Vintage Radio Models used by Montreal Police

[mtlscan]

I'd like to document for posterity what the Montreal Police had for so many years.

Portable radios were General Electric M-PD 'scan' model (made around 1987 or 1989).
Mobile radios were General Electric Rangr with S990 Control head.
Old Mobile Data terminals used Delta SX radios with MDI terminals at 4800 bps.
ANI/Status protocol used was GE-Star at 600bps (the data burst at the beginning of the call)

Saw a picture of one of their repeater at the Olympic stadium many years ago and it was a MASTR II

Some specialized used Aegis encrypted radios, I think I saw an M-PA portable once but I dont have other information. Mobile command center had Orion mobile radios (like the SQ).

These old General Electric radios were built like tanks and made to last, I think the system was used for 20+ years ! Its safe to say the City have amortized their investment in this system years ago.

Cheers

 

[BC_Scan]

Thanks for sharing some history, reminds me of the big O and what a money boon dogle that was, took till 2006 to pay off ??
On another note what about those boys on 19-2 tv show , the comms in that story sure have a centre stage. It is funny how they show the officers operating over the radios. You have to watch to believe. Did you catch the episode where Montreal fire said to 19-2 , switch to Tac 40 for comms with fire ?
Check it out if you have not.

 

[plaws]

I'd like to document for posterity what the Montreal Police had for so many years.

Back in VHF/UHF days, the UHF "double vé té" were RCA. No idea which model, but pretty sure they had all the channels (est, ouest, centre, nord, sud ...). Every year, it's longer ago, but I *think* there was a UHF channel for every VHF. Maybe not General or Info but def the regional channels.

 

[kirk23]

Thanks for sharing some history, reminds me of the big O and what a money boon dogle that was, took till 2006 to pay off ??
On another note what about those boys on 19-2 tv show , the comms in that story sure have a centre stage. It is funny how they show the officers operating over the radios. You have to watch to believe. Did you catch the episode where Montreal fire said to 19-2 , switch to Tac 40 for comms with fire ?
Check it out if you have not.

19-2 is a TV... Not a documentary.. Give us a break

 

[kirk23]

Back in VHF/UHF days, the UHF "double vé té" were RCA. No idea which model, but pretty sure they had all the channels (est, ouest, centre, nord, sud ...). Every year, it's longer ago, but I *think* there was a UHF channel for every VHF. Maybe not General or Info but def the regional channels.

The OLD VHF was a duplex system. West..south (which later bacame a tac channel).. Center...north ..east. Ch.6 was to run plate & licenses..ch.7 was general.
They were all 153 - 155 mhz
The W/T's were 410 - 413 ? mhz and were for each district (west..center..north and east) for tac and to contact their stations for event #'s etc..
And went they wanted to talk private on the car radios they would tell the STUDIO (dispatch) to "fermer le trois voix" turn off the clear channel and all we could hear was a tone..and if we were close we could go to the impur freq to hear what they were saying..

The good old days Pete...remember?

 

[BC_Scan]

19-2 is a TV... Not a documentary.. Give us a break

That is what I said, TV SHOW (not real) sorry for trying to have some fun here.

 

[plaws]

The good old days Pete...remember?

Barely. I remember the tone on the info channel. Heck, if you listened very closely, you could sometimes catch bits and pieces. I gather the real radios had a narrow filter for that tone that let you hear what was "behind" it.

For you youngins, this wasn't a sub-audible tone, like CTCSS, this was an audible tone, probably around 700 Hz or so. Studio was always in the clear (at least on the info channel) but the mobiles were (mostly) covered by the tone.

I always liked the bilngual IDs on broadcasts.

 

[kirk23]

Hey Peter..
The old VHF system was always in the clear unless they closed the "trois voix" this was way before the MDTs so everything was over the air..
The best was when the Downtown station 25 "G.I.L." plain clothes Anti Crime unit was on duty.. Det.Sgt/Lt. Bertrand ran the unit and was always referred to as "Bert & the Guys" never used car #'s and always worked totally in ENGLISH saying if the crooks had an old tunable police band radio they would suspect a bunch of "Bloocs" talking only english and no police lingo were cops.. And they were very sucessful.. Even the old city wide Famous Night Patrol Squad (major crime unit) run by Capt Henri Marchesseau adopted the work in english on the radio method and was sucessful too... That would NEVER fly in Mtl now..
Thats why i call them the Good Old Days...lol

Even back in the old days as late as 60's/70's the S.I.M.F.D. was permitted to communicate in english giving truck #'s.. 10 codes and descriptions..and central would even respond to those trucks in english.. Mostly stns 4..34 & 46. Only english on the S.I.M. now is team from the 1005 communicating on the scene from 1006 (wt) to 1005 (command post) with updates

 

[plaws]

The best was when the Downtown station 25 "G.I.L." plain clothes Anti Crime unit was on duty.. Det.Sgt/Lt. Bertrand ran the unit and was always referred to as "Bert & the Guys" never used car #'s and always worked totally in ENGLISH saying if the crooks had an old tunable police band radio they would suspect a bunch of "Bloocs" talking only english and no police lingo were cops..

Too early for me. I think I first started listening to a friend's tunable in the late 70s and got a scanner only in '82.

You will like this if you haven't seen it already: https://www.nfb.ca/film/station_10/

 

[kirk23]

You will like this if you haven't seen it already: https://www.nfb.ca/film/station_10/

WOW.. a few familiar faces ESPECIALLY Kenny Abraham.. was a long time friend used to hang out at the old 10/25 a lot in the 70's & 80's ..knew a lot of the uniforms & the Detectives upstairs. video brought back a lot of good memories..Thanks for posting it Pete

 

[mtlscan]

I am curious if any of you guys remember if the SPVM MDT system came during the VHF era or after the migration to the UHF system ?

I had a bunch of MDT pictures years ago, lost to computer crash and no backups.. Once saw an old Delta UHF low 16 channels with the 'SITI' logo (acronym of Système informatisé de transmission de l'information) on Ebay.

I used to program the 4 input frequencies of the MDTs in a scanner with no antenna as a sort of early warning system that a cop car was close by

They replaced the old MDTs with Sierra 1X-RTT modems and Motorola MDTs, but they changed systems a few years back.

 

[kirk23]

I am curious if any of you guys remember if the SPVM MDT system came during the VHF era or after the migration to the UHF system ?

I had a bunch of MDT pictures years ago, lost to computer crash and no backups.. Once saw an old Delta UHF low 16 channels with the 'SITI' logo (acronym of Système informatisé de transmission de l'information) on Ebay.

I used to program the 4 input frequencies of the MDTs in a scanner with no antenna as a sort of early warning system that a cop car was close by

They replaced the old MDTs with Sierra 1X-RTT modems and Motorola MDTs, but they changed systems a few years back.

To the best of my recollition the 1st MDTs were put into service AFTER the SPCUM converted to the UHF system.. because all the old file I could find show the MDT freqs were listed in the "Expansion Future" and that list was an addition to the file I have showing the UHF freqs already in use as CAR channels.

As a matter of fact, The new UHF system went into service on Dec.6th 1989.. the night of the U de MTL Polytechnique shooting.. that was part of what lead to massive confusion because out of district cars had no idea what radio channel the Cote des Neiges station was now on.. Stn 31 had always been on the North channel until that day when it was then assingned to the West channel. and I know there no MDTs in service that night.

 

[kirk23]

and if I remember right those 1st MDTs were all 408mhz

 

[VORTAC]

D-1 410.0375
D-2 410.3125
D-3 410.8125
D-4 411.2125

1- C.U.M. secteur OUEST (11-12-13-14-15-31).........U-1......410.1125
2- C.U.M. secteur SUD-OUEST (21-22-23-24-25)........U-2......410.2625
3- C.U.M. secteur CENTRE (32-33-34-52)..............U-3......410.3625
4- C.U.M. secteur NORD (41-42-43-44)................U-4......410.4875
5- C.U.M. secteur EST (45-51-53-54-55)..............U-5......410.6125

 

[N4KVE]

Years ago in the 70's when I lived in Montreal, I worked at a Dodge dealer. The few times we had a police car, the radio was a VHF PYE Continental. Some departments used the Canadian Marconi DT34. I remember listening on my scanner, I could only hear dispatch. When the mobile answered, a tone covered them, so we could not hear them. But when something big like a bank robbery was going on, dispatch would flip a switch, & I could hear all the mobiles speaking. But later on, I do remember on visits to see my parents, my area was 410.1125.

 

[plaws]

Years ago in the 70's when I lived in Montreal, I worked at a Dodge dealer. The few times we had a police car, the radio was a VHF PYE Continental. Some departments used the Canadian Marconi DT34.

When in "the 70s"? Remember that the municipal departments were all subsumed by the new MUCPD in 70 or 71 (the MUC appeared in 1970 but did the PDs merge the same year? I forget.).

I remember seeing PYE and Marconi equipment in taxis back in the day. Didn't spend a lot of time in cop cars.

 

[N4KVE]

No, that happened way after. I moved to Florida in 1977, right after the Parti Quebec came to power. I lived in Cote St. Luc, & when I moved here, Cote St. Luc, & Hampstead still had their own police Dept. The MUCPD happened while I was living here, after 1977.

 

[VORTAC]

Memories…

Studio - Appels

153.9200 – Est
154.1000 – Nord
153.6500 – Sud
154.8000 – Ouest
154.7400 - Général

Studio – Information plaques

155.4000 – Info 1
154.2200 – Info 2

Walkie-talkie

410.0125 – Est
412.1375 – Nord
411.3125 – Sud
412.6875 – Ouest
410.9125 – Info 3

 

[kirk23]

No, that happened way after. I moved to Florida in 1977, right after the Parti Quebec came to power. I lived in Cote St. Luc, & when I moved here, Cote St. Luc, & Hampstead still had their own police Dept. The MUCPD happened while I was living here, after 1977.

QUOTE=plaws When in "the 70s"? Remember that the municipal departments were all subsumed by the new MUCPD in 70 or 71 (the MUC appeared in 1970 but did the PDs merge the same year? I forget.).

Sorry to correct both of you guys BUT the SPCUM was officially formed Jan 1 1972 although it wasn't till sometime in 1974 when the public actually saw CUM marking on the police cars and were aware of the newly merged police dept.
in 1972 the SPCUM was handling CITY WIDE major events & investigations with SWAT..RIOT..HOMICIDE.. IDENTITE (Crime Scene).. MAJOR CRIME..etc the suburban police depts. remained the same as before with their individual BNQ style town shoulder patch.. in spring 1975 every officer was issued the new SPCUM gold & blue enameled breast & kepi badges . but from 1972 every suburban police dept were under the direction of SPCUM Directeur Rene Daigenault

 

[N4KVE]

While that may be true, until I left after the PQ won, the Côte St. Luc police, & Hampstead police still worked out of their city police stations. Later on when I was living in Florida, they moved to the CUM station on Decarie Blvd south of the Boulevard. I believe this was station 14. Côte St. Luc was still dispatching on 165.51 I believe. My friend Frank ALBERT was the PD dispatcher. He went on to become the city fire chief. But either way I saw Pye Continentals, & Canadian Marconi DT34's in Montreal police cars at Trans Island Motors in 1976.