the BLAH-G

I don’t know where to start the Blah-g today so I guess I’ll just jump in and hope I don’t get slimed to death !

LIVE STREAMING AUDIO FROM GMAN

Big happenings in Vandergrift last night where an intoxicated male had boarded himself up in a room with weapons and lots of ammo, swearing to take out any cops that even came close !

As it happens, those of you that were logged on to GMan’s live streaming audio of the 800 Mhz system all got to hear this as it was happening ! This fantastic web site (almost as good as mine) also has live chat. So all of the listeners were exchanging thoughts and possible outcomes as the incident continued, all in real time.

No one was injured including the fine officers that swear to protect and serve you and me.

I can’t promise that if you log on and listen you are going to hear anything as interesting. If you are like me (God help you) just hearing what our friends and neighbors are doing out there is enough.

GMAN HAS TWO ENTRIES – HE MUST BE IMPORTANT !

Speaking of GMan, he also sent me a photo of 911’s Mobile Command Center. This center is equipped with one radio and one computer.
(Photo - GMan, NKNOC Labs, Inc.)

Get real !

This TRACTOR TRAILOR is filled with EVERYTHING.

Tons of radio equipment.
Tons of computers.
Miles of wiring.
A small antenna farm.
Generator.
Even a steering wheel up front !
Runs off of spent egg shells and moose milk.

The dispatchers can basically do anything from that TRUCK that they can do from the actual 911 center. This includes dispatching, looking up license information(10-27 and 10-28's), checking sheriff info, answering phones, watching HBO while chewing gum and just plain RUNNING a COUNTY.

Most recently you could have seen this Command Center at the different Westmoreland County Parks.

The Mobile Command Center kills several stones with one bird by being out and about. (please ask me why)

First and foremost they keep the equipment running, tested and in shape. It is better finding any problems with the mobile center while being out and about than when actually put into service during an actual emergency, right.

Next, just seeing the Center out on the road is a boost in the glands for Westmoreland County ! Makes everyone feel good from the guys at the top to the ladies in the street seeing that Command Center roll by.

Training is another reason to put the “van” out. The dispatchers sit at their comfortable console all the time and dispatching just becomes a normal job (on JOLT), but taking one of these guys or gals and yanking them from their comfortable surrounding and sticking them in the Rolling Radio Rig gives them hands on experience of running the county from a field operation set up.

The last reason I can think of is to make sure everyone within the Command Crew knows what they are doing. Those antennas on the truck must go up, and go down. The generator must work, each and every radio must work. Plus the refrigerator must be stocked with coca-cola and lots of frozen pizza in the freezer ! No smoking please, bad for the equipment and the taste of the pizza !

WEED AND SEED

The State Police have been using the New Kensington radios for direct contact with our County Dispatch again for drug busts. This weekend is no different with spaced out people dropping like roaches on raid. Good Job guys ! Glad you like our radidioodles.

08 JULY 05 SWITCH OVER

No big announcement on the radididio at noon time like in the past however yesterday did bring on new Westmoreland County radio services.

It appears as if a good many Medics were the latest to benefit with having their 800 Mhz radios now on line and in use. You see, I do not work at the 911 center so I don’t have a master list of who everyone is or where they are located so I am depending on the most important people in the world to tell me. YOU !

If you do have a list or anything I can use for better reference, please send the info to da blah-ger. news@k3sam.com

In no particular order and in no where even remotely complete, the following services have been heard.

Medics and Stations 90, 91, 92, 106, 107, 108, 121, 122, 125, 131, 137, 138, 225, 226, 227, 272, 606, 610, 612, 613, 614, 690, 706, 707, 708, 990, and the Latrobe Emergency Room.

Most of those are just this morning ! Lots of activity which you will miss if you only have a conventional scanner, that is one without 800 Mhz APCO Digital Audio.

More and more fire companies are also jumping on board as Forbes Road, Delmont, Crabtree, Hannastown, Luxor, were ALL heard today.

POE-LEASE

There are several more services yet to come on. One of the things holding up the police departments is the tower in Mount Pleasant not being in service yet.

This site was still being talked about in February and is now built from what I understand. I use to work at WLSW in Scottdale as both playboy disc-jockey and Chief Radio Engineer and still have my contacts over there. (no wonder I wear glasses)

In fact, WLSW stands for Ludwig Stanley Wall who is the owner and founder. I could tell you stories of Stan but then there would be one less contact that I have ! Stan and I worked together at WTRA in the ‘60’s when he was younger and I was… ah, when he was younger.

I would guess that District 6 Police ( Scottdale, Mt. Pleasant, Rostraver, North Belle Vernon, West Newton and Sutersville Borough ) will be on line with 800 Mhz before the end of the month. Before these stations go on line they have to have radios and all of the radios are NOT installed yet. Then the tower equipment must be tested and finally they have to consult with me, your humble booger blah-ger (which they have failed to do on past occasions !).

SCANNER TIP OF THE YEAR

When scanning the 800 Mhz Trunking Repeater System (TRS), keep your antenna down as far as possible. In the past when you would purchased a scanner you would bring it home, take it out of the box and plug it in, eat dinner with Aunt Gen, then ANTENNA UP the whole way for best reception.

NOT SO NOW. As I have said 67843678943219491 times before, the 800 Mhz signal is SO much smaller than the ones you are use to receiving like the 33.70 Mhz fire.

So for 800 Mhz receiving you want to keep your antenna down for best reception, for low band VHF Fire put your antenna up. They call that matching your receive antenna to the transmit frequency as close as possible (resonant exacto).

The higher the number, like 800 the smaller the size of the signal. Inversely Proportional.

This isn’t really the scanner tip of the year, I will have another one in 2008 if all goes right !

STALEYS A COMIN’

Next week you will be getting your FIRE radios installed if you live in the Hunker and Madison Areas. In fact if you are there bright and early on Wednesday Morning they possibly might buy you breakfast.

After all this radio system has made Staley’s a multi-gazillion dollar company paying their employees $90 an hour plus benefits. (I’m sure they wish)

At least that new house of Mr. Staley’s is nice, complete with 800 Mhz trunking system of it’s own around the in-ground pool (next to the collection of Corvettes).

HAVA NICA SATURDAY !

Decoded,
K3SAM

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TOWER Site Maps
TALK GROUPS and DESRIPTIONS
10 - CODES
CAR DESIGNATORS
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