled with District 1 OSP showing up there from Post 81 dispatching, I think somebody didn't put much thought to potential loading. With the Lima site having 7 voice frequencies that occasionally load up (without Lima PD, Lima FD, Delphos PD, and Delphos FD on line yet) and the other neighbor sites having at least 3 voice frequencies, to me it's a no brainer that 2 voice frequencies wasn't going to cut it. I'm sure there are radios that are getting rejected from transmitting.

Mike