Iowa State Patrol moving to RACOM!

Radioman96p71 · #1 (**permalink**) 10-21-2009, 12:11 AM

Confirmed GID Dec 399. Active on the Des Moines site at 2305 Oct 20. 2 Troopers talking about the new radios. More to be moved over to the 'new system' so get it in your scanners guys!!! Not sure if its ALL the ISP or a select few but the conversation i caught sounded like a large number. I could hear the old radio in his background, it wasnt active same time as my DSM area radio. The RACOM contact name he mentioned is from the Waterloo area, so maybe starting up there? Hard to say right now just sharing the info!!

bar422 · #2 (**permalink**) 10-21-2009, 12:56 AM

Somehow I highly doubt that the state will be doing anything with a new radios when they are laying people off at DPS. That would be a very unwise move! Besides that it sounds like there will be plenty of empty trooper cars sitting in Des Moines. Just like always its all about the money and I seriously doubt that Racom is going to give them a bunch of radios for free and let them use the system forever without paying for it.

Radioman96p71 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-21-2009, 04:24 AM

I agree about the budget shortfalls but I'm just sharing what I heard with my own ears. Is it possible that maybe they had the radios in the budget last year and they are finally turning the key?

Haley · #4 (**permalink**) 10-21-2009, 09:31 AM

Thats pretty big! Hopefully it will happen. I need to pay attention to the service channels here (Marshalltown) more, they have been installing and programming a lot of cars. I just assumed it was local stuff. Hard to say if this is related, but a couple of weeks ago I caught 2 troopers on their car-car digital channel in Marshalltown, only caught a piece of the conversation, but one of them did mention RACOM. Then I never heard another word ,of course. Mike

Radioman96p71 · #5 (**permalink**) 10-21-2009, 11:06 AM

I know what you mean, it seems everytime you start to hear something juicy either they leave the site, a priority channel covers them or something else causes them to change subject haha.

Luckily my job allows me to sit next to my portable most the time, otherwise i doubt i would catch half the quick new channel tests and little blips of pertinent info on the Tech Ops channel. I'm doing a little research thru my logs today to see where else that LID of that trooper has been. LID 6022 for those taking notes.

On a totally unrelated subject, the Rock Island Arsenal is going DES encrypted, not sure the vocoder but two techs were getting the keyloader, laptop and cables ready for flashing 'soon'. Hopefully thats the ONLY place they use it!

bar422 · #6 (**permalink**) 10-21-2009, 11:38 AM

Thats true,they may have had them already in the budget. As far as the long term I can see alot of state legislators stopping money for this,and rightfully so. We obviously need DPS employees more then they need new radios to play with.This is one of those things that's on the wishlist.

Radioman96p71 · #7 (**permalink**) 10-21-2009, 12:06 PM

FWIW, the only reason I was watching this GID and GID 400 is from some information that was 'leaked' to me over 4 years ago. I wont go much further into that, but Im going to go out on a limb and say this has been in the making for a while. Maybe they are going to divert funding from the existing VHF system and pay RACOM instead? Im sure in the long run it will be cheaper since you dont have to personally pay for everything that can possibly go wrong. Again, just speculation here, but the fact that this GID came active and it matches the info i got a LONG time ago says that this may not just be a fluke.

stummej · #8 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009, 12:16 PM

What ever happened to the statewide P25 system. They already moved the DOT to this so you think it would be silly to have one state agency using it and not expanding the network for ISP.

Haley · #9 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009, 02:07 PM

stummej,

I have been wondering this forever also! While I appreciate the work the DOT does, it makes for some pretty boring listening. Although you CAN get a good feel for road conditions. It was hard justifying getting my Pro-96 for the amount of digital we have around here. Other than the few(very few) ISP channels and the handful of counties that have 1 or 2 P25 channels, I rarely get to see my DG signal indicator! I was thinking about maybe picking up a GRE500, or BC396XT , but they are a lot of money for the amount of traffic we have in Iowa. Mike

timkilbride · #10 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radioman96p71

Confirmed GID Dec 399. Active on the Des Moines site at 2305 Oct 20. 2 Troopers talking about the new radios. More to be moved over to the 'new system' so get it in your scanners guys!!! Not sure if its ALL the ISP or a select few but the conversation i caught sounded like a large number. I could hear the old radio in his background, it wasnt active same time as my DSM area radio. The RACOM contact name he mentioned is from the Waterloo area, so maybe starting up there? Hard to say right now just sharing the info!!

When I lived in Waterloo, IA from June04-July05, I noticed the ISP cars in the area had a extra antenna on the car at that time. It appeared it was a mag mount antenna and was on the roof of the car. I do not remember the band of the antenna, but I do recall it was a smaller antenna. A buddy of mine during this same time period had overheard a convo about the new "800mhz" radio on a VHF frequency, probably car to car.

When converting DEC 399 to AFS, what is it? I can't find any converters online. I'd like to program this into my scanner.

TIA,

Tim K.

KD0BML · #11 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009, 08:51 PM

There are a couple ISP units near Dubuque that use RACOM radios. They are able to talk to dispatch on the ops frequencies. I don't remember if they're always on county or get on city as well. I don't know of any UHF/VHF crosspatch frequencies for either so he has to be an edacs radio.

Radioman96p71 · #12 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009, 10:01 PM

I may have jumped the gun saying ISP is moving to RACOM, but from the conversations i've had and what i've heard on that GID, it sounds like a larger number of cars will be moving to the 800MHz band. We all know who knows for sure on this matter but they aren't talking

Till then I'll be monitoring the airwaves and see what tomorrow brings! Got to have something to do with the winter quickly approaching!

iascanguy · #13 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009, 10:35 PM

When converting DEC 399 to AFS, what is it? I can't find any converters online. I'd like to program this into my scanner.

TIA,

Tim K.[/QUOTE]

399 converts to 03-017. Here is a link to an online converter <http://gtrac.ztn.net/convert.cgi> and a program (has to run in a dos window).

Donald

IowaGuy1603 · #14 (**permalink**) 10-27-2009, 03:47 PM

I have a very good friend who just retired after 25 yrs as a DPS dispatcher.

He told me more than once that ANY projects concerning changing radio procedures, systems, frequencies, standards, equipment, etc will almost always be tested in the Des Moines area .

Troopers who work in the areas that have EDACS equipped PD's or SO's don't have to worry because the EDACS system has LEA & AIDE cross patched into their systems. I have no doubt that Trooper X who works and lives in ........say.......Dubuque County might have a HT radio from RACOM issued to him by the sheriff for him to use and make communications easier. They also do have mag mount antennas that work with the HT's . That isn't much different than the Troopers and DNR Park Rangers sometimes have their home County SO frequencies programed into their car radios.

If (carefully note the IF ) the DPS already had a radio system change over planned and budgeted, the current budget woes would not change or cancel those plans. Capital improvement & major building maintenance are in a different part of the budget and are usually not affected by budget problems. It takes an act of legislature to move capital & major maintenance fund to cover other expenses..

Despite the current problems, my agency is moving forward with the new prison in Ft Madison and a very expensive major electrical upgrade at more than one institution.

newsphotog · #15 (**permalink**) 10-27-2009, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radioman96p71

I may have jumped the gun saying ISP is moving to RACOM, but from the conversations i've had and what i've heard on that GID, it sounds like a larger number of cars will be moving to the 800MHz band. We all know who knows for sure on this matter but they aren't talking

Till then I'll be monitoring the airwaves and see what tomorrow brings! Got to have something to do with the winter quickly approaching!

So is this GID for RACOM interops only or is it ISP's own GID that might be used for normal traffic to replace the current system?

Radioman96p71 · #16 (**permalink**) 10-28-2009, 12:53 AM

From the info I have, this is a GID for ISP only. One trooper asked the other who can use this channel and the other one said "just us, just ISP". They chatted a little after that and of course when he asked, what channel does your radio show right now? My priority channel took the call and I didnt hear the response :facepalm:

That is about all the info i have to go on, but the fact they specifically mentioned ISP and that more cars will be getting set up, im going to guess something bigger is going on. Maybe its just a trial in a certain area, not sure. Time will tell!

burner50 · #17 (**permalink**) 10-28-2009, 08:32 PM

Wirelessly posted (MINE!!!!11!!oneone: BlackBerry9530/4.7.0.148 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radioman96p71

Confirmed GID Dec 399. Active on the Des Moines site at 2305 Oct 20. 2 Troopers talking about the new radios. More to be moved over to the 'new system' so get it in your scanners guys!!! Not sure if its ALL the ISP or a select few but the conversation i caught sounded like a large number. I could hear the old radio in his background, it wasnt active same time as my DSM area radio. The RACOM contact name he mentioned is from the Waterloo area, so maybe starting up there? Hard to say right now just sharing the info!!

I got a VERY good look at the antennas on the trunk of an ISP car last night in Council Bluffs and there was an 800mhz antenna.

Pottawattamie county is moving tp an 800 mhz trunked system tho.

Radioman96p71 · #18 (**permalink**) 10-28-2009, 08:37 PM

Good idea Jason, I'll go do a burnout in front of Post 1 see if i can get them to let me look in the trunk!

kidding of course, I will see if i can spy me a car around here and see what they are running for antennas / radios. I have a couple friends close to the ISP see what they have to say!

tfhphoto · #19 (**permalink**) 10-28-2009, 11:57 PM

ISP officers serving in the Woodbury County area have been issued radios for the county's STARCOM 800Mhz P25 system. Most often heard contacting dispatch on the Woodbury County SO dispatch talkgroup mostly running 27s and 28s. STARCOM does not have hard patches to LEA or AID. The comm center simulcasts on PD or SO disp and aid

SO...... It would make sense that officers in Dubuque or Polk Counties be offered RACOM radios, or ISPs in Pott. be offered radios for ORION.

burner50 · #20 (**permalink**) 10-29-2009, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radioman96p71

Good idea Jason, I'll go do a burnout in front of Post 1 see if i can get them to let me look in the trunk!

kidding of course, I will see if i can spy me a car around here and see what they are running for antennas / radios. I have a couple friends close to the ISP see what they have to say!

lol... it was nothing like that...

Accident Scene that I was at.