New England Citywide

[Scott SNE Webmaster]

Has anyone seen this? Looks/sounds interesting.

http://www.jdmcomm.com/index.htm

[unleashedff248]

So is this a community repeater system or a buff group in and of itself? The description is very vague.

If I understand correctly they're selling rights to listen to their system with the basic package? Hmmmm...

"Do you need to talk to someone in Boston from New Haven?"

I guess they didn't look at their own coverage map. Boston area isn't looking too great...

IIRC this is what 1st Responder was/is trying to do with ROIP linked repeaters. I guess these guys beat them to the punch. I know there was a buff group in NJ/MD/DC which used the same kind of system (ROIP linked repeaters). They ended up taking that offline because people in NJ were tired of hearing about MVA's in DC. Now it's just a standalone system.

If they develop this correctly I can see this system being pretty good. A few repeaters in the Boston/SE MA/Rhode Island area would be key. The price is kinda high too...$300 a year? And $120 just to listen? Yikes.

[KB1FJR]

Do you need to talk to someone in Boston from New Haven?

No. A nice regionalized system like Providence Citywide would be adequate for me if I had the time.

[Citywide 173]

I was trying to setup something like this on a little larger basis for Firepics.net using GMRS (the FCC has reviewed the software application and issued a determination that it is legal and does not qualify as use of the public switched telephone system as defined in Part 95). The only difference, and stumbling point, was that it was designed on the Firepics members ($2.00/yr website subscription) helping out with securing locations and providing internet connections. I'm sitting on 8 repeaters now with nowhere to put them....The intention was to have repeaters in Boston, Providence, Worcester, Southern NH and Memphis, TN to start (3 of the 5 locations were secured) and add popular areas as it gained momentum. I had also picked up several thin client computers to use for the radio interfaces. It's not that hard of a system to set up if you have the resources. As far as $120/yr just to listen.....I'm sure someone who is within range of one of the repeaters will setup a feed eventually

After it became apparent that it wasn't going to fly, I thought about setting up a GMRS system in just the 4 aforementioned New England locations to beta test for a possible presentation to Boston and Providence Citywide and NH Statewide for a "common" channel (not on GMRS) which could be used as a "report only" wide area channel to link the radio systems together without compromising any of the individual system identities. This also has not panned out. The key is securing the repeater locations, which this system seems to have done.

The software, which is like IRLP software is available free if you know where to look (not pirated or illegal, but truly free), so my opinion is that they're price gouging. If there were enough radio geeks interested, this could be set up very cheap.

[unleashedff248]

An FCC search seems to tell the story...

Based on their map one site is on Mt. Tom and another in the Belchertown/Pelham area. TCC INC (Tower Communications Co) seems to be the owner. A number of licenses fit the bill:
WPEZ335 462.075 - Belchertown 464.450 - Mt. Tom
WPFD325 461.950 - Mt. Tom
WPGC806 464.700 - Belchertown
WPOX465 463.550 - Belchertown, Shelburne, Pittsfield, Paxton
WPVT316 (YG Trunked) - Mt. Tom - 452.100, 452.125, 452.300, 462.200, 464.100, 464.975

I'll try to come up with the CT ones too. Their poor quality map doesn't make things easy.

Also, I read that they're adding sites in eastern MA. And there's a discount for purchasing a whole year...Personally I'd never even think of signing up for something like this without listening first. Who knows what kind of yahoos are using the system.

[cdgordon]

there are a huge number of UHF business radios on Mt Tom. I tried looking at some common licenses but drew a blank. 1st Responder Wireless had set up on Mt Tom but the freq (463.6500) is hardly used now. I would guess they used CT Radio Repeaters. It is possible that CT Radio Repeaters is used by NECW as well.

chris

[pcfn51]

We are aware of this "group". We have a couple of FORMER members that were working with them to set this system up. Both are 1RWN Dispatchers and I would assume that they (1RWN) might be tied into this system as well. Wouldn't surprise me. But if what we have seen in these times with our membership for radio only costing $50 a year, they are going to be very hard pressed to find many takers. I wish them luck, with the people involved they are going to need very strong leadership.

This is my own personal opinion and does not reflect the opinion of Providence Citywide or it's members.

[unleashedff248]

there are a huge number of UHF business radios on Mt Tom. I tried looking at some common licenses but drew a blank. 1st Responder Wireless had set up on Mt Tom but the freq (463.6500) is hardly used now. I would guess they used CT Radio Repeaters. It is possible that CT Radio Repeaters is used by NECW as well.

chris

Yeah I searched through the junk and found the questionable ones. I figured they would do like First Responder and try to hide the licenses by not licensing them under the business name. JDM Communications yields nothing in the Northeast, only KY. They stated on the site that the repeaters are 100 watts, and these are 90w. Only the YG (trunked) license are for 100 watts.

Now we need someone in the area to take a listen. See what the deal is with these guys.

PCFN51, you're very right. It seems to be a dying art/hobby. It's sad. I can't imagine how many times I've heard "you're not a firefighter and don't belong here/shouldn't be concerned with this stuff." Oh really? Too bad nobody realizes that most firebuffs are public safety personnel themselves. Myself included.

Again, I'll try to come up with some more licenses. Anyone have anything for 1st responder? I'd like to take a listen to them too.

I'm still wondering if this is a community/shared repeater...???

[KB1FJR]

If there weren't fire buffs then who would support the FD come election time? Fire buffs understand the struggle that a lot of the fire departments go through. Also who would get the awesome first due photos, as newspapers cut back it is even more unlikely that stories will NOT be covered. I am patiently waiting for a news story on the 84 accident last night. 10 years ago that would have been in the paper at the latest by Tuesday, now it will take a couple of weeks.

Minus the few wacked out bad apples in the 80s, I have no problem with fire buffs. As with any group there are always wacked out bad apples.

[cdgordon]

The buff groups are likely using community repeaters so you wouldn't see licenses for the group by name. It would probably be very expensive to place your own repeater on Mt Tom, so you could share an existinng one.

As for CT, I would look at CT Radio Repeaters, Marcus, NE Communications and 3 Way. I haven't monitored the Marcus Comm. VoiceLink (UHF Passport) recently, but I would guess that at $30 per month each unit, it would be too expensive. They do have non-trunked stuff at each site though.

chris

[KB1JHU]

I have found one of their repeaters.

461.3750 - PL 127.3

I think it is WPKM903 - Three Way Communications on West Peak in Meriden. It has a voice ID recording that says "You are listening to New England Citywide", so I am fairly confident that it is part of the system.

Their map makes it appear to be on West Rock in Hamden, but the signal is too weak at my location to be there and there are no licenses for that frequency on West Rock.

[Citywide 173]

Looking at their website today, it appears that they have licensed newenglandcitywide.com. This is a different registrant than the site linked above. Strangely, the new site isn't up and running yet, and there is no longer any disclosure of pricing on the original site. They state that they now have 10 repeaters, which can't be cheap-it cost me $75 for 5 radios for a three week period on 1 repeater in Detroit last October, and the economy there is much worse than here. I'm almost tempted to call 3-Way to see what their rates are.

[KB1JHU]

Looking at their website today, it appears that they have licensed newenglandcitywide.com. This is a different registrant than the site linked above. Strangely, the new site isn't up and running yet, and there is no longer any disclosure of pricing on the original site. They state that they now have 10 repeaters, which can't be cheap-it cost me $75 for 5 radios for a three week period on 1 repeater in Detroit last October, and the economy there is much worse than here. I'm almost tempted to call 3-Way to see what their rates are.

The new website was up and running for some time before. Maybe they're rebuilding it to look a little more professional.

[KB1FJR]

PCFN51, you're very right. It seems to be a dying art/hobby. It's sad. I can't imagine how many times I've heard "you're not a firefighter and don't belong here/shouldn't be concerned with this stuff." Oh really? Too bad nobody realizes that most firebuffs are public safety personnel themselves. Myself included.

As long as you stay out of the way and don't be a whacker, I don't see any problem with it.

A lot of people are on power trips for your own "safety". Why are you here? Blah blah blah.

[Citywide 173]

Every few months, I take a look at this site to see what's going on with it, and there is a VERY heavy 1st Responder influence on the site now. Their logo is in the upper left corner of the header photo now, and a lot of links lead back to 1st Responder.

After seeing what 1st Responder has done with some local operations, I know that I want nothing to do with them, and the $240/year is absolutely laughable. My Boston and Providence Citywide dues combined are just a bit more than half that.

Perhaps I'm beating a dead horse (yes, there is a smilie for it ) but I feel that whenever people try to commercialize a hobby, they need to be watched.

[Citywide 173]

Been a while since this thread saw any activity. It seems that they have grown, and based on this email, it looks like they've taken over the New Hampshire Statewide repeaters:

Good Evening,

I am pleased to announce that we at NECW now have our new repeaters online in NH & MA. We are ready to except new members onto the network from the area. If you are interested in joining please send me a e-mail or call my cell phone at 860-637-0017 and I will be more than happy to answer any questions that you have. The repeaters that are now online are at the following locations

Goffstown NH
Center Harbor NH
Peterborough NH
Pittsfield NH

Fitchburg MA

We are also planning repeaters in the near future in the following areas. We do not have an eta on these repeaters coming online but they are in the works.

North Andover MA
Framingham MA
Boston MA
Marshfield MA
Barnstable MA

The new repeaters are active and ready to use although we do not have our ROIP linkage equipment in place yet. We will be working to get the ROIP's in place over the coming weeks to provide our members with on duty dispatchers and Incident paging notifications.

Our current price structure for Radio Network Membership is $10.00 a month or a discounted rate for a yearly payment at $100.00. You can either pay with a credit card or be invoiced then pay by check for your access to the system. Our cost for membershil is higher than other groups around but this is due to the increasing cost of repeaters and the integration of our ROIP and servers to provide the best buff experience to our membership.

Again if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me directly. I am around all weekend from 1600-0800 both tonight and tomorrow and will be more than happy getting interested member set up with access to the repeaters. We are very exited to be bringing our popular and successful network to the area and hope you will join us for a totally new experience using the latest technology.

Thanks JLo

Justin Lonergan
District1 (NECW1)
district1@newenglandcitywide.com
www.newenglandcitywide.com
Cell 860-637-0017

[KB1FJR]

I've heard them on the Pelham, MA repeater (it was mostly noise barely audible) yesterday listed in the wiki it would be cool to find the Fitchburg repeater.

[ecps92]

They may have also taken over the former NH Statewide Channels as well - probably different tones now, but worth a listen to

I've heard them on the Pelham, MA repeater (it was mostly noise barely audible) yesterday listed in the wiki it would be cool to find the Fitchburg repeater.

[davefirelt]

They may have also taken over the former NH Statewide Channels as well - probably different tones now, but worth a listen to

They have taken over the old NHSW tower sites, (Unknown who owns them) and the Fitchburg repeater is rumored to be the old CRS repeater, no confirmation on that.

[ecps92]

I was given a bunch of Freqs for the CT Sites, but so far none have been validated, so they have not been entered into the Wiki as yet.

They have taken over the old NHSW tower sites, (Unknown who owns them) and the Fitchburg repeater is rumored to be the old CRS repeater, no confirmation on that.

[johnmac]

They have taken over the old NHSW tower sites, (Unknown who owns them) and the Fitchburg repeater is rumored to be the old CRS repeater, no confirmation on that.

The CRS repeater has been out of service for years and the tower was dismantled. Unless someone else has replaced that repeater somewhere else, it is unlikely to be the old CRS repeater.

[Citywide 173]

It could be the old CRS repeater, or a new repeater on the old CRS frequency at a new site....probably a good freq. to stat with.