the BLAH-G

WEAK END TERROR

This has been a strange weekend for the BOOGER BLAHGER ! A Surprise Disaster Drill for all of us to enjoy !

I spent all Saturday morning listening to terrorists take over Westmoreland County (WC) and all Sunday night listening to 911 find the home of a nice older lady, but 911 might have been using an old CAD Map as it took almost an hour. GMan had the map up in 2 minutes ! Geeesh !!

And everything strange in-between. In fact, don’t rule out the conventional scanners yet my friends, loads of action there too. I heard a slow speed state police chase too on 155.460, TAC 1 Sunday afternoodle.

The system held it’s own during the Disaster Drill except towards the end. It appeared as if the dispatchers where being overloaded and the people participating in the drill were getting tired.

Confused on which Talkgroup (TG) to use, TAC numbers were being switched around, at the site the participants were having problems telling whether events were real or part of the drill.

But all in all I think everyone did good.

Remember, it is only a drill, it is only a drill, it is …

ANYONE SEE MY CONTACTS

MY CONTACTS are slipping, I didn’t know about the DISASTER DRILL until it was happening ! This is not right, how can this be ? It's a Disaster !

I am attempting to keep the residents of WC informed of all the activity that involves the 800 Mhz Radio System ! Now, how can this Booger Blah-ger do that if people don’t tell me, you know... tip me off ?

The idea is ONE person knows something, SEVERAL THOUSAND others do not. Is that right ? Me thinks not.

You pass any info that you have on to me (I won’t ask your name) and I tell everyone else. See. That's not too hard. news@k3sam.com

CONTEST

Oh yes, I am going to run a contest right here on the Blah-g !

What kind of contest ? It’s like this. I do have some very good insiders that pass on information to me but they have to be careful on what they pass on. This contest gives YOU, the other ones that are in the know a chance to win the BLAH-GER PRIZE.

THE PRIZE: An Autographed BLAH-GER CD, filled with MP3 Audio Clips of WC’s finest police, fire, and ambulance personnel.

If a dispatch console breaks down, one of the tower transmitters is down, a dispatcher has solved the Jimmy Hoffa killing, the voice recorder is on the fritz, or a special meeting is being called by the Wottorta Volunteer Fire Department to purchase new radios, only so many people will know that. Those people need to send me an email !

If a dispatcher emails me with that information he / she could lose their jobs. Why, I don’t know but I guess they could. Now if you are a friend of friend of a dispatcher and you emailed me… different story !

I’m sure the "higher ups" in WC are not going to tell me that one of the WC Radio System Towers is having problems, or that a special dispatcher meeting is being called to discuss soups of the day, so YOU have to tell me the “good news”. How about sending the Booger a "WC Offical Wall Map", or an "Official Talkgroup List"… any inside information or tip QUALIFIES you for that months contest.

RULES:
Each tip must concern the WC Radio System or something that deals with the use of the radios within WC.

Each month I will make up a “best of” CD with all the sounds of Westmoreland’s Best.

Each tip that you send in qualifies you a single entry.

Enter as often as you like, the more the merrier.

At the end of the month I will write each email address on a piece of paper (one per tip), and put all of them into the Boogy Hat where my wife, the Boogerette will select the winner (with her hands, you nose).

Employees of WC are encouraged to enter.

No Limit.

The Booger Blah-g will not ask your mailing address unless you are selected the winner. Even then you do not have to tell.

Should the winner decide not to provide a name and mailing address they may pick up the CD at an agreed upon location.

One winner a month.

All Tips and / or Information MUST be submitted to the following address: news@k3sam.com and put on the subject line TIPS.

If you currently submit tips, don’t worry. You are still eligible. Everyone is eligible, even Santa Claws and Elmer Flub.

(Terms subject to change – each month’s winner has the option of having their name announced or withheld – prize subject to change – no substitutions – one winner each month – close cover before striking – winner chosen on the 17th of every month)

Good Luck !

TOWER DOWN

Hmm, funny I just mentioned that. I (your humble booger) have decided that one of the local towers here in Trobe is not working properly. How do I know this, well… I don’t.

I have requested on numerous occasions that a WC 911 representative contact me so I can discuss this system with them. I have so many questions and so little answers. To date I have had no luck in speaking to anyone in management that will talk...

I honestly have to rely on my electronics background, my 35 years as radio maintenance, the contacts that I have within the WC public service system and my imagination to try to figure out what the Department of Emergency Management is doing from day to day.

I can tell you this much, we… the tax payers of Westmoreland County Pennsylvania have paid around A MILLION DOLLARS more than we had to for this system !

Besides, the system is OURS. So, we should have access to information about the system.

Oh well, back to the topic… I’ve made some primitive signal strength tests here in Trobe and some times they do get a might weak ! Most of the times they are very strong… but not tonight. That makes my GRE Skanner switch to the far away tower and it sounds crappy. So without having inside information I would have to say the Tower closest to me was out tonight. DFM ? (down for maintenance, what were you thinking ?)

The police cars in this area were even having problems copying the 911 center and it wasn't because of their Radio Shack microphones.

AUDIO FILES

Just in case you haven’t checked out my audio clips on the WWW, hear is a run down of what is there now…

BADBOYZ – a 3:45 Minute Song I put together using the actual transmissions of WC’s finest !
GBG FIRE CHIEF’S famous saying – Tap It Out !
QUICK QUOTE FROM Lower Burrell Car 9-1
COUNTY POLICE – With A Little Humor
EXAMPLE OF AN Encrypted Transmission
CUT OF VANDERGRIFT PD Funnin’ Around
CHUCK’S HOURS… Park PD
MARK AND JOE FROM 911
110 MPH MOTORBIKE With Gas
VERY LONG WEEK
FOOT PURSUIT W/Capture

And soon a Police Crash, right after it happened… perhaps as of this writing I will have it posted. Look for AF_200.mp3 (my file number).

CLICK HERE FOR THE 800 MHZ GUIDE TO WC – Including Audio Files !

FRICK and FRACK

You know, no one has guessed who the original Frick and Frack were. For weeks I would listen to them talk about their lunches, hobbies and just about everything… and I would write about it (see past blah-gs).

They were absolutely hilarious to listen to, but then the 800 Mhz Radios turned from play toy to work tool. It was fun at the time. So who were the original Frick and Frack ? Care to guess their names ? news@k3sam.com If your right you will get 10 extra chances at the Monthly Prize !

Me thinks that’s it for now.

Breakfast for this Monday Morning:
Left over eggs on wheat bread, lightly cracked – carbonated bacon, 9 slices of Swiss toast, refried Bush beans with whipped cream and toasted rice with Moose Milk. Foundit Water available on request. (depends on how much is left and where I found it)

Good Morn !
DECODED,
K3SAM

Listen Live - Streamin' WC Audio From The GMan Web Site

WC 800 Mhz Guide