Illinois State Police radio question

[N3BQX]

When I worked for Illinois State Police in the 80s and early 90s we had 2 separate mobile radios – one high band w/Dist Channel and ISPERN and one low band w/Dist Channel and car-car. It seems that there is a lot more traffic on the frequencies today then back then. How do the ISP radios operate today with the StarCom21 system? Do they have dual receive when an ISPERN or car to car call comes in or do the radios have priority scan features to catch those calls? I'm curious how different they operate today.

 

[Starcom21]

Great question. I'll let someone with a better answer than me chime in.

 

[VASCAR2]

Last I knew the Troopers in the Chicago area only had a StarCom 21 700/800 MHz mobile radio and StarCom 21 portable which is a dual band APX VHF Hi and 800. The VHF high band is used for a vehicular repeater in areas with poor StarCom coverage. Basically the current VHF portable works similar to the old mobile extender when VHF High Band Portable repeater which was interfaced to VHF low band.

The StarCom Motorola 700/800 MHz mobile radios can scan up to eight talk groups but unless you were on a wide area simulcast system in a metro area you only heard units which were affiliating on the same site/tower. For example you have a Trooper in Effingham and his mobile is set to scan. Two Troopers in Olney (Richland County) are talking on the car to car talk group voting on the Sumner site. The Trooper in Effingham will not hear the conversation on car to car. The Trooper in Effingham can select the car to car talk group on his mobile or portable and then can hear the conversation on car to car.

The Starcom 21 system is similar in actual operation to a repeater system local departments frequently used where you always heard both sides (base and mobile) of the conversation. Times have really changed from when a Trooper’s mobile would transmit on 42.88 and the District would transmit back on 42.52 (Duplex system). Instead of changing frequency to 42.5 for car to car many Troopers will transmit instructions on the Primary District Talk Group or advise another Trooper to go to the car to car talk group.

The StarCom 21 trunked radio system has some advantages but it also has some disadvantages. There are templates issued for navigating to the correct Talk Group in the assigned programmed menu. Many employees don’t use the features of the StarCom 21 system to it’s full potential. Many employees only want to know how to turn the radio on and where the volume and microphone’s push to talk button are located.

I believe the ISP is calling the old ISPERN Priority on StarCom21. Troopers in rural areas may still have a low power (50 watt) VHF High Band mobile radio to communicate with local Agencies but still have channel 1 ISPERN, HF 2 District High Band, HF 3 IREACH, HF 4 State Wide ISP. The ISP rarely uses High Band and to my knowledge have no Low Band.

A lot of communication is done through the IWIN mobile computer system which now incorporates a sophisticated CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch). The days of TIPS and Open CAD are gone. The ISP is an Agency of perpetual change.

A lot of communications is done via cell phone.

 

[N3BQX]

Thanks so much for your response. I live in the Chicago metro area but used to work in Dist 13 in southern IL and would often make trips back up to Chicago. I had a low band radio that would scan the Sheriff's low band and the Sheriff would scan 42.50 to hear me when ISP dispatch was out of my range. I was wondering how the calls were sorted out in the Chicago Dist when I can hear the dispatch channel is in use, an ISPERN alert is being transmitted, and IDOT is calling on car to car all at the same time - not to mention some units are also on their own special enforcement frequencies. It would be hard if they didn't have the CAD systems. Have a great holiday.

 

[Starcom21]

Rural and non-rural areas still use VHF to talk to local counties, at least in southwest IL. Same with the Conservation Police. Dual band portables appear to be used as a mobile extender (VHF talking to 700/800 MHz STARCOM21) when they are not in an area of portable coverage (simulcast sites), see 155.505 or 151.16. When a chase or law event is going on, the local ISP district will activate 155.475 ISPERN patch to STARCOM21. I-REACH Patch may be linked to 155.055 for Landing Zone operations. In the last year, I have heard absolutely ZERO traffic on Troop 8 (District 11/18) old HF-4 VHF channels. No usage of 155.46. ISP Collinsville does use 155.37 to talk to St Louis City/County/MHP. Have not heard ANY VHF usage for DCI, SOS or DNR law enforcement, since there are encrypted channels available on SC21

 

[W9WSS]

A few corrections; They no longer refer to the areas as districts; They are called Troops. Such as Troop 3 Chicago dispatches multiple other Troops such as Troop 2 (Elgin), Troop 5 (Joliet, actually located in Crest Hill), and a few others.

ISPERN is called PRIORITY ONE, not just “priority.” Sometimes if Troop 3 broadcasts a flash message on ISPERN, the Troop dispatcher may say, “Troop 3 Chicago clear ISPERN, KSB242.” Majority of the time, the dispatcher will say, “Troop 3 Chicago clear PRIORITY ONE.” No callsign even though they were multicasting on Starcom21 and ISPERN VHF.

Also the previous person mentioned a few low band frequencies that were used prior to the implementation of Starcom21. They were not using duplex, rather they utilized “split simplex” mode. If it were duplex, both the dispatcher and the car could talk at the same time and not unkey waiting for a response. Sort of like talking on the telephone.

When a Troop 2 unit calls in, he or she says, “Chicago 3 2-27 (if the car is 2-27),” or a Troop Chicago car calls, “Chicago 3 427. Sometimes Troop 3 Chicago specific units are 100, 300, and 400 units. You’ll hear “Chicago 3 121,” or Chicago 3 333.” It was very confusing until it was fully explained to me.

Let’s not forget as of January 1, 2024, all tollway troopers will be dispatched by Troop 3 Chicago. Plus their car numbers *may* change away from their traditional 15-xxx vehicle & license plate numbers. “Stay tuned,” and enjoy listening while you are able because ISP will go encrypted some time in the near future. The Tollway dispatchers will still handle maintenance and HELP vehicles when the transition takes place.

 

[Starcom21]

Downstate Illinois, ISPERN is still called ISPERN.

 

[werinshades]

ISPERN is called PRIORITY ONE, not just “priority.” Majority of the time, the dispatcher will say, “Troop 3 Chicago clear PRIORITY ONE.”

I have never heard that terminology used on the end of a Troop 3 ISPERN message.

When a Troop 2 unit calls in, he or she says, “Chicago 3 2-27 (if the car is 2-27),” or a Troop Chicago car calls, “Chicago 3 427. Sometimes Troop 3 Chicago specific units are 100, 300, and 400 units. You’ll hear “Chicago 3 121,” or Chicago 3 333.” It was very confusing until it was fully explained to me.

A correction. All Troop 3 troopers have a radio signature 3-xxx. 3-227 is not assigned to Troop 2, but is assigned to Troop 3 and his/her radio signature corresponds to their badge number and are assigned by seniority. As of today, 3-471 is the lowest trooper in seniority, while 3-100 is the highest in Troop 3. The Troop 3 two digit radio ID's are Sergeants, Captains, Colonels....the lower the number, the more important they are.

 

[K9JLR]

Let’s not forget as of January 1, 2024, all tollway troopers will be dispatched by Troop 3 Chicago. Plus their car numbers *may* change away from their traditional 15-xxx vehicle & license plate numbers. “Stay tuned,” and enjoy listening while you are able because ISP will go encrypted some time in the near future. The Tollway dispatchers will still handle maintenance and HELP vehicles when the transition takes place.

Just out of curiosity, what's the reason for the sudden switch to encryption by ISP (whenever that happens) given that they've chose to keep the system open and in the clear since it went online back in 2007?

 

[werinshades]

Just out of curiosity, what's the reason for the sudden switch to encryption by ISP (whenever that happens) given that they've chose to keep the system open and in the clear since it went online back in 2007?

Probably the same answer we consistently read and hear..."officer safety". With all the streaming services, social media posting "live events" including location and position of aircraft assigned to various assisting agencies, screen shots of the aircraft locations, and of course the ever so "erroneous information" being put out by those that "think" they heard something, but really don't know how to "listen", we shouldn't be surprised because we constantly shoot ourselves in the foot.

 

[ILjim]

“Stay tuned,” and enjoy listening while you are able because ISP will go encrypted some time in the near future.

Oh come on...you got to me FREAKIN kidding me! When that happens, I'm just throwing my hands up and giving up the hobby forever. Sorry for the little off-topic rant, but I'm beyond sick of this.

 

[Chicago2210]

Oh come on...you got to me FREAKIN kidding me! When that happens, I'm just throwing my hands up and giving up the hobby forever. Sorry for the little off-topic rant, but I'm beyond sick of this.

or write to your elected officials about the problem

 

[buddrousa]

@ILjim
The other option is you can become certified to run the office get elected and run the department the way you see fit.

 

[longfeather1]

In southern IL. I am not picking up any p25 channels any more ? I have a 536 and a whistler ws- 1095 not a thing but i am still getting MO.

 

[Starcom21]

Picking up Troop 8 just fine in the MetroEast this morning

 

[longfeather1]

Ok must be the scanner s.

 

[MikeyC]

Let’s not forget as of January 1, 2024, all tollway troopers will be dispatched by Troop 3 Chicago. Plus their car numbers *may* change away from their traditional 15-xxx vehicle & license plate numbers. “Stay tuned,” and enjoy listening while you are able because ISP will go encrypted some time in the near future. The Tollway dispatchers will still handle maintenance and HELP vehicles when the transition takes place.

It seems like some have been absorbed into Troop 1 too 15-193 (RID 15193/16193( now has a Troop 1 radio signature (1-xx) but I didn't have a chance to grab the new ID. Some D15 units in Troop 3 have "new" Troop 3 radio signatures (15-187 is now 3-259, 15-184 is 3-257, 15-175 is 3-249), but some still have D15 signatures (15-65, 15-137, and 15-193 for example).

It will all make sense some day

 

[longfeather1]

All distract 13 all go by X- some thing . Now called troop 10

 

[werinshades]

All distract 13 all go by X- some thing . Now called troop 1

ISP Restructuring for 2024 Official Thread

Please continue for 2024 from this thread: ISP Restructuring for 2023 Official Thread

forums.radioreference.com

ISP Restructuring for 2023 Official Thread

Yup It's happening. Also due to Staffing shortages Dist 13 is taking some of Dist 11 area and Dist.12 is also. Dist 18 is moving South into 11. Tom

forums.radioreference.com

 

[officer58]

In southern IL. I am not picking up any p25 channels any more ? I have a 536 and a whistler ws- 1095 not a thing but i am still getting MO.

Pick up Troop 10 in Southern Illinois just fine.