Tri-Cities Scanner Frequencies
February 2009 Newsletter

Listen to the live scanner at:
http://scannerfood.com/swvafeed.htm

New Virginia Bills Threaten Radios, Scanners, CB's..legal use.. Radio Phonebook 2009  Unit Numbers Wise County- New Powerplant Johnson City / Washington County TN Going Digital Lights Out - Utilities staying busy Severe Weather - Hams to the Rescue VSP Stars Update Medflight, Wings, Wellmont 1 Salt Truck Refresh

News outlets warned us late last year that the consumer safety groups around the country were
planning on introducing bills in all fifty states that outlaw the use of “mobile telecommunications devices”
by the driver of a vehicle.  Here in the last twenty days or so Virginia has had at least four bills be introduced,
one senate bill has been killed and three remain in subcommittee.  Here’s a link to one sample letter I prepared Letter
and disseminated across the blogosphere and to our wonderful state goverment leaders and house and senate reps.

And heres a couple of the bills that still need our attention.
HB1659
HB1769
HB1955

The Radio PhoneBook has been updated with large quantities of unit numbers and station names and identifiers. 
Now instead of wondering you can find out what “station C” or “unit 1-0” means.This is especially handy if you’re trying to 
figure out where that house fire or car wreck is 10 minutes before you leave for work. See radiophonebook2009.xls 

The Stack on the Virginia City Power Plant is done, and so is the radio tower and new cellular tower on the hill just north-west of the plant. The cell tower appears to be Alltel or a local affiliate. It also appears they building a "tower" type communications tower .4 mile from Hwy 58 on Memorial Drive in Castlewood. The construction on the plant is just really getting started, I would except at least 1 or 2 new repeaters for the area. If you know any further information about these areas please send me an email. Dominion has license for the following frequencies: 456.300 456.750 457.150 457.375

Johnson City, TN going digital...
From: Johnson City Press
"The newly approved multimillion dollar digital communications network for Johnson City’s emergency services 
should be implemented by November 2009. According to Director of Motor Transport Tim Henley, 
the city will erect a new communications tower on Buffalo Ridge in Gray after Motorola builds the structure at a facility in 
Illinois later in 2009. Once the tower is complete, the city will send people to inspect it and ensure it is 
running properly before bringing" ….Read More here and here 

With the recent snow and bad weather, electrical utility crews have been busy. Here are a couple local agencies. 
With spring there’s severe weather,  these guys and gals are going to have their work “cut out” for them .

Program the "Frequency" in the first column, If you're close to the user you can hear them on the
"Repeater Input" frequency. The tone info is used for more advanced scanners.

Amateur Radio operators have responded to the ice storm disaster in Kentucky.
When the cell phones and other repeaters go down county governments call in the hams.
There’s useful information during severe weather as well.
Here is a few of our local frequencies that you may want to tune in.



146.460 Statewide ARES/RACES Simplex
146.520 Nationwide Simplex Calling

NE TN Skywarn (weather spotters) http://www.wx4tn.org

The Virginia multi-agency "STARS" project currently projects the following status

Richmond - Online since December 2005
Tidewater - Online since May 2008
Culpeper - April 2009
Northern Virginia - November 2009
Salem - April 2010
Appomattox - May 2010
Wytheville - May 2010

With Stars and Johnson City switching to digital it may be time to upgrade your scanner,
Your current scanner only picks up analog, much like the digital tv conversion your old scanner will not pickup the new systems.

Heres a couple scanners that are P25 Digitial ready http://www.scannerfood.com/scanners.htm

Wings can also be heard on the Tri-Cities Communications Trunked System..
Talkgroup Id's

Well hopefully we dont have to have any more snow removal, however if old man winter hits us again heres a couple interesting frequencies. There's several new ones since the last newsletter.

Thats it for now, Happy Scanning!



See the RadioPhonebook for more!

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