West Hartford Fire

[KC1IMD]

Perhaps this question has been asked already, but does anyone know what happened to West Hartford Fire's transmitter on 166.250Mhz? It used to be one of the stronger transmitters in the area and now I can only pick it up if I'm in West Hartford. Thanks.

 

[cg]

It got moved off the WFSB tower onto a building on the West Hartford side of the mountain. It now sits 10 feet or so off the ground and is blocked to the north and west by the ridgeline.

chris

 

[Placid1]

That sucks, I can get Mannhatan FD (~75mi) but not West Hartford (~30mi)

 

[ecps92]

Other than Scannists, was there really ever a need for it to cover outside of West Hartford ?

Thankfully with Narrowbanding, many of the Freq Coordinators are cracking down on the Excessive Power output of many networks [not pointing at West Hartford, but an over ALL assesment]

That sucks, I can get Mannhatan FD (~75mi) but not West Hartford (~30mi)

 

[izzyj4]

Other than Scannists, was there really ever a need for it to cover outside of West Hartford ?

Thankfully with Narrowbanding, many of the Freq Coordinators are cracking down on the Excessive Power output of many networks [not pointing at West Hartford, but an over ALL assesment]

When W Hartford went to 800 MHz, the VHF was used by the local agencies for mutual aid going into and out of the town, it may have been also used for station alerting as well (obviously for in town). I think it may have been a link to their 800 MHz system originally as well as for use for the Hartford Intercity system. Before switching to the 800 TRS system, they were on 154.385 and when they gave it up, they had to get a new frequency for the tie. At least that is what I can remember.

 

[radioman2001]

The coordinators cannot tell a licensed user to drop power, move, or anything else except go narrow band. When a license is first issued that's when they get the power out rating based upon area of coverage that was requested on the license application. If you asked for 50 mi then you are going to get the max allowed, they aren't going to drop your power to 10 watts just because you ask for narrow band, but if you move your station then the coordinators can say you don't need full power for a 10 mi radius operation.
BTW you don't even have to deal with coordinators to go narrow band, just file with the FCC directly.

 

[ecps92]

Your Milage May Vary and apparently Does. :roll:

The coordinators cannot tell a licensed user to drop power, move, or anything else except go narrow band. When a license is first issued that's when they get the power out rating based upon area of coverage that was requested on the license application. If you asked for 50 mi then you are going to get the max allowed, they aren't going to drop your power to 10 watts just because you ask for narrow band, but if you move your station then the coordinators can say you don't need full power for a 10 mi radius operation.
BTW you don't even have to deal with coordinators to go narrow band, just file with the FCC directly.

 

[CT22]

Your Milage May Vary and apparently Does. :roll:

Radioman is correct. Unfortunately, some coordinators can be very sneaky and tell agencies anything they want to make a few bucks. A friend of mine just went through this with his FD in Fairfield County. A coordinator called the FD and demanded to be paid so he could renew their radio license. After a "chat" the coordinator turned over the login info for my buddies FD. We renewed the license for $0 and have control over the license.

I have also seen some coordinators put the license in their own name... that makes thinks interesting.

With that being said kudos to W Hartford for doing the right thing and reducing co-channel and adjacent channel interference. I am sure their old site was heard in several areas that could have caused issues.

 

[cg]

The reason it was moved was to get off the WFSB tower that was supposedly going to start charging for use. West Hartford moved the trunked system and the 166.25, CMED North Central moved their repeaters. All were moved to the WCCC tower about a mile away.
The 166.2500 has been a West Hartford freq for a very long time and predated the 154.3850. When we went to 154.3850, the 166.2500 was kept as a tone channel for station activation.
Unfortunately for me, I lost reception on both systems when they were relocated even though I am about 10 miles away. A Nextel site 1/4 mile away from my home kills my 800.
The really frustrating thing is when conditions are good and I am hearing the police on Martha's Vineyard come in on 166.2500 but not hear WHFD.

chris

 

[radioman2001]

Maybe a yagi antenna would help. Ham version VHF yagis are about $50.00 or you can make your own.

 

[cg]

Running an 8 element commercial 800MHz yagi pointing right at it feeding LMR 600. The Nextel site just puts out too much crud. Hartford, CSP, MSP, all 800 is tough to hear. CSP wasn't horrible until they rebanded but now almost unreadable.

chris

 

[izzyj4]

Running an 8 element commercial 800MHz yagi pointing right at it feeding LMR 600. The Nextel site just puts out too much crud. Hartford, CSP, MSP, all 800 is tough to hear. CSP wasn't horrible until they rebanded but now almost unreadable.

chris

On a lighter note, at least when Nextel goes bye-bye- we may have more luck with picking up the 800 system (or not).

 

[CT22]

Chris - What PD on the Vineyard are you hearing on 166.25? I go out there about once a year with a close friend and his father has some close connections with public safety out there and I have never heard a reference to this frequency. I am pretty sure I saw it in the scanner but I dont think I have heard anything on it.

 

[cg]

Dukes Cty MA Sheriff using pl 91.5

chris

 

[KC1IMD]

Thank you all for all your answers.