Madison County, KY new radio system thread

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unitcharlie

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In case you haven't seen it, scannerfreak posted the answer to our questions about where Madison County is going with their radio system.... all of us in the area are going to have our work cut out for us, especially trying to gather info on all nine sites.... let's try to use this thread as the place to post info as we get it so it will be in one place.....
thanx
collier
 

ShawnCowden

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so as I asked before will this system be monitorable on a digital scanner ? I dont think I see any info on the new York County PENN. system which is suppose to be apco 25 IP via MA/COM can that system also be monitorable
once I know then I will let this thing go.
 

Jono40141

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Steve,
When will this be implemented? I will help however I can. I don't really know the process to go through to find new frequencies and stuff. If you tell me I will. I will type them up listen to what it is and send it to you.

I pretty much have all the dispatchers down for the police, fire and ems. I should be able to identify which agencies pretty well and fast.

Hopefully this will make listening in Madison County better (if you have a digital scanner). The system they have now is terrible and needs an upgrade badly. Steve and I have been calling this for awhile now.

How many people in this forum do we have who listens to Madison County and has a digital radio?
 

unitcharlie

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Jono40141 said:
I pretty much have all the dispatchers down for the police, fire and ems. I should be able to identify which agencies pretty well and fast.

Jonathan, that is the enthusiasm that makes rr.com such an awesome scanner site.... no idea about implementation, but have started learning what I can.... don't know a lot about the system right now... read the link scannerfreak posted and also look at the Fort Knox thread in this forum for a start; the Killeen, Texas (Ft. Hood) 380 thread might yield some clues... I guess we all need to start searching for new control channels. newsalan posted the 500 search procedure in another thread... do you still have your 97? Someone near the sites is going to need to use PRO96 Com or Trunker on it to find out more info when it goes on line. With nine sites there will be a lot of info to process... You are correct, everyone in or near Madison with a digital scanner should try to id stuff, but the earlier Rat Shack scanners won't track a 380 system, so it is going to be up to the folks with the Unidens and PSRs... Either way, your ability to id dispatcher's voices will be crucial....

We all have our work cut out for us!
 
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Jono40141

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Thanks Steve,
Do we have any clue about the implementation date? Like years or months? Sounds like we have a lot of work to do either way! It will be worth it to me if I can now hear the system :).
 

N4JNW

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Yo I'm down for snooping!

Got my 396 charged up and ready to rock. What do you need? I am in Richmond daily (for now), so I'll start bringing it to work with me and seeing what TG's I can find.

Like I said, just let me know what you need, how I need to set the scanner up, and I'll deliver my best.
 

jerk

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KG4LJF said:
Yo I'm down for snooping!

Got my 396 charged up and ready to rock. What do you need? I am in Richmond daily (for now), so I'll start bringing it to work with me and seeing what TG's I can find.

Like I said, just let me know what you need, how I need to set the scanner up, and I'll deliver my best.

Try this, it works well for me in my area with my BCD396t. Set up a limit search 851.000 -- 868.9890 with Control Channel only. You could even set up sub-banks, 851.000-861.000 etcetera.
I keep channel delay on about 2-3 seconds. I press hold when i get a signal, so the System Id flashes if not programmed in the scanner database, and if it is programmed, it gives me a name. The old system will I believe, anything new will not. And the after the sys id is the Site number.

And you are in business. An added bonus is you will also id LTR systems this way, not the ID, by the home channels and users id's. I use this method with 461MHz and 900MHz systems as well.

I love it. And then another limit search is no CC so I can find the pesky EDACS and conventional frequncies.

AL
 

unitcharlie

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Jonathon and Josh and anyone else joining in this adventure, we're gonna have some fun times in the next year and a-half...

Here's the info thus far:
From Madison County CSEPP web site (scroll down to Communications Systems Upgrades Underway):

The first project will convert the 800 megahertz radio system from the current analog system to a digital system. This will result in improved sound quality on radio units and increased security of communications channels.

Bids for the radio project are on schedule to be awarded by the end of summer, 2007. Completion of the radio upgrades is expected to be approximately 18 months after award of bid.

So, given the schedule thus far, looks like mid- to late 2009 for this system to stand-up...

This is from February 2005:

The new portable radios will have the capability of full operation of the existing Madison County trunked radio system, and have the future capability through purchased upgrades to operate on any 800 Mhz system that meets the full suite of Project 25 standards when programmed for those systems. Additionally, these radios will have full capability to be programmed to operate on the designated 800 Mhz mutual aid channels (aka NPSPAC mutual aid).

These (new) radios will operate on the present CSEPP-funded 800 Mhz system that is used by all first responders in Madison County, as well as Department of the Army personnel at the CSEPP facility. As the county’s infrastructure is upgraded, it will allow communications with any 800 Mhz Project 25 users and others via mutual aid channels of console patch.

FYI: regarding the Madison County's MDCs-this is also from 2005:

Our MDT’s will be tied into the same system already in use throughout our area through the Rural Development Center. The Mobile Data System for Richmond, Berea, and Madison County will operate on the IPMobileNet’s IPSeries 800MHz technology, which operates at 19.2 kbps.

Still no information on ULS about new freqs or licenses.... with
a nine site simulcast system there should be a slew of them.
 

jerk

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I imagine they'll use existing and or/tie it into rebanding all at the same time.

Keep watching the coordinators site also for new postings. It sounds like they are going to start using as soon as possible, when the radio come in as Analog, then switch to digital. Or keep analog for a s surrounding county?

Just guessing on my part. :)
 

unitcharlie

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A number of digital radios are in the field right now, word is the new system will stand up and go thru testing, then the old system will slowly be replaced by the new system.... reportedly with "non-emergency" agencies first to make sure everything is working and they have good coverage..... still no solid estimate as to when this will happen.....
collier
 

hundley206

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news!

iv talked with 2 dispatchers and 1 city commissioner here in Richmond and all 3 say the new system should be fully on line in November 2009 so we got some time to get the new frqs my dispatcher friends are supposed to be getting me the new frqs so as soon as i get um ill post them! fun times are ahead for all us Richmond/ Madison county scanner heads!
 

Andyssonopie

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Don't know if it has anything to do with it or not, but a company out of Texas is putting up a new tower out by City Fire Station 5 off of Duncannon. It is being put on City property which kind of makes you wonder if it has something to do with there system. They have not got any of the tower up as of yet there still drilling. I'm out that way daily, If I can catch one of the contractors or fireman I'll see what I can find out.
 

unitcharlie

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Still waiting for any new word.... ULS doesn't show much of anything new.... However, there is a new Fixed system in place for Madison County Emergency Management:

WQJU276 MADISON COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

1 - Fixed 560 SOUTH KEENELAND DRIVE (155.82750)
2 - Mobile 40.0 km radius around a fixed location (155.82750)
3 - Fixed 558 S KEENELAND DRIVE (159.24000)
4 - Fixed 101 CHESTNUT STREET (159.24000)
5 - Fixed 212 CHESTNUT STREET (159.24000)
6 - Fixed 521 LANCASTER AVE (159.24000)

WQJU277 MADISON COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

1 - Fixed 560 S KEENELAND DRIVE (159.24000)
2 - Fixed 2091 KINGSTON HWY (159.24000)

(Emissions: 11K2F1D, 11K2F3E, 11K3W7W)
 

KR4BD

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A few months ago, I was told by a Richmond cop I know (who is also a ham) that the new system will be 100% encrypted. I will be in Richmond this coming Saturday morning administering ham tests at the Emergency Center and will see what I can find out...if anything. Several of the hams there are very involved with Emergency Ops in Madison County.
 

unitcharlie

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Anything you can pass along will be appreciated.... I wonder what the good citizens of Madison and surrounding counties will do when something happens at the Depot and they can't monitor their scanners....
 

KR4BD

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I was in Richmond, KY this morning administering Ham Radio Exams and spoke with a couple of folks about the upcoming changes to the Madison County Trunked System. MA/Com has the contract (just short of $10 million) and will be installing the system. They are presently doing engineering studies and trying to secure additional tower sites for the system. An "unrealistic target date" for startup is this coming November, but an EMT told me that he doubts this date will be met. The system will not be totally encrypted, but some of it will. He could not be specific on that. He also advised that Lexington is also working with MA/Com for a new system for All Public Safety in Fayette County. The Madison and Fayette systems would "supposedly" be interoperable, if necessary. However, he did not think that Lexington/Fayette has finalized their plans for this new system as of now.

I know three people in Madison county who are "very close" to all this and will report more as things progress.
 
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