Starcom 21 question

[wb0wao]

I live in Cape Girardeau, MO (just across the river from IL) and there is a Starcom21 tower just a few miles from my location (site 342) in McClure. I am thinking about getting a new scanner here in a couple weeks or so and since this is the ONLY digital system in my area, I was wondering what would I normally hear on it besides the State Police in that area? I don't think any other local agencies are using Starcom21 in this area.

Basically, I want to know if it is work spending an extra $200+ just to listen to the IL State Police in the local area. I _think_ I understand the basic concept of the system is that any agency that is using the system can utilize it anywhere, i.e. if a Sheriff's Department from northern IL is going to pick up a prisoner in a southern IL county - they would be able to talk to their dispatch all the way down and back. And as I understand it, you could monitor that department for as long as that car was being serviced by the site you are monitoring. I this correct? If not, could you point me to a _simple_ primer on what a "rural" monitor would normally be able to monitor on Starcom21.

Thanx

Dennis - WB0WAO

[gewecke]

To put it in simple terms,I think investing in a digital equipped receiver is a proactive measure in communications awareness,but to purchase it solely for the purpose of starscam 21 isn't wise due to the fact that starscam 21 is only a temporary fix for illinois agencies.
But to purchase it for other current formats and future technologies for illinois as well as other those used in other states would be a good choice and most certainly useful in multi-agency events.
N9ZAS

[N9JIG]

The majority of Illinois state agencies that have extensive radio communications have either transitioned to or will soon switch to StarCom21. Besides the State Police, the SOS, DNR and others are already there. Some IDOC ops have switched over and several smaller agencies have as well. Add in AMEREN downstate and much of the Metro East area and you have a lot of stuff to listen to down there.

Other parts of the state are also switching over, like Decatur, Springfield, McLean Co., McHenry County and others.

It is likely that many other areas will switch over now that SC21 has reduced rates for many users.

Besides SC21 I would look to other agencies you want to listen to to help decide whether a digital scanner is best for you. It is a good bet that some of the local areas will switch to digital, either trunked or not, in your area eventually.

[wb0wao]

Thanks for the info - but I am still not sure of just what I can monitor off the McClure site (it would be the only one in range for me). I still am not 100% certain of what the capabilites of the system are and really how it works. I have looked all over for a "Starcom21 For Dummies" and all of the information that I find doesn't answer a question that I have. Forgive me if the question is "intellectually challenged"...

Now the McClure site is in ISP District 22 based out of Ullin (170xx series talkgroups). So let's say an ISP unit makes a traffic stop on IL 146 just outside of McClure - I am fairly confident that I would hear the unit make the stop and the traffic back from dispatch. My first question is (and I have not been able to find the answer to this) assuming that the same unit continues on patrol and goes east on IL 146 and makes another stop just outside Vienna. The ISP unit would then be operating thru the Vienna site - but would I hear that converstion off of the McClure site as well? In a nutshell - does the McClure site continously transmit everything in the 170xx series talkgroups even if there isn't a unit in that site area? And does this extend as well to ISP Zone 3 talkgroups too? Expanding on this, would I hear IDOT working on I-24 over by Vienna and AmerenIP crews working in Anna on a power outage from the McClure site too? So, my basic question is - does the McClure site continously transmit ISP/IDOT/Ameren traffic over it, or is it only operating and transmitting TG's when a unit is in the service area of the site?

TNX
Dennis - WB0WAO

[N9JIG]

These systems work not so much on the district involved, but what users are affiliated with that tower. If a District 22 car is in the area and his radio afiliates with the McClure tower then you will hear whatever traffic he would be hearing. You could also hear traffic from other areas, if there is a car affiliated with that tower that is set to those talkgroups. If there are no radios affiliated with a particular talkgroup on your local tower then you won't hear the traffic, even if it is intended for that district.

You might also be able to hear a couple other sites if you use an external antenna. When I was there a week or two ago I was abe to hear 341, 344 and 345 from IL-3 and IL-146.

This is readily apparent in the Springfield area, it is common to hear traffic from many different areas since troopers are in the area for meetings, conferences, training etc. and often listen to thier home districts.

[wb0wao]

TNX for the quick reply! That is what I was thinking in the back of my mind that the tower is only active when there was a "user" in its range. I travel a lot to Metropolis on 146 across to I-24 and also to LaCenter Kentucky down SR3 thru Cairo (lovely town - NOT) and across on US60. I _rarely_ see an ISP unit on there except in the Anna/Jonesboro area. I doubt if there will be a lot of traffic on the McClure site.

I have had the McClure control freqs plugged into my analog scanner just to see if I could pick up the signal, but I haven't heard a peep on them all night.

I still may get a digital scanner as my job does take me to Metropolis, IL as well as Herrin, IL time to time - in fact I may be staying down in Metropolis for a couple of months this winter, so even if there isn't much traffic up here to listen to - I am sure that there will be down there.

TNX

Dennis - WB0WAO