Suburban Cook County Telecommunication Nets

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Awesomeman92

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Looking in the database, the suburban telecommunications net system is a bit messy and confusing (at least to me when I'm trying to clean up my notes!). Can anyone confirm any the following?

Net 1 - Steger/South Chicago Heights: StarCom21, encrypted. Database shows Ford Heights on this net but I believe their police force was disbanded about 10 years ago and duties taken over by the Sheriff.
Net 2 - Matteson/Park Forest/Richton Park/Olympia Fields: StarCom21, encrypted. Dispatched by SouthCom.
Net 3 - East Hazel Crest/Glenwood/Thornton/Hazelcrest/Flossmoor/Homewood: StarCom21, encrypted. Dispatched by ECOM.
Net 4 - Country Club Hills/Oak Forest/Tinley Park/Westhaven/Orland Park: On various conventional repeaters?
Net 5 - Lynwood/Burnham/Calumet City/Lansing: On various conventional repeaters?
Net 6 - Hometown/Oak Lawn/Evergreen Park/Merrionette Park/Alsip: Still on UHF. Dispatched by Oak Lawn Central.
Net 7 - Palos Heights/Palos Hills/Palos Park/Chicago Ridge/Burbank/Worth: Still on UHF. Dispatched by Southwest Central Dispatch. Burbank to Net 10.
Net 8 - Crestwood/Dixmoor/Midlothian/Posen/Blue Island/Calumet Park/Robbins: StarCom21, encrypted. Dispatched by Blue Island and/or Cook County?
Net 9 - Harvey/Phoenix: Still on UHF?
Net 9a - Dolton/South Holland/Riverdale: StarCom21, encrypted. Dispatched by Dolton?
Net 10 - Bedford Park/Bridgeview/Justice/Hickory Hills/Hodgkins/Willow Springs/Summit/Burbank: Still on UHF?
Net 11 - Countryside/Indian Head Park/LaGrange/Western Springs/LaGrange Park: Countryside to Lyons, SC21 encrypted. IHP to SWCD, UHF. Remainder dispatched by LaGrange on VHF.
Net 12 - Berwyn/Cicero: On individual UHF repeaters.
Net 13 - McCook/Brookfield/Lyons/Forest View/Stickney/North Riverside/Riverside: All except Brookfield StarCom21, encrypted, dispatched by Lyons. Brookfield dispatched by LaGrange, VHF.
Net 14 - Oak Park/Forest Park/River Forest: Still on VHF, dispatched by West Suburban Consolidated Dispatch.
Net 15 - Elmwood Park/Norridge/Harwood Heights/Schiller Park/River Grove: Still on UHF except for Elmwood Park. Elmwood Park to WSCDC, StarCom21, encrypted.
Net 16 - Franklin Park/Northlake/Melrose Park/Stone Park: Still on UHF except for Northlake, dispatched by NORCOMM. Northlake to StarCom21 encrypted, dispatched by County. Stone Park dispatched by Cook County on UHF?
Net 17 - Bellwood/Westchester/Hillside/Broadview/Berkeley/Maywood: Still on UHF. Berkeley dispatch to Cook County March 2017.
Net 18 - Park Ridge/Rosemont/Des Plaines: Rosemont on UHF. Park Ridge and Des Plaines on Starcom21, encrypted, PR dispatched by WSCDC and DP by Wheeling.
Net 19 - Arlington Heights/Mt. Prospect/Elk Grove/Buffalo Grove: StarCom21, encrypted. Dispatched by Northwest Central.
Net 20 - Palatine/Rolling Meadows/Hoffman Estates/Schaumburg/Bartlett/Streamwood/Hanover Park: StarCom21, Bartlett and Hanover Park to DU-COMM. The rest encrypted, dispatched by NWCDS on SC21.
Net 21 - Skokie/Lincolnwood - Still on UHF
Net 22 - Golf/Morton Grove/Niles/Glenview: Golf dispatched by Cook County, StarCom21, encrypted. Morton Grove and Niles on UHF dispatched by Glenview? Glenview on StarCom21, encrypted. There are 25xxx talkgroups for both MG and Niles in the database but I haven't ever seen these active through Unitrunker.
Net 23 - Evanston: Still on UHF.
Net 24 - Glencoe/Kenilworth/Northbrook/Northfield/Winnetka/Wilmette/Wheeling: On various conventional repeaters.

Any help is appreciated, and maybe we can clean up the database a bit with what is and isn't in use anymore to make it a bit easier to look at. My next project is the fire frequencies, but that is for another day. Thanks!
 
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N9JIG

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These Net numbers originated from a study in 1972 by the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) and the Chicago - Cook County Criminal Justice Commission after the death of Officer Anthony Raymond. Raymond was kidnapped and killed by robbery suspects and a contributing factor was the crowded radio channels of the time. The UHF TV band (T-Band) was opened up for Public Safety use to help alleviate this shortage.

The many suburban police departments were then parceled out to networks based on location and existing relationships conducive to channel sharing. Larger towns have their own channels and some networks had up to a dozen small towns.

After this study was published grant money became available to build out the infrastructure and purchase mobile and portable radios. While many changes were made before the networks went online a lot of it remained as written. Some networks haven't changed in the almost 45 years since.

As for the network numbers, I have attached a file that shows the assignment of each community and the network it was assigned to. Also shown was the pre-study channel and some notes.

The complete study is available on the CARMA website at http://www.carmachicago.com/profiles/IIT_Report.pdf. It is a fascinating read!
 

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N9JIG

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There are a few other interesting tidbits from this:

E. Chicago Hts. is now Ford Hts., Westhaven is now Orland Hills.
Lynwood and Burbank had no police departments at the time. Prospect Hts hadn't incorporated yet, all three were covered by the CCSPD.
Repeaters were envisioned on 155.670, 155.310, 155.490, 155.700 (later changed to 155.250) and 155.190. None of these repeaters were built.
Palatine, Rolling Meadows, Bartlett, Hanover Park, Hoffman Estates, Streamwood and Schaumburg were all intended to be on the same pair of T-Band repeaters as NWCD but it would be 30 years before they would join NWCD.
The Village of Golf was dispatched by a telephone answering service at the time. Later they would use the Cook County dispatchers.
The vast majority of towns used the following 8 freqs before the study: 155.070, 155.130, 155.190, 155.250, 155.310, 155.430, 155.490 and 155.670.
There were only a few of the 15 KHz. channels in use at the time, 155.745, 154.785, 154.845 and 155.565.

While the T-Band channels were used in Cook, DuPage, Will, Lake and Kane Counties this IIT study only served the Cook county suburbs. At the time Lake County towns mostly used 156.210 and 155.730. McHenry was mostly on 159.090 and 155.700, DuPage was mostly 155.010.
 

JKD

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After perusing your list, my contributions would be:

Net 7/8 -- Crestwood is dispatched by Southwest Central Dispatch (SWCD) on Net 7

Net 9 -- Countryside, Indian Head Park, and Lemont dispatched by (SWCD)

Net 10 is still UHF. Willow Springs rolling into Justice and Hodgkins rolling into Oak Lawn Central - both staying on 10

Net 11 Western Springs, Lagrange, Lagrange Park, Brookfield (with Brookfield scheduled to transition to WC3 with North Riverside and Riverside later this year)
 

radioman2001

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These type of communications nets wasn't just tried and built in the Chicago area. In metro NYC surburbia the same type of "net" style communications was built in the mid 1970's with funds from LEAA. Most did not fare well for a number of reasons. First most departments were on Low Band due to the terrain and VHF didn't cover well especially with a portable radio. Next typical politics of the area, most departments were not going to share services, and in some cases took over the equipment after the mandatory 1 year use for acceptance. I know of at least 2 agencies in Westchester County that basically took over the radio base station equipment and then rebuilt it out for their own use. One agency abandoned the VHF and went UHF which was supposed to be for cities. You can look at this as the original consolidation as we are now seeing tried again at 700mhz.

The take back of UHF-TV channels probably will never happen due to 700mhz not having enough bandwidth to replace the UHF-TV ones, plus the costs involved in building out new radio systems to replace these mature working ones. NYPD, LA and others have said they are not leaving.

Maybe in another 20 years or so you will see a complete change in the type of radio system built (tetra)more in line with what is used in Europe.
 

N9JIG

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The Boston area also had a similar system. Some of the systems in the Boston and Chicago areas were designed by the same engineer and share many similar design elements.

Before the IIT study most suburban agencies were on one of several VHF highband channels, most on the old 60 KHz. channels. There were only a few using the then relatively new 15 KHZ split channels, such as Park Ridge/Rosemont on 154.785. 155.13 was used by a dozen or more towns in the Northwest suburbs and 155.250 was used on the North Shore.

Many of these legacy channels remain as Car-to-Car or alternate channels, some are still used as dispatch by some of the agencies after 50 years.

The Chicago area towns tended to stick it out together for the most part and many of the towns still share channels with the original partners. The cooperation level was better in some areas than others for sure but for the most part they did well.

The original 70's era infrastructure was usually replaced by 2000 and many of these systems are due for another replacement by now. With the pending loss of T-Band most agencies are looking at StarCom21 if they haven't already switched. Some agencies in Cook County have chosen to use the Cook County node on StarCom21 (Zone 5) while others are going with the state side.

The Net Numbers originating from the IIT study are still used to identify the user groups or channels by many agencies. Even if the channel has changed some of these agencies still refer to the current system by the old net number.
 

ecps92

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Slightly off Topic, but related

Actually Multiple Systems in T-Band for Eastern Massachusetts (Police and Fire)

The First was BAPERN (Boston Area Police Emergency Radio Network)
4 Regional Channels (North, Northeast, South and West)
1 Area-Wide for BOLO's
1 Area-Wide for Dets/Details or when your own system fails.

Shortly After BAPERN, Plymouth and Bristol Counties designed their own Similar Networks as did NEMLEC and NESPRN (sp?)

With Police going T-Band the Metro (Boston Area) Fire Association also grabbed some of the available UHF Space moving many depts off VHF Lo and High

And recently (before Narrowbanding and the threat of loosing T-Band) the MBHSR (USAI) added more T-Band for interop, within the UASI, along the lines/similar to what Boston Fire has posted at http://bfdradio.net/BFD Channel Plan.pdf

The Boston area also had a similar system. Some of the systems in the Boston and Chicago areas were designed by the same engineer and share many similar design elements.

Before the IIT study most suburban agencies were on one of several VHF highband channels, most on the old 60 KHz. channels. There were only a few using the then relatively new 15 KHZ split channels, such as Park Ridge/Rosemont on 154.785. 155.13 was used by a dozen or more towns in the Northwest suburbs and 155.250 was used on the North Shore.

Many of these legacy channels remain as Car-to-Car or alternate channels, some are still used as dispatch by some of the agencies after 50 years.

The Chicago area towns tended to stick it out together for the most part and many of the towns still share channels with the original partners. The cooperation level was better in some areas than others for sure but for the most part they did well.

The original 70's era infrastructure was usually replaced by 2000 and many of these systems are due for another replacement by now. With the pending loss of T-Band most agencies are looking at StarCom21 if they haven't already switched. Some agencies in Cook County have chosen to use the Cook County node on StarCom21 (Zone 5) while others are going with the state side.

The Net Numbers originating from the IIT study are still used to identify the user groups or channels by many agencies. Even if the channel has changed some of these agencies still refer to the current system by the old net number.
 

ILjim

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Here is what I know:

Net-4: Country Club Hills is now dispatched by E-Com, unknown if still on 470.9375 or StarCom21 (assuming with other E-Com agencies). Oak Forest is still on 155.190. Tinley Park, Orland Park, and Orland Hills (was known as Westhaven) are also still on conventional VHF repeaters.

Net-5: Lansing is using a VHF conventional repeater. Calumet City is on a 800 MHz repeater.

Harvey and Markham are on Net-9A (470.8125). Unknown if Phoenix is still on this net.

Riverdale and South Holland to E-Com Net-3 (using StarCom21 w/ ENC). Dolton also dispatched on StarCom21, but not by E-Com.

Net-16: Stone Park is still on 471.2375; dispatched by NORCOMM.

Net-17: As of May 2017, Berkeley is now dispatched by Cook County on StarCom21 (ENC).

Net-22: Niles and Morton Grove are dispatched by Glenview. They have a talkgroup assigned on StarCom21 (ENC, on the State node), but I still hear traffic on 470.7125.

Net-24: Northbrook is now on StarCom21 (miraculously in CLEAR mode).
 

ILjim

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Net 24 - Glencoe/Kenilworth/Northbrook/Northfield/Winnetka/Wilmette/Wheeling: On various conventional repeaters.

Most (if not all) of these agencies quoted above are now dispatched by Glenview. Wheeling is now dispatched on StarCom21 (ENC). The rest (except Northbrook) remain on a conventional UHF repeater, for now.

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N9JIG

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Most (if not all) of these agencies quoted above are now dispatched by Glenview. Wheeling is now dispatched on StarCom21 (ENC). The rest (except Northbrook) remain on a conventional UHF repeater, for now.

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Glenview Dispatch took over Winnetka, Northfield, Kenilworth and Glencoe Police and Glencoe Fire this Tuesday. Police are still on 470.6625, Glencoe Fire is still on 151.010 for now.

Wilmette PD is also still on 470.6625 but retains their own dispatch. All 5 towns will probably end up on StarCom21 within a year.

Northbrook was on 470.7625 for years but moved to 470.6125 a few years back. They switched to StarCom21 but had issues so are back on 470.6125 for now.

Wheeling used 470.7625 until they switched to analog conventional 800 channels 20 years ago, and have recently switched to StarCom21 with encryption.

Originally 470.7625 was just Net 24, it was split into 24A and 24B (470.6625) soon after Norcom started up. Northbrook and Wheeling shared 24A and the other 5 towns were on 24B. After Wheeling switched to 800 Glenview moved from 470.7125 (then shared with Niles and Morton Grove) to 24A with Northbrook. When that got too busy Northbrook switched to 470.6125.

Clear as mud, eh?
 

ILjim

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Net-22: Niles and Morton Grove are dispatched by Glenview. They have a talkgroup assigned on StarCom21 (ENC, on the State node), but I still hear traffic on 470.7125.

I forgot to mention that sometime ago, I stopped hearing traffic on 470.7125. With that, Niles and Morton Grove are now 100 ENC.


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TheRover

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Thank you.It looks like the other 3 towns on with Brookfield have opted to stay together. (L TAC). I'm unable to link at this time.
 

greggk

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Three that I hear often are:

Net 21 is Skokie/Lincoln Wood.
Net 24B is Winnetka and Wilmette

470-6125: North Brook Police Dispatch

Just saw this thread this morning. Don't know if any above are relevant for your needs. Greg FWIW
 

ILjim

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Per the database, Harwood Heights, Norridge, and Schiller Park PD's are now using StarCom21 TG 3981, which is patched to 471.2875 (146.2 PL). River Grove PD should also be on that freq. as well, but no info if they also swiched.


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Awesomeman92

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Per the database, Harwood Heights, Norridge, and Schiller Park PD's are now using StarCom21 TG 3981, which is patched to 471.2875 (146.2 PL). River Grove PD should also be on that freq. as well, but no info if they also swiched.


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I believe River Grove switched down to 471.2375. Only the 3 towns handled by MCD are switching to SC21 so far. I’d imagine Norcomm won’t be too far behind, maybe in the next 2 years or so.


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ILjim

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I believe River Grove switched down to 471.2375. Only the 3 towns handled by MCD are switching to SC21 so far. I’d imagine Norcomm won’t be too far behind, maybe in the next 2 years or so.


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Ah, I see. I was listening to MDC on their UHF repeater and wondered why I never heard River Grove. Thanks for that info. I believe that Northlake is the only agency dispatched by Norcomm that is on StarCom21.

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ILjim

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I just saw in the StarCom21 database that TG 3981 used by MDC Dispatch is in CLEAR mode, did not see a 'E' after the 'D'. Am I seeing things?

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