-=> Quoting Rick Anthony Parsons to Bobbie Beers <=-
Hello Rick,
 BB> which to monitor. Most of the police, fire fighters, and city road
 BB> crews in the area have gone to 800 Mhz trunked systems. Businesses
 BB> abound on so many frequencies it's tough to list them.
Sorry about the delay in replaying to your message! It just arrived at this
end last Monday! Don't know where it decided to go between the time you sent
it (Nov. 28th. I believe) and it's arrival!
 RAP> It would certainly be good to be that spoilt for choice
It certainly is wonderful to be so spoiled! You really have to narrow your
listening choices down. We came from a small town, 3,800 people, six years
ago to an area south of Dallas, 38,000! Quite a change, but well worth it!
I just could not believe the busy frequencies when we moved here.
 
 RAP> The 30Mhz range around here is a no no area used mostly for cordless
 RAP> phones.
Thirty megahertz used to be used for fire, police, business, but they have
progressed through the 150 and higher, to 450 and higher, and finally to
800mhz range. Our cordless is approx. 49mhz. We have been legally banned
from listening in to cellular, and most cordless frequencies, but it's an
uniforceable law. You have to get caught in the act first. But I stay away
from them anyhow. They get pretty dull after a while.
 RAP> Most of the services here seem to be in the 159 - 169 Mhz range which
 RAP> is quite good for the long ranges they are needed to cover
Many of the communities who've switched from the 154 and up ranges to the
800mhz have had communications problems. When the systems were setup, the
installer neglected to tell the users that more repeaters "just might" be
needed to get the signal to their radios. Ended up costing almost double to
get the system to the point that it was usuable by all. I really think the
154-169 range was the best one overall. But many communities were anxious to
be on the leading edge of communications. Of course, that forces other cities
and towns to convert too, so they can call one another for mutual aid in 
imes
of disasters. Many of them cannot afford it.
 RAP> Since I live in the bush, I listen to our local services, plus some
 RAP> very long range DX'ing during the hot summer months.
I mostly stick with our locals too. It's always nice to keep track of them.
 It keeps me more alert as to what is going on in town.
 RAP> Where I'm situated near the coast, during the summer months I can
 RAP> quite easily pick up the eastern states of Australia. (Which is a
 RAP> Thousand or so odd kilometres)
Whoa! Now that's what I call DXing!
 RAP> I must admit I have to dust off the old atlas every so often.
 Don't we all! I am finding it harder to cram anything more into my head.
 Just too much going on, and too much to learn! But I wouldn't have it any
 other way!
 Take care.
 Bobbie
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