Radio ID's: Posting Guidelines

[KD4YGG]

With the release of CPU Version 1.4 on the PSR-500/600 comes a reminder...

The database will not be updated with individual radio IDs.
Use either the wiki or generic code lists for posting radio IDs.

Do NOT post person-specific information as outlined below:
ACCEPTABLE EXAMPLE: RID = 12345, USER = UNIT 79-25
UNACCEPTABLE EXAMPLE: RID = 12345, USER = Capt. John Q Public

Vehicle radios (ie fire trucks) and dispatch console radio IDs tend to remain constant. Most portables don't due to them changing hands every shift, as do some vehicle assignments (ie car 54 on 1st shift is unit 58, and on 2nd shift it's 68 although the radio ID stays the same).

Some Radio ID's appear in logical order, as outlined in the following example:
VFD Unit 100, Radio ID = 50100
VFD Unit 101, Radio ID = 50101
...
VFD Unit 199, Radio ID = 50199

Some do not...

 

[John]

As a matter of possible interest to some, from my experience the dispatch consoles on Motorola Systems will have a range of Radio IDs assigned to them. So the same console can show up on different talkgroups with different RIDs. They are usually in a sequential range but it probably won't be the same ID for the same console on different talkgroups.

 

[troymail]

As always - "your mileage may vary"....

For my area, fire units MOBILE radios are pretty consistent since they are mounted in the vehicle... however, when a unit goes to the shop, they would get assigned a "reserve fleet" unit and although they still call out the same (i.e. Engine 4), the radioID reflected will be the ID of the reserve unit (until they get back into their front line).

Portables on fire units are pretty consistent also (for my area!) - unless they get a replacement (defect) or there are widespread new radios deployed (as was the case for both police and fire in my area in the last year). Many fire units also have more than 1 portable radio.

Police change ALL the time. In most cases, the radio ID stays in the district but the "post" for the officer changes from shift to shift. I've been using Trunker for a long time and for the PD units (in my area) I just keep the radioID and change the first character to the district (i.e. a radioID of 41055 being used by a Western district unit I label as w1055). However, I won't be wasting my time doing this for my PSR500 - wastes too much memory and really does serve much purpose for me. Sheriff units are very similar. I also believe but am not 100% certain that the police radios are mobile AND portable in one (as opposed to fire units which have both mobile/fixed radios AND portables).

As far as dispatching consoles (and in agreement with what John said above) - fire dispatch in my area has a number of different 'positions' that the dispatcher sit at. I've seen that each position/desk has a "base" radioID for the lowest talkgroup (i.e. 101 on the dispatch TG) and that same poisition increments as they move through the TGs. For example: TG#1 dispatch it would be radioID 101, TG#2 response would be radioID 102, etc. Each 'position' has a different 'base' value so dispatcher 1 on TG#1 might be radioID 101 but dispatcher 2 on the same TG might be radioID #251, etc.

BTW - this is a Motorola 3600 system -- there are lots of different systems out there all programmed differently....

This information is based on using Trunker for many years and there are lots of "variables"... keep that in mind

Oh, and by the way, although I know all of the radioIDs I've seen over the years on my local system aren't all still being used, Trunker has recorded more than 10,000 radioIDs for my primary system (yes, one system) since I started using it several years ago.

Have fun!

 

[wa8pyr]

With the release of CPU Version 1.4 on the PSR-500/600 comes a reminder...

The database will not be updated with individual radio IDs.
Use either the wiki or generic code lists for posting radio IDs.

Do NOT post person-specific information as outlined below:
ACCEPTABLE EXAMPLE: RID = 12345, USER = UNIT 79-25
UNACCEPTABLE EXAMPLE: RID = 12345, USER = Capt. John Q Public

Another strong suggestion to keep things consistent and a little easier to search...

Keep the lists simple, using a format like this (using a Motorola system as an example):

1-4999 : Smith City Fire (700001-704999 in Motorola-ese)
5000-5999 : Jones City Fire (705000-705900 in Motorola-ese)
6000-6999 : John Township Fire (706000-706999 in.. well, you get the idea)
7000-7999 : Doe Township Fire
8000-8999 : Smith City Police
9000-9999 : Jones City Police

And so on...

Listing every single ID will rapidly result in lists so huge as to be unmanageable and unsearchable.

Also keep in mind that vehicle radio call numbers can change regularly; 6910 might be Engine 69 one day, but it could just as easily be Engine 47 the next day.

 

[rdale]

Also keep in mind that vehicle radio call numbers can change regularly; 6910 might be Engine 69 one day, but it could just as easily be Engine 47 the next day.

How can that be? I can understand why portables change, but I've never seen vehicle or dispatcher ID's change...

 

[DonS]

How can that be? I can understand why portables change, but I've never seen vehicle or dispatcher ID's change...

I've seen "Engine 3" (verbal identification) show up as different radio IDs - IDs that have previously been "associated" with other apparatus. However, it's usually preceded (earlier in the day) by something like "<other apparatus> running as Engine 3" in the morning ringdown / radio test.

EDIT: However, the big red vehicle with the big "E-3" on the side does always show up as the same radio ID.

 

[rdale]

That part I understand - but the last line in his post is what I don't agree with...

 

[wa8pyr]

How can that be? I can understand why portables change, but I've never seen vehicle or dispatcher ID's change...

Some agencies don't use mobiles, but portables exclusively, especially with the higher costs of digital systems. You could have four or five portables marking as "Engine 3" one day, and "Ladder 12" the next.

In addition (and I believe this was mentioned earlier in the thread), a company using reserve apparatus won't have the vehicle that may or may not normally be associated with them. Also noted earlier, Car 54 might be Car 54 one shift, but Car 58 on the next shift (and Car 52 after that, and so on). Some fire departments move apparatus around regularly to balance usage hours, too, so Engine 3 may not always be Engine 3.

Consoles don't change, but Motorola consoles may need upwards of 100 ID numbers per operator position depending on how things are set up; each talkgroup per operator position needs an ID, so if you have fifty fire talkgroups programmed at each of three operator positions, you're going to need 150 separate console ID numbers, one for each talkgroup at each operator position.

I just feel it would be better to keep the lists as generic as possible rather than trying to track (potentially) thousands of ID numbers per system.

An example... between just the two major Moto systems in my area, there are over 15,000 active radios. Add the smaller systems in the area and the number jumps another thousand or two, plus Ohio MARCS adds another whole dimension to the process. I have enough trouble keeping track of the dang things at work, and I do it for a living!!!

 

[inigo88]

Believe it or not I had this happen recently with some local ambulances. Medic 40 became Medic 95, and Medic 40 became new radio IDs in a newly purchased vehicle. The old Medic 40 was a big white diesel ambulance, while the new one is red and smaller (gasoline powered-ford van cab instead). The paint scheme on the new Medic 95 is exactly the same as the old Medic 40, and you can see where they painted over the old numbers. It's not common but it can happen - I was definitely surprised not seeing the mobile radio IDs in Unitrunker match up with what I was hearing over the scanner.

Inigo

 

[visegrip72]

Is there a link to a location with any Radio ID's? I searched the wiki and the site, but could not find any. Some id's would be nice, like the helicopters.

Thanks.

 

[bneilson]

As radio IDs are specific to the radio the best place to check would be in the regional Forums. I know the guys here in Utah that monitor UCAN (7202) swap IDs on occasion. The Alpha* version of Unitrunker have made this a bit harder but I understand that will be changing in a future release.

If nobody in your area is cataloging them, you should start. It brings an great level of detail when you get a bunch identified. I have found to very helpful in identifying unknown talkgroups if I know who the users are...

 

[Viper43]

How can that be? I can understand why portables change, but I've never seen vehicle or dispatcher ID's change...

One unit goes out of service and another replaces it, common on systems where the vehicle radio is a portable.

BTW, I have seen dispatcher ID's change, as well as console ID's. Heck, in two years my ID change 6 times.

V

 

[jameshober]

scanning radio ids

I have not been on for some time. Can the gre-500 scan for a specific radio id on trunked sys. now?
eg: eng 22 / ladder 13 radio. I'm holding out for this option.

 

[rdale]

It can't listen just for that radio, but it can alert based on it.

 

[jameshober]

Thanks It's a step in the right direction. I would like to be able to goto sleep and only be awaken when a specific radio transmits. eg. deputy chiefs car.

 

[SCPD]

Thanks It's a step in the right direction. I would like to be able to goto sleep and only be awaken when a specific radio transmits. eg. deputy chiefs car.

Hi James;
You can do this now with your PSR tethered to your computer by configuring Unitrunker to chime when a specific radio ID transmits or affiliates.

 

[rdale]

Cool - I didn't know Unitrunker had a way to unmute audio... I suppose this could go to another thread - but how do you set it up to stay quiet unless certain ID's transmit?

 

[grcjrsc]

I've seen "Engine 3" (verbal identification) show up as different radio IDs - IDs that have previously been "associated" with other apparatus. However, it's usually preceded (earlier in the day) by something like "<other apparatus> running as Engine 3" in the morning ringdown / radio test.

EDIT: However, the big red vehicle with the big "E-3" on the side does always show up as the same radio ID.

In my town one particular station in the politically important high rent part of town get's a new engine once ever year or two, so then the old engine 10 which is still a perfectly good truck would get moved to say station 6 and become engine 6. The old engine 6 would then become a reserve and be numbered something like E-49, but whatever unit was using it would still use there regular number. Sometimes this leads to confusion when trying to determine what truck goes with which radio ID. The station and engine numbers have been changed to protect the guilty.

 

[luckydog465]

which radios display radio id's?

 

[stlouisx50]

Cool - I didn't know Unitrunker had a way to unmute audio... I suppose this could go to another thread - but how do you set it up to stay quiet unless certain ID's transmit?

Bump. yes how does one set this up?