OSU Trunking System
From K8ARW
This is a place for collecting information on the OSU trunking system. This is a wiki page that anyone can edit, so anyone with an update is encouraged to change the page (but please log your changes on the discussion page). Since the actual talkgroup assignments are stored in a google spreadsheet, send the owner a message with your google username if you would like to be able to edit it.
One of the primary reasons that this page was established is that there is a good deal of bad information on RadioReference about this trunking system. The owner of this web site (K8ARW) has had difficulty in getting the database administrators to make useful changes to entry for this system, but this isn't the place for a rant about RadioReference. Suffice it to say that if you want the most accurate information publicly available on the OSU trunking system, you have come to the right place.
This page was originally designed as my (K8ARW) own personal page to list the information that I had. It has since attracted some contributors, so I am trying to turn it into more of a usual wiki than a personal web page.
Contents |
[edit] Notes about the talkgroup list
Abbreviations are used liberally. There is a definition list further in this document--it is recommended to read it first.
Entries with brackets around them are names or descriptions from RadioReference that have not been confirmed. There is no apparent reason to doubt the validity of some of the talkgroup names on RR, but since some of them are known to be bogus, brackets should generally be left around anything that has not been confirmed by a contributor to this site.
[edit] Special Event and Mutual Aid Talkgroups
The following talkgroups are commonly programmed in area fire department radios for mutual aid purposes.
- DPS1
- DPS2
- DPS4
- H-SEC
- H-DIS
- CFD-1
- SCH-7
- UNIV-1
- OEHS-1
- SE-1
The OEHS-1 talkgroup is mis-labeled in many radios as EOHS-1.
[edit] Talkgroup usage notes
[edit] OIT talkgroups
OIT is the Office of Information Technology and is the main IT department at OSU.
There are several entries in RadioReference named TECHSVC-x. There is no such department, as far as I can tell. The closest thing that comes to the description on RadioReference is Classroom Services, a division of the OIT that provides audio and visual support for classrooms. Further, the talkgroup labeled TECHSVC-1 has been confirmed as a CABS talkgroup (T-4). I have heard OIT traffic on other TECHSVC-x talkgroups, but I do not know their names yet.
The talkgroups listed on RadioReference as U-x are probably correct. U stands for UNITS, the telecom department on campus, part of the OIT, and I have confirmed UNITS-related traffic on at least one of these talkgroups (unfortunately I do not remember which one).
One challenge in identifying IT related talkgroups is that in addition to the OIT, most (all?) colleges and departments have their own individual IT departments. A lot of them probably don't use radios, or at least not ones on the trunking system, but I do know that at least one does.
[edit] Security and Fire Prevention talkgroups
The talkgroups on RadioReference listed as W-x are supposed to be for the Wexner center. The talkgroup labeled W-1 is really "SFP-1," and I believe that the rest of the W-x talkgroups are also used by S&FP. Most of the traffic on SFP-1 seems to relate to the Wexner center, so perhaps this is why they are listed on RadioReference this way in the first place.
[edit] Facilities Operations and Development
This department used to be called Physical Facilities and there are a bunch on talkgroups on RadioReference listed with a "PF" prefix. It is certain that these talkgroups are no longer referred to as such, but I do not know their new names. Since I have logged several new talkgroups confirmed to be used by FOD that are not listed on RR, my guess is that their talkgroups have been completely reorganized.
[edit] Abbreviations and definitions
- CABS
- Campus Area Bus Service, part of Transportation and Parking Services.
- CCCP
- Campus Community Crime Patrol. Citizens who patrol for crime and "quality of life" violations.
- DPS
- Department of Public Safety. Includes Police, SSS, and S&FP.
- FOD
- Facilities Operations and Development. The maintenance department; previously called Physical Facilities.
- OEHS
- Office of Environmental Health and Safety. Responsible for keeping track of all the nasty chemical stuff. They have a response team that rides in a truck that looks like a tricked out Squad 51 that lives on West Campus. When some GRA makes a disaster out of an unsuspecting chemistry lab, these are the people who respond.
- OIT
- Office of Information Technology. Enocompasses pretty much everything electronic/communications related.
- OSE
- Office of Special Events.
- PF
- Physical facilities. Now called Facilities Operations and Development (FOD).
- RDH
- Residence and Dining Halls (used to be called RL)
- RL
- Office of Residence Life (see RDH)
- S&FP
- Security and Fire Prevention. Responsible for alarm systems and security cameras.
- SSS
- Student Safety Services. Student staffed group that handles security at various events and provides escorts after dark.
- Traffic and Parking
- Part of Transportation and Parking Services; maintains parking garages, staffs gate houses, and enforces parking regulations.
- ASC
- Colleges of Arts and Sciences
- ASC TSO
- ASC Technology Services Office
[edit] Radio IDs
Periodically I watch the system on Unitrunker, and this is what I have observed so far:
- Police
- Cars are 7002xx
- Other units are 702xxx
- FOD radios are 704xxx
- Schott radios are 707xxx
- Traffic and Parking radios are 7026xx, often corresponding to an individual's unit number (their unit numbers are in the 6xx range)
- CABS (transportation) radios are in the 703xxx range
- Most buses are 703nnn where nnn is the bus number (which is the license plate number, and is also painted on the sides and top of the bus)
- Many portables seem to be in the 7037xx and 7038xx range, and some correspond to the user's individual unit number (703709 is the supervisor's radio and corresponds to his unit number of 709).
- Outside users (such as local fire departments) seem to simply use whatever ID they are assigned on the Columbus system (which presumably causes some ID conflicts).
[edit] The spreadsheet
Access to edit this spreadsheet can be obtained by contacting the owner. If you make an update to the spreadsheet, please log it on the talk page.
