Dunn County WI

[dunndlee]

I have had scanners my whole adult life and have always lived in Dunn County. (I am in my early 60s)

I am now on my third scanner set. The last purchase, many years ago, I bought both a desk top, and portable hand held so I could take one with me outside and camping. I currently have an old Uniden Bearcat bc248clt and a Uniden bc72xlt. They have always pulled in what I wanted to hear with just the stock scanner antennas. I only listen to local county law enforcement, EMS and Fire. I used to listen to State Patrol cars in the area and their dispatch out of Eau Claire, but I lost them completely a few years ago for some reason. (Digital move?)

Now for my problems and questions.

For the past several months there have been times all of law enforcement in Dunn County goes silent on my scanner. For days, even up to a week. Then “boom” suddenly all back. I always continued to hear EMS and Fire channels during those times. This week for 3 days I could hear the Dunn County SO dispatcher talking to patrol cars but could not hear anyone responding to the dispatcher. Then last night they were all back on.

Question 1 – Any idea what is going on with that? Drives me crazy! Are they (Dunn County WI) moving to digital, and testing the system at times? I see they are listed on WISCOM with digital frequencies. If they have already gone digital why do I still hear them fine for days/weeks at a time?

Question 2 –Any suggestions on a new scanner? It is obviously getting time for me to upgrade due to the age of my scanner alone, but also due to all the moves to digital that have happened or are going to happen. So I have been looking at new scanners. Will just Phase 1 work for me here or should I go Phase 2? I have been reading up on digital scanners but it’s all so confusing to me. I know there is quite a price difference but I am willing to spend it if I need phase 2 any time soon.

One last note: My nephew is now a State Patrol Trooper and does work our county at times. I would love to be able to pick up the State Patrol northwest region again to listen to him.

Thanks for any input!

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

This week for 3 days I could hear the Dunn County SO dispatcher talking to patrol cars but could not hear anyone responding to the dispatcher. Then last night they were all back on.

Welcome to the RR forums. Does this happen on the listed VHF frequencies or on WISCOM? If the latter this is usually indicative of partial-encryption. If this is confirmed to be the case on WISCOM then a database update should be submitted for the mode to be changed on all affected talkgroups from mode "D" to "De"

Question 2 –Any suggestions on a new scanner?

Any scanner on this list should work to pick up WISCOM. Most sites on the system are single-cell so you need not worry about simulcast distortion

One last note: My nephew is now a State Patrol Trooper and does work our county at times. I would love to be able to pick up the State Patrol northwest region again to listen to him.

Wisconsin Interoperable System for Communications (WISCOM) TG Category: State Patrol: Northwest Region

Wisconsin Interoperable System for Communications (WISCOM) TG Category: State Patrol: Northwest Region Details

www.radioreference.com

 

[dunndlee]

Welcome to the RR forums. Does this happen on the listed VHF frequencies or on WISCOM?


Any scanner on this list should work to pick up WISCOM. Most sites on the system are single-cell so you need not worry about simulcast distortion

It's happening on my old scanner, the listed VHF frequencies you linked (plus the main frequency I have which is 155.255)
Thank you for the suggested scanner list. I have been thinking about the WS1065.

 

[ScanWI]

If the latter this is usually indicative of partial-encryption. If this is confirmed to be the case on WISCOM then a database update should be submitted for the mode to be changed on all affected talkgroups from mode "D" to "De"

Dunn is not using any type of encryption.

Dunn Sheriff, State Patrol and several others are on WISCOM. Dunn does seem to patch to their old analog sheriff's channel from time to time but they are on WISCOM for daily use. Dunn Fire and EMS agencies still use their analog. Many of the surround counties have also moved to digital, usually conventional. Some of those counties are employing partial encryption but anything in the clear you would still hear.

Bottom line, you will need a digital scanner to listen to Dunn, State Patrol and most of the surrounding counties.

With new systems coming such as the WISCOM I would look at getting a scanner that supports P25 Phase II.

 

[dunndlee]

Dunn is not using any type of encryption.

Dunn Sheriff, State Patrol and several others are on WISCOM. Dunn does seem to patch to their old analog sheriff's channel from time to time but they are on WISCOM for daily use. Dunn Fire and EMS agencies still use their analog. Many of the surround counties have also moved to digital, usually conventional. Some of those counties are employing partial encryption but anything in the clear you would still hear.

Bottom line, you will need a digital scanner to listen to Dunn, State Patrol and most of the surrounding counties.

With new systems coming such as the WISCOM I would look at getting a scanner that supports P25 Phase II.

THANk YOU so much for the information, and confirming what I had suspicions of! I will be ordering one with Phase II!

 

[OpSec]

(snip)

Thanks for any input!

Dunn County has been on the State's P25 trunking system for several years now. if you don't have a P25 trunking capable scanner and the ability to hear tower sites in Dunn County, you won't be hearing the County or WSP.

The City of Menomonee is still on their own non-trunking channels.

 

[dunndlee]

Dunn County has been on the State's P25 trunking system for several years now. if you don't have a P25 trunking capable scanner and the ability to hear tower sites in Dunn County, you won't be hearing the County or WSP.

The City of Menomonee is still on their own non-trunking channels.

Thank you.

 

[akuter]

Hi, I'm over here in the City of Eau Claire. I just ordered an SDS200 a few days ago since our county dispatch went to simulcast 12/5/23. WISCOM is very difficult to pick up in the city without a external antenna . When I get out of town I can pick up the Rock Creek tower and hear Dunn sheriff. I pick up State Patrol on the Osseo tower of WISCOM. Menomonee is a stretch but sometimes I pick them up. They are on their freq, but it is digital P25.
Not much enc around till you get to Wausau or the Twin Cities.

 

[dunndlee]

Hi, I'm over here in the City of Eau Claire. I just ordered an SDS200 a few days ago since our county dispatch went to simulcast 12/5/23. WISCOM is very difficult to pick up in the city without a external antenna . When I get out of town I can pick up the Rock Creek tower and hear Dunn sheriff. I pick up State Patrol on the Osseo tower of WISCOM. Menomonee is a stretch but sometimes I pick them up. They are on their freq, but it is digital P25.
Not much enc around till you get to Wausau or the Twin Cities.

I ordered a BCD996P2. Anxious to see what it picks up without an outside antenna. There is a WISCOM Dunn County tower within a couple (about 2-3 as the crow flies) miles of me. And my old analog gets great reception from Dunn County when they are patched to analog. (As they are today apparently because I am hearing them!) I was able to hear State Patrol fine before they switched to digital. I can even hear Chippewa County at times and that is quite a distance. So I am hoping the new scanner will be fine with the reception here. I paid extra to have the new scanner pre programmed. It is such a huge difference from the old scanners I figured this way I can at least be up and running while I study up and learn about it all.

 

[akuter]

Good call. I've had that radio in my car for several years. Antenna is hidden in the trunk, and it picks things up WISCOM fine.