Chicago FD?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
May 30, 2009
Messages
550
Location
In a house along a busy road in Mercer County, Far
I have a question about the Chicago FD. I am in the Chicago area a good bit. I listen to the PD every listening minute and there isn't much space in between traffic being broadcasted. So a few weeks ago I decided to input the 29 freqs. from the RR database listed under "Chicago Fire Dept" minus the data channels of course. I am somewhat disappointed in my listening. Don't get me wrong silent is golden within the helping hands community. That being said... I am sure that I am missing out on a lot of action. I see the FD responding to calls all of the time but I am not receiving the calls on my 396XT even when just scanning those 29 available frequencies. I have done searches within the digital and analog public safety bands and still come up with squat. Why is this? Am I listening to the wrong freqs. or is the city computerized dispatched to the intended stations and that is picked up with a scanner. I have gone as far as listening to "Live Feeds" with my phone and use that to compare with what I am hearing on the handheld and notice that the scanner just isn't picking up what the "Live Feed" had just broadcasted. Is this common or is it just me?
 

Chicago13

Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
Messages
40
I have a question about the Chicago FD. I am in the Chicago area a good bit. I listen to the PD every listening minute and there isn't much space in between traffic being broadcasted. So a few weeks ago I decided to input the 29 freqs. from the RR database listed under "Chicago Fire Dept" minus the data channels of course. I am somewhat disappointed in my listening. Don't get me wrong silent is golden within the helping hands community. That being said... I am sure that I am missing out on a lot of action. I see the FD responding to calls all of the time but I am not receiving the calls on my 396XT even when just scanning those 29 available frequencies. I have done searches within the digital and analog public safety bands and still come up with squat. Why is this? Am I listening to the wrong freqs. or is the city computerized dispatched to the intended stations and that is picked up with a scanner. I have gone as far as listening to "Live Feeds" with my phone and use that to compare with what I am hearing on the handheld and notice that the scanner just isn't picking up what the "Live Feed" had just broadcasted. Is this common or is it just me?

Sounds to me like you've inputted the freq's for their new radio system. They're not using that one yet. No one know when, if ever they'll switch over.

The main frequencies you want to listen to are:

154.1300: Main. This covers fire units north of 31st St.
153.7000: Englewood. This covers south of 31st. St.

460.6000 is EMS Main. EMS units north of 31st.
460.6250 is EMS Englewood. EMS units south of 31st.
 

werinshades

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 21, 2002
Messages
5,817
Location
Chicago , IL
This brings up an issue I see in our Database. I'm hoping when I can get a newly programmed radio in my hands, and do a comparison of the new frequencies I have (with CTCSS and NAC), i'll submit my updates to the Radio Reference. The issue I mention, is it's a mess to decipher the database if you're visiting the area and you see all these different frequencies with notes and have no idea what the use is for. With the permission of the Database Administrator, I hope to delete the entire Chicago Fire Dept. listings, and re-enter them correctly.

As mentioned in the previous posts, those are the only "current active channels" for CFD. Dispatching is done via a Computer-Aided Alarm System in each firehouse if the companies are in quarters. If not, it's done via the 4 channels mentioned. Fireground is good if you're close to the incident. If you're visiting, that's probably all you'll need unless you want to dabble in other things to try and catch something.

The future frequencies will be set up the same, but will be Digital UHF-T Band. Fire-Main, Fire-Englewood, EMS-North, EMS-South will be the primary channels. Also on the radios, we have Fire-City Wide, OEMC both Digital. I don't know yet what will be the primary usage of these two channels. EMS-Command and Fireground will be UHF Analog. Some of the other channels will be Media, OPS Channels, Special Events Channels, Training Channel. These will be UHF Analog as well. Encryption will be available to Battalion Chiefs/EMS Field Chiefs and above. However, this will require the individual to remove the radio from it's holster, switch to the "Encryption Zone", then hit the Home button, switch to the desired channel and talk. Knowing what I know now, don't expect to see too much encryption in use.

Yet another delay occured when they took sone of the radio technicians out of 31st Sacramneto (CFD Radio Shops), and sent them down to the OEMC. The radios are being reprogrammed about two days a week, so the process is slower then the desired Dec. 1st date. Each member will have his/her own radio. Most apparatuses will not have a radio unless they currently have XTL 5000's installed. Those will be converted once the switchover takes place.

I may have another date for the chageover sometime tomorrow as we're meeting at the Fire Academy over health and safety issues. The digital radios are on the agenda to discuss, so i'll see what is going on now. I've heard this more than once.."the system is ready to be put to use again. The issues that arose during the EMS 30 day evaluation have been corrected". That remains to be seen, but once the system goes live, Motolrola has given the city a 1 year worry-free repair anything for free guarantee. hopefully...soon..
 

werinshades

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 21, 2002
Messages
5,817
Location
Chicago , IL
I may have another date for the chageover sometime tomorrow as we're meeting at the Fire Academy over health and safety issues.

8 hour training starting in Mid-January was told to us today. This will a "combination training" in Digital radios, G8/NATO training, CPR. Training will also occur on weekends. April 2012 was a date for FS&R
with EMS switching over earlier as we're ready to go. Here's something new I heard today..All companies will have mobile radios installed after the implementation date, but will origianlly have portable radios.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top