Watts going on?

[Chaos703]

Question 1:
Does anyone know the wattage TPD uses on their talkaround channel? Wouldn't it be the same wattage as their output from the car to the tower for the trunked system. It is, after all, just a simplex channel on the same radio, correct?

Question 2:
Does talkaround only work from car to car or are their handhelds also capable.

Question 3:
Does everyone on the DPS TRS have the same power output for mobile units? For example, does your average TPD cruiser have the same powered radio as a trooper wandering around the wilds of Craig County?

 

[KX5MOT]

They should all max out at 35 watts on high power, most 800 meg radios don't go above that. Chances are the TPD and DPS radios are all programed for high power to give them the best coverage, even on talkaround, and yes generally the simplex channels are in the same radio. Motorola radios allow you to program the power level setting on a per-channel basis, but chances are the radio techs didn't take the time to do that and left them all high power. The simplex Talkaround would work with the HT's as long as they are programed on that same freq, and the HT's power output is 3 watts.

 

[mfolta1]

tpd's talk around is only car to car. it doesnt go thru a repeater.
ohp has a similar setup in their handhelds. its just radio to radio and not thru a repeater as well. dont know about power etc.

 

[peterjmag]

Question 1

The wattage used on talkaround and input to the system is 35 watts. Yes it is simplex on the same radio.

Question 2

Yes, they work from both handhelds and car radios but TPD mainly uses talkaround on their car radios. Sometimes agencies like TFD or any agency that is in a deadspot of the system will use talk around for comms like they did during the Collinsville PD fire a few years back.

Question 3:

As far as I know yes it's 35 watts out like MOT said.

P.J.

 

[xerb1962]

tpd's talk around is only car to car. it doesnt go thru a repeater.

FYI mfolta, talkaround.....that is what is meant, talk around the repeater.

 

[Secret_Squirrel]

LOL Folta. Xerb took you back to school on that one!

 

[Chaos703]

Give him a break, SS. He's a member of the media. They only have to LOOK like they know what they're talking about. (That was meant a well-humored cheap shot — I'm just kidding. Besides, with folks like David Gregory running around giving your profession a bad name can you really blame me for saying something like that?)

Actually, Xerb took me to school, too. I had no idea that's what "talkaorund" meant.

Thanks for the input fellers. The reason I was asking is that I passed a TPD unit who was chatting on talkaround yesterday. I was surprised by how quickly his signal fell to pieces. With-in a mile or a mile and a half he was nearly inaudible. I guess in the city 35 watts at ground level doesn't get you very far.

 

[mfolta1]

you are all about to be ordered to stand in the corner on your toes!! also, i am not a media man anymore! havent been for some time. need any concrete work, give me a shout.cheers!

 

[KD5WLX]

Thanks for the input fellers. The reason I was asking is that I passed a TPD unit who was chatting on talkaround yesterday. I was surprised by how quickly his signal fell to pieces. With-in a mile or a mile and a half he was nearly inaudible. I guess in the city 35 watts at ground level doesn't get you very far.

Pretty much at 800MHz, ANY power level at ground level doesn't get you very far. Line of Site - it's not just a good idea - it's the LAW.

Repeaters are for Height to get LOS, not for power.

 

[habpatrol]

Question 2:

Does talkaround only work from car to car or are their handhelds also capable.

The handhelds and mobile radio's have the same exact programming. Talk around is not used as often as it used to be since you can message each other on MDT's. Talk around is good for having a conversation that you don’t want everyone in the City to hear. The range is limited to three to five miles depending on terrain.

Talk around can also be used if you leave the area that is covered by the City of Tulsa/DPS system. For example you could talk to someone else on talk around anywhere in the State as long as you are both within that three to five mile range.

 

[xerb1962]

Of course you can "Hilltop" on talkaround (simplex) for a looooooong ways!

You would be surprised how far 44.7 will get out!

Also if you have a good base antenna at your monitoring station you can hear talkaround a long way off. ~ 10 miles, sometimes up to 15+

 

[peterjmag]

I also wanted to add that talk around is 854.9625 with a DCS tone of 143. OHP however uses their own simplex channel or "talk around" which is commonly known as "direct" and it is 855.9875 with a PL tone of 77.0 which is also 35 watts. Happy Scanning...

P.J.

 

[Chaos703]

OHP however uses their own simplex channel or "talk around" which is commonly known as "direct" and it is 855.9875 with a PL tone of 77.0 which is also 35 watts.

I have OHP's direct programmed in, but I've never heard anything on it. Seems to pick up a lot of random bits and pieces from the trunked system. Bleed over maybe?