Bethalto FD on Starcom

[Radio_Cowboy]

Sounds like Bethalto fire is starting to test/use the starcom system.

Heard 2200 (the chief) on 154.175 sounding all "digital" at the same time talkgroup 8351 was active, although encrypted. Hope they don't keep fire encrypted if they do go the starcom route. It sounds like the chief and maybe a couple other officers have starcom radios, while most of the volunteers still have VHF. Talkgroup 8351 is patched to 154.175 at this time, and you can still copy all traffic on 154.175.

 

[cifn2]

Sounds like Bethalto fire is starting to test/use the starcom system.

Heard 2200 (the chief) on 154.175 sounding all "digital" at the same time talkgroup 8351 was active, although encrypted. Hope they don't keep fire encrypted if they do go the starcom route. It sounds like the chief and maybe a couple other officers have starcom radios, while most of the volunteers still have VHF. Talkgroup 8351 is patched to 154.175 at this time, and you can still copy all traffic on 154.175.

Don't suppose that they might have a few MABAS portable interop radios do you? And they programmed it for starcom over there due to interop?

 

[Radio_Cowboy]

They might. Listened to a call again today. You can hear the digital sound when the chief and a couple other of the officers key up. It's very noticeable on 154.175. Almost to the point of being hard to understand at times. I'm guessing they have talkgroup 8351 patched to 154.175. Volunteers still use their VHF radios and Chief, officers, and possibly the trucks now have starcom capabilities.

 

[Starcom21]

Been assuming for a few weeks that 8351 was Bethalto Fire.

They have also been recently been licensed for 151.49 for VHF, possibly to replace paging operations from 154.175 (since nearby Edwardsville also uses the freq)

 

[Starcom21]

Another quick question, with Bethalto Police and Fire, what site do you usually hear them on, 325 Edwardsville? with occasional 355 Godfrey and 321 Mt Olive???

Is the VHF Police frequency (158.805) still used for Meadowbrook Police ops and animal control, or is the repeater off the air now?

SCHOOL DISTRICT
155.29500
KZC553 BM731 DPLBethSchBuses Buses/Maintenance [Exp 12/00, in use] FM Schools 152.39000 157.65000 WPPW739 RM
BethSchScrty Security - Districtwide (also MOTOTRBO) FMN Schools

Is 155.295 still in use??? Been expired for over 10 years now (Laughlin Ambulance - Troy, still using the frequency)

152.39 Repeater, ever heard in use? Is it possibly MOTOTRBO?

Worked at the Bethalto Walgreens for about 4 days and never got any traffic a few months ago.

154.31000
KRA500 BM
Beth Frgrnd2 Fireground [Ch 2] FMN Fire-Tac 158.92500
KUN481 BM146.2 PLBeth Water Water Department FM Public Works 158.92500
KUN481 BM206.5 PLBeth PubWrks Public Works FM Public Works
Is 154.31 still in use?

Can you confirm hearing both 146.2 and 206.5 PL on 158.925 for Public Works ops?

Thanks
Terry

 

[Radio_Cowboy]

For Bethalto on Starcom, most of the time I am hearing them off the Edwardsville site, and occasionally off the Godfrey site. I don't listen to the Mt.Olive site, so I can't say if they are over there or not, and I don't hear them off the Beaver dam site.

The 158.805 repeater is not very active anymore at all. I talked to the ex bethalto fire chief, and the fire department was wanting to take over that repeater for fire ops, but the police department is keeping it as a backup system. Meadowbrook is covered by Madison county sheriff's for law enforcement.....never heard of them using 158.805. I'll have to start monitoring that new 151.49 frequency.

Collinsville fire department is now using Starcom for all fire operations, using APX7000 portables, hearing them off the Edwardsville site.

Not sure about the bus's or public works.....if I get a free moment during the week I'll try to plug those in and take a listen.

 

[Radio_Cowboy]

Looks like Bethalto FD is now using the new 151.49 repeater with a DPL of 143 for all dispatch traffic. It's patched to Starcom TG 8351. Appears that 154.175 is no longer in use by Bethalto at this time.

 

[Starcom21]

Bethalto Fire now on 154.31

154.31 appears to be the input.

Are you hearing ecrypted traffic like is on 8351?

Looks like Bethalto FD is now using the new 151.49 repeater with a DPL of 143 for all dispatch traffic. It's patched to Starcom TG 8351. Appears that 154.175 is no longer in use by Bethalto at this time.

 

[Radio_Cowboy]

Hi Terry,

No, it sounds like all traffic on VHF is NOT encrypted (Thank god!)

Not sure why they feel the need to encrypt the starcom traffic anyways. The police don't. Come to think of of....not sure why they even feel the need to go to starcom. $2500 per radio, with a $30 - $53 per month per radio access fee........ For a volunteer department of a town of 10,000.