Wednesday, July 13, 2005
NEW 800 DPS RADIO / PICTURE PHONE - Now Available ?
ME CHIT, YOU CHAT
Hello, is this thing on ? Test… poof feeefp…
More and more I am hearing Motorola / Staley Employees and 911 Employees using OUR 911 Public Safety Radios on Westmoreland County Emergency Management Frequencies for things that are not related to the Westmoreland County 911 Radio System. (boy am I going to catch hell for this article, helmet and armor on)
I am not complaining or anything however if these radios are going to replace cellular phones for those priviledged enough to have them, then we have to set up some guidelines.
YOU AND I cannot use them, right ?
I mean “hey Fred, you goin’ out for lunch or did Wilma cook for ya” is not an emergency message. What ever did happened to their cell phones ?
Here’s the Booger Budget Plan.
First, every time they make a call to one another they should be billed a flat rate per call type deal. I mean they are on 800 Mhz, Nextel like frequencies you know. I believe $1 a call is about right. The 911 computer does the logging automatically so extra software isn’t needed.
Next, I’m no weenie now, just your humble fair and balanced boogy.. so I do think they should be allowed calls into their own area for free. That would be about 5 miles from where their feet are planted. Call it seed money.
The above would only apply if they are on the 911-Moto-DPS-Call-Plus-Type-Plan, or the Booger Budget Plan.
The Booger Budget Plan would include unlimited local calls (see above) and $1 a call for calls outside their immediate area. The plan would cost each employee $39.95 a month payable into a trust fund, which I guess I could take care of.
Special Ring Tones and the deluxe XTS 3555 Picture Plus Radio are available at an extra cost. Same with Text Messaging, calls to 411 and 911, Call Block, Operator Assisted Calls, Busy Radio Redial, Address Books, etc… NO EXTRA CHARGE for the EMERGENCY BUTTON PRESS BY ACCIDENT FEATURE.
With the money in the trust fund we could buy scanners for those who have become scanner orphans (those that can not receive their local police and fire departments now because they are on the 800 Mhz Digital TRS).
What do you think, Mr. and Mrs. Average Person of WC, PA ?
Before you go hog wild on me about who should use what when and how, and why I even posted this article... here is the exact quote from the Westmoreland County Department of Public Safety (WCDPS) Website:
SPECIAL NOTE:
THE 9-1-1 CENTER IS NOW ACTIVELY DISPATCHING ON THE 800 MHz RADIO SYSTEM. ALL 800 CHANNELS WILL BE FOR EMERGENCY USE ONLY AND WILL NOT BE USED FOR TEST MESSAGES OR CASUAL CONVERSATION.
Ref: http://www.wcdps.org/publicsafety/cwp/view.asp?Q=615212&A=1488
See, I’m not making this stuff up folks !
TARGET
I posted an article a while back concerning the TARGET discount stores.
Well I received an anonymous email from someone anonymous (no name I guess) that was defending the TARGET stores. I will post the link here for everyone to read if they wish.
Some believe that TARGET is hurting our TROOPS by not backing them up, especially employees of TARGET and their families that have been called to duty.
Others believe that this was a vicious attack against the TARGET chain store.
Here is the link to the TARGET website that was provided to the Booger Blah-ger by Mr.or Mrs. Anonymous for you to read.
After reading it then you can make up your mind. I have my opinion but I’ll stay neutered (ouch).
http://target.com/target_group/community_giving/vet_support.jhtml
NEW KEN DRUG BUST
In a previous BLAH-G I had mentioned that the New Kensington and surrounding Police Forces along with the PA. State Police were operating what they called the “Weed and Seed” special operations. (this has nothing to do with gardening...)
The team, known as the Westmoreland County Drug Task Force goes into action usually on the weekends and they are using the new Westmoreland County Radio’s and the Radio System to make all of their drug busts.
This is a follow up story to what you were hearing on your scanner (or on GMan’s Live Streaming Audio of the WC Public Safety Radio System) and reading about here;
==========
Monitor fails to halt suspected drug sale
By Wynne Everett
VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH
Friday, July 8, 2005
New Kensington police arrested two suspected drug dealers in a sweep Thursday night, including a teenager accused of selling drugs while wearing an electronic ankle monitor.
Detective Dennis Marsili said an undercover officer bought a $20 rock of suspected crack cocaine from the 16-year-old boy in front of his home in the 1500 block of Fifth Avenue in Arnold.
Once he was under arrest, police discovered the boy had five more rocks of suspected crack and was wearing an electronic monitor.
The boy is apparently on house arrest for previous criminal charges, though Marsili didn't know the details of those charges Thursday night. Police believe the boy was standing close enough to his house to not trigger the monitor.
The boy faces charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Police also arrested Suzanne L. Cargile, 40, of the 1200 block of Leishman Avenue, New Kensington. Cargile also allegedly sold a $20 rock of suspected crack cocaine to an undercover officer in front of her home, Marsili said.
She faces charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession with intent to deliver. She was scheduled for arraignment Thursday night, Marsili said.
Thursday's undercover operation was coordinated by the Westmoreland County Drug Task Force and included officers from New Kensington, Arnold, Lower Burrell, Washington Township, Vandergrift and Delmont. Officers also plan to go door-to-door in the city, asking residents for tips about drug activity in their neighborhoods.
"We want to send a message to the people who need it," Marsili said.
==========
Thanks GMan for the article and Good Work Guys and Gals of the District 9 Police !
I HEAR NOISES
TalkGroup 1 has been unusually busy this morning. Lots of encrypted activity. This can tell me one of two things, first they are putting in a large order at The Hungry Heffer or some Major work is being done on the radios system.
Don’t laugh, I know one of the technicians quite well ( hello Joey P. ) and he can eat and eat and eat. However it is my guess that they are getting ready for the testing of a new major tower site.
A lot of work has to be done before a radio tower site is thrown on the air and that could be what they are trying to do.
Who knows, nobody tells me nothing at Staleys. Right Joe ?
INTERCONNECT FUNDLE
New Kensington had a perp shoot at the NK Police Station Last Night… but I'm not here to report the story right now, only Radio System information.
The Crew In Blue at District 9 Police were kept very busy as well as the State Police with radio chatter everywhere. TWO requests were make for the New Ken Police Dept. to meet the State Police on the “National Emergency Police Frequency” (NEPF) so the State could get instructions.
NEPF is a VHF frequency and New Ken is NOW using our 800 Mhz radio system. Both times the state police were told that New Ken could not switch over to talk to the State.
If 911 can cross-band-connect a Medical Helicopter on a fire department low band frequency to 800 Mhz, then why can’t they cross-band-connect the NEPF frequency into the police system ?
I think that is a very valid question as 911 DOES have both frequencies !
The State Police helicopter, H5 or Trooper 5 couldn’t talk directly to ground units.
I want to post something that is found on the Westmoreland County Department of Public Safety website again that deals directly with the above. It reads;
“The primary purpose of the project is to establish a common “backbone” network consisting of dispatch equipment and radios sites that all users can use to communicate with dispatch and each other. The new system will be modern and reliable, and will be designed to grow with the County.”
Now, you might say the above doesn’t apply since the State Police are not considered “users” of this system. In response to that I refer back to the WCDPS website where it says in a question and answer section, quoting;
Q: After the conclusion of the migration period, will be able to communicate directly with other agencies that are not necessarily converting to 800 MHz ( such as DCNR, PSP) without having to utilize two radios ( in other words, will the county utilize conventional interface?)
A: Yes, there will be a conventional interface but it is not anticipated that permanent patches between the 800 MHz and conventional systems will be used. Therefore a separate radio may be needed to talk to other systems.
It would appear to me that enough people have indeed migrated over to the new system AND they have already used the cross-banding feature a number of times… so then why wasn’t the State Police connected into the system last night ??
ANOTHER FOLLOW UP STORY
I had reported to you earlier that Arnold EMS Station 101 stopped their operations at 21:30 hours on July 5, 2005 when they went CODE 40. I also mentioned that I had recorded their FINAL TRANSMISSION (which is available to listen to on my website).
GMan has sent me the news article that goes with that story, and I post that here.
==========
Merging ambulance services makes sense
Saturday, July 9, 2005
Arnold residents were shocked to find the doors to their ambulance service locked this week.
An attorney representing the service said it will file for bankruptcy and hopes to consolidate with another area service.
That's probably what should have happened years ago.
Arnold is a third-class city of one square mile, surrounded on three sides by New Kensington. It has a population of about 7,000, compared to New Kensington's 15,000. Both cities have lost population in the last 25 years.
So it makes perfect sense for the ambulance services in the two cities to merge. As attorney Phil McCalister said, there simply is not enough business to support all the area's ambulances.
Officials said the closing put 22 people, full- and part-time, out of work.
The ambulance building at the foot of Drey Street near the river is simply too big and costly to maintain. Its heating bills are as much as $1,000 a month.
The building has been on the market with a price tag of $600,000 and ambulance officials said they wanted to move to a smaller building they owned. The city has an agreement to purchase the building for $340,000 and city officials said previously that a couple of companies are interested in it.
Too often in cases such as these personalities and competition between towns prevent officials from doing what is best for the residents they serve. That is what has happened here.
We urge Arnold and New Kensington ambulance officials to put aside past differences and do what is right for these two cities - merge these ambulance services.
===========
thanks again GMan for the article…
LITTLE HUMOR
As I am ready to post this, yet another edition of the Booger Blah-ger’s notes I will tell you that I just overheard a State Police Trooper on TAC 1 tell another trooper that his sinus’s were acting up today and the AC in his cruiser was broken.
The other trooper told him to stick his head out of the car and go real fast… no one will care. “Use your lights !”
So that’s what I saw going down the road the other day at 130 MPH !
DECODED,
K3SAM
Westmorland Counties Guide to 800 Mhz
Live Broadcasting - 911 system from GMan
Hello, is this thing on ? Test… poof feeefp…
More and more I am hearing Motorola / Staley Employees and 911 Employees using OUR 911 Public Safety Radios on Westmoreland County Emergency Management Frequencies for things that are not related to the Westmoreland County 911 Radio System. (boy am I going to catch hell for this article, helmet and armor on)
I am not complaining or anything however if these radios are going to replace cellular phones for those priviledged enough to have them, then we have to set up some guidelines.
YOU AND I cannot use them, right ?
I mean “hey Fred, you goin’ out for lunch or did Wilma cook for ya” is not an emergency message. What ever did happened to their cell phones ?
Here’s the Booger Budget Plan.
First, every time they make a call to one another they should be billed a flat rate per call type deal. I mean they are on 800 Mhz, Nextel like frequencies you know. I believe $1 a call is about right. The 911 computer does the logging automatically so extra software isn’t needed.
Next, I’m no weenie now, just your humble fair and balanced boogy.. so I do think they should be allowed calls into their own area for free. That would be about 5 miles from where their feet are planted. Call it seed money.
The above would only apply if they are on the 911-Moto-DPS-Call-Plus-Type-Plan, or the Booger Budget Plan.
The Booger Budget Plan would include unlimited local calls (see above) and $1 a call for calls outside their immediate area. The plan would cost each employee $39.95 a month payable into a trust fund, which I guess I could take care of.
Special Ring Tones and the deluxe XTS 3555 Picture Plus Radio are available at an extra cost. Same with Text Messaging, calls to 411 and 911, Call Block, Operator Assisted Calls, Busy Radio Redial, Address Books, etc… NO EXTRA CHARGE for the EMERGENCY BUTTON PRESS BY ACCIDENT FEATURE.
With the money in the trust fund we could buy scanners for those who have become scanner orphans (those that can not receive their local police and fire departments now because they are on the 800 Mhz Digital TRS).
What do you think, Mr. and Mrs. Average Person of WC, PA ?
Before you go hog wild on me about who should use what when and how, and why I even posted this article... here is the exact quote from the Westmoreland County Department of Public Safety (WCDPS) Website:
SPECIAL NOTE:
THE 9-1-1 CENTER IS NOW ACTIVELY DISPATCHING ON THE 800 MHz RADIO SYSTEM. ALL 800 CHANNELS WILL BE FOR EMERGENCY USE ONLY AND WILL NOT BE USED FOR TEST MESSAGES OR CASUAL CONVERSATION.
Ref: http://www.wcdps.org/publicsafety/cwp/view.asp?Q=615212&A=1488
See, I’m not making this stuff up folks !
TARGET
I posted an article a while back concerning the TARGET discount stores.
Well I received an anonymous email from someone anonymous (no name I guess) that was defending the TARGET stores. I will post the link here for everyone to read if they wish.
Some believe that TARGET is hurting our TROOPS by not backing them up, especially employees of TARGET and their families that have been called to duty.
Others believe that this was a vicious attack against the TARGET chain store.
Here is the link to the TARGET website that was provided to the Booger Blah-ger by Mr.or Mrs. Anonymous for you to read.
After reading it then you can make up your mind. I have my opinion but I’ll stay neutered (ouch).
http://target.com/target_group/community_giving/vet_support.jhtml
NEW KEN DRUG BUST
In a previous BLAH-G I had mentioned that the New Kensington and surrounding Police Forces along with the PA. State Police were operating what they called the “Weed and Seed” special operations. (this has nothing to do with gardening...)
The team, known as the Westmoreland County Drug Task Force goes into action usually on the weekends and they are using the new Westmoreland County Radio’s and the Radio System to make all of their drug busts.
This is a follow up story to what you were hearing on your scanner (or on GMan’s Live Streaming Audio of the WC Public Safety Radio System) and reading about here;
==========
Monitor fails to halt suspected drug sale
By Wynne Everett
VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH
Friday, July 8, 2005
New Kensington police arrested two suspected drug dealers in a sweep Thursday night, including a teenager accused of selling drugs while wearing an electronic ankle monitor.
Detective Dennis Marsili said an undercover officer bought a $20 rock of suspected crack cocaine from the 16-year-old boy in front of his home in the 1500 block of Fifth Avenue in Arnold.
Once he was under arrest, police discovered the boy had five more rocks of suspected crack and was wearing an electronic monitor.
The boy is apparently on house arrest for previous criminal charges, though Marsili didn't know the details of those charges Thursday night. Police believe the boy was standing close enough to his house to not trigger the monitor.
The boy faces charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Police also arrested Suzanne L. Cargile, 40, of the 1200 block of Leishman Avenue, New Kensington. Cargile also allegedly sold a $20 rock of suspected crack cocaine to an undercover officer in front of her home, Marsili said.
She faces charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession with intent to deliver. She was scheduled for arraignment Thursday night, Marsili said.
Thursday's undercover operation was coordinated by the Westmoreland County Drug Task Force and included officers from New Kensington, Arnold, Lower Burrell, Washington Township, Vandergrift and Delmont. Officers also plan to go door-to-door in the city, asking residents for tips about drug activity in their neighborhoods.
"We want to send a message to the people who need it," Marsili said.
==========
Thanks GMan for the article and Good Work Guys and Gals of the District 9 Police !
I HEAR NOISES
TalkGroup 1 has been unusually busy this morning. Lots of encrypted activity. This can tell me one of two things, first they are putting in a large order at The Hungry Heffer or some Major work is being done on the radios system.
Don’t laugh, I know one of the technicians quite well ( hello Joey P. ) and he can eat and eat and eat. However it is my guess that they are getting ready for the testing of a new major tower site.
A lot of work has to be done before a radio tower site is thrown on the air and that could be what they are trying to do.
Who knows, nobody tells me nothing at Staleys. Right Joe ?
INTERCONNECT FUNDLE
New Kensington had a perp shoot at the NK Police Station Last Night… but I'm not here to report the story right now, only Radio System information.
The Crew In Blue at District 9 Police were kept very busy as well as the State Police with radio chatter everywhere. TWO requests were make for the New Ken Police Dept. to meet the State Police on the “National Emergency Police Frequency” (NEPF) so the State could get instructions.
NEPF is a VHF frequency and New Ken is NOW using our 800 Mhz radio system. Both times the state police were told that New Ken could not switch over to talk to the State.
If 911 can cross-band-connect a Medical Helicopter on a fire department low band frequency to 800 Mhz, then why can’t they cross-band-connect the NEPF frequency into the police system ?
I think that is a very valid question as 911 DOES have both frequencies !
The State Police helicopter, H5 or Trooper 5 couldn’t talk directly to ground units.
I want to post something that is found on the Westmoreland County Department of Public Safety website again that deals directly with the above. It reads;
“The primary purpose of the project is to establish a common “backbone” network consisting of dispatch equipment and radios sites that all users can use to communicate with dispatch and each other. The new system will be modern and reliable, and will be designed to grow with the County.”
Now, you might say the above doesn’t apply since the State Police are not considered “users” of this system. In response to that I refer back to the WCDPS website where it says in a question and answer section, quoting;
Q: After the conclusion of the migration period, will be able to communicate directly with other agencies that are not necessarily converting to 800 MHz ( such as DCNR, PSP) without having to utilize two radios ( in other words, will the county utilize conventional interface?)
A: Yes, there will be a conventional interface but it is not anticipated that permanent patches between the 800 MHz and conventional systems will be used. Therefore a separate radio may be needed to talk to other systems.
It would appear to me that enough people have indeed migrated over to the new system AND they have already used the cross-banding feature a number of times… so then why wasn’t the State Police connected into the system last night ??
ANOTHER FOLLOW UP STORY
I had reported to you earlier that Arnold EMS Station 101 stopped their operations at 21:30 hours on July 5, 2005 when they went CODE 40. I also mentioned that I had recorded their FINAL TRANSMISSION (which is available to listen to on my website).
GMan has sent me the news article that goes with that story, and I post that here.
==========
Merging ambulance services makes sense
Saturday, July 9, 2005
Arnold residents were shocked to find the doors to their ambulance service locked this week.
An attorney representing the service said it will file for bankruptcy and hopes to consolidate with another area service.
That's probably what should have happened years ago.
Arnold is a third-class city of one square mile, surrounded on three sides by New Kensington. It has a population of about 7,000, compared to New Kensington's 15,000. Both cities have lost population in the last 25 years.
So it makes perfect sense for the ambulance services in the two cities to merge. As attorney Phil McCalister said, there simply is not enough business to support all the area's ambulances.
Officials said the closing put 22 people, full- and part-time, out of work.
The ambulance building at the foot of Drey Street near the river is simply too big and costly to maintain. Its heating bills are as much as $1,000 a month.
The building has been on the market with a price tag of $600,000 and ambulance officials said they wanted to move to a smaller building they owned. The city has an agreement to purchase the building for $340,000 and city officials said previously that a couple of companies are interested in it.
Too often in cases such as these personalities and competition between towns prevent officials from doing what is best for the residents they serve. That is what has happened here.
We urge Arnold and New Kensington ambulance officials to put aside past differences and do what is right for these two cities - merge these ambulance services.
===========
thanks again GMan for the article…
LITTLE HUMOR
As I am ready to post this, yet another edition of the Booger Blah-ger’s notes I will tell you that I just overheard a State Police Trooper on TAC 1 tell another trooper that his sinus’s were acting up today and the AC in his cruiser was broken.
The other trooper told him to stick his head out of the car and go real fast… no one will care. “Use your lights !”
So that’s what I saw going down the road the other day at 130 MPH !
DECODED,
K3SAM
Westmorland Counties Guide to 800 Mhz
Live Broadcasting - 911 system from GMan
