In the old days, Virginia used 39.54 (SIRS, they called it) for an interop frequency. I hear very little traffic on it now, but it got me wondering if VSP troopers had radio contact with local dispatchers, other than cell phones. I read something on the web about the Richmond area wanting to set up Richmond/Henrico/Chesterfield on the Richmond STARS tower somehow, but I have never heard any traffic between troopers and local dispatcher.
VSP and local dispatchers
- Thread starter waynes
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jim202
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Just about all the County dispatch centers and the VSP dispatch centers have the COMLINC gateways that allow them to patch radio traffic as required between the centers. The state spent a good amount of money on this package a number of years ago. It has played out as a useful that has been used a number of times. The down side of any gateway use, is that there is not enough training on a regular basis to keep everyone up to date on how to use the features.
Many of the state agencies also have the same gateway in their mobile command vehicles. Even VDOT is a player in the COMLINC system.
Jim
freqhopping
Member
The Loudoun Co dispatcher can usually contact VSP units in the county directly on the Loudoun system.
K9DUO
Member
In Hampton Roads the troopers could talk directly with the local PD's if they have access to ORION. Im not sure if the do or not. But the VSP 5th division comm center does because we/they do daily radio checks on it. All the dispatch centers here had TECAP (453.800) so they could communicate between each other but that has slowly faded away.
kc4jgc
Member
I've heard occaisional traffic on SIRS. I've even heard troopers advise the VSP dispatcher of a call received on SIRS from a county dispatcher. Recently, on the Albemarle County trunk system, I heard on the SIRS patch talk group distant traffic from Richmond County (on the northern neck).
COMLINC is connected between dispatch centers over the internet. There are special talkgroups in each VSP division for use with COMLINC (i.e. COMLINC1, COMLINC2, etc) but they can actually complete these patches using any VSP talkgroup to any local frequencies they want to use.
Like already mentioned many local jurisdictions also let the VSP troopers in their area have access to their local systems which works on a day-to-day basis but if you really had something big other troopers coming into the area would be left out. That is where COMLINC would become more crucial.
John
BM82557
Member
SIRS is still in use out this way. I've heard traffic with a PL of 131.8 I believe. Several times a day you can hear dispatch talking to units. Can't pick up the units from here but hear dispatch. Sounds a ways a way though.
The dispatch is usually asking the SP units to respond on one of their calls and always say they will notify VSP dispatch of the units now responding for them. It might be Rockbridge or Augusta I'm hearing. The other day it was from somewhere where they only had two SO units and both had gone off various comms. 22'd after a while after contact was reestablished.
Not used in Alleghany though.
I've heard a fair amount of traffic on the C-Ville 800 SIRS Patch when up in that area too.
The dispatch is usually asking the SP units to respond on one of their calls and always say they will notify VSP dispatch of the units now responding for them. It might be Rockbridge or Augusta I'm hearing. The other day it was from somewhere where they only had two SO units and both had gone off various comms. 22'd after a while after contact was reestablished.
Not used in Alleghany though.
I've heard a fair amount of traffic on the C-Ville 800 SIRS Patch when up in that area too.
Even when I was dispatching for VSP (1996 through 2000), we never used SIRS to contact the localities. We had ring-down lines for each of the 22 counties and 4 cities that we handled, and would call them directly when needed via telephone.
Now the localities would use SIRS to contact the troopers working their counties, even though we would routinely request they call us first. Nevertheless, the troopers would get the call from the SO or PD and then get on the VSP radio and let us know where they were headed.
Many localities will now give their assigned troopers a handheld for their local system, which even further reduces the use of SIRS in many areas.
As was pointed out above, COMLINK has been installed, but unfortunately, it's not used nearly to the extent that it could be and telephones continue to be the preferred method of communication between the various comm centers.
Now the localities would use SIRS to contact the troopers working their counties, even though we would routinely request they call us first. Nevertheless, the troopers would get the call from the SO or PD and then get on the VSP radio and let us know where they were headed.
Many localities will now give their assigned troopers a handheld for their local system, which even further reduces the use of SIRS in many areas.
As was pointed out above, COMLINK has been installed, but unfortunately, it's not used nearly to the extent that it could be and telephones continue to be the preferred method of communication between the various comm centers.
Today listening to the drill @ Surry Nuclear Station, whoever unit 205 is, came up on M-Call 5 to advise VSP Chesapeake about a patch on RIOS? VSP advised that RIOS wasn't active at their site? What is RIOS?
Webodisk
Silent key.
Very useful. Thanks.
jim202
Member
If it wasn't active, then why wasn't it repaired. My guess is that the dispatcher didn't remember how to use it.
It's the old adage of use it or loose it. In many cases, the dispatchers don't drill with the RIOS gateway and forget just how simple it is to use.
There are some 160 plus RIOS gateways installed around the state of Virginia in both dispatch centers and mobile command vehicles. It is very simple to use and even has a built in recorder system that can be turned on or off as needed.
The RIOS gateway has all sorts of neat features including dual tone paging for fire department pagers. Works between all kinds of radio systems. As long as the radio is connected to the gateway, you can make a patch. Connect multiple gateways together using an IP connection. This is not a spoke and hub connection where you need one gateway to act as the central control point. Will work over the Internet or a satellite connection. Will work on both 12 volts DC or 120 volts AC. Can even change some radio models in frequencies and groups or zones remotely. It's a software designed gateway, not a hardware limited gateway.
RIOS is the actual product made by a company called SYTECH that is used throughout most of the state for COMLINC. A little confusing but COMLINC is basically the state plan for having a series of gateways throughout the state that allows radio systems to be interconnected (usually through the 'internet'). SYTECH RIOS is the actual system bought in most places to implement COMLINC.
Many times the names are used interchangeably but technically RIOS is just a tool like Windows 7. When used in VA as part of the statewide system it should be called COMLINC. And there could be systems by other manufacturers on COMLINC other than RIOS.
John
I , My self here little talk on 39.54 but I live in King William, only time I hear something is when VSP wants to communicate to county or both ways, but just about everyday I hear some kind of signal on this frequency, its interesting what comes across at times. But I have always wondered how they do it
installed in every marked car, most unmarked "patrol" or BFO cars through the rank of First SGT. LT and up is usually just STARS. STARS only in BCI and super squirrel mobiles.
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