Issue 23 - Scanner Digest Newsletter

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Troy Highway moved over to 154.540 / 114.8 in late January2003. Their tremendous signal from the southwest corner of thestate can be heard very well hear in the Merrimack Valley. Somuch so that other users, business and otherwise, havecommented on "the interference".On January 23, 2003 I heard SWNH in Keene dispatch anambulance for Alstead on 158.925 / 136.5, ID'ing as KCA394.Towards the end of the transmission, the dispatcher soundedconfused and immediately dispatched over 154.430/ 146.5 and155.220 / 136.5 the same traffic. The 158.925 frequency islicensed to Acworth, but I have not heard anything herebefore or since this occurrence.NEW HAMPSHIRE TOWNS WITH NO FIRE DEPARTMENT OFTHEIR OWN:(Town in parenthesis indicates departments that providedcoverage):AlbanyBentonCambridgeChathamClarksvilleDixville(Conway and Madison)(Haverhill and Woodstock)(Milan and Errol)(Saco Valley FD Fryeburg ME)(Pittsburg and Stewartstown)(Colebrook)With one engine stationed at Balsam's Hotel in DixvilleDorchester (Lyme and Rumney)Eaton(Conway & 1 surplus NHDRED military truck)Ellsworth (Rumney and Campton-Thornton)Livermore (Lincoln and Bartlett)Hales Location (Conway)Hart's Location (Bartlett & Twin Mountain FD in the town ofCarroll)Millsfield (Errol)Orange (Canaan)Roxbury (Keene)Roxbury does have a rudimentary department, but Keeneresponds on all callsSharon (Peterborough)Success (Berlin)Wentworths Loc'n (Errol)Maidstone VT (Northumberland NH)TOWNS WITH MULTIPLE Fire Precincts/Districts/Departments:Andover Andover, East Andover, Proctor Academy FDBartlett Bartlett, GlenChesterfield Chesterfield, Spofford, West ChesterfieldConway Conway Vlg, Redstone, E Conway, CtrConway, No ConwayDerryDerry and East Derry DublinDublin, CheshamFitzwilliam Fitzwilliam, Meadowood Hartford VTHartford, White River Junction, Quechee HaverhillHaverhill, North Haverhill, Woodsville Newbury VTNewbury, West Newbury, WellsRiver Newbury MADEPARTMENTS INCORPORTATING MULTIPLE TOWNS:Campton-Thornton Groton-HebronWarren-Wentworth Winnisquam covers parts of Belmont,Tilton, Sanbornton and MeredithNewbrook VTNewfane-Brookline (dispatch out ofKeene NH)New Hampshire and bordering ambulances/rescues Date indicates datewhen verified/heardName Freq PL Town served / date heardAlstead Ambulance 154.430 136.5 BLS 9/25/02Alton Amb 159.900 d311 AltonAMR 154.190 136.5 Sandown 10/09/02,Newton AMR 154.130 114.8 HampsteadTrinity 155.3625 d423 Hampstead 11/20/02Pelham xmtr AMR (ex-Benoit) 157.470Somersworth AMR 154.010 114.8 West Newbury 11/28/02Antrim Ambulance 154.430 136.5 Antrim, Bennington, StoddardBristol 159.900 d311 Bristol, HillBrookline Ambu 33.640 136.5 BrooklineCare Plus 460.550 151.4 Lebanon MECare Plus ch. 1 154.505 123.0 Candia 11/28/02Care Plus ch. 2 heard reference to ch 2, unknown what it isDeerfield Val Res 154.430 136.5 Wilmington VTDerry Fire Res 154.130 114.8 Derry,E.Derry,Chester,AuburnDeLuzio Ambu 154.430 136.5 Rich’d,Marlow,Harrisville,SwanzeyDeLuzio 154.430 136.5 Fitzwilliam (for ALS)Exeter ALS 154.190 136.5 Exeter, Raymond for ALSFitzwilliam Ambu 154.430 136.5 Fitzwilliam BLSGolden Cross 155.265 Claremont, Unity, Ascutney VTGrace Cottage Amb 154.430Jamaica Townshend NewfaneGreenland Amb 154.190 GreenlandHillsborough Para 154.355 DeeringHollis Ambu 33.640 HollisHudson Ambu 153.950/155.955 Hudson, LitchfieldLeFevbre Ambu 154.430 Langdon, North Walpole VlgLeFevbre 154.430 Westminster, Bellows FallsLeFevbre 154.430 Saxtons River VT,LeFevbre 154.430 Medic to Alstead & AcworthJaffrey/Rindge Amb 154.430Jaffrey, Rindge,Keene Ambulance 154.430Keene, Sullivan, Westmoreland,RoxburyKeene Amb 154.430 Troy for ALS, 19U1 to Alstead w/MedicLondonderry Amb 151.175 LondonderryLakeside 154.250 WolfeboroLittleton Amb 154.400 Littleton, Franconia 12/12/02Londonderry Amb 154.145 179.9 Londonderry VT, Winhall VTLordsMarHar Amb 154.430 Marlow and HarrisvilleMedCu Portland ME ?Med-Star 154.175/155.355 Repeater in MoultonboroughNew Hampton Amb 159.900 9/25/02Penacook Rescue 154.355Boscawen, CanterburyRacewayLoudonRaymond AMB (BLS)154.190 Raymond for BLSRescue Inc. 154.430 Putney VT, Chesterfield 12/6/02Rescue Inc. "302" 155.160 to Brattleboro KCF944 / KGV302Rescue Inc 155.160 136.5 Hinsdale 12/02/02Rockingham 800 trunked Manchester, NashuaSouhegan Val Amb 153.890 186.2 New Ipswich 10/3/02,Greenville9/30/02Springfield FAST Squad 153.950 141.3 SpringfieldStewarts 37 159.900 d311Tri-Town 39 154.040 136.5 Allenstown, Pembroke, HooksettTrinity Amb 155.160 d125Trinity 155.3625 d251 Lowell, Chelmsford Pelham xmtrUpper Valley Amb 154.130 141.3 Bradford VT 9/22/02Walpole Amb 154.430 Walpole 9/5/02Whitingham VT Amb 154.430 Whitingham,Jacksonville 12/9/02Wilmington VT Amb 154.430 136.5 Wilmington VT, Halifax VTWilton-Lyndeborough Amb 33.640 Wilton, Lyndeboro 9/4/02Winchendon MA Amb 153.830Winchester 154.430 Winchester,DeLuzio (Medic) 9/22/02Windsor (VT) Amb 158.745 123.0 Hartland VT, W.Windsor VT9/24/02Lowell MA area 461.275 167.9 Pelham xmtr 11/11/02SCANNER DIGEST NEWSLETTER – ISSUE 23 PAGE 8
VERMONTJim Lawrencec/o Scanner DigestPOB 207 Jamison PA 18929ScannerDigest@usa.comShortly after its release, I decided to buy a Uniden 250D with itsBCi 25D accessory card so I could once again listen to lawenforcement in New Hampshire. I've had my unit about threeweeks and I love it!The 250D features 1000 memory locations divided into 10 banksand covers frequencies from 25 to 512 and 806 to 1300 MHz,minus cellular of course. It also offers three modes, AM, FM andNFM, as well as the ability to decode APCO Project 25 (P25)digital voice. And, of course, it tracks trunked systems.The radio's a champ when it comes to listening to APCO P25digital voice. I can once again listen to the Grafton County, NHsheriff as well New Hampshire State Police. In addition, there areseveral federal law enforcement agencies that are using APCOP25 digital voice, including ATF and DEA in Vermont. When theytransmit non-encrypted voice, the 250D receives it perfectly.When the radio receives an encrypted voice signal, the displaywill show the letters "ENC" to let you know that it's receiveda signal it knows something about but it can't decode. The audiofrom an encrypted signal sounds exactly like the beeps andboops made by the Star Wars' robot R2D2. The only thing theradio can't do is whistle.Now for some bad news about federal land mobile monitoring. Ifyou're hoping to use the 250D to listen to the FBI, you'll bedisappointed. In Vermont, the FBI is still using DES encryptionand the 250D doesn't know a thing about that. In addition, the USBorder Patrol is using APCO P25 digital now but it's alwaysencrypted.And I've received a report that the Newport PD also cannot beheard using the 250D. They are using Ericcson's proprietaryAegis digital voice.Listening to a digital signal successfully on the 250D requires twothings; a strong signal and tuning the unit to set the sound qualityof the digital signal. If the signal received is not strong and clearenough, the radio opens the squelch and you'll hear the digitalhiss normally heard on analog-only receivers. Also, once youdecide which systems you want to listen to, you must sit downwith the unit and set the sound quality for that system. If you'relistening to a system with relatively little traffic, this may takesome time.Information from listeners in New Hampshire indicate that the250D does a great job on both trunked and non-trunked systemsstatewide.The unit also offers superior image and intermod rejection. Of allthe handheld scanners I've owned over the years, this one doesthe best job handling noisy pager systems and their splash allover the VHF public safety and federal government bands.Another feature this unit offers that I really like is access to the225 to 400 MHz military aviation band. Also built in to the unit arecertain pre-set frequency ranges associated with services such aspublic safety or civil aviation. I really like this capability and use itwhen I go frequency hunting.The unit offers computer control, and the software and cablecame included with mine. I have not tried this feature out as ofthis writing as I am still getting used to all the features in the radio.Obviously, this is a new toy that really takes some time to getused to.Now, clearly, this receiver's digital voice capability is not one thatyou'll use a lot here in Vermont where virtually all signals areanalog and there are very few trunked systems. However, ifyou're like me and you travel to states where a digital voicesystem is in use, you'll definitely want one. I like my 250D somuch that I've made it my everyday take-it-wherever-I-goscanner. It is pricey with the digital decode board option; I paidaround $700 for mine, including shipping.Finally, here are a few New Hampshire frequencies to try in yournew 250D:NHSP - Troop C - 154.6650NHSP - Troop F - 152.6300NH Fish & Game - 151.3400Grafton Co. sheriff - 154.7700I'm sure there will be much more discussion about the 250D andlistening to digital systems in the New Hampshire column nowbeing edited by the very knowledgeable John Bolduc.In other news, the State of Vermont's Agency of Transportation isin the planning stages of upgrading their radio system. The plancalls for a separate frequency for each of the nine districts.New frequencies from Orange County include Tunbridge fire nowreportedly dispatched on 154.2050.Finally, we'll wrap up this edition with a few frequencies fromWindham County, located in southeastern Vermont along theMassachusetts border.Vermont State Police - 453.3000 and 460.4750 for extremenorthern Windham County.Windham Co. sheriff - 158.7300, 453.0500, 460.4500, 857.2125,858.2125 (800 MHz used very little). And I got these from arecent FCC listing: 155.5050, 159.4200, 156.0150 and 159.9200.State of Vermont uses 159.4050 for fish & wildlife and 45.5200,453.8250 and 458.8250 for emergency management.Environmental Conservation works 151.4750. Agency ofTransportation is on 159.1800 and 159.1950.Local PDsBrattleboro PD - 460.2000Dover PD - 453.3000, 453.7250Wilmington PD - 460.2500, 453.3000Fire & EMSWindham Co. fire mutuals - 154.3850, 154.8300, 154.2800Londonderry - 154.1450, 154.4450, 154.2950Brattleboro - 33.5400, 33.6800, rescue 155.1600Vernon & Guilford - 33.4800, 33.5400Virtually all the other towns in Windham Co. are dispatched bySWNH on 154.4300.And that's it from the Green Mountains. As always, if you haveany frequencies to share, I'd love to hear from you. Drop me aline at the address above!SCANNER DIGEST NEWSLETTER – ISSUE 23 PAGE 9
Page 1: ISSUE 23 MARCH 2003PUBLISHERLou Cam
Page 4 and 5: As reported in a past article, the
Page 6 and 7: BC250D handheld portable can be use
Page 10 and 11: NORTHCENTRAL OHIOMike Finkc/o Scann
Page 12 and 13: I'll look into the idea of putting
Page 14: Philadelphia Area Communications Gu

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