Upcoming changes to Iowa radio systems

[moonstruck]

Black Hawk County

I am planning on purchasing a scanner (not a portable) for home use only. What would be a but Igood (relatively inexpensive) model for me to get that will pick up police/fire/ems? I think Black Hawk is trunked - I know litlte to nothing about scanners. Thanks for your help.

 

[John_Jensen]

Hi, I live in Reinbeck and monitor both Black Hawk and Grundy Counties. You are correct that Black Hawk is trunked, so you'll want a scanner that follows this. I use a Radio Shack Pro 164 (portable - the home equiv. is Pro 163) that I purchased at the RS there, and they were more than willing to clone the frequencies from the scanner they had.

If you prefer to do it yourself, I highly recommend getting a programming cable (about another $20) and software (I use Win97 and it works great). If you have problems, send me a personal message and I'd be willing to get in touch with you and help.

You will hear a lot over there - enough that I usually have the scanner set to only pick up fire and EMS alarms off the Cedar Falls Racom tower unless there is something specific I want to hear. Black Hawk County is decently covered by the Racom system, with towers at Waterloo and CF, as well as Independence and Vinton if you live near the county lines.

 

[JIMisHEREtoo]

Decatur County Iowa new digital not P25??

Hello I monitor Decatur county in south central iowa that seems to have switched to some type of digital format. I have a P25 scanner that will pick up other P25 and will tell me if it's even encrypted but the format that both the sheriff's dept. and the county roads dept. Isn't even activating the P25 it just sounds like a jack hammer sound. Was wondering what type of digital format this might be?

Thanks
Jim

 

[N0GX]

Hello I monitor Decatur county in south central iowa that seems to have switched to some type of digital format. I have a P25 scanner that will pick up other P25 and will tell me if it's even encrypted but the format that both the sheriff's dept. and the county roads dept. Isn't even activating the P25 it just sounds like a jack hammer sound. Was wondering what type of digital format this might be?

Thanks
Jim

Looks like the emission on the license is for Mototrbo.

 

[timkilbride]

Hello I monitor Decatur county in south central iowa that seems to have switched to some type of digital format. I have a P25 scanner that will pick up other P25 and will tell me if it's even encrypted but the format that both the sheriff's dept. and the county roads dept. Isn't even activating the P25 it just sounds like a jack hammer sound. Was wondering what type of digital format this might be?

Thanks
Jim

I checked the license, they do indeed have their license setup for MotoTRBO. Which frequencies are you hearing this on?

Tim K.

 

[JIMisHEREtoo]

Sorry took this long to get back to you been very sick as of late. The freq they use is 153.9800 for sheriff ans city PD and 156.1200 for the county hiway dept. Thanks for all the help
Jim

 

[JIMisHEREtoo]

decatur county digital?

Sorry took this long to get back to you been very sick as of late. The freq they use is 153.9800 for sheriff and city PD and 156.1200 for the county hiway dept. Thanks for all the help
Jim

 

[timkilbride]

Thanks Jim.

Tim

 

[iachaser]

Des Moines Metro Changes

Hey all,

Long time lurker, but thought I'd hop in with some information for those that monitor things around the Des Moines Metro area.

1) LINC is being phased out and will be replaced with the Metro Interop Communication System. Kevin Sanders has the write up about it here: Des Moines Metro Interoperability Communications System (MICS) plan

2) Polk County Fire Departments are being switched to the Racom Edacs system. The dates keep getting pushed back, but as of right now the switch looks to happen about Mid-February. I'll post more info as it becomes available. There will still be a vhf paging channel, but all response traffic, etc will be on Edacs.

3) Norwalk (NW Warren Co) is now being dispatched by Westcom. Again I don't have any ID info, but if I find it, I'll post it. This covers both the FD and PD.

Mike

 

[puzzleriddle]

Edacs is in its last 2-3yrs

Is being phased out completely by 2015 Harris PSPC | P25(IP)

 

[thedigitaltexan]

Boone County Radio Going Digital

My Mother is a 86 year old die hard scanner listener. I gave her a scanner in 1976 and she's been monitoring since. Now Boone County is going digital. Does anybody know what brand scanner I should buy her? I listen to it online from member Hobbyman57 in Madrid Iowa.

Thanks!
From Texas

 

[timkilbride]

My Mother is a 86 year old die hard scanner listener. I gave her a scanner in 1976 and she's been monitoring since. Now Boone County is going digital. Does anybody know what brand scanner I should buy her? I listen to it online from member Hobbyman57 in Madrid Iowa.

Thanks!
From Texas

There new system will not work with any scanner manufactured today. They are switching to a digital modulation that scanners can't decode at this time.

Tim

 

[thedigitaltexan]

Even the digital scanners?

I have been looking online at the uniden and gre digital scanners. So these won't work?

Uniden® HomePatrol-1 Scanner

RadioShack® PRO-197 Digital Desktop Scanner

GRE PSR-600 Police Scanner
Digital Triple Trunking Desktop/Mobile Scanner

 

[Ensnared]

Boone County

Today, I was browsing the Iowa Forum in anticipation of a trip there. Hence, I ran across this thread.

When I examined the RR DB, there is nothing indicating the presence of digital transmissions. When I write this, please understand I am not doubting the presence of P25 transmissions in that county. Sometimes, it takes a while to change the RR DB.

If Boone county is using digital radios, you can monitor them provided they are not using: a) encrypted ProVoice; b) Open Sky; or c) Nexedge. Also, you might not be able to hear Boone county if they encrypt their transmissions. Unfortunately, this is happening more and more across the U.S. So, before you invest, I would certainly check this out.

I don't know how close you are to Des Moines, but you can certainly monitor radio transmissions there. You might have to add an outside antenna depending on the distance. While I'm writing this, I would review post 49 in this thread concerning future changes in Des Moines.

ProVoice & Mototrbo can be monitored with certain modifications (using discriminator tap/dedicated scanner). In my opinion, this is fairly sophisticated way of listening. It is certainly beyond my technical capabilities.

Here is a listing of scanners. Digital Scanner Comparison Chart - The RadioReference Wiki

In light of recent developments, the GRE brand was recently acquired by Whistler Corporation. New models will be forthcoming in 2014. At this point in time, it is unknown whether prices will drop for Whistler digital radios since some of the cost is related to proprietary rights. http://www.examiner.com/article/whistler-group-aquires-gre-scanner-line

I would check around to see what type of digital transmissions are being used there.

Also, Radio Shack will be carrying this new line once production begins. They will likely have Whistler guts with a RS label. In the past, Uniden and GRE have made their radios.

So, yes, there are several different digital radios.

It should be noted that the RS Pro-106 is the same radio as the GRE PSR 500. For base units, the RS Pro-196 is the same as the PSR 600.

Finally, it is possible that this county might be going to Phase II TDMA; however, I am not seeing any digital trunking system in that county other than RACOM EDACS.

 

[thedigitaltexan]

Boone County Scanner

I have read in The Boone News Republican that they are switching to the Kenwood Digital System
(NEXEDGE ProTalk Public Safety Trunking)... Looks like the only way is to purchase a Kenwood Nexedge radio. Only interested in Boone PD and Boone County SO.

 

[timkilbride]

Boone county is going to Nexedge. Can't be monitored by any scanner in today's market. Yes, it is digital, but not the right kind of digital for the scanners to work with it.

As far as I know, its not online yet. But a post yesterday said it was suppose to go live on Wednesday I believe.

Tim

 

[othb1234]

Humboldt County

Hi, is Humboldt county switching and time soon. Thanks in advance.

 

[mws72]

I hope this post OK, I saw a tv report about population growth in Iowa. Ankeny is the fasted at 56,000. Cedar Rapids is still number two in the state since 1970 and Davenport is still north of 100K. More growth, more public safety communications.

 

[sgtmatt]

Do we have any idea as to when the statewide system is supposed to be up in the Dubuque area yet I heard it was coming soon but thats all I heard. Thanks

 

[mws72]

Do we have any idea as to when the statewide system is supposed to be up in the Dubuque area yet I heard it was coming soon but thats all I heard. Thanks

Don't know if RACOM is involved with the built out, but some things I have heard suggest they are working in the Dubuque area in Jackson County.