VSP along I-77 / I-81

[vinzep491]

Hello Gang.

I'm looking to find out what is best to monitor to recieve VSP from South Carolina up North.

I'll be entering the state from 77 and continuing until the 81N interchange, which I will ride until I end up in West Virginia.

What troops/areas have transitioned to STARS, and who is still on their conventional freq's?

What should I be monitoring and where? Any and all help from the locals is appreciated.

Thanks again.

 

[motorola_otaku]

When I went through there last summer the entire I-81 corridor had transitioned to STARS. Didn't hear a peep on any of the old conventional channels from Bristol to DC.

 

[BigLebowski]

Wytheville (Division 4) has transitioned to STARS. I believe that there are still some coverage issues in Division 4 and possibly some simulcasting on 159.000, someone that lives in the area can correct me. Last time I was up that way I monitored all of the traffic on Wytheville 1 and Wytheville 2 on STARS.

 

[mike_s104]

Some of Division 2/Culpeper is simulcast to the analog freqs. When we went through Division 4/Wytheville in April 2011, they were simulcasting but "ATF1224 is probably right. I also think Division 3/Appomattox around Augusta Co. is simulcasting as of the pst weekend. If you just put in all of STARS for Divisions 4, 6, 3, and 2 as well as the analog freqs you should be fine. If you don't want to hear Fairfax and Richmond Divisions as the Dept. of Corrections, I would not set a wildcard/search or lock those out. If you think there will be bad weather, you will want to put in all the analog VHF Low DoH freqs as well as the ones for STAR.

Not sure about the entire state, but I know at least Augusta Co. SO (when I lived there about 8 years ago) would also patrol I81 and I64. This is also true for Frederick Co. around Winchester. If you want what to program in for the small section of WV and MD and I81, PM me. Won't be much help for PA (most is OpenSky anyway).

VA State Police Division Map
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Virginia_Statewide_Agencies_Radio_System_(STARS)

 

[brownlab]

I did not get from your post if you have a digital radio or not but I think on just about your entire route, the VSP is transmitting on STARS and the trick about STARS is programming the correct STARS Sites. I cannot add much to Mike's post but attached is the STARS site list. Have a safe trip.

STARS - Google Maps

 

[gcgrotz]

Regarding Augusta County, unless there is somewhere besides Bearden that you were hearing, the old 159.135 is NOT active and hasn't been for some months. As late as January, the equipment was still there but not a peep from it transmit-wise. I'm listening to it this morning from home and still not a peep.

For vinzep, Bearden is about 4 miles north of where I-64 crosses the Blue Ridge Parkway / Skyline Drive and covers the valley very well. It is a STARS site as well.

 

[vinzep491]

Thank you for all of the help. In regards to the digital or anaklog scanner, I will have both on board.

Thanks again.

 

[mike_s104]

Regarding Augusta County, unless there is somewhere besides Bearden that you were hearing, the old 159.135 is NOT active and hasn't been for some months. As late as January, the equipment was still there but not a peep from it transmit-wise. I'm listening to it this morning from home and still not a peep.

When I was there in Staunton this past weekend I did hear some analog state police traffic but I can't say for sure exactly what/who it was. I'm sure your info is more accurate.


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[gcgrotz]

When I was there in Staunton this past weekend I did hear some analog state police traffic but I can't say for sure exactly what/who it was. I'm sure your info is more accurate.


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Hey Mike: maybe there is something in Staunton that I can't hear on this side, I have to run over to Wbo later today, I'll crank it in and see if I hear anything. I have it in the VHF ham rig with the external antenna.

 

[tglendye]

Hey Mike: maybe there is something in Staunton that I can't hear on this side, I have to run over to Wbo later today, I'll crank it in and see if I hear anything. I have it in the VHF ham rig with the external antenna.

I'll check too today or tomorrow. I know Culpeper is simulacasting on ch. 11 in Rockingham, but not sure about Appomatox.

 

[mike_s104]

Hey Mike: maybe there is something in Staunton that I can't hear on this side, I have to run over to Wbo later today, I'll crank it in and see if I hear anything. I have it in the VHF ham rig with the external antenna.

I'll check too today or tomorrow. I know Culpeper is simulacasting on ch. 11 in Rockingham, but not sure about Appomatox.

I think it might be Culpeper that I was hearing on analog. I think what happened was after the wife was asleep I was playing with the scanner and heard a trooper on STARS as for a relay which told me there was some analog traffic (unless they aren't aware that they don't need a "relay" for STARS but I don't think they actually need a "relay" for many many years on the analog towers since they started leaving the repeaters on all the time. The asking for a "relay" was basically asking the dispatcher to turn on a tower that was closest to the trooper so he could talk to another trooper that was out of range for TAC). After I heard that on STARS, I turned on the analog scanlist and started hearing some analog traffic. When I realized it was simulcast, I went back to only STARS.

I do know that the analog 154.665 (not bad from memory) TAC is still used around Winchester.

Another thing I forgot to mention for vinzep491 to listen to are the DVRS freqs. Read the note at the top. They have been heard in both analog and digital (I've heard both as well)

Virginia State Police DVRS Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

 

[vinzep491]

Thank you for all of the good information everyone.
Will do.

 

[gcgrotz]

Nothing was heard over in the Valley on 159.135. I'll try to remember to plug in .165 next time I go out North of town.

 

[tglendye]

Yesterday I heard Appomattox simulcasting two separate times on 159.135. I also noticed more of Culpeper simulcasting on 158.895.

 

[ScanWV]

Yesterday I heard Appomattox simulcasting two separate times on 159.135. I also noticed more of Culpeper simulcasting on 158.895.

There for a while it seemed like I didn't hear much, but here lately they have been simulcasting on their conventional frequencies again. I wasn't sure if it was on purpose or what.

 

[John]

Salem still simulcasts on 159.000 in the northern part of their division though they are supposed to be adding a new STARS site(s) to fix coverage gaps and discontinue the practice.

John

 

[gcgrotz]

Yesterday I heard Appomattox simulcasting two separate times on 159.135. I also noticed more of Culpeper simulcasting on 158.895.

Where were you when you heard it, Todd? I just now put .135 back in the scanner while I'm in the shack and I'll listen a while. I haven't listened for .895 in a while, not sure I can hear it in town here. I know from Randy's column in the SERA Repeater Journal that the VSP techs have been de-installing the old stuff and pitching out spares for the 30 year old system.

The .135 site on Bearden was, when it was still up, only transmitting when APP2 was active. Could be it was APP1 coming from somewhere else, Cumberland or Leigh Mtn possibly?

EDIT: Just heard Appomattox on .135 here in C'vill, full scale on the '8200 S meter 10:07 am. Not exactly burning up the airwaves with traffic. Has to be Bearden, I'll have to see if I can get there before my vacation next week.

 

[tglendye]

I think it was Bearden, too. I was on Rt. 340 in Rockingham County north of Elkton. I was surprised when I heard it, because it had apparently been in my scanner since the beginning of this topic and I just started hearing it again.

 

[Russabbey]

For everyone's information, the Wytheville and Salem districts are full time STARS now. I have been listening to them for quit awhile now. Further North? I'm not sure of.

73
Russ AbbeyKG4MAV