IDOT Dist. 1

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werinshades

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The UHF channels have become silent, and have been keeping an ear on Starcom (Site 102) and has not yielded any "Minutemen" or any Maintenance radio traffic. Per the Database, Talkgroups 1401-1406 "should be" the assigned Talkgroups on Starcom. Anyone can solve the mystery on here?
 

werinshades

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Learning Lesson

I'll continue on this post then...

I was surprised that the IDOT Minutemen Digital switchover wasn't discussed more in the forums, but i'll assume not many listen. I don't have it on everyday at home, but when I'm on the expressways and have my 396XT with me, IDOT has come in handier then the Starcom with all the issues of decoding and loss of the system.

So...here's my story: The last couple of times on the highways have been unusually quiet on the IDOT channels. I had them programmed in as "Analog" only with a CTCSS tone assigned. Checked and double-checked the programming, made sure I didn't lock out the system by accident (Seem to do that alot!), and everything seemed to be in order. My reasonable deduction was they switched to Starcom so the State can save money (For our pension crisis of course), and maintain only one radio system. Set my Starcom into ID search Mode, and the chase was on.

Tick tock...an hour passed and no radio traffic on any of the assigned Starcom IDOT Talkgroups for Dist. 1, so I was dumbfounded. I hear them on District-Chicago Talkgroup 9067 (Car-to-Car) an awful lot, but where can they be. My next thought was maybe the CTCSS tone changed, so I manually put each channel back into the ALL mode (Allows Analog and Digital Traffic) and I was hit with a loud and clear "9-5-2 to Control 10-8!" on 453.150 with a prominent P25/LNK flashing in the display. Ah haaaa....got cha I say aloud!!!

Then I went into the Database, and instead of going into the Trunked Systems of Illinois (Starcom search), I scroll down to the IDOT and there it is..all the "new and updated" channels right along with Digital and the NAC Code next to them. I felt like I've been duped (No not really, but kicked myself for not looking closer).

Even an old time scanner guy can learn something now and then. I've been listening the last couple of days and thinks the system sounds very good. This can be programmed as a Convential/Digital Channel or a "One-Channel Trunked" system. The current scanners seem to handle the Convential/Digital programming better, but this is a user preference more than anything else. In the One-Channel Trunked Mode, you will be able to see Radio ID's, but if you're driving this means nothing to you if you become the "10-50" that IDOT speaks about.

A few things I hope Uniden is working on in the future models is the 6.25 Mhz space decoding. The Starcom Control Channe frequencyl I monitor (774.34375) frequently loses it's decode and therefore I lose the system, which makes monitoring impossible. I've attempted to program these frequencies in as a convential system, but have the same results. An 800 Mhz. system or UHF system decodes perfectly, but those pesky 700 Mhz/6.25 spacing are always an issue.

This is all I have to report...
 

melvin1987

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I myself self was caught off guard by the cut over. This transition was discussed on the Yahoo forums back in April. Switch over was little more than a month ago. The audio on these new P25 repeaters are crisp and clear and the old ETP 453.700 $151 (admin primary) is used between supervision and IDOT comm center during changing of the reversable arms.
 

werinshades

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I myself self was caught off guard by the cut over. This transition was discussed on the Yahoo forums back in April. Switch over was little more than a month ago. The audio on these new P25 repeaters are crisp and clear and the old ETP 453.700 $151 (admin primary) is used between supervision and IDOT comm center during changing of the reversable arms.

I believe the repeater is disabled for the "new" Administrative" channel...or it was last night.
 

melvin1987

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Most of the old frequencies are active with the new NAC's with the exception of 453.250 which was the old data channel. (kennedy reversables)
 

werinshades

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I believe the repeater is disabled for the "new" Administrative" channel...or it was last night.

Not hearing much mobile traffic on the new channels. "Control" (Dispatch), has been heard on almost all the new channels though. I'm wondering if the repeaters are disabled, or they're simulcasting on a different channel. I checked my old files on Patrol Assignments for ETP, and wondering how current the list is?
 

melvin1987

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ETP & Admin are really the only active traffic at this time. Maintenance seems to simulcast on the rest of the other channels. I'm also wondering if the transition hasn't quite taken over the old VHF maintenance band. (Central,North,South,Lake,McHenry & Kane)
 

werinshades

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ETP & Admin are really the only active traffic at this time. Maintenance seems to simulcast on the rest of the other channels. I'm also wondering if the transition hasn't quite taken over the old VHF maintenance band. (Central,North,South,Lake,McHenry & Kane)

I'm hearing the same here. Control (Dispatch) has transmitted at least once on all the Maintenance Talkgroups that I've heard, and once this system is fully operational, it will be easy to monitor in and around the Metro area. I'd suspect the transition will take place prior to snow operations unless someone has additional information.

***As I was typing this, just heard 9-0-3 discussing the Kennedy Reversibles on the Administrative Channel so the repeater is enabled. I'm suspecting that their is some simulcasting going on these channels until full Digital transition occurs, with the exception of the Emergency Traffic Patrol (Minutemen), which appears to be fully transitioned.***
 

werinshades

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I've been monitoring this system (amongst others of course), and it appears it's fully operational, including the Maintenance Channels (Mainly during the day), picking up debris, barrels in the road etc. I've been out on the Expressways and have avoided a couple of crashes/ lane blockages etc. just by monitoring this channel which is very crisp. Even the further away maintenance channels from my location (Kane County), are monitorable. The snow months should provide some interesting listening. Have been hearing some of the radio techs testing and that would indicate mobile installs are still taking place.
 

RoninJoliet

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They even sound great here in Joliet, but one "male" dispatcher on the weekends sounds like he is 100 years old and unable to speak properly into the mike!!!....
 

melvin1987

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Much like the communications between CTA and CFD, I wonder if there's any other interop channels with CFD or CPD on these new ETP radios?
 

werinshades

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Much like the communications between CTA and CFD, I wonder if there's any other interop channels with CFD or CPD on these new ETP radios?

We don't have any "designated" channel assigned. Maybe someone at IDOT will reprogram their radios to our "new" UHF Administrative channel?
 

RoninJoliet

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"Werinshades", when u program in the "CFD" uhf the way u can see the "UID's", do u choose P25 One Freqy System?...Rich Carlson did it for me at a meeting and i did not see what he chose as u have I think done the same....I have added another group of the IDOT freqys with it and can now see there UID's also...A Carma member asked me how it was done but I forgot....TY
 

werinshades

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"Werinshades", when u program in the "CFD" uhf the way u can see the "UID's", do u choose P25 One Freqy System?...Rich Carlson did it for me at a meeting and i did not see what he chose as u have I think done the same....I have added another group of the IDOT freqys with it and can now see there UID's also...A Carma member asked me how it was done but I forgot....TY

Yes...in order to see Radio ID's it must be programmed as a One-Channel Trunk. IDOT has everyone on TG 1, but CFD uses two TG's...1 for the dispatch and one for the mobiles.
 
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