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Monday, May 24, 2004

Notes from the Pittsburgh Ares Scanner Net May 23rd 2004 

Notes from the Pittsburgh Area Scanner Net of May 23, 2004


We had a total of 27 check into to the net this evening counting the net control station. There was a discussion the goings on at the meeting of the oblong table this past week for those that were not able to attend. Key among those items being that we are going to form The Pittsburgh Area Scanner Club. This being the start of the summer season it was felt that the best thing we could do was spend the next few months thinking about how the club will be structured and what direction it will take for its members. If this is something that would interest you please let me know and please take the time to offer some input to the questions above. You can email your comments to wa3fkg@arrl.net.
Also we are looking for a location to hold a group picnic latter this summer. If you have any ideas in that area feel free to chime in.

There was a brief discussion of packet radio and an announcement that the South Western Pennsylvania Packet Group will be having a meeting this weekend. I plan to attend and you are all invited. I think packet radio holds a lot of interest for amateurs and scanner listeners alike. You do not need to be able to transmit in order to monitor packet radio transmissions. So you scanner enthusiasts can “eavesdrop” on the digital world with just your scanner and a computer with a sound card. Of course it is much more fun if you can take part in the activities but that is up to you. The meeting will be held Saturday morning at 10:00 AM at the Blue Flame Restaurant on Rt. 51. If you would like directions you can go to http://www.whitepages.com and put “Blue Flame Restaurant” in the business name side of the search engine and then select driving directions from the results. Here is the Blue Flame’s address and the directions to get there from Oakmont.

Blue Flame Restaurant
360 Route 51,
Clairton, PA 15025
Map Driving Directions (412) 384-7861

Route Steps
1: Start out going North on 5TH ST towards HULTON RD/YELLOW.Go 0.01 miles

2: Turn LEFT onto HULTON RD/YELLOW.Go 0.23 miles

3: HULTON RD/YELLOW becomes HULTON RD/HULTON BRIDGE/YELLOW.Go 0.12 miles

4: HULTON RD/HULTON BRIDGE/YELLOW becomes HULTON BRIDGE/YELLOW.Go 0.31 miles

5: Turn RIGHT onto FREEPORT RD/YELLOW.Go 1.39 miles

6: Take the PA-28 S ramp towards PITTSBURGH.Go 0.17 miles

7: Merge onto ALLEGHENY VALLEY EXWY.Go 10.32 miles

8: ALLEGHENY VALLEY EXWY becomes PA-28.Go 1.5 miles

9: Take the I-579 S exit towards LIBERTY BRIDGE.Go 0.3 miles

10: Merge onto I-579 S.Go 1.09 miles

11: Take the exit on the left.Go 0.04 miles

12: Merge onto CROSSTOWN BLVD.Go 0.16 miles

13: Stay straight to go onto LIBERTY BRIDGE.Go 0.39 miles

14: LIBERTY BRIDGE becomes LIBERTY TUNNELS.Go 1.15 miles

15: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto W LIBERTY AVE.Go 0.06 miles

16: W LIBERTY AVE becomes W LIBERTY AVE/US-19 TRUCK.Go 0.01 miles

17: Take the PA-51 S ramp towards UNIONTOWN.Go 0.14 miles

18: Merge onto PA-51/SAW MILL RUN BLVD.Go 2.27 miles

19: PA-51/SAW MILL RUN BLVD becomes PA-51/SAW MILL RUN BLVD/BLUE.Go 0.18 miles

20: Stay straight to go onto PA-51.Go 6.98 miles



If you would like to see the amount of time and money that the group has invested their packet network take a look at their web page. http://www.swppg.zelie.com/index2.html

I think the meeting is going to be interesting and I hope to see some you there.



With the advent of summer this also means that there will be additional traffic of both the physical and radio variety on the Area Rivers. With that in mind here are some frequencies that you might want to be listening to if this is an avenue of interest to you.

Marine
Channel Frequency Traffic type

16 156.800 Calling channel / National & International Distress Channel
07 156.350 Towboat orders and operations
12 156.600 Port operations / similar to channel 7
13 156.650 Intership Navigation & Safety communications with lock and dams
21 157.050 U.S. Government only
22 157.100 Coast Guard Liaison / Safety Information Broadcasts
68 156.425 Non-commercial Working-channel (craft to craft communications)
69 156.475 Same as channel 68
71 156.575 Non-commercial pleasure craft
72 156.625 Non-commercial

So if you would like to listen in on the three rivers here is a good start for you.


We also mentioned monitoring the rail road frequencies and one of our members volunteered the following list if this is an area of interest for you.

Norfolk & Southern

160.800 Channel 46
161.070 Channel 64

CSX

160.230 Channel 08
160.320 Channel 14


Allegheny Valley Radio Road

160.995 Channel 59




Last but by no means least we discussed the subject of the 50th Annual Breezshooters Hamfest, which will be held on Sunday June 6th 2004 at the Butler County Farm Show Grounds. The list of prizes for this year Hamfest is VERY impressive! This is the tri-states largest Hamfest and you don’t want to miss it.

Here is there web page for additional information http://www.breezeshooters.net/hamfest/hamfest.htm

The Pittsburgh Area Scanner Net will have an table in one of the pavilions again this year so make sure you stop by introduce yourself and say hello. Listen in on subsequent weeks nets for additional information on things we may have going at our table. I hope to meet many of you on the list there.

That is it for this week. As always feel free to drop me a note if you have questions or comments on the net. I am always interested in topics for discussion each week so feel free to chime in either via email or on the air. Thanks.



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