forecasts, and other products issued by the National ISSUE 40 Weather Service. APR-MAY-JUNE-JULY 2007 2. A suite of methods to obtain this data feed and display the products on your personal computer.

Two of the methods for obtaining the EMWIN feed are ♦ PRODUCT REVIEW - UNIDEN BCD396T direct satellite broadcast and repeat radio broadcast. With direct satellite, you receive the EMWIN feed directly ♦ NJ SHORE BEACH FREQUENCIES from one of the satellites broadcasting the signal. With repeat radio, you get the feed from a repeat broadcast ♦ COMM PROFILE - CHESTER CO. PA (usually VHF), which comes from an existing direct satellite ♦ INTRODUCTION TO E.M.W.I.N. receive site.

♦ ATLANTIC CITY BEACHFRONT AIR SHOW Note: If you want to get the EMWIN feed by repeat radio, you must be within range (usually 10-50 miles) of a repeat broadcast from an existing direct satellite receive site. A list of these sites can be found on the Radio Broadcast Areas page of this web site.

To use the direct satellite or repeat radio method, you will need special hardware to receive the EMWIN feed. You can learn more about the hardware by contacting one or more of the EMWIN vendors listed on the Commercial Vendors page.

You will also need special software for storing, managing, and displaying the products on your computer. Many hardware vendors offer complete 'turnkey' systems that include software.

If you don't want to buy the broadcast hardware, the program by itself provides a couple of methods for obtaining the EMWIN feed directly over the Internet . One of these methods is called Internet push, because it Litchfield New Hampshire fire training courtesy John Bolduc. automatically 'pushes' a continuous stream of data across your internet connection into your PC. This method is only a few seconds slower than the satellite or radio broadcast GENERAL EDITOR Jeff Newton methods. The other internet method uses the File Transfer c/o Scanner Digest Protocol -- or FTP. Also known as Internet pull, this POB 207 Jamison PA 18929 method allows you to request -- or 'pull' -- a large block (1- [email protected] 3 hours worth) of data at one time and have it sent to you

in a compressed file for further processing by software. Basic Introduction to EMWIN Both of these methods are available with the program. All The Emergency Managers Weather Information Network -- you need is software and a dial-up connection to the EMWIN -- is a service that allows users to obtain weather internet. You don't need a Web browser to use either of forecasts, warnings, and other information directly from the these methods. National Weather Service (NWS) in almost real time.

EMWIN is intended to be used primarily by emergency GO HERE to download a FREE 30-day trial version of the managers and public safety officials who need timely WeatherNode program -- TEST with the 'push' software weather information to make critical decisions. already included and ready to install. NOTE: The Internet is However, anyone with a personal computer running not always available. . Windows can be an EMWIN user.

Another form of Internet pull allows you to access and EMWIN basically consists of two things: display the EMWIN data directly on the Web without using

any special hardware or software. All you need is a dial-up 1. A round-the-clock data feed of current weather connection to the Internet and your Web browser software. warnings, watches, and images from NESDIS, advisories,

SCANNER DIGEST NEWSLETTER – ISSUE 40 PAGE 1

This method is called the Interactive Weather Information Storm Alert Inc Network, or IWIN. InterWARN software download here Interwarn is a state of the art program that handles all your Finally, for links to information about other commercial weather related needs. InterWARN turns any Internet software applications, including RealEMWIN and Digital connection or EMWIN feed into your own automated Atmosphere, click here. personal wire service for National Weather Service watches, warnings, and statements And Remember: Once you have paid for the initial hardware and software you need to start using the EMWIN Zephyrus Electronics, Ltd - service, there are no additional fees or recurring charges. 171 S. 122 E. Avenue The NWS forecasts, warnings, and other data you receive Tulsa, OK 74128-2405 from this service are FREE, and you may do anything you (918) 437-3333 Fax:(918)438-7322 want with them. Contact: Ed Covington or Robert Hale ------WWW home page: Zephyrus WWW e-mail: Zephyrus COMMERICAL EMWIN Vendors The NWS uses radio, satellite and Internet broadcasts for EMWIN Hardware and Software. Complete EMWIN disseminating the EMWIN data stream. RECEPTION and solutions. Manufacturer of GOES EMWIN/WEFAX earth REPEATING of all broadcasts requires specialized station systems with automatic switching between two equipment or software, available commercially (some for satellites. EMWIN retransmission processors for wire FREE). The following vendors supply general off-the-shelf distribution or VHF broadcast. Frequency agile VHF hardware or specialized equipment useful for receiving, receivers for high speed satellite and radio use of EMWIN. rebroadcasting, and using EMWIN data. Allows for live weather data stream into your PC via Note: a listing here does not imply any particular satellite and radio endorsement by the NWS disclaimer as a function or suitability for your purpose of environment. RealEMWIN Skywatch Weather Services Weather Message WWW home page: Skywatch/EMWIN WWW home page: Weather Message WWW e-mail: RealEMWIN Offers specialized software to decode and process EMWIN Software. EMWIN Internet Data broadcasting and National Weather Service messages. This software can be receiving software, used to provide weather information and storm alerts to Software packages for free Automatic paging of local governmental agencies, schools, and private groups. Weatherproducts to your pager from your own computer systems, Group2call mailing lists & services WWW home page: Group2call Group2call is a voice and message broadcast service that Tigertronics allows users to send voice, email or SMS messages to any 400 Daily Lane phone for an affordable cost. The service will interface P.O. Box 5210 with Weather Message software and allow users to send Grants Pass, Oregon 97527 text products (warnings, forecasts etc.) to phones, cell (541) 474-6700 phones, SMS devices and email. The service can use (541) 474-6703 (fax) automated text to speech conversion to automatically call WWW home page: Tigertronics your telephone devices and deliver warnings using speech. WWW e-mail: Tigertronics EMWIN hardware. EMWIN Modulators and Demodulators The Emergency Email Network for Satellite and Radio Broadcasts. "A Public Private Partnership" 10151 Deerwood Park Blvd. 200-250 SKYLERT Jacksonville, FL 32256 (615) 260-0193 (904) 371-3217 WWW home page: SKYLERT (208) 730-6219 (fax) WWW e-mail: SKYLERT WWW home page: Emergency Email Network SKYLERT is a public service e-mail delivery system of Public service E-mail Delivery of Weather Warnings and Weather Warnings and Alerts of up to 20 counties Alerts on a county by county basis from IWIN and EMWIN anywhere in the United States from NOAAPORT, IWIN, data streams. Available to the public at large. Also provides and EMWIN data streams. other emergency data source delivery from other government sources. Weather Graphics Technologies Inc. Free - You can set up to email your computer, or alert your P.O. Box 450211 pager, PDA, or cell phone. Garland, TX 75045 (888) 388-0070

SCANNER DIGEST NEWSLETTER – ISSUE 40 PAGE 2

(405) 573-0700 Alert Technologies, Corp. (972) 495-6848 (fax) Suite 670 WWW home page: Weather Graphics 1910 Madison Ave. WWW e-mail: Weather Graphics Memphis, TN 38104 EMWIN Hardware and Software. Latest version of (901) 794-3933 DIGITAL ATMOSPHERE software. Graphical weather WWW e-mail: Alert Technologies display applications for EMWIN. Turnkey hardware- EMWIN, EAS, SAME and AFOS equipment & services software packages for receiving, displaying, and use of EMWIN. World Wide ProAlert.us Maps and features. 1003 Centennial Pkwy Waunakee WI 53597 Weathertrac.com 608-849-7279 GeosTech, Inc. e-mail: ProAlert.us 307 Clinton Avenue, Suite 120 WWW home page: ProAlert.us Huntsville, AL 35801 Utilizies NWS Weather Wire and EMWIN services. (770) 557-3000 WWW home page: Weathertrac ProAlert.us offers subscription based alerts sent to your WWW e-mail: Weathertrac regular email inbox or text ready cell phone or pager. We The ULTIMATE Wx Software Archive: Weathertrac have a number of emergency managers, county 911 call EMWIN Software. Live Weather Information and EMWIN centers, utility companies, school district staff, first monitoring via Webcast. Home of 'The Ultimate Wx responders, storm spotter groups and Skywarn members Software Archive' Free weather information from around as users. You can now get the same great service we offer the world via EMWIN satellite broadcast in graphical them! format. Sign up to receive FREE weather forecast, warning, and other NWS products daily or as issued via email or pager. Weathertrac.com hosts the 'Ultimate Weather Software Archive' - all downloads reviewed, rated, PUBLISHER Lou Campagna, Publisher and validated monthly. POB 207 Jamison PA 18929 Texas 2-Way [email protected]

200 West Expressway 83 PRODUCT REVIEW: by Craig Leventhal N3TPM San Juan, TX 78589 Uniden BCD396T Analog / Digital scanner (956) 702-2481

(956) 702-3684 (fax) WWW home page: Texas 2-Way EMWIN decoders and recievers, and custom coputer products.

Weather Affirmation, L.I.C. P.O. Box 13057 Oklahoma City, OK 73113-1057 (405) 842-0830 (405) 842-1560 (fax) WWW e-mail: Weather Affirmation Software, demodulators, radios, GOES satellite equipment, alphanumeric paging service and equipment.

Ft. Worth Weather Products aka Electronic Service Solutions 3821 Del Rio Drive Ft. Worth, TX 76133 (817) 292-6579, (888) 837-2831 I admit it; I am behind the technology curve. I work with 2- (817) 292-8836 (fax) way radios and cellular phones every day and they are WWW home page: Ft. Worth Weather Products pretty high-tech. But when it comes to my own personal WWW e-mail: Ft. Worth Weather Products (Tracy Ligon) communications gear, my motto has been “older is better”, WeatherNode Packages. Demodulators. Computer until now. In the past I had to carry 2 scanners in order to Equipment. Rebuilt Laptops for field use. VHF receiving hear everything that I like to listen to including the newer and transmitting equipment public safety TRS systems and milair comms. It seems that I tend to upgrade only when I am forced into it, so,

SCANNER DIGEST NEWSLETTER – ISSUE 40 PAGE 3

when an opportunity to checkout the BCD396T came along frequencies being available to civilians, besides encrypted I jumped at the chance. P25 comms will not show up on close call. There are a number of global settings available in the I received the evaluation sample unit about a week after ‘396T, which are unique including a blue backlight that returning from the 2007 Dayton Hamvention in May. Upon lights the display and keypad. It can be set to turn on when opening the box I found the scanner, a set of rechargeable a button is pushed or when the scanner stops on an active batteries, a wall charger / power supply, rubber flex channel or talkgroup, but it only stays on for 5 seconds antenna, a BNC-SMA adapter, a computer interface cable while comms are happening. It should have the capability and a very thick operators manual. for the time to be user selectable just as the manual backlight mode is. The first thing I noticed about this new scanner is its diminutive size as compared to my PRO92. The ‘396T is a good 30% smaller in volume and half the weight. I decided to try it out right away so I grabbed a set of AA batteries (it takes 3). A word of caution here, there is a small slide switch located inside the battery compartment underneath the batteries that MUST be set to the type of batteries you are using (see manual P33).

After aquatinting myself with the basic operation of the multipurpose knob on top as well as the functions of the keypad, I took the next step, I programmed in my local PD, Uniden probably can fix this with a software update. The FD, EMS conventional frequencies and pushed “scan”. In other nice feature is battery save that is handy when you side by side comparisons with my PRO92 and PRO43 are running on batteries since this scanner eats alkalines scanners, the ‘396T was equal to or slightly better in both for breakfast. The rechargeables last longer but I suggest sensitivity and selectivity. Programming the ‘396T is a bit you carry a second set when you go to an all day event tedious if you use the scroll wheel and keypad so I suggest such as an airshow or car race. You could also make up a that you get one of the software packages available from battery pack and cable that plugs into the jack on the side several sources. Uniden has their own which is a free of the ‘396T. You will need 6vdc, which can be 4 “c” or “d” download see: (www.uniden.com/downloads). Butel and cells, which should last almost all day. Another useful Starsoft have versions also. I downloaded Uniden’s version feature is the earphone jack, which is configured for either for this evaluation and it proved adequate for programming mono or stereo headphones which older scanners were the trunked radio systems that are near my home QTH. In lacking, now the sound comes out of both sides! ‘id search’ mode the scanner stops and displays any active Overall the BCD396T is a vast improvement over my talk groups and you can set the ‘396T to automatically previous units since it covers all the bands and modes that store these active groups as they are received. You can go I use, it auto stores active trunked talk groups and back in later and add an alphanumeric tag to each group. searches out unknown frequencies and codes. Th ability to The alpha tags can also be added to the conventional use both rechargeable and alkaline batteries is a plus since frequencies which I found especially useful in the milair I often use a scanner far from sources of commercial band. However when you put a tag in place the scanner power. The ability to program and save the scanners shows only the tag and not the frequency as it does on a memory on a computer is a big plus since I can save a trunked system. This may be fixed by a software configuration file for each part of the country that I visit and download- how about it Uniden? You can store up to 6000 not have to reprogram through the keypad. The few minor frequencies by themselves or a bit less with alpha tags. Up quirks regarding the backlight and alpha tag / frequency to 400 “systems” can be stored and a system can be either display are most likely an easy fix that Uniden can trunked or conventional. When in scan mode you select implement through a software download. which systems you want to include in the scanlist, similar to scan banks in older scanners. Within a system you can I plan on giving this scanner a real workout during the July th have groups which can be either trunked talkgroups or 4 week since I will be at the NJ shore where there are a groups of conventional frequencies. So for example your myriad of trunked, conventional and milair listening system 1 could have 3 groups in it “FIRE”, “POLICE”, opportunities. “EMS” which you can selectively turn on and off as desired. Craig Leventhal N3TPM Another nifty feature is called “Close Call” which lets you find unknown frequencies and CTCSS / DCS codes by setting the close call to on and getting near the transmitter, typically 50 feet. I do not recommend standing near a secret service agent or DHS officer and trying this since they have no sense of humor about their “secret” comms

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Borgata Hotel and Casino, other corporate sponsors and RHODE ISLAND Elmer Stanley David Schultz Air Shows once again providing air show c/o Scanner Digest control and coordination. The 2006 show featured not only POB 207 The USAF THUNDERBIRDS, but joining them was The Jamison PA 18929 USN BLUE ANGELS. It is unusual to have both jet teams [email protected] at the same venue. In fact, this was the only show site in 2006 that both teams performed together. There was Here is an article about the new Rhode Island 800 MHz fierce rivalry among the jet teams. The BLUE ANGELS digital interoperability system. performed first at noon followed by the THUNDERBIRDS three hours later. As the THUNDERBIRDS entered show- The data channel is: 868.875 MHz from five tower sites center, from behind the crowd, they were heard saying on in Southern, Rhode Island. the radio, “We dedicate this show to all those BLUE ANGEL fans on the beach that are about to be converted.” 1001 Narragansett Police Dispatch An additional show headliner was the much anticipated 1002 Narragansett Police Dispatch 2 performance by the newest stealth jet fighter in the USAF 1003 Narragansett Police Detail 1 inventory, the F-22 RAPTOR. The RAPTOR’s 1004 Narragansett Police Detail 2 performance left the crowd in utter amazement! 1005 Marine 1006 Narragansett Fire Dispatch Other military demonstrations included the USAF F-16 1007 Detective. 1 East Coast Team and F-15E Strike Eagle Team, and the 1008 Detective. 2 US Coast Guard with a multi-ship HH-65 and HH-60 1009 Administration Search and Rescue demonstration. 1010 Town Admin. 1011 Townwide 1012 Fire Ground 1013 Fire Alarm 1014 Narragansett EMS 1015 So. Kingstown EMS 1016 Admin. 1017 School - DPW 1018 Washington County Union Fire Dist. 1019 Washington County EMS 1020 Washington County Wide 1026 Univ. of RI Police 1069 Lifeguards

The system is being expanded to include the Northern part of the state. The City of Providence will have there own 800 MHz. digital trunking system in the near future.

More info in the future as the system expands. Air Boss David Schultz consults with The Blue Angels Flight Elmer Stanley Surgeon about the correct positioning of the Coast Guard Vessel anchored just off shore that marks show center. Prior to an air show, the Blue Angels conduct Circle and the Arrival MILITARY Daniel Myers KB3IBQ (sight survey) maneuvers calling out reference landmarks. The 823 Horsham Rd. Flight Surgeon records these for use at the pilots brief. Horsham, Pa 19044-1209 [email protected] As in past years, there was local military participation with th Atlantic City Beachfront Air Show fly-bys by the 177 Fighter Wing of the NJ Air National Guard F-16s, a Convair 580 and Boeing 727 from the “Never before in the State of New Jersey has an air show FAA’s William J. Hughes Technical Center, all located at been more anticipated……….” Well, I could not have said nearby Atlantic City International Airport. Joining them, it better myself! We had been looking forward to the 2006 simulating aerial refueling, was a KC-135 from the 108th show since the conclusion of the 2005 show. When we Air Refueling Wing and KC-10 as well as a C-17, both from saw the line-up for 2006 anticipation and excitement only McGuire AFB’s 514th Air Mobility Wing. Other East Coast began to describe it! military bases supported the air show with fly-bys by a Dover AFB C-5B Galaxy, and a P-3C Orion and MH-60S "Thunder over the Boardwalk", is a cooperative effort Knighthawk from NAS Patuxent River, MD. Still other between the Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce, the 177th military performers included the B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber, Fighter Wing (New Jersey Air National Guard), The for the first time over the Atlantic City Boardwalk, as well as

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the USAF Heritage Flight that included a QF-4 Phantom II. given time. These folks know me and our company name Jumps were performed by the US Army team The Golden very well.” Schultz also told me his company sends Knights. Along with several civilian acts there was a very NOTAMs (Notice to Airmen) to all area local airports, FBOs exciting two ship demonstration by New Jersey State and tow-banner companies. I asked David if he gets any police helicopters. noise complaints from the community. He told me, “Every show gets noise complaints. This show gets relatively few. I queried Air Boss David Schultz as to the limited number Most are associated with the Sunday arrival more than of passes by each aircraft. He replied, “I believe that in the during the show itself. We just answer the phone with the 12 years our company has done air shows, we’ve listened reply that, ‘That is the Sound of Freedom… Enjoy it!’” pretty well to the air show fans. Being fans ourselves, we still want something new and something grand at each one of our events. Usually due to timing, we only have one or two passes. Some USAF regulations only allow for one pass. Where we have schedule and permission, we’ll get more passes out of them.”

2006 marked the fourth year for this beachfront show. The genesis for the show was to celebrate the opening of the Borgata Hotel and Casino in 2003. The Thunderbirds jet team, with their Las Vegas, NV connection, was a natural selection as the lead headliner. It is unusual not only to have a show located remotely away from an airport, but also to have a mid-week show. David Schultz informs me the reason for the Wednesday show is simple; “Atlantic City wants to draw folks into the city during the week. Weekends are already swamped and they want to have more business during the week. Also, the Borgata, other casinos, Chamber of Commerce and other corporate Blues Angels personnel on the Atlantic City beach during the sponsorship will only work with us during the week.” The Tuesday practice. Pictured are the Flight Surgeon (holding the Borgata is the lead sponsor for the event, however as the large spotlight), the Maintenance Officer (holding the mirror) show has grown, other corporate sponsors have seen the and Video. Air Boss Schultz looks on. The Comm Cart is advantage in supporting the show. This was quite evident located at show center. The spotlight and mirror are used to with the addition of corporate sponsored tents on the direct the jets during hazy conditions. All Blue Angel beach. Schultz continued, “Paid seating on the beach was performances including the practice are video taped with radio the idea of the Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce to help transmissions. pay the expenses for the show. Having the show during the week, we get more folks on the beach than during the Other cooperative efforts come from the 177th FW and the normal weekday. The air show definitely does increase US Coast Guard. David Schultz Air Shows works with the boardwalk business. It is not only the locals enjoying the 177th FW throughout the year. “They are very happy to be show; but feedback indicates tourists come to the event a major part of the event. They are some of the best folks from some distances. Added for 2006, was a block party in the world to work with and are great friends. From and downtown concert to keep folks in the city after the hangar space, fueling, and ramp services, to operational show.” Schultz also told me that as long as the show support, they love doing this event.” Schultz starts working continues to take place mid-week; The Thunderbirds will with the Coast Guard about six months out from the event always remain the lead headliner. days to work on boat placement, sterile aerobatic box issues, diver boats, rescue boats, and also their SAR As one can imagine there is a lot preparation and demos during the show. “Like the 177th, we work with them coordination for an event of this size. There are several (Coast Guard) throughout the year on other events and permits to be obtained; one is from the State of Jersey for venues and they love being a part of it.” During the show an aerial event license. David Schultz says, “The folks days, Coast Guard stations Cape Cod, MA and Elizabeth from the Philadelphia FSDO (Flight Standards District City, NC also participate. Due to the nature of a beach Office) come down more to enjoy the show and beach show, there is probably more coordination required not scenery rather than regulate the air show. We have a very only as a “remote” air show but you have water assets to good working relationship with them. Additionally TFRs orchestrate as well. During the show, The David Schultz (Temporary Flight Restrictions) are required to be Air Show Team has to be split between the beach and submitted at least 90 days prior to the event. The waiver airport, making precise coordination essential. With a 52 has the same timeline. These are filed in late May. It is line item schedule the show was on-time +/- 2 minutes for not really difficult as we work with Washington and New the entire 6 hours! York Centers, and Atlantic City approach/tower. In some From a Military Monitoring stand point, I have found cases we have more TFRs active than the President at any Atlantic City second only to Virginia Beach. With nearby

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military facilities; Atlantic City International Airport, McGuire Demos: Flybys: AFB, Warren Grove Gunnery Range and The Coast Guard USAF Thunderbirds USAF C-5 there is lots of activity for the military monitor to listen to. USAF F-15E Strike Eagle USAF KC-10 GIANT KILLER Control has several warnings areas USAF F-16 Falcon (East Coast) USAF C-17 Jim Beasley P-51 USAF-ANG EC-130J immediately off the coast. Here you can listen to AWACS, USAF Heritage Flight (F-15 / P-51) USAF-ANG A-10 simulated dog fights and aerial refueling. Most of the US Army Golden Knights USAF-ANG F-16 performing aircraft take-off and return to Atlantic City US Navy F/A-18C Hornet (East Coast) USAF-ANG KC-135 International Airport or McGuire AFB. Others will fly in USMC AV-8B Harrier II (East Coast) FAA Bombardier from other distant military bases. You can monitor the USCG Multiple SAR Demo US Navy MH-53 show aircraft as they depart from these bases or monitor Matt Chapman Solo USMC CH-46 Atlantic City Approach Control and the Centers. All aircraft Mike Mancuso Solo USAF B-2A will check in with the Air Boss for entrance into the “show- Matt Chapman & Mike Mancuso (2-ship) NJ State Police box”. Sunday and Monday show arrivals as well as the Rob Holland MX-2 Horizon Blue Cross Blimp SkyTypers Tuesday practice show also offer other great monitoring opportunities. Frequencies for the 2007 (and past) Atlantic City Air Show I have been traveling to and watching air shows for almost 30 years. I have to honestly say the 2006 Atlantic City Air Published Published (centers) Show was one of the top flying air shows I have seen. It 120.300 KACY Tower 354.000 ZNY Barnegat was non-stop flying of both military and civilian aircraft. I 124.600 KACY Approach / Departure 307.800 ZNY Colts Neck think one of the nicest attributes of this air show is the 134.250 KACY Approach / Departure 381.450 ZNY Millville environment. In these days of heighten security at civilian 239.000 KACY Tower 323.300 ZNY Millville 327.125 KACY Approach / Departure 353.500 ZNY Ship Bottom airports and military bases, a beach show is a welcomed 385.500 KACY Approach / Departure 254.300 ZDC Coyle refreshing relaxed change. One can bring along a cooler 316.150 KACY Approach / Departure 281.450 ZDC Sea Isle and backpack, and not have to worry about being hassled 123.000 UNICOM Bader Field (KAIY) 363.000 ZDC Woodstown by security. While almost all air shows take place at 363.800 KWRI Approach / Departure 285.400 ZDC Sea Isle military or civilian airports, this show takes place in the 388.200 KWRI Approach relaxed atmosphere on the beach beside the ocean. The beach, ocean, boardwalk stores and casinos offer Air Show Control something for nearly everyone. If your spouse or children 118.700 David Schultz Air Shows - GROUND OPS are not interested in spending the entire time watching the 121.700 Show Control Coordination w/ KACY 132.950 David Schultz Air Shows - OPS air show, there are plenty of other activities to keep them 135.650 David Schultz Air Shows - AIR BOSS busy. It is truly a family event and the best part, it’s all 238.150 David Schultz Air Shows - AIR BOSS FREE! Air Show Center is located beachfront near Florida Avenue and the Boardwalk. We are again excited and are Tactical Discretes looking forward to the 2007 air show which takes place 122.775 SkyTypers a/a Wednesday August 15. Practice day is Tuesday August 123.150 announcer live feed 14. 123.450 NJ State Police helo demo a/a 123.475 Army Golden Knights a/g What are the future prospects for this show? Schultz told 136.475 VIPER F-16 East demo a/a (heritage flight) 136.575 VIPER F-16 East demo a/a me they want to keep this a major military review type 136.675 VIPER F-16 East demo a/a event. The air show may start to incorporate some sea 138.125 DEVIL NJ ANG F-16 a/a (ops) activities in a few years but they want to keep the major 138.425 DEVIL NJ ANG F-16 a/a push on air demonstrations. As word spreads about this 138.875 DEVIL NJ ANG F-16 a/a (v-17) show, attendance continues to increase: 400,000 in 2004, 139.300 DEVIL NJ ANG F-16 a/a 450,000 in 2005 and 650,000 in 2006. The Chamber of 139.825 TEAM KC-10 a/a Commerce informed me they are ecstatic with this event! 143.875 TEAM KC-10 a/a Business owners along the boardwalk, the casinos, hotels 142.250 FLYER PA ANG A-10 a/a and restaurants all reported business comparable to a 157.150 Coast Guard SAR demo a/a 237.900 Coast Guard SAR demo a/a (secondary) good weekend. That is great news for those of us that 252.800 KC-135 / KC-10 a/a want to continue to enjoy two days at the beach watching a 261.000 DEVIL NJ ANG F-16 (ops) First Class Air Show! 376.025 F-15 East / F-16 East demo For more information check out: 395.100 USAF PA ANG EC-130J (BATON ops) 388.850 USAF B-2 a/a (SPIRIT, REAPER, DEATH, FURY) www.atlanticcityairshow.com or www.schultzairshows.com US Coast Guard As of this writing, David Schultz informs us, this will be the 21A- 157.050 (show control / show center boats) roster for the 2007 Air Show. 22A- 157.100 (warning broadcasts) 23A- 157.150 (show control / show center boats)

81A- 157.075 (police)

82A- 157.125

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83A- 157.175 (boats to show center) 464.850 is very active. I've been told this is probably an on- 345.000 Coast Guard Ops (primary) site LTR system, and I suspect this is correct, but as of yet, I haven't confirmed this. Only the 461.850 and 464.850 Other Actives frequencies show input pairs at plus 5 MHz. If you listen to 122.750 Para-gliders a/a The Southern Maine Fire buffs out of York County in a 133.300 Banner Towers a/a (reported by others) 255.000 GIANT KILLER Manchester NH area location, you will be dismayed by the 249.800 GIANT KILLER heavy traffic from the yogurt factory interfering with 312.300 GIANT KILLER reception of the fire buffs. 391.200 GIANT KILLER 312.300 DARKSTAR w/ DEVIL New Hampshire International Speedway holds two major 319.400 McGuire Command Post NASCAR races every year. The first one of 2007 was just 303.000 108th ARW ROCCO (KC-135) completed, with another to follow later this year. The races generally attract 100,000 race fans. Thanks to Scott Rice 256.500 Aerial Refueling N1PJZ for these frequencies 266.500 Aerial Refueling 288.000 Aerial Refueling 341.750 Aerial Refueling NHIS Primary System

Thunderbirds 1 - 461.4875 d172 Security 141.850 (v-1) 2 - 466.4875 d261 Maint/Elect 143.850 (v-2) 3 - 464.9875 d172 Grandstand Security 235.250 (u-1) 4 - 464.3625 d261 Guest Services 322.950 (u-2) 5 - 469.3625 d172 Food Warehouse 216.975 (simulcast on Low Power Radio) 6 - 467.8625 d261 Marketing

7 - 469.9375 d172 Operations Infield

8 - 464.9625 d261 Souvenirs - Concessions NEW HAMPSHIRE John Bolduc 9 - 467.8125 d172 Food Service c/o Scanner Digest POB 207 Jamison PA 18929 10 - 469.4625 d261 Hospitality [email protected] 11 - 462.1750 127.3 Parking & Security http://www.swnh.org 12 - 451.4750 d162 Parking Lot Repeater 13 - 461.5625 d226 Handicapped Shuttle New Hampshire Marine Patrol operates on both 159.150 14 - 463.0000 d223 Cleaning (Freshly Maid) and 854.4875 (PL 151.4) in various combinations over 15 - 463.9000 d315 Unassigned recent history. Many scanner listeners are expression 16 - 454.9125 d532 Parking Command (2005/6 Inactive) frustration over the fact that they can now only hear dispatch and not the patrol units. It used to be that both Secondary System-Other freqs mobile traffic and dispatch was repeated on the 800 MHz side. Nowadays dispatch is heard only on 854.4875 and 451.9250 d047 is the new Grandstand EMS freq. mobile units are on simplex on 159.150. While the 854 452.4000 d662 1 EMS/Police - Main/Concord/Laconia MHz transmitter is located on a high vantage point, simplex Grandstands operation on 159.150 for the boats does not make it to 465.8250 123.0 2 Secondary Operations scanner listeners very far away. 452.3000 d606 3 EMS Grandstands 469.9250 4 EMS ?? Hampton NH - Hampton Beach State Park 464.2125 d265 5 Gate M (media) & Souvenirs 461.8625 d071 Hospitality-Infield State Parks Primary Channel 159.375 No PL 451.2875 d226 Handicapped Shuttle State Parks Secondary Channel 159.465 131.8 464.3750 100.0 Harts Turkey Farm 1 Box Seats State Parks Secondary Channel 151.385. 464.8250 100.0 Harts Turkey Farm 2 Outside Tents 152.3750 d503 Ch-1 Brigham Air Ops Hampton Fire 154.145 136.5 157.6650 d503 Ch-2 Brigham Air Ops Hampton Police 155.025 P-25. 123.0500 No PL Air to Air/Any Helo 133.650 & 119.85 FAA Air Traffic Londonderry NH - Stonyfield Yogurt (Stonyfield Farms) 172.1500 p25 FAA TSA Air Traffic Manufactures Yogurt. Radios Used To Coordinate Daily Assembly Line, Warehouse, Shipping, Receiving, (NH State Police) Maintenance And Security Work Ops. WQFQ769 155.5125 p-25 Track Ops (158.9025 input) 156.0900 136.5 LP South 461.1500 461.7875 461.8500 155.9100 136.5 LP North 462.3250 464.8500 155.4750 136.5 Statewide Car to Car 159.3150 p-25 SP Talk 159.4650 p-25 F & G Talk

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Department of Transportation NH DOT Race Channels

453.7750 203.5 Mobile 1 458.7750 203.5 Mobile 2 453.9750 186.2 SA Mt. Kearsarge, Warner 453.6750 103.5 5A Mt. Kearsarge, Warner 453.9750 88.5 SG Mt. Belknap, Gilford 453.1500 110.9 3G Mt. Belknap, Gilford 453.9250 167.9 TC Mt. Unconoonuc, Goffstown 453.6750 123.0 5C Mt. Unconoonuc, Goffstown 453.9250 127.3 TB Hackett Hill, Bow 453.6750 110.9 5B Hackett Hill, Bow

Manchester Airport – Fire-Crash-Rescue unit. Photo courtesy of John Bolduc

NORTHERN NEW JERSEY Justin Mattes KC2GIK 10 Carnot Avenue Woodcliff Lake NJ 07677 [email protected] www.bergenscanner.com

First let me wish you all a belated happy Fourth of July! There have been some exciting things going on in the Garden State this summer which make for some interesting scanner listening. One of the most popular places to go to escape the summer heat is the Wildwoods. Located in Cape May County the townships of Wildwood, North Wildwood and Wildwood Crest offer plenty of monitoring opportunities to keep scanner buffs busy for

hours. I went down to Cape May this past spring and while (Above) Photo of the radio channel listings direct from the it wasn't as busy as in the summer months, there was still Motorola HT-1000 for Litchfield NH Fire-rescue plenty of action. Cape May also provides a lot of marine activity so be sure to program in those marine channels as (Below) Photo of Engine Zero from Bryceville FL. Photos well Below is a list of frequencies I found active during my courtesy of John Bolduc trip down to the cape.

CAPE MAY COUNTY 155.1900 Capecom 154.7850 Sheriff Dispatch 155.0100 Sheriff Car-to-Car 156.2100 Police Common 158.8200 DPW 171.2375 US Coast Guard Fire 154.1300 [118.8] Fire 1 154.1900 [118.8] Fire 2 154.2500 [118.8] Fire 3 154.2650 Fire 4 155.2950 [118.8] Rescue 1 155.3400 [118.8] Rescue 2 155.0100 [118.8] Rescue 3 154.6800 [131.8] SPEN1 155.4750 [CSQ] SPEN2 154.7250 [131.8] SPEN3 153.7850 [131.8 SPEN4 (Common between agencies)

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155.2350 [D503] Ch 6 Water Operations WILDWOODS 155.3500 [71.9] Squad 12 Primary Operations 154.9650 [85.4] Wildwood Police 155.3850 [D503] Squad 14 Primary Operations 158.7900 Wildwood Local Government 151.1000 [D516] Squad 49 Primary Operations 154.1900 Wildwood Fire Dispatch 453.6625 [D243 Island Inter-Operations 154.0250 Wildwood Fire Ch. 4 155.7900 [85.4] Wildwood EMS Seaside Heights and Seaside Park are other popular 156.1800 [118.8] Wildwood Road Department beach communities in Ocean County New Jersey, there's 155.6400 [173.8] North Wildwood Police always something to do in the summer. It's always a good 154.2500 [118.8] North Wildwood Fire Operations idea to keep a scanner while you're laying or the beach or 166.2500 [118.8] North Wildwood Fire Operations strolling on the boardwalk. 158.7600 North Wildwood Local Government 155.4300 [118.8] Wildwood Crest Police SEASIDE HEIGHTS 151.1300 [D125] Wildwood Crest Fire Operations 460.0250 [D116] Parking Enforcement 155.2950 [118.8] Wildwood Crest Rescue 460.3500 [D116] Police 465.5750 [D712] Ch 1 Beach Patrol Besides the normal police, fire and EMS traffic, Morey’s 453.0125 [D712] Ch 2 Beach Patrol Pier Amusement park in Wildwood offers some unique 453.2125 [D712] Ch 3 Beach Patrol behind the scenes operations. Below are some frequencies 453.7750 [CSQ] Ch 4 used at the pier 33.7800 [CSQ] Fire Dispatch 33.6400 [CSQ] Fireground MOREYS PIER AMUSEMENT PARK 33.4800 [CSQ] Fire- Drills and Parades 152.4650 [94.8] Administration and Supervisors 153.0200 [D546] Maintenance and Security SEASIDE PARK 151.6550 [156.7] Operations 33.7800 [146.2] Fire Dispatch 154.5050 [D546 Operations - Food and Games 33.9800 [146.2] Fireground 152.3000 [156.7] Operations - Rides 460.2250 [D664] Police 151.5950 [156.7] Water Park 460.1750 [D664] Police 153.0050 Water Park - Lifeguards 458.4375 [D664] Police 155.1750 [107.2] Beach Patrol OCEAN COUNTY 39.9000 [127.3] City Services Like Cape May County, Ocean County is a popular Jersey Shore hot spot. From Seaside to Toms River scanning is VENICE AMUSEMENTS boom during the summer months. Here are the latest finds 151.9250 [179.9] Boardwalk Operations/Beach Attendants for the county. 151.8350 [D731] Concessions 151.7150 [146.2] Go karts 508.1875 [71.9] Fire/EMS Dispatch 151.6850 [156.7] Maintenance 511.1875 [127.3] Fireground 1 151.7450 [100.0] Rides 465.5875 [192.8] Fireground 2 506.7125 [D445] Tuckerton Repeater Tower Toms River Police recently went to a digital system so you 506.7375 [D223] Barnegat Repeater Tower need a scanner that's APCO-25 compatible to listen in. 506.7625 [D445] Toms River Repeater Tower 506.7375 [D445] New Egypt Repeater Tower TOMS RIVER 506.7125 [D223] Lakewood Repeater Tower 471.8750 [APCO-25] Ch 1 Police Dispatch 154.2650 [CSQ] Fire Mutual Aid/South Jersey Fire Net 471.4750 [APCO-25] Ch 2 Police Secondary/Info 506.71250 [D223] Fire/EMS - Lakewood (Bay Head, 471.9500 [APCO-25] Ch 3 Park Rangers, Animal Control, Mantoloking Primary) Auxiliary Police 453.10000 [100.0] Fire/EMS Academy 472.6750 [APCO-25] Ch4 Major Incidents 453.87500 [136.5] Fire/EMS Academy 471.6750 [APCO-25] Ch5 Police Emergency Service Unit 453.92500 [159.8] Fire/EMS Academy (ESU) 453.97500 [177.3] Fire/EMS Academy 453.7125 [APCO-25] 154.96500 [127.3] Fire Marshal's Office / Emergency 154.14500 [D245] Ch 1 Fire Dispatch/Operations Operations Center (EOC) 154.44500 [D624] Ch 2 Fireground / Fire Inspections 154.19000 [136.5] Ch 3 Fireground / Fire Police LONG BEACH ISLAND 154.26500 CSQ Ch 4 Fire Statewide Mutual Aid 158.7525 [D031] Fire Islandwide 1 Dispatch (South Jersey Fire-Net) 158.8350 [D243] Fire Islandwide 2 Primary Ops to County 154.14500 [D245] Ch 5 Fireground / Talk-Around 158.7300 [D306] Fire Islandwide 3 Secondary Ops to Co. 155.65500 [114.8] Ch 6 Bureau of Fire Prevention 159.7650 [D243] Ch 4 Fireground Primary (Inspections) 155.1600 [D243] Ch 5 Fireground Secondary 155.65500 [114.8] Ch 7 Fire Talk-Around

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Some additional information on the new CT SPEN state- JACKSON TOWNSHIP wide radio network on 858.2625 MHz PL 156.7. 507.3375 [D432] Ch 1 Fire "TAC 1" Operations Sites are located at the following: 506.5875 [D243] Fire "Tac 2" Operations 510.5875 [D143] Fireground A 1. Bloomfield-Region 3-Hartford County 511.5875 [D152] Fireground B 2. Brooklyn-Region 4-Windham County 511.8375 [D155] Fireground C 3. Canaan-Region 5-Litchfield County 507.0875 [D343] EMS "Tac 1" Dispatch and 4. Colchester-Region 4-New London County MONOC BLS Operations (units 820 and 821) FM 5. Franklin-Region 4-New London County 155.2350 [186.2] EMS MONOC ALS Operations 6. Guilford-Region 2-New Haven County 155.1600 [100.0] Board of Education - Buses 7. Kent-Region 5-Litchfield County 158.7450 Public Works 8. Montville-Region 4-New London County 458.43750 Emergency Management 9. Norfolk-Region 5-Litchfield County 10. North Stonington-Region 4-New London County SIX FLAGS GREAT ADVENTURE AMUSEMENT PARK 11. Old Lyme-Region 4-New London County 464.32500 [179.9] 1 Safari 12. Rocky Hill-Region 3-Hartford County 464.42500 [179.9] 2 Grounds and Shows 13. Sharon-Region 5-Litchfield County 464.67500 [179.9] 4 Security / Fire and EMS 14. Shelton-Region 1-Fairfield County 462.67500 ?? 5 Operations 15. Southbury-Region 5-Litchfield County 464.82500 [179.9] 7 Fire and EMS 16. Torrington-Region 5-Litchfield County 464.97500 [179.9] 10 Rides and Maintenance 17. Union-Region 4-Tolland County 452.97500 [D346] Hurricane Harbor 18. Wilton-Region 1-Fairfield County 461.77500 Retail 19. Wolcott-Region 2-New Haven County 462.72500 [179.9] Great Adventure 464.62500 [179.9] Park Talk-Around This is presently where the radio frequency is licensed.

POINT PLEASANT BEACH The New Beacon Falls radio system: 155.8200 [94.8] Fire (Simulcast of 476.3500) 476.3500 [CSQ] Fire Dispatch Fire Repeater 151.0325 MHz PL 67.0 477.0250 [D155] Fireground EMS Repeater 151.0475 MHz PL 77.0 477.8250 [D051] Fire Channel 3 Police Repeater 151.0070 MHz PL 88.5 476.9250 [D125] DPW 151.8800 [D205] Jekisons Beach Patrol EAST GRANBY FIRE DEPARTMENT RADIO 466.2125 [D023] Residen's Beach Patrol FREQUENCIES

Well that's it from New Jersey for this time!! I hope Channel 1 East Granby Fire Ops 159.2550 206.5 everyone has a relaxing summer. Please e-mail me with Channel 2 Town Highway 154.0400 91.5 any suggestions or questions, if you have ideas for future Channel 3 Area 3 EMA 153.9350 162.2 installments of this column. Channel 4 Suffield Fire 156.0750 D134 151.4300

Channel 5 Bradley Fire 159.9000 206.5 Channel 6 Southwick Fire 159.1950 D162 COMPUTER - SOFTWARE Mike Agner KA3JJZ 150.7975 112 Water Fountain Way #304 Channel 7 Intercity Fire 154.2650 Glen Burnie, Md. 21060-2309 159.7950 107.2 [email protected] Channel 8 Tactical Repeater 153.1400 158.3250 94.8 Sorry no column this issue. Channel 9 Windsor Locks Fire 170.1500 154.0100 146.2 Channel 10 Blue Hills Fire 151.2200 D025 CONNECTICUT Keith Victor Channel 11 Weather 1 (RX) 162.4750 44 Suffolk Drive Channel 12 Weather 2 (RX) 162.4000 East Hartford CT 06118 Channel 13 Weather 3 (RX) 162.5500 [email protected] VHF Calling 155.7525 156.7 STOCS – 1 154.4525 156.7 The new CT SPEN is being optimizing as we speak on STOCS – 2 158.7375 156.7 858.2625 MHz PL 156.7. This will be a statewide repeater STOCS – 3 159.4725 156.7 system, repeaters will be simulcast, and all repeaters will SOUTH HADLEY MOBILE FIRE RADIO CHANNELS be on. This system is co-located with all of the state police radio sites. More on when the sop's come out.... 1. 153.2750/159.9975 PL 74.4 FIRE DISPATCH-S 2. 151.2800 PL 141.3 FIREGROUND-S

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3. 151.1750/159.3300 PL 141.3 DISTRICT 1 REPEATER-S 4. 151.1750 PL 141.3 DISTRICT 1 DIRECT 482.3625R - West Newbury Police - "Control" is the 5. 158.8725 PL 127.3 COUNTY TACTICAL-S dispatcher - 303 is one of the patrol units 6. 154.2800 PL 82.5 INTERCITY FIRE-S 7. 155.0400/159.9150 PL 114.8 GRANBY FIRE-S 463.6875R may become a Wentworth Institute Police 8. 155.0400/159.9150 PL 114.8 GRANBY FD BACKUP (127.3) channel 9. 159.6450/153.9500 PL 74.4 HOLYOKE FIRE-S 10. 155.6550/159.4650 PL 123.0 HOLYOKE TACTICAL 452.50R - Acton Boxboro High School plans to use this 11. 154.1600/158.8650 PL 141.3 CHICOPEE FIRE-S frequency 12. 151.3850/159.3000 PL 186.2 AMHERST FIRE-S 13. 154.2200/159.2550 PL 82.5 NORTHAMPTON FIRE-S Suttons Schools plan to use 462.0125R at 383 Boston 14. 156.0525/159.3675 DPL 054 HADLEY FIRE-S Road 15. 151.3100 PL 71.9 DNR FIRE TOWERS-S 16. 154.3700 PL 127.3 HAMPSHIRE COUNTY-S 483.6625R - Randolph FD does a weekly radio test at 17. 153.8900 PL 127.3 COUNTY FIREGROUND-S 18. 159.5100 PL 103.5 HIGHWAY DEPT 0840 AM on Saturday mornings 19. 153.2750 PL 74.4 DISTRICT 2 DIRECT 461.3125R - 464.4875R - 461.9875R - MIT maintenance NEW UHF ADDED: workers - emergency alerts are broadcast on all 1. 453/458.4125 PL 82.5 INTERCITY FIRE REPEATER channels simultaneously (fire alarms, CO detector 2. 461.1500 PL 103.5 MT HOLYOKE SECURITY activations, etc) 3. 464/469.3750 PL 114.8 MT HOLYOKE COLLEGE 453.3875R - Fire District 14 - Ashland is the Control PORTABLE RADIO CHANNELS Point - daily radio test at 830AM - this test is

1. 153.2750/159.9975 PL 74.4 Dispatch-S A-Direct simulcast on 33.98 and 46.36 - most of the agencies 2. 151.2800 PL 141.3 Fireground-S B-Repeat seem to be transmitting on UHF now 3. 151.1750/159.3300 PL 141.3 District 1-S C-Scan 4. 158.8725 PL 127.3 County Tactical-S 464.325R - Brigham and Womens Hospital Security - a 5. 154.2800 PL 82.5 Intercity Fire "Code Red" is a fire alarm system activation 6. 155.0400/159.9150 PL 114.8 Granby Fire-S 7. 155.0400/159.9150 PL 127.2 Granby Fire Backup 460.80R - Boston MedFlight - Med 1 is a Hascom helo - 8. 159.6450/153.9500 PL 74.4 Holyoke Fire 1 Med 2 is also a Hanscom helo - Med 3 is the Plymouth 9. 155.6550/159.4650 PL 123.0 Holyoke Fire 2 helo - Med 4 is the plane - Med 5 is the Boston 10. 154.3700 PL 127.3 County Fire 11. 153.8900 PL 127.3 County Fireground ambulance - Med 6 is the Plymouth ambulance - each 12. 151.3850/159.3000 PL 186.2 Amherst Fire unit seems to have 3 portable radios (Med 1 Pilot - 13. 154.2200/159.2550 PL 82.5 Northampton Fire Med 1 Nurse - Med 1 Paramedic - etc) 14. 151.3100 PL 71.9 DEM Towers 15. 156.0525/159.3675 DPL 054 Hadley Fire For the 4th of July celebration at the Boston 16 153.2750 PL 74.4 Direct-S Esplanade, 866.5125 + 460.275 + Cambridge TG Ch6 were patched together to form a "Command and Control Network". Boston Police, Boston Fire, Boston EMS, MASSACHUSETTS Peter Szerlag Cambridge Police, Cambridge Fire, Cambridge EOC, State c/o Scanner Digest Police, State Rangers, and National Guard were all POB 207 Jamison PA 18929 represented on the Net. Event organizers used 463.55 [email protected] extensively for several days. Greetings again. Here are a few scanner tidbits for you. 453.75R - This is the new fire mutual aid channel for 42.64 - skip from Missouri Highway Patrol - 8AM - 08 northern Worcester County. Fitchburg runs a daily test at 9AM July 2007

462.975R - Voice traffic on this channel (the primary 155.22 - transport units for children in Watertown channel for Boston EMS) is tremendously decreased with area most of the status messages now being sent digitally. All calls are announced, however arrival times and 460.05 - Worcester FD is now reportedly simulcasting on this channel transport times are not.

156.80 - SeaTow Rescue 1, Quincy Harbormaster, US 461.20R - possibly the ambulance service that now Coast Guard Sector Boston, and US Coast Guard Station covers Ipswich is using this freq Point Allerton are some of the units heard 173.5875 - someone was talking to "Chief 2" - probably

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Hanscom AFB FD assigned unit is not in their quarters and is out in the field, they can get their calls verbally over the radio and / or over Boston Edison uses 158.16 PL179.9 in the Boston area their mobile digital terminal, if so equipped.

Take Care & Happy Scanning - Peter S EXAMPLE: "Control to Company 1 Engine and Ladder, Company 2 Engine, and Company 3 Rescue – respond to I usually reply to all Emails. If you do not receive a reply twelve thirty four Main Street, that's one two three four from me, please try again. Main Street, crosses are Elm Avenue and Broadway for a report of smoke in the building. Your time is xx:yy"

SOUTHEASTERN NEW YORK Frank B. O'Connor *"Operations"* This is the channel / talkgroup that c/o Scanner Digest responding units will call enroute to the scene, arriving at POB 207 the scene, clearing the scene (if EMS related, then enroute Jamison PA 18929 to a hospital), returning to quarters, and back in quarters. [email protected] Initial instructions to incoming units may be provided on an operations channel by units already on scene (i.e.: a Greetings, fellow scannists. Happy Mother's Day to all second assistant chief). As with "Dispatch" above, in larger qualified ladies and happy Father's Day to all qualified departments, all of these functions may be handled digitally gentlemen. via an entry into a mobile computer or by the activation of a status button that will automatically transmit a digital Back in Issue 38 I listed a tentative channel plan for a West message to the comm center indicating that a unit is Haverstraw (Rockland) Fire Department base radio. As you responding, is arriving, etc. recall, there were questions regarding the Congers FD portion of the channel plan (F13 and 14). Someone passed EXAMPLE "Engine 1 to Control" along the following information: "Control is on, Engine 1" a) Channel 13, listed as "Dept 3 XBand 1," with an unknown frequency, should read 453.2625 (131.8). "Engine 1 responding" b) There was a question as to whether or not there is a "Received Engine 1, you're responding at xx:yy hours" "Dept 3 XBand 2." Indeed there is; it's 453.6375 (131.8). *"Fireground"* / *"Tactical"* This is the channel / talkgroup c) Channel 14, listed as "Dept 3 XBand 3 453.2625 that is used by units operating at the scene of an (131.8)" should instead emergency. While "Fireground" obviously is related to the read 453.7125 (131.8). fire service, "Tactical" could be used in the fire, EMS, or law enforcement services. Sometimes referred to as a It's remains unclear what the frequencies are used for and "Scene" channel. It is not uncommon for busier agencies to whether or not there is an X-Band 4 (or more). have more then one Tactical or Fireground channel, to allow for on-scene communications at multiple, I probably should have covered this in my first article, but a simultaneous events. recent wave of confusion on one of the scanning related bulletin boards I lurk around has prompted me to dispense EXAMPLE: "EMS 2 to Main Street EMS Command, where with this Issue's "What You'll Hear" and instead use this do you want me to stage this unit?" space to clear the air about certain radio-related terms and their meanings. Unless I know how an agency is "EMS 2 put yourself on the northeast corner of Main and already identifying their channels / talkgroups (in which Broadway – on the Broadway side." case I will use their terminology), I will use the specific terms below when describing a channel's usage: "EMS 2 read."

*"Dispatch"* This is a channel or talkgroup that is used to There are also a large number of specialized types of notify a given agency that there is a call for service that channels or talkgroups. Among them would be: they are to answer. In the volunteer sector this channel maybe called "Alerting" or "Paging" and may be used to *"Command"* A channel which access is limited to send audible tones to activate pagers and whistles, open executives within an agency. firehouse bay doors, and / or turn on recording devices. In some larger departments ( i.e. FDNY), initial dispatch takes There can also be channels within an agency's radio plan place via a station computer / teleprinter system which can assigned only for specific units to use, such as "Fire be backed up by a voice alarm system (basically an Police," "Detectives," or "Hazardous Materials." Some intercom system that connects each firehouse to its agency's use of the above identifiers may vary. respective Communications Office). In cases when an

SCANNER DIGEST NEWSLETTER – ISSUE 40 PAGE 13

"Command," in FDNY*EMS parlance, is simply the simplex already existing users – assuming that the current modes of their Citywide channels. transmitter tower configuration remain unchanged.

Readers will recognize at this point that a given frequency 46.300 is used by everybody surrounding Orange; Putnam maybe used for more then one described function. In as F3, Rockland as F6, Ulster as F3, and Sullivan as F5; cases such as this I'll label the frequencies as, for example, so it's unlikely that any base radios will be put up on any "Dispatch / Operations" or "Operations / primary towers for that frequency, leaving it purely as a true Fireground." fireground channel.

Got an e-mail from a self described "loyal reader." Instead 46.400 is used by Sussex County, NJ as Fire of translating it, I'll simply cut-and-paste it here... F2/Fireground 1; thus use in the southwest end of Orange isn't likely. I see that Suffolk also uses the frequency as "Frank, the Orange County Division of Fire Services has their Division 5 channel. expanded it's rank structure in include a Deputy Fire Coordinator for Communications. His radio designation is 46.120 (94.8) is Sullivan's F2 for their Battalion 4, Nassau's 36-9. He'll have his hands full as the County Fire Advisory 5th, 8 th, and 9th Battalion frequency, and Rockland's F7 / Board recently approved of a significant change to the Fire Police (tone 131.8) frequency, making use 46.12 from countywide standard VHF-low band channel plan. The a base unlikely and, like 46.30, a true fireground channel. system that the Division of Emergency Communications (36-Control) will migrate to will use the below listed 46.460 is Ulster County's Fire F1 (KEH912-to-units) and F2 frequencies in a fashion similar to the way Rockland (unit-to-unit) and Suffolk's F1 (Dispatch), so use of that County uses it's seven VHF low band fire channels, e.g. frequency toward the north and east end of Orange isn't departments, after being toned out, will acknowledge their likely. response to 36-Control on F1. If call volume is low, units will remain on F1 to contact 36-Control. If call volume Also, it should be interesting to see how the fire starts to build, responses can be moved off of F1, at the departments who operate fixed crossband links to the VHF direction of 36-Control, to any of the nine other designated low band channels (Cronomer Valley, Montgomery, fireground channels. As you can see, F10 (currently only Otisville, and the Military Academy) will adjust their off the Graham tower) will be the main secondary. As systems. Needless to say, interesting times are ahead for more transmitters are installed at other sites (Arden in Orange County fire monitors; as I find anything out I'll keep Harriman, Mount Beacon in Beacon, Mount Peter in you posted. Warwick, West Point in Highlands, Sparrowbush in Deerpark, and the local tower in Chester), we should start I have a question for you. When was the last time you to see a pattern as to which channels will be commonly "audited" your scanners? Have you ever wondered to assigned to what battalions throughout the county during yourself, "Hmm, I haven't heard from x Ambulance Corps in busier periods. a while"? Well maybe that's because you have their operations channel locked out. An "audit" would prevent F1 46.160 (123.0) Primary link to 36-Control that from happening. Every once in a while I go through F2 46.220 (123.0) Fireground 1 each scanner one channel at a time and check the F3 46.300 (123.0) Fireground 2 frequency / tone / text (if so equipped) information F4 46.400 (123.0) Fireground 3 / primary helicopter I have programmed in, as well as that channel's settings. landing zone channel Perhaps, while monitoring a large fire, I locked out an F5 46.120 (123.0) Fireground 4 / primary fire police uninvolved police agency's dispatch/operations channel channel when they keyed up with a routine plate check. Maybe F6 45.080 (123.0) Fireground 5 during that same fire I turned the delay feature off on a F7 45.240 (123.0) Fireground 6 channel that I normally have it activated on because I did F8 46.520 (123.0) Fireground 7 not want to lock it out completely - but didn't want it F9 46.460 (123.0) Fireground 8 hanging on too long either. With the skip season upon us, F10 45.780 (94.8) Secondary link to 36-Control a particular frequency may have been locked out due to interference from a distant department one afternoon. The start date for all of this is set as January 1, so Whatever the reason, you may be missing interesting radio agencies have half a year to make arrangements to get traffic and not even know it. their radios reprogrammed. Any questions, give me a shout... SCANdal" While I'm stepping through each channel I also check that what should be set to FM is, what should be set to NFM is, Analyzing the frequencies SCANdal listed above, I can and the same for AM too. Buttons do get pressed offer the following speculations as to where the new inadvertently. How often you do your audit is up to you. If frequencies are likely *not* to be used by 36-Control you're like me and are constantly adjusting settings as you around Orange, in an effort to prevent interference to are travel around with your scanners, you may need to audit more frequently. On the other hand I know some

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fellow scannists who simply turn on their portable scanner 467.9000 D131 Office Depot – Hamilton by Pass Allentown when they get home and hear what there is to hear – with 154.6000 D413 Wawa– Northeast (regional) Lehigh Valley the most travel that scanner seeing is being moved from 151.9550 67.0 Country Junction – Rte.309 Quakertown room to room around the house. In that case checking it 154.5150R D025 Quakertown Farm Market (Q-Mart) Quakertown 467.9000 D047 Old Navy – Rte. 145 Whitehall bi-annually may even be too often. I have no set timetable; 467.7500 D115 Target Store – Spring Twp Reading I usually find myself doing it when I'm at my monitoring 467.7750 D072 Target Store – Spring Twp Reading post and things are a bit slow. Helping to prevent missed 461.9125R D606 Promenade Shops – Rte. 309 Center Valley radio transmissions, all because of an incorrect channel 464.5000 67.0 RAVE Motion Pictures Ch.1 Center Valley setting, makes it worth your effort to insure that your 467.7625 67.0 RAVE Motion Pictures Center Valley scanners are actually ready to listen to what you want them 467.9250 D743 Victoria Secret Stores – LV Mall Whitehall to. 461.7750R D606 Fairgrounds Square Mall – Ops Reading 153.3950 94.8 Vanity Fair – Security Reading In closing, I encourage readers to e-mail me with any radio 152.9450R 94.8 Vanity Fair – Operations Reading 154.5150 94.8 Vanity Fair – Housekeeping Reading related news (your channels, new unit IDs, anything) within 464.6625R D244 Berkshire Mall Reading our coverage area – New York State from Ulster and Dutchess counties south. My addresses are listed at the That is just a taste of what I have listed, lets just say going top of the column. I'll pass along the info here for all to shopping is not my thing but she doesn’t mind me bringing enjoy. the scanner along to pass some time. It’s amazing on who uses radios and who doesn’t. Most of these users are not licensed and should be. Any additional information or EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA Steve Bower Jr. confirmation would be appreciated. 9208 Danner Road New Tripoli, Pa. 18066 We have a lot of area events coming up in the Lehigh [email protected] Valley, if you decide to travel check out our web site for http://lvcomm.proboards33.com/index.cgi additional frequencies or even events like Musikfest –

Welcome to this edition of the Scanner Digest. Summer is Allentown Fair & even Dorney Park – Wildwater Kingdom here and almost gone, with the anticipation of our Florida are displayed. trip coming up in a four weeks and trying to cram other summer activities into the schedule makes the days or http://lvcomm.proboards33.com/index.cgi for your safety we request you become a member and don’t be afraid to weekends of summer seem short. Hope everyone is ask questions or for help looking for something. enjoying the summer days and you are able to take some time off. Have a Great Summer and as always BE SAFE & TAKE The business band has been getting thinned out lately. CARE! Steve Bower, Jr.

Business band users seem to be using different types of communications i.e.: Nextel or Mobile Data technology. Our facility has just switched to Nextel and left behind our VERMONT Jim Lawrence UHF simplex system. To be honest I prefer carrying a two- c/o Scanner Digest POB 207 Jamison PA 18929 way radio but no one else does anymore. But yet some [email protected] users are expanding systems to repeated services that were only simplex. Something different this issue; my monitoring experience as I drove from Vermont to Illinois. The itinerant frequencies are still found to be used heavy among small business or local restaurants and stores. My Trip to the Midwest Below are some entertainment and restaurant users in the Lehigh Valley, Pa: During last May and June I traveled from Vermont to the

Midwestern states to visit family and see the Blue Angels 463.3000R D546 Lehigh Valley Mall Whitehall 154.6000 94.8 Toys R US – Grape St Whitehall and Thunderbirds. Coincidentally and quite fortunately for 467.8125 85.4 JC Penny – LV Mall Whitehall your column editor, the two U.S. military demonstration 464.5000 127.3 Old Country Buffet – Grape St Whitehall flight teams were appearing within 90 miles of one another 464.5000 67.0 Applebee’s – Cedarcrest blvd Allentown on the same weekend. Here's a quick summary of and 467.9250 67.0 Applebee’s – Hamilton Blvd Trexlertown some comments about my experience monitoring along my 469.5000 D162 Boscov’s – LV Mall Whitehall route of travel. 151.6250 67.0 Walmart – Lower Macungie R Trexlertown 151.9550 Walmart Store – Rte. 145 Whitehall New York 154.6000 192.8 Sun Pac – LV Mall Whitehall During this trip, I departed from my usual route heading 461.0375 D026 Target Store – Cedarcrest Blvd Allentown 466.2875 D032 Target Store – Cedarcrest Blvd Allentown west along the NY State Thruway to go to the Baseball Hall 464.5500 67.0 Red Robin – Rte. 248 Easton of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. Rather than drive back 463.4250R 179.9 South Mall – Lehigh St Allentown north to the Thruway from Cooperstown, I decided to head

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south on I-88 and then pick up Route 17 across the And that's it this time around from Vermont (and points southern tier of NY. I had all the various troop frequencies west too)! Submissions to this column are always welcome for the NY State Police (NYSP) in my scanners but quickly and appreciated! Please write me at the address shown at found, once on I-88, that the signal from NYSP repeaters in the top of this column. some areas was very weak.

I started searching in the VHF-high band range of MAINE Loren Fields frequencies and from time to time would hear NYSP units c/o Scanner Digest working county sheriff's frequencies for dispatch and motor POB 207 Jamison PA 18929 vehicle information. So the lesson here is for those of you [email protected] who want to monitor NYSP activity along the southern tier ofNY, be sure to check out the county sheriff's repeaters as Greetings from Vacationland! We’ll start off this round with well as the published NYSP frequencies. For instance, I some federal tidbits: heard two NYSP Troop C units talking to Broome Co. on 154.8000 and I caught Troop G units working Schoharie on 167.7125 is STRAPPING in Belfast. Signal was standard 155.7300. encryption, no P-25, PL tone (if any) was suppressed/hidden behind the encryption. Other times, on On my way back to Vermont, I stayed on the Thruway from other machines here in Maine, the tone will come through the Pennsylvania state line to Fonda, NY and, as usual, the despite DES. Belfast and mid-coast monitors let us know information provided on the alternating frequencies of what else you hear! 453.4250 and 453.5250 was very useful. P-25 (per usual) from the Acadia National Park folks on Pennsylvania 164.175R, in the clear. They were running plates and I cut across northwestern Pennsylvania in I-90 and spent drivers. Tourists have figured out the beauty of this park, the night in Erie. No surprises here; Pennsylvania State and are never disappointed by its appeal. Police were still working their VHF-high frequencies. th However, in Erie I heard control channel noise on Prior to the week of the 4 of July, President Bush #43 868.6875, 868.4250 and 868.7625. None of my trunk hosted Vladmir Putin of Russia at Bush #41’s compound in tracker scanners would provide me any information about Kennebunkport, Maine. I was only able to make it down to these control channels. Kennebunkport the day after, so missed the "Maine" event. However, I did hard confirm that Walker's Point USSS Ohio detail uses the Baker channel (165.7875) with P-25 in the As I noted during my travels last year, MARCS rules. clear (at least that day.) I suspect there is a repeater there, MARCS is easy to monitor as you drive across Ohio and, hidden well, of course. Marine bands were quiet, and I had with a little planning ahead, you can put all the control scanners set up, as follows: channels in your receivers ahead of time. The Ohio Turnpike system continues to use their VHF-high *Pro-96 scanning pre-loaded fed stuff, including ISR's frequencies of 155.6850 and 155.7900. Speed *Pro-92 scanning business band in the 450-480 MHz range enforcement was very heavy in Ohio with a trooper in *Pro-60 scanning UHF/mil-air the median running radar about every 40 miles. *Pro-83 scanning marine band *Pro-95 scanning 200 different fed channels Indiana *Icom IC-2000H monitoring Maine State Police simplex The big surprise here for me during this trip was Indiana traffic on 154.935 State Police (ISP) units along the Indiana Toll Road using *Kenwood V7A dual-band scanning assorted VHF-UHF both their VHF frequency of 154.7550 and on the SAFE-T (priority on 156.800 and 157.100, the local USCG 800 MHz system. This was the first time I'd logged ISP "working" channel) units patrolling the Toll Road on the SAFE-T system. I *BCT 7 scanning 400-420 MHz; I'm not happy with this rig! logged them using talkgroup 12272 on the SAFE-T system. *Yaesu VX-7R quad-band handheld with spectrum analyzer as a "frequency confirmer." Illinois The new 700 and 800 MHz STARCOM21 trunked system I was hoping to catch some Ruskies, too. Ah, well. in Illinois is being built and in some locales, such as in the Hopefully Pukin' will come back again before the election Bloomington-Normal area, there is live traffic on it; in (doubt it!) I’ll clear my schedule next time. others, all you'll hear are control channels and no voice activity as yet. However, when I visited there, VHF-low ****************** and high band still ruled when it comes to monitoring PSAP revolt grows: Angry Waterville (ME) officials are Illinois State Police comms downstate outside the Chicago considering joining Somerset County's emergency dispatch metropolitan area. center in light of Tuesday's votes by the House and Senate to kill a bill that would have allowed Waterville to have its own center. The Legislature in 2003 voted to reduce the

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number of public safety answering points -- or PSAPs -- in sponsored the bill to make Waterville a second PSAP in the state, from 48 to between 16 and 24. Waterville officials Kennebec County, as well as Reps. Marilyn Canavan, D- say they'd rather sue than force the city to pay more money Waterville, Pamela J. Trinward, D-Waterville, Jill Conover, for regional 911 dispatch service with a Kennebec County D-Oakland and Kenneth Fletcher, R-Winslow, all supported center in Augusta. the city's efforts to maintain its own 911 dispatch. "I would hope that someone from the (Public Utilities Commission) "We don't believe that regionalization should mean or the elected officials involved would have the courtesy increased costs and diminished service -- and that's what and courage to inform the residents of Kennebec County this is," City Manager Michael Roy said. "And we are what the advantage is for having to pay increased costs prepared to legally challenge the right of the Regional and what the real agenda is," Morris said. The Utilities & Communications Center to assess Kennebec County Energy Committee in May supported a bill to give towns for this service. That will be our next approach ... to Waterville until at least 2009 to join the regional center, but make them explain why they have that taxing power." At resistance from other lawmakers killed the bill. least one town -- Mount Vernon -- has voted to reject the per-capita fee being assessed to pay for the regional ************************** dispatch center. Waterville Mayor Paul R. LePage stated in Pittsfield PD changed their Primary Freq. to 159.155. The a blunt e-mail sent to legislators and others Wednesday old Freq. of 155.1000 is still used by the FD, Ambulance, that having Waterville's calls handled at the Regional Highway & Water Depts. Communications Center would cost Kennebec County residents a minimum additional $292,785 a year. ************************** Portland and South Portland agree to consolidation of "This is simply a travesty and I assure you it will be 911 call centers: The merger of Portland's and South challenged to the full extent possible," LePage's e-mail Portland's operations will be invisible to the public, officials states. "We already pay a $.50 surcharge on our monthly say. The cities of Portland and South Portland have telephone bill for this service and now we are being told too reached a preliminary agreement on combining their bad, you lose and will be assessed an additional $2.50 per emergency 911 call centers. resident annually for the service. I assure you, not without a fight!!! Talk about taxation without representation, I fail to Under the proposal, which recently received tentative see where the RCC legislation gives it the power to tax its approval from both city councils, the two centers in South constituents." Portland and Portland will merge into one larger center in Portland by October 2008. The consolidation of the Police Chief John E. Morris said he spoke Tuesday with centers, known as Public Safety Answering Point centers, Philip Roy, chairman of Somerset County commissioners, will not affect the personnel or the budgets of the to discuss joining Somerset County Communications' two cities, South Portland Acting City Manager Jim Gailey dispatch center. "Initial conversations were favorable," said Friday. However, the costly specialized software Morris said. Both he and Philip Roy said Somerset has the needed for the 911 centers can be removed from the South same kind of equipment Waterville has, making the Portland location, saving considerable money for the state, connection very viable. Waterville spent more than which funds the 911 hubs. "It's a very hardware- and $600,000 to upgrade its dispatching equipment, which software-intensive operation," Portland Fire Chief Frederick officials there say is incompatible with the equipment in LaMontagne said. The South Portland dispatch center will Augusta. Waterville currently dispatches for not only the continue to operate as an emergency dispatch center, city, but also for Winslow, Oakland and Delta Ambulance. fielding calls from the 911 center. Dispatch centers, which Philip Roy said Somerset can easily accommodate both cities already have, usually direct information from Waterville's calls. 911 calls to the appropriate police, fire and rescue departments. However, under the reorganization, rather "There's no reason why we can't help Waterville," he said. than handling calls for all the departments, the South "We want to help Waterville. We want to be good Portland emergency neighbors. Ultimately, we know we can save them money; dispatchers will be in charge of dispatching fire and EMS it's just a matter of how much and what level of service services, while the Portland emergency center will handle they want." The purpose of consolidation is to provide at calls for police services. "It's really going to be very least an equivalent service for a lesser cost. But Waterville seamless," Gailey said. "The citizen or business will not would get a diminished service at an increased cost if it even notice the changeover." He said that giving each city joins the Regional Communications Center in Augusta, specific personnel to be in charge of according to Morris. dispatching allows for specialization, and therefore more efficiency. "I think the decision was ill-advised and clearly not motivated by the merits of Waterville's case," Morris said. Portland Police Chief Tim Burton said the setup has even "It appears to me that the state built the RCC in Augusta more advantages in the event of a disaster or major without really thinking about who was going to be using it." emergency. He said combining forces "enhances our ability He noted that Sen. Lisa Marraché, D-Waterville, who to manage our emergency response" over the entire area.

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However, both cities will maintain the equipment and Until next time, keep the eagle flying free and support our personnel needed to operate on their own if necessary, so troops. God Bless America, and obey Acts 2:38. "in the event one location is compromised, the other will maintain full capability," Burton said. OUT HERE. Each city held workshops to discuss the idea. The South Portland City Council gave preliminary approval in early May, Gailey said, and the Portland City Council gave an PHILADELPHIA METRO Justin Linn informal go-ahead after a June 4 workshop. The cities 1864 Wakeling Street have yet to sign a formal agreement, but Gailey said that's Philadelphia, PA 19124 just a technicality. "We're spending money. We're moving [email protected] on this," he said. The move to consolidate comes after a www.vipercomusa.cj.net push by Gov. John Baldacci to regionalize 911 call centers to save money. A state law SCANNER MONITORING IN CHESTER COUNTY, enacted in 2003 requires the 48 call centers in Maine to PENNSYLVANIA drop to between 16 and 24. Each 911 call center must be furnished with special equipment that answers 911 calls Submitted by Creighton Rabs and instantly displays information about where the call originated. Maine taxpayers pay for this equipment through Chester County is one of the fastest growing regions in a 50-cent surcharge on their telephone bills. Some of the Pennsylvania. Located west of Philadelphia, has a vast equipment is old and needs to be replaced. To keep the mix of urban, suburban, and rural environments that can, in surcharge at 50 cents, many call centers must consolidate. theory, make scanning the county an interesting "The city of South Portland was informed it couldn't keep experience. its answering point," LaMontagne said. "We found a lot of common ground between our two municipalities, and we However, virtually all Chester County public safety decided our communities could share dispatch points." operations operate on an E.F. Johnson LTR Multi-Net system. While LTR Multi-Net systems cannot be trunk- Editors note: Ironically enough, our out-of-control state tracked by any commercially available scanner, the system legislature just “appropriated” $3 million dollars out of the is monitorable by entering the frequencies in conventional 911 fund to cover their voracious spending in totally mode. This makes it very difficult to monitor a typical unrelated areas…. conversation, however at least you’re able to hear something on this system. ************************** And, finally, here is a picture of the FEMA mobile While all fire companies, EMS squads, and most law command post that turned up in York County at the enforcement agencies operate on the county TRS, there beginning of June 2007 as a result of all the flooding that are a couple of notable exceptions. The West Chester happened: Police Department operates on a 4-channel UHF conventional radio system, built by Motorola. The department recently made the full-time conversion from analog operations to digital operations. Another notable exception is the West Goshen Police Department, which during daytime and early evening weekday hours is self- dispatched; during all other times, this agency is dispatched by Chester County.

Most law enforcement agency side channels are now, in effect, use a talk group on the county’s TRS, however, there are still a couple active conventional frequencies that are confirmed to be in use. The same goes for the county’s fire companies; most fire company “private channels” are inactive, though several still remain in use.

CHESTER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY SERVICES

The Chester County Department of Emergency Services Your tax dollars at work! One can only wonder the commo operates and maintains a centralized dispatch center in the that resides inside of this rig. Special “props” go to one of basement of the Government Services Building, located on our “eagle-eyed” monitors who is always a wellspring of Westtown Rd, just outside of West Chester. The DES 9-1- information. 1 Center had been previously located at the Hazlett

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Building, located within West Chester Borough, just north identifiers use the “APCO” phonetic alphabet (Adam, Boy, of downtown. Charles, David, Edward, etc.) to identify themselves to dispatch, the majority of law enforcement dispatchers use The LTR Multi-Net system operated and maintained by the the NATO (or “military”) phonetic alphabet (Alpha, Bravo, county serves nearly all law enforcement agencies (except Charlie, Delta, Echo, etc.) as do a large percentage of field for West Chester), all fire departments and EMS squads in officers. Chester County (along with a handful of mutual aid companies in neighboring counties), along with the Chester The “YY” represents an officer’s specific unit number. In County Sheriff’s Department, Chester County Detectives, some larger departments, there’s a specific geographic Chester County Park Rangers, and the Chester County based sector identifier system that indicates what sector an Prison. A total of 14 frequencies comprise the active officer is patrolling. In the smaller departments, they can channel rotation, with two of these channels utilized as represent either an individual officer or a patrol car unit control channels. While monitoring in conventional mode, number. it’s best to lock out the two control channels, as most of the traffic that is transmitted is sub-audible noise. Most of the low priority calls are routed to an officer’s mobile data terminal (MDT) with the only verbal notification Dispatching of law enforcement consists of three separate being, “Unit XX Paul YY, check your MDT for a parking districts – East (covering townships in the Main Line area), complaint.” Some departments actually use the MDT’s to Central (covering an area roughly east of and including the notify dispatch of traffic stops and will run license plate Route 100/Pottstown Pike and Route 202/Wilmington Pike information through the MDT rather than tie up the radio corridors), and West (generally west of Route 100/202). channel. For most active incidents, unless an officer indicates otherwise, county will call a unit for status on a All three law-enforcement dispatch districts have regular basis (usually about 5 minutes or so) while an frequencies licensed to simulcast dispatcher only incident is active. All dispatches are done in plain English, transmissions off the county’s TRS. The East District eliminating the use of the 10-codes, though some agencies repeater is currently not active. One possible reason the will use these codes occasionally on their respective side East Police Repeater is not active is that it is licensed for channels or talkgroups. the same frequencies as one of Lancaster City’s police frequencies and that dispatchers simply are not permitted Fire and emergency medical services are dispatched to use the simulcast feature for that region. The other two together and also operate on an East, Central, and West dispatch repeaters – Central and West – are still active to fire district format. The East District consists of fire stations allow communications between DES and the Pennsylvania along the Main Line and West Chester areas; the Central State Police, if needed (though this has been an extremely District consists of the Pottstown Pike corridor north of rare occurrence in recent years). West Chester, along with northern and central parts of the county; the West District consists of the companies in the Law enforcement agencies in Chester County are identified western and southern parts of the county. EMS calls are with a system similar to that made popular by the Los dispatched based on whichever district the fire company Angeles Police Department. The identifier consists of “Unit covers. For example, an EMS squad whose primary area XX (alpha) YY”: is the East District will operate on the Central District if the call is located in a territory covered by a station operating The “XX” represents the department’s district identifier. on Central. These numbers are assigned to departments based on the county’s municipal numbering system, which is generally There is one paging frequency for fire and EMS services used by all county agencies. In the case of regional police which has a very strong signal that some scanners or other agencies, the identifier is the township where the radios can pick up as far north as Northern New Jersey. department’s headquarters are located. The county There are two repeaters associated with the county’s fire reserves numbers between 1 and 73 for the municipal service – the East and Central districts share a frequency, police departments; units between 75 and 79 are for which can be very hectic when there are two major college-based and school district-based law enforcement incidents going on in the respective districts, while the agencies. Units in the 80’s are reserved for county Park West district has a separate frequency. Rangers and other state conservation or park-based patrol agencies; 90-series identifiers are used by the county-wide Almost all fire companies in Chester County are volunteer based agencies. with a few paid staffers (usually drivers); most EMS squads are volunteer with paid staff, particularly during the daytime The “alpha” designator is the officer’s rank or specialized hours. All but a few EMS squads operated under the unit (ie. patrol units are “Paul” units, “David” units are jurisdiction of local fire companies. Most of these detectives, “Adam” units designate the Chief of Police or companies provide Basic Life Support service, while a few other supervisory officer in charge, “Boy” units are bike provide Advanced Life Support services. There are three patrol officers, etc.). The irony of the system that the hospital based ALS services in the county; two other such county designed is that even though law enforcement services disbanded, and had ALS services taken over by

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the local fire company-based EMS services. Some fire and overnight hours to deal with calls related quality of life companies that do not have an ambulance service also issues related to the borough’s numerous bars and provide Quick Response System (QRS) services in their restaurants and in high priority neighborhoods. first-due territory. The department uses the same identifier system as the WEST CHESTER POLICE DEPARTMENT rest of the county, with a couple of modifications. CONVENTIONAL P-25 SYSTEM Additionally, the department uses the 10-codes that were phased out in the rest of the county. The West Chester Police Department is one of only municipal public safety agency that does not operate on WEST GOSHEN TOWNSHIP POLICE DEPARTMENT the Chester County TRS, nor is dispatched by the county It could be said that the West Goshen Township Police has (the other is North Coventry Township Police, which it both ways when it comes to dispatching and operates on an encrypted talkgroup on the Montgomery communications systems. West Goshen self-dispatches County TRS). WCPD operates and maintains a 24-hour its police department between 07:00 and 23:00 Monday dispatch center at the police headquarters, located at the through Friday; at all other times, Chester County DES West Chester Borough Hall at Gay and Adams streets. As dispatches the department over the Central Police district. part of its communications division, the West Chester At times, it can be a challenge determining where to find Police maintain a Motorola 4-channel, conventional UHF West Goshen on the radio. Sometimes, the department system for it’s day-to-day communications. operates on its own licensed VHF-High Band frequency; other times they use the county TRS. There seems to be Channels 1 and 2 are paired, as are Channels 3 and 4. no logic behind usage of the VHF frequency. Channel 1 is the primary dispatch channel; Channel 2 is the primary simplex talk-around channel; Channel 3 is the Another quirk is that while officers are split into two squads secondary dispatch channel; Channel 4 is a talk-around (06:00-18:00 and 18:00-06:00), dispatchers on duty work channel that is rarely used, but can be active for some from 07:00-15:00 and 15:00-23:00. Also, while West downtown events such as the Restaurant Festival and the Goshen officers use two digit identifiers, they actually Iron Hill Criterium bike race. correspond to badge numbers as opposed to geographic sectors, as is the case with other large departments (such In December 2006, the West Chester Police began as Tredyffrin or West Chester). operating it’s radio system in APCO-25 digital mode, however all communications are unencrypted, and are OTHER CONVENTIONAL FREQUENCIES expected to remain so for the long-term future. There have For the most part, most of the frequencies licensed to been a few instances where operations have reverted back municipalities that were used by police departments in the to analog mode due to reception issues or for mutual-aid county are no longer active. In some cases, usage has purposes. simply ceased, while other townships have turned over the channels to their respective roads departments. During The system’s primary tower is located just west of the winter months, however, some of the township channels do borough in East Bradford Township off of Downingtown become very active. Pike just east of the West Chester Bypass (Route 322). Additional transmitters are located at the West Chester On the police side, only two departments are confirmed to Borough Hall, Wayne Hall on the West Chester University operate over conventional channels for talk-around – campus, the Embreeville complex in West Bradford Downingtown Borough (VHF-High) and Uwchlan Township Township, and the Chester County Prison complex in (UHF). The Uwchlan repeater carries a pretty strong Pocopson Township. There have been some preliminary signal, coming in clearly as far south as the discussions with Downingtown Borough about adding a Chester/Delaware County line near Chadds Ford; transmitter on their tower near the Chester County conversely, Downingtown’s channel can only be heard as Intermediate Unit complex on Boot Road, though nothing far away as the western-most portions of West Whiteland has been finalized as of yet. The new site would improve Township (Exton area). communications coverage in the northern portions of East Bradford Township, which part of WCPD’s patrol district. A few fire companies continue to use their private frequencies, the spectrum of which can vary from VHF-Low The department operates four regular patrol squads (with Band to 800 mhz conventional. For the most part, shift changes at 06:00 and 18:00), to which a regular however, a lot of fire companies utilize the “FD-1” simplex dispatcher is normally assigned. In addition to the regular nd channel licensed to the county for fireground operations, at squad dispatcher, there is a 2 dispatcher during weekday least where multiple companies are responding. This “normal business hours” (07:00 to 15:00) and most particular channel is often referred to as “71”, which evenings (usually Tuesdays through Saturdays from appears to be the channel assignment in a county issued approximately 15:00 to 23:00 and from 23:00 to 07:00 or portable. later, depending on need). A fifth squad is usually in service Wednesdays through Saturdays during evening

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Outside the realm of the county’s public safety sector, Additionally, PSP units operating on the Pennsylvania there are a few channels in conventional mode that are Turnpike’s District 4 (between the Morgantown exit in available to monitor. The Coatesville Veterans Berks County and the Pennsylvania/New Jersey state line) Administration Medical Center, located in Caln Township, continue to operate on their respective VHF channels (at maintains VHF-High Band frequencies in the federal range least for the foreseeable future). The District 4 repeater is (160 mhz). The VA Police Department (77-units on the strong enough to be heard into parts of New Castle county system) operates in P-25 mode full time; depending County, Delaware – not to mention parts of Chester County on the individual officer, mobiles can be encrypted, that are nowhere near the Turnpike proper. however the dispatch always seems to operate in the clear. The VAMC Fire Department (Station 76) operates on at FREQUENCIES OF NOTE least 1 VHF-High Band channel for internal operations, but CHESTER COUNTY TRS SIMULCAST (enter all does respond on the county TRS for mutual aid frequencies in the order listed, locking out the control assignments (generally to assist Station 38 – Thorndale). channels) There is also at least one active VHF-High Band channel used by maintenance personnel at the hospital. 866.0625 866.2125 866.8625 868.1125 866.7500 867.3250 Sky Flight Care (aka SkyCare), an air-medical provider 868.2625 860.4375 866.3875* based at the Brandywine Hospital in Caln, operates off of 856.2375 860.2375 858.2375 three channels – a UHF repeater for primary operations, a 866.1250 866.2125* VHF-High repeater for secondary operations, and a VHF- High channel for communications between SkyCare base (*) – Control channels (sub-audible noise when other and hospital security. SkyCare’s first-due territory includes channels are active) most of northern, western, and southern Chester County, the Pottstown area in Montgomery Coutny, the Chester County DES Repeaters Morgantown area of Berks County, and the eastern and central portions of Lancaster County. At times, reception is (Police repeaters simulcast dispatch only) spotty from a few miles west of the hospital, but is 154.7000 – East Police Dispatch (71.9 pl) generally pretty good. 154.7850 – Central Police Dispatch (71.9 pl) 155.7600 – West Police Dispatch (71.9 pl) Another public safety channel of note is the West Chester University Public Safety (police) Department (75-units), 160.1850 – Fire/EMS Paging (CSQ) which presently operates on a VHF-High repeater. While 159.6000 – East/Central Fire (CSQ) WCU Police can access the county trunk system for mutual 159.7350 – West Fire (CSQ) aid (West Chester Borough police can reach WCU Police on the VHF channel), use of the county system is virtually MUNICIPAL CONVENTIONAL FREQUENCIES non-existent. Additionally, there were plans for WCUPD to (Confirmed Active) migrate over to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s 158.8200 – Caln Township Roads (71.9 pl) Starnet state-wide OpenSky radio system, meaning the 860.9625 – Chester County Sheriff’s Office (100.0 pl – days of monitoring this particular agency may be Simulcast from TRS) numbered. However, there are also plans by the 158.8050 – Downingtown Police Talk-around (71.9 pl) University to upgrade to a UHF repeater system, either for 159.1425 – East Bradford Township Roads (156.7 pl) the police department or maintenance. 151.1150 – East Marlborough Township Roads (151.4 pl) 500.3875 – East Pikeland Township Roads (97.4 pl) As noted earlier, the Pennsylvania State Police stations in 155.0850 – East Whiteland Township Roads (71.9 pl) Chester County – located in London Grove Township 151.0850 – Pocopson Township Roads (DPL 025) (Avondale) and West Bradford Township (Embreeville) – 500.6625 – Uwchlan Township Police Talk-around (131.8 can, in theory, communicate with the county police pl) dispatchers through the existing Central and West police 500.9625 – Uwchlan Township Roads (146.2 pl) district channels, but have not done so for at least the past 156.2400 – West Caln Township Roads (186.2 pl) couple of years. 500.4125 – West Chester Police F-1 (P-25/97.4 pl) 500.4125 – West Chester Police F-2 (P-25/97.4 pl – PSP stations in Chester County continue to use their Simplex) assigned VHF frequencies, pending a move to Starnet. 500.5125 – West Chester Police F-3 (P-25/97.4 pl) PSP Avondale – which covers the southern part of the 500.5125 – West Chester Police F-4 (P-25/97.4 pl – county – operates on PSP “B” Channel, a duplex pairing Simplex) with separate base and mobile frequencies, while PSP 48.4000 – West Chester Public Works (156.7 pl) Embreeville operates on “G” Channel, where base and 158.7450 – West Goshen Township Police Dispatch/Talk- mobile units operate on the same frequency. around (71.9 pl) 46.5200 – West Goshen Township Roads (123.0 pl) 500.4375 – West Whiteland Township Roads (127.3 pl)

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07 – Parkesburg Police units assigned to Atglen Borough FIRE COMPANY FREQUENCIES (confirmed active) 08 – Parkesburg Police units assigned to Parkesburg Borough 154.3100 – Downingtown Fire Department (71.9 pl) 09 – South Coatesville Borough 154.2950 – East Whiteland Fire Company 11 – Downingtown Borough 154.0700 – Goshen Fire Company 12 – Parkesburg Police units assigned to Honey Brook 155.8875 – Goshen Fire Company (DPL 731) Borough 453.3875 – Longwood Fire Company (DPL 025) 16 – Coatesville City 154.3775 – Westwood Fire Company 28 – West Caln Township 29 – West Brandywine Township OTHER NOTABLE FREQUENCIES 30 – Brandywine Regional Police (East Brandywine and Wallace Townships) 155.2350 – Sky FlightCare Dispatch (77.0 pl) 36 – West Sadsbury Township 451.0250 – Sky FlightCare Operations (123.0 pl) 37 – Sadsbury Township 155.3250 – Sky FlightCare/Brandywine Hospital (67.0 pl) 38 – Valley Township 165.4250 – VA Medical Center Police (P-25 – mixed clear 39 – Caln Township and encrypted) 44 – West Fallowfield Township 166.1375 – VA Medical Center Fire Department (173.8 pl) 45 – Parkesburg Police units assigned to Highland Twp. 166.7150 – VA Medical Center Maintenance (156.7 pl) 47 – East Fallowfield Township 60 – New Garden Township POLICE DEPARTMENTS ON THE COUNTY TRS (By 61 – East Marlborough Township Dispatch District) 62 – Kennett Township (department slated to go in service later this year or early next year) EAST DISTRICT 76 – Lincoln University Police (self-dispatched, does have access to CAD system, but unknown use of TRS) 02 – Malvern Borough 77 – Coatesville VA Medical Center Police (self-dispatched 42 – East Whiteland Township but has access to TRS on West PD) 43 – Tredyffrin Township 79 – Coatesville Area School District Police 54 – Willistown Township 55 – Easttown Township COUNTY-WIDE AGENCIES CENTRAL DISTRICT 81 – Pennsylvania Fish & Game Commission 82 – Marsh Creek State Park Rangers 01 – West Chester Borough (self-dispatched at all times) 83 – Warwick County Park Rangers 14 – Spring City Borough 84 – Hibernia County Park Rangers 15 – Phoenixville Borough 85 – Nottingham County Park Rangers 17 – North Coventry Township (dispatched by Pottstown 86 – Springton Manor Farm Park Rangers on Montgomery County TRS) 91 – Chester County Detectives 18 – East Coventry Township 92 – Chester County District Attorney 21 – East Vincent Township 93 – Chester County Sheriff’s Office 25 – West Vincent Township 94 – Chester County Prison 26 – East Pikeland Township 27 – Schuylkill Township 32 – Upper Uwchlan Township FIRE/EMS AGENCIES ON COUNTY TRS (by 33 – Uwchlan Township Dispatch District) 34 – West Pikeland Township 41 – West Whiteland Township EAST DISTRICT 52 – West Goshen Township (self-dispatched except for 2 – Berwyn overnights and weekends) 3 – Paoli 65 – Birmingham Township 4 – Malvern 67 – Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police 5 – East Whiteland 75 – West Chester University (self-dispatched, but does 51 – First West Chester have access to system on Central PD) 52 – Goodwill/West Chester 53 – Fame/West Chester WEST DISTRICT 54 – Goshen (main station) 03 – Kennett Square Borough 55 – Good Fellowship Ambulance 04 – Parkesburg Police units assigned to Avondale 56 – Goshen (sub-station) Borough 58 – West Chester University QRS 05 – West Grove Borough 91 – Chester County Hospital ALS 06 – Oxford Borough

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MUTUAL AID UNITS FROM NEIGHBORING COUNTIES CENTRAL DISTRICT WHICH ACCESS TRS (Not a fully-inclusive list; these 6 – West Whiteland are the companies that are frequently on the TRS) 33 – Honey Brook 45 – Alert/Downingtown BERKS COUNTY 46 – Minquas/Downingtown 47 – Lionville 24 – Geigertown 48 – Glenmoore 49 – East Brandywine 680 – Southern Berks EMS 61 – Kimberton 62 – Ridge DELAWARE COUNTY 63 – Liberty/Spring City 15 – Radnor 64 – North Coventry 41 – Newtown Square 65 – Phoenix/Phoenixville 59 – Concordville 66 – Friendship/Phoenixville 64 – Edgmont 67 – West End/Phoenixville 167 – West End EMS/East Vincent sub-station LANCASTER COUNTY 68 – Valley Forge 69 – Twin Valley 3-4 – Churchtown 72 – Spring-Ford Rescue Squad 3-6 – Goodville 73 – Ludwig’s Corner 4-9 – White Horse 74 – Upper Uwchlan QRS 5-1 – Bart Township 87 – Uwchlan Ambulance 5-2 – Christiana 89 – Elverson EMS 5-13 – Robert Fulton 7-7-9 – Susquehanna Valley EMS WEST DISTRICT MONTGOMERY COUNTY 12 – West Grove (New London sub-station) 21 – Union/Oxford 41 – North Penn Canteen Service 22 – West Grove (main station) 47 – King of Prussia 23 – Avondale 51 – Linfield 24 – Kennett 55 – Mont Clare 25 – Longwood 57 – West End (Stowe) 26 – Atglen 58 – Sanatoga 27 – Cochranville 63 – Oaks 28 – Parkesburg 69 – Pottstown Fire Department 29 – Pomeroy 84 – Humane/Royersford 31 – Sadsburyville 85 – Friendship/Royersford 34 – Martin’s Corner 317 – Lafayette Ambulance (King of Prussia) 35 – Wagontown 322 – Lower Providence Ambulance 36 – Po-Mar-Lin 324 – Trappe Ambulance 37 – Modena 325 – Friendship Fire Co. EMS/Royersford 38 – Thorndale 329 – Goodwill Ambulance/Pottstown 39 – West Bradford (main station) 139 – West Bradford (sub-station) NEW CASTLE COUNTY, DELAWARE 41 – Washington/Coatesville 19 – Hockessin 43 – West End/Coatesville 44 – Westwood CECIL COUNTY, MARYLAND 75 – Lukens Steel/ISG Plate 76 – Coatesville VA Fire Department 3/4/14 – Elkton 93 – Brandywine Hospital ALS 8/18/28 – Rising Sun 94 – Southern Chester County EMS ------

COUNTY-WIDE FIRE-RESCUE AGENCIES Chester County PA Live Feed by Steve Snyder KB3FSR 11 – Department of Emergency Services/Fire Training 13 – American Red Cross To the scanner listeners, I have setup a live audio feed 15 – Chester County Haz-Mat for Chester County, PA . I have been doing some work on 77 – Chester County Dive-Rescue Team getting a Uniden trunk tracker scanner to track and follow the comms on the EF Johnson Multi-Net Trunked System. I

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was able to do this with some add-on's to the Scanner. Log Events 1-10 These Channels are analog 800mhz and do in on the Team Speak Audio Feed Software and look for not require a digital scanner. PA - Chester County (RM) Channel Feed. The radio Is programmed with police and fire talkgroups. And also inter- ops channels and I-Tac channels. The scanner is setup to CHESTER COUNTY FIRE TALKGROUPS scan all talkgroups that have been programmed into the EF JOHNSON MULTI-NET II TRUNKED SYSTEM scanner. Log in and enjoy. Let me know what you think of the Audio Feed TG ID RADIO DISPLAY DESCRIPTION

73 All. Steve. KB3FSR 13100 EAST-FIRE EAST FIRE DISPATCH 13120 EFG-1 EAST FIRE GROUND -1 Don’t have an E.F. Johnson LTR Multi-Net system capable 13121 EFG-2 EAST FIRE GROUND -2 scanner? Well look no further. Below is information 13142 E-MA EAST MUTUAL AID received by Steve Snyder KB3FSR from Paoli, 13130 E-TAC EAST TACTICAL Pennsylvania. This is an updated TG list for Fire and 13140 MA-AC EAST MUTUAL AID ALL CALL 13221 EMERG EAST EMERGENCY Police. 13101 ENT-FIRE ENTRAL FIRE DISPATCH 13122 CFG-1 CENTRAL FIRE GROUND -1 Steve also has set up a live feed that includes a good mix 13123 CFG-2 CENTRAL FIRE GROUND -2 of communications emanating from Chester County, PA. 13144 C-MA CENTRAL MUTUAL AID 13131 C-TAC CENTRAL TACTICAL http://www.incidentbroadcast.com/index.php 13140 MA-AC CENTRAL MUTUAL AID ALL CALL 13221 EMERG CENTRAL EMERGENCY Once on the site’s main page look on the left-hand column 13102 WEST-FIRE WEST FIRE DISPATCH under main menu for information about Teamspeak. This 13124 WFG-1 WEST FIRE GROUND -1 13125 WFG-2 WEST FIRE GROUND -2 will give you information about Teamspeak, how to 13146 W-MA WEST MUTUAL AID download Teamspeak2 and finally how to set it up 13132 W-TAC WEST TACTICAL properly. 13140 MA-AC WEST MUTUAL AID ALL CALL 13222 EMERG WEST EMERGENCY Here's the information posted directly on the 13031 HAZMT CHESTER COUNTY HAZMAT TEAM Teamspeak2’s server. Once set up look as it lists a feed for 13032 FMARS CHESTER COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL Chester County. 13151 P-M-H PAOLI MEMORIAL HOSPITAL 13154 P-V-H PHOENIXVILLE HOSPITAL Channel: Topic: 13150 C-C-H CHESTER COUNTY HOSPITAL 13152 BWH BRANDYWINE HOSPITAL PA - Chester County Full Time Feed 13153 S-C-C SOUTHERN CHESTER COUNTY MED CTR 13155 B-M-H BRYN MAWR HOSPITAL User in channel: Codec: 13037 DIVE CHESTER CO. DIVER RESCUE TEAM 3/100 Speex 12.3 Kbit CHESTER COUNTY POLICE TALKGROUPS Description: EF JOHNSON MULTI-NET II TRUNKED SYSTEM Broadcasting live public service radio traffic from Chester County, PA. TG ID RADIO DISPLAY DESCRIPTION 13050 EAST-DISP EAST POLICE DISPATCH This feed covers all police and fire departments in Chester 13060 EPG-1 EAST POLICE GROUP - 1 County on their EF Johnson 800 MHz Multi-Net II Trunked 13061 EPG-2 EAST POLICE GROUP - 2 13074 EPG-3 EAST POLICE GROUP - 3 System. The live audio that you hear is not from a scanner, 13075 EPG-4 EAST POLICE GROUP - 4 but from a radio that is made exclusively for use with a 13142 E-MA EAST MUTUAL AID Multi-Net Trunked system. Includes all PD Dispatch and 13070 E-TAC EAST TACTICAL Police Dept., and Fire Dispatch and Fire Dept. talkgroups 13221 EMERG EAST EMERGENCY You will also hear the Medics talking to the Hospital for 13051 CENT - DISP CENTRAL POLICE DISPATCH Medical Command. 13062 CPG-1 CENTRAL POLICE GROUP -1 ------13063 CPG-2 CENTRAL POLICE GROUP -2 13064 CPG-3 CENTRAL POLICE GROUP -3 Description: 13065 CPG-4 CENTRAL POLICE GROUP -4 10144 C-MA CENTRAL MUTUAL AID This feed monitors Montgomery County, PA Fire Dept.'s 13071 C-TAC CENTRAL TACTICAL Digital 800MHz TRS. All Companies in Region 5 are now 13221 EMERG CENTRAL EMERGENCY on the 800MHz Trunked Radio System. 13052 WEST - DISP WEST POLICE DISPATCH 13066 WPG-1 WEST POLICE GROUP -1 North East Montgomery Dispatch 13067 WPG-2 WEST POLICE GROUP -2 Regions 3-6 These Channels are all Digital 13068 WPG-3 WEST POLICE GROUP -3 13069 WPG-4 WEST POLICE GROUP -4

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W-MA WEST MUTUAL AID 13071 W-TAC WEST TACTICAL 13222 EMERG WEST EMERGENCY ScannerDigest Newsletter 13090 NATPL NATIONAL POLICE (Patch to 155.475) 13035 SHERF CHESTER COUNTY SHERIFF DEP'T Welcome to the Scanner Digest Newsletter! We’re currently 13020 CCDSP CHESTER COUNTY DES DISPATCH publishing a bi-monthly e-magazine containing information for 13021 DES-L CHESTER COUNTY DES LOCAL the scanner hobbyist. If it can be monitored on a scanner, we’ll 13030 DES-ADMIN CHESTER COUNTY DES ADMIN attempt to cover it from 30 to 1300 MHz and beyond! 13091 INFO-E CHESTER COUNTY INFO EAST 13092 INFO-C CHESTER CO. INFO CENTRAL Our purpose is to produce a newsletter to facilitate the exchange 13093 INFO-W CHESTER CO. INFO WEST of information pertaining to the various services covered by a typical scanner radio. Dedicated regional column editors make up the heart of this publication. WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA Dan Ruhe c/o Scanner Digest The Scanner Digest Newsletter is not responsible for the POB 207 accuracy or consequences incurred regarding the use of Jamison PA 18929 [email protected] information listed in this publication. Since the purpose of this newsletter is to provide a platform for the submission and Sorry no column this issue. exchange of radio communication information, it thus becomes impossible to deem all contents as accurate. The very nature of radio licensing and usage makes it difficult to verify the accuracy of the information contained within. Generally information listed within the pages of the newsletter are derived from multiply sources including current FCC files, hobbyists and those directly involved with various public safety agencies.

Scanner Digest’s policy has been not to limit or edit the individual columns submitted, unless we deem the information sensitive in nature which may jeopardize the safety of the parties involved. Only in this case will we edit out this type of input. (Example: We will not publish the frequencies used by a law enforcement surveillance team.)

Naturally the comments of the various column editors are not necessarily the views and opinions of the Scanner Digest Newsletter. All materials, maps, information, photographs submitted to a regional column editor or to Scanner Digest directly, become sole property of the Scanner Digest Newsletter. We encourage and will make every effort to give proper credit to all submissions. All contents within are copyrighted. 2003-2007

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