Westchester County Trunked System

[Guest]

The County published a new newsletter about the system and stated that the talkgroups have been established on paper? Any one here have an idea what they will be yet? Also, will the county Police be going to the new system?

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

[SteveOFD 176]

The system will be for Fire, EMS and the County Bus System(for interoperability ie. evacuation). Base radios will be installed in all(?) PD's along with Hospitals as per the original bid RFP. According to radioupdate #2 portable radios will only be provided for Chief Officers.

[RES20CUE 40]

Unless the County changed something (gee!!).

The original plan was to install a mobile and a "command" portable in every front-line piece of apparatus in the county, for the Fire/ EMS side.

If this has changed and they are not providing these portables- someone better start jumping up and down and telling the Chief's in the county, because that is going to make a huge impact on the local departments purchasing! And again will delay the project. I've been basing my purchases for the last 4 years around the understanding of above, and that I would have to purchase radios for my Utilities. :dizzy:

[Fed124 0]

Updates to the radio system have been discussed at the County Chief's, NWVFA, and the County DES informational meeting that have been held within the past month. They did discuss the portable issue. This isn’t new news.

[RES20CUE 40]

I was at these meetings and don't remember hearing this. Again, I'm in favor of this switch to UHF, but now the county changed it's mind again!

Tell us one thing, we budget for it and plan, etc. Now they change and we have to purchase more radios, and shift money from other areas of need to buy these radios that were going to be provided.

[RWC130 594]

No comment on this new radio system. =D>

[SteveOFD 176]

Last week in The Journal News legal section, the County is going out to bid for the installation of the radios at the Ossining, Bedford(Fox Lane), and Peekskill sites.

Reviewing past posts in this thread, at the Battalion 12 informational meeting in Feb. it was stated talkgroups will be assigned by Battalion (one each for Fire and EMS), along with others for DOT(BeeLine Bus) and Hospitals.

[rsm5674 0]

The latest and greatest news is that the County is in pricing negotiations with Motorola for newer vehicle and portable radios as those that were originally chosen have been discontinued by Motorola. These new radios will hopefully be ready to ship in June sometime. There will be a number of vendors that will be able to perform the installs and each dept will be able to chose from a list of authorized vendors to do the work. I hear the target date to install is August/September.

[Guest]

What, August/September of 2024?? I'll believe all this radio talk when its up a running. Seems like this process has been talked about, changed and retooled a ton. We'll see......

[SteveOFD 176]

From The Journal News legal section 7/1/05, Westchester County is advertising for bids for "Installation of Radio Building, Summit Avenue, Port Chester". Bid opening 8/20/05.

If I am not mistaken, I heard that there is a water tank located there that currently does not have any radio equipment on it.

[mikeinet 37]

Yeah, I think the community is up in arms over putting it on the water tower so they need to look somewhere else

[roeems87 0]

I mean, I know people pay taxes higher than many places in the country here in Westchester, but what in God's name is everyone's problem with this? I just don't get it sometimes! Do these people not realize that this tower is to benefit emergency services that (god forbid) if they needed it would be better served if they had that radio tower? I don't understand what the big deal is. It's like the residents of Scarsdale who don't allow a cell phone tower anywhere within their borders, but they do nothing but endlessly complain (because they have money and they think that is their god given right to complain about anything and everything) about not having cell phone service. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE RESULT OF YOUR IGNORANCE IN THE FIRST PLACE?! I don't know, this type of stuff really gets me mad. People disagree on principle, not realizing this doesn't make a big difference (IF ANY AT ALL) for them and it will only be helping them in the long run...

Nonetheless another set-back for Westchester Emergency Services and the future of it because of the ignorance of the public.

[mikeinet 37]

People just think they're going to grow a 3rd head by having a radio antenna near their houses... they don't understand the implications and risk of not having this...

what would you really expect though - something else for them to bicker about when radio communications fail and there's a fire at their house... then they might wake up. (First they'll bicker that the county didn't do enough to prevent an incident though)

[TR54 239]

Found listing of Future Trunked Radio assignments for Westchester Co.

http://www.wremsco.org/WCDES%20DOCs/Battal...kedRadioSys.pdf.

www.wremsco.org

[rsm5674 0]

Anyone have any updates and when the installs will start?

[ONLOCATION 24]

Just sounds like A Cluster to me!

[SteveOFD 176]

According to an application on the FCC's website dated 11/09/05, Westchester Co. has filed a emergency waiver for temporary authorization to construct and test the North Zone of the new Trunked System. The frequencies for this portion have been approved by the local APCO coordinator and submitted for final approval.

According to this application the South Zone is already licensed (WQBR539) and construction has begun. The waiver is meant to provide for testing of the full system upon completion of the construction phase.

North Zone sites will be Bedford - South Bedford Road(Fox Lane), North Salem - Keeler Lane, Ossining - Pinesbridge Road, Peekskill - Benefield Boulevard, Pound Ridge - Adams Lane, Yorktown - Baldwin Road(Mohansic).

South Zone sites will be Yonkers - Wayslenko Lane(Dunwoodie Golf Course), Port Chester - Boston Post Road[(NY United Hospital)(rumored to be moved to Summit Ave. water tank)], Valhalla - Grasslands Reservation.

Edited November 14, 2005 by SteveOFD

[ems-buff 81]

According to an application on the FCC's website dated 11/09/05, Westchester Co. has filed a emergency waiver for temporary authorization to construct and test the North Zone of the new Trunked System. The frequencies for this portion have been approved by the local APCO coordinator and submitted for final approval.

According to this application the South Zone is already licensed (WQBR539) and construction has begun. The waiver is meant to provide for testing of the full system upon completion of the construction phase.

North Zone sites will be Bedford - South Bedford Road(Fox Lane), North Salem - Keeler Lane, Ossining - Pinesbridge Road, Peekskill - Benefield Boulevard, Pound Ridge - Adams Lane, Yorktown - Baldwin Road(Mohansic).

South Zone sites will be Yonkers - Wayslenko Lane(Dunwoodie Golf Course), Port Chester - Boston Post Road[(NY United Hospital)(rumored to be moved to Summit Ave. water tank)], Valhalla - Grasslands Reservation.

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So when is this system supposed to be in place? Also someone told me that it would be like what the Med. channels were.( I have no idea what that is. If someone can tell me what that is thank you ) I under stand that the system it is for operations between different agencies (i.e. Police, Fire, EMS, and 60 control ) I just want to know if there is any other purposes besides that?

[SteveOFD 176]

Listening to the scanner today it sounds like the Valhalla(Grasslands) tower is up and running on the new system. Heard the control channel continuous data stream on 476.2375Mhz.

[SteveOFD 176]

Latest news from the FCC's website. The North Zone license was issued 11/14/05. Callsign WQDW263. Along with South Zone license callsign WQBR539 the Trunked System is now fully licensed.

[ems-buff 81]

Latest news from the FCC's website. The North Zone license was issued 11/14/05. Callsign WQDW263. Along with South Zone license callsign WQBR539 the Trunked System is now fully licensed.

←

Does it mean that we can start useing the system now?

[tbendick 27]

No it only means they can start turning repeaters on and continue with the build out. Was able to lock onto the control channel last night.

Some system info you will need.

Scanner programming info:

Motorola Type II UHF

Offset 1 setup

Base: 470.3000

Spacing: 12.5

Offset: 380

Offset 2 setup

Base = 476.0000

Spacing = 12.5

Offeset = 570

The uniden 250 can take upto 3 offset tables, I setup only the two listed above and was able to lock on the system. No activity on the system when I was looking at it. You reception from my house so I will only be able to do limited testing.

[SteveOFD 176]

Heard the control channel datastream on 470.5750Mhz for the North Zone in the area of the Peekskill tower. Heard it as far South as Ossining, Pleasantville and Valhalla.

[SteveOFD 176]

Confirmed today that the Yorktown(Mohansic) tower is up with a control channel of 470.5750Mhz. I was unable to confirm the Peekskill tower the other night, the scanner I had did not have metering capabiltiy. The Yorktown signal was strong up into Mahopac at the Firehouse on Rt.6.

[JohnnyOV 2]

Confirmed today that the Yorktown(Mohansic) tower is up with a control channel of 470.5750Mhz. I was unable to confirm the Peekskill tower the other night, the scanner I had did not have metering capabiltiy. The Yorktown signal was strong up into Mahopac at the Firehouse on Rt.6.

←

Im from yorkown...what does this mean for my pager that recives only 46.26?

[COMMANDCHIEF 4]

EMT. nothing should change with your pager. Control will keep the old system as a back up and for paging.

[cas2383 22]

Does anyone know what the control channel would be for the lower county area, i.e. Port Chester, Rye, Rye Brook Mamaroneck?

[IzzyEng4 427]

How far away will you be able to pick up the new system and also will the 46 frequencies still be used as a simulcast?

[Guest]

I still dont really understand what all of this means...will the county start refering to units by their batallion # like they do in the city? If someone can break it all down, after reading the bits and peices i can say im pretty confused!

[SteveOFD 176]

The Control Channel for the South Zone will most probably be 476.2375Mhz. This is the CC presently transmitting off of the Valhalla tower. Valhalla, Port Chester(Summit Ave.) and Yonkers(Dunwoodie GC) will be the South Zone and will be simulcast on all three towers. The North Zone will simulcast its six towers.

I have heard both working tower's CC's in Saddle River, NJ. The 46 freq's will not be simulcast on the new system. The low band freq's. will be for paging only, this will eliminate the problem of paging tones stepping on fireground communications.

Unit designations will not change. Talkgroups (think of these as "channels" or "frequency's") will be assigned by Battalion. All Dept's. in the Battalion will be on the same Talkgroup. This means when you are monitoring your Battalions talkgroup ("channel") you will only hear units in your Battalion. If you have Mutual Aid from outside of your Battalion the incoming units will switch from their talkgroup ("channel") to yours.