Does anybody know what is different about the
Duke University (Durham, NC) trunking radio system?

For several years I've kept a scanner on my desk,
set to pick up 123.050, the standard helipad frequency,
and talkgroup "496" on Duke's trunked system, which is
... or WAS .. the air helicopter channel. No big deal,
but I can see all but the last 100 yards of their
approaches from my window, and having the scanner on
lets me know when to look up and see an approach or
departure.

Until today, that is--this Monday morning, 8/21, the
Duke trunked traffic is still coming in--but the IDs
have changed. Instead of "496" and "1360" as talkgroup
IDs, I'm seeing 0001-7 and 0000-10 and numbers like
that. And I can no longer hear just the helicopter
group--I'm getting EVERYTHING, requests for clean
linen in this room, shuttle vans, etc. I have been
too busy to do much research but it seems like more
than one service/area/whatever may be using the same
(strange new) numbers. I can program the Pro-94A to
hear just "496" in the old system--but this new system,
whatever it is, is still a mystery to me.

Is this connected with the "rebanding" I keep hearing
about? Does anyone have an explanation of what has
changed that is simple enough for even me to understand?

TIA!
--ken

On 21 Aug 2006 17:37:55 -0700, wrote:

Until today, that is--this Monday morning, 8/21, the
Duke trunked traffic is still coming in--but the IDs
have changed. Instead of "496" and "1360" as talkgroup
IDs, I'm seeing 0001-7 and 0000-10 and numbers like
that. And I can no longer hear just the helicopter
group--I'm getting EVERYTHING, requests for clean
linen in this room, shuttle vans, etc.

Is this connected with the "rebanding" I keep hearing
about? Does anyone have an explanation of what has
changed that is simple enough for even me to understand?

It sounds more like you hitting the wrong button on your scanner.
You're seeing the talkgroups in a different format, and you're hearing
all talkgroups, not just the ones you programmed in. Not knowing
which scanner you have, there's no way to tell what to do to put it
back.

Al Klein wrote:

about? Does anyone have an explanation of what has
changed that is simple enough for even me to understand?

It sounds more like you hitting the wrong button on your scanner.
You're seeing the talkgroups in a different format, and you're hearing

Al, I wouldn't have thought you were right--except that
you turned out to be exactly right. :-) The very next
day I turned the thing on and everything was exactly as
it had been before. My best guess is the same as yours--
that I hit a button accidentally. Can't believe I didn't
try off-and-back-on a time or two that day. Maybe I really
AM as chuckleheaded as my wife always says I am. ;-)

Thanks!
-ken

_______________________________________________
Ken Kuzenski AC4RD ken . kuzenski at duke .edu
_______________________________________________
All disclaimers apply, see? www.duke.edu/~kuzen001