Chicago Fire Department 460Mhz. P25

[werinshades]

Thought it might be a good idea to move this to it's own thread since it doesn't involve the 800Mhz Trunking system,

The Chicago Fire Department is in the process of migrating away from the 800Mhz Chicago Trunking system, to 460Mhz Conventional P25 frequencies.

 

[werinshades]

Changes to the Code Plug and APXS000 HXE Portable Radio CODE PLUG CHANGES:

UMETRO 3 & 4 removed.

City Wide Fire frequency changing 470 to 460.

Removed the Direct Zone.

Removed PDD zone (CPD non-encrypted channels)

Old dispatch channels (470) becoming Back Up channels. Three new zones were added for Back Up Channels, Back UP FD, Back UP SE, and Back UP EMS.

New dispatch channels are being developed for our dispatch channels. FD, SE, and EMS zones will be the new channels on 460 frequencies.

UMETRO 1 & 2 now in UTAC Zone.

Battalion Chiefs have been reporting to the radio shops to have their "radios in the box" reprogrammed to the new frequencies. The field is being told they will start using the new frequencies sometime in September. No further updates from previous posted information.

 

[Chicago2210]

Wonder if it will be phase I or phase II?

 

[werinshades]

Wonder if it will be phase I or phase II?

Conventional P25 is normally Phase 1.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Wonder if it will be phase I or phase II?

There's no such thing as conventional Phase-II. Let's see how long it takes me to get lambasted should I be wrong

 

[INDY72]

There's no such thing as conventional Phase-II. Let's see how long it takes me to get lambasted should I be wrong

Correct. With conventional P25, there is only FDMA. Only DMR offers TDMA for conventional use. PHASE II/2 is P25 trunking using TDMA. IMHO this has always been dumb. They should have added the TDMA onto P25 conventional years ago. Such is life.

 

[ryolsen8]

So is there any idea as to what the actual frequencies will be for the new Fire Channels? Are they all migrating to 460 from 470?

 

[werinshades]

So is there any idea as to what the actual frequencies will be for the new Fire Channels? Are they all migrating to 460 from 470?

I don't know, but yes, they're leaving the UHF-T as I posted previously and using them as a back-up. The city recently renewed a couple license blocks within that range, and I have set up an OFT (One Frequency Trunk) system with all those frequencies in their own site to keep an ear for any testing.

 

[ryolsen8]

I don't know, but yes, they're leaving the UHF-T as I posted previously and using them as a back-up. The city recently renewed a couple license blocks within that range, and I have set up an OFT (One Frequency Trunk) system with all those frequencies in their own site to keep an ear for any testing.

Perfect. I would suspect we'd see a post with the frequencies as they become known. Thank you for the heads up, werinshades!

 

[RaleighGuy]

So is there any idea as to what the actual frequencies will be for the new Fire Channels? Are they all migrating to 460 from 470?

Don't know for sure, but a new May license is here

FCC Callsign WPMG842 (City of Chicago - Office of Public Safety Administration)

FCC Callsign WPMG842 (City of Chicago - Office of Public Safety Administration)

www.radioreference.com

 

[werinshades]

Perfect. I would suspect we'd see a post with the frequencies as they become known. Thank you for the heads up, werinshades!

I'm suspecting some the FD 800 & EMS 800 zone talkgroups are going to be in the SE (Special Event) Zone due to some testing I recently heard. Nothing confirmed, just a hunch.

 

[werinshades]

Don't know for sure, but a new May license is here

FCC Callsign WPMG842 (City of Chicago - Office of Public Safety Administration)

FCC Callsign WPMG842 (City of Chicago - Office of Public Safety Administration)

www.radioreference.com

That's what I was referring to. Also look up KXZ 273.

 

[RaleighGuy]

That's what I was referring to. Also look up KXZ 273.

Interesting that both licenses are analog not P25, but hey who pays attention to that

ULS License - Public Safety Pool, Conventional License - KXZ273 - City of Chicago - Office of Public Safety Administration - Frequencies Summary

 

[werinshades]

Interesting that both licenses are analog not P25, but hey who pays attention to that

ULS License - Public Safety Pool, Conventional License - KXZ273 - City of Chicago - Office of Public Safety Administration - Frequencies Summary

Yes, it's the state of Chicago and can do anything they want. I'm sure it will be P25, can't return to that "rogue radio" fiasco.

 

[werinshades]

Yes, it's the state of Chicago and can do anything they want. I'm sure it will be P25, can't return to that "rogue radio" fiasco.

Check some of the CPD Zones in the FCC database, also all showing analog.

 

[ILjim]

This may/may not be related to this topic specifically, but I noticed on Broadcastify that there's official (individual) streams of the Fire and EMS Main & Englewood channels. I hope it isn't a sign that they're going down the same road as CPD...

 

[ryolsen8]

This may/may not be related to this topic specifically, but I noticed on Broadcastify that there's official (individual) streams of the Fire and EMS Main & Englewood channels. I hope it isn't a sign that they're going down the same road as CPD...

Where are you seeing those? A look at the Official Feeds page doesn't show any CFD feeds, just CPD.

 

[werinshades]

I hope it isn't a sign that they're going down the same road as CPD...

I doubt that will happen. Due to the lack of testing on any of the licensed 460 Mhz. frequencies, I would guess September was a hope rather than a reality.

This may/may not be related to this topic specifically, but I noticed on Broadcastify that there's official (individual) streams of the Fire and EMS Main & Englewood channels.

I don't know anything about Broadcastify and what they have set up. It could be "possible" that the OEMC has the same arrangement as far as providing an official delayed feed? Since the frequencies that are going to be in use are not known yet, not sure how that's possible?

 

[Firebuff66]

Correct. With conventional P25, there is only FDMA. Only DMR offers TDMA for conventional use. PHASE II/2 is P25 trunking using TDMA. IMHO this has always been dumb. They should have added the TDMA onto P25 conventional years ago. Such is life.

Motorola & Harris paid a lot of money to keep P25 conventional phase II out of the picture. Way more profit if a department has 4 rf channels and is maxed out to force them to trunking, than get 8 talk paths out of 4 rf channels
Same reason Motorola does not do simulcast DMR, much more profit in P25 trunking
We do have a local school system that has 5 site DMR simulcast with a company called Leonardo
The 5 sites along with 150 portables cost them 120k installed, The quote for 5 site P25 simulcast was 2.9 mil and 400k for subscribers

 

[Chicago2210]

I doubt that will happen. Due to the lack of testing on any of the licensed 460 Mhz. frequencies, I would guess September was a hope rather than a reality.


I don't know anything about Broadcastify and what they have set up. It could be "possible" that the OEMC has the same arrangement as far as providing an official delayed feed? Since the frequencies that are going to be in use are not known yet, not sure how that's possible?

This may/may not be related to this topic specifically, but I noticed on Broadcastify that there's official (individual) streams of the Fire and EMS Main & Englewood channels. I hope it isn't a sign that they're going down the same road as CPD...

I think the Broadcastify feed is independent of CFD and OEMC.