Chicago Midway UHF Trunked System

[Chicagostretch02]

Hello All!

I have a new Pro 96 and I have programmed the UHF Digital TRS for Chicago Midway and all I get is the talk group display and either no audio or a sound like my squelch is set too tight. All the programmed frequencies are in the 476 and 477 range. I have had some with Bearcat 250's confirm the same. They hear the system yet I don't. I have programmed it to the letter. I get a display of freqs that display as vc411.xxxx 412.xxxx, and 415.xxxx. I went into mode and made them all fm and locked out the control channel and I get good digital audio. Does anyone have experience with this on their 96 either with this system or another UHF sytem? Those vc frequencies shouldn't even be showing up. They are Fed frequencies.

Thanks in advance!

Brian

 

[Guest]

Chicago Midway UHF

Hi I dont own a Pro-96 but do you have your offset correct
I use a BC780XLT to listenen to the analog stuff but not much of that no more on this TRS all digital
Give this a try

Base Frequency: 474.000 Mhz
Offset: 12.5 Khz
Uniden Base Channel: 380

 

[mlevin]

Try changing the recieving mode to MO(motorola).I think that if your programing a trunked system (thats motorola) scanner has to be set MO mode.Good luck.

 

[Chicagostretch02]

Midway UHF Trunked System Problem SOLVED!

Hi All!
I got feedback from my posting at Strong Signals. I had to go into program mode and then trunked and press Function 3. The set the radio to "table" and it now trunks perfectly. Thanks for the input. I had all the system stuff in there corrctly and it was set to MOTOROLA. But, the manual doesn't say anything about setting the radio to table. Function 3 refers to baud rate, etc. as well.

I am trunking now! Thanks again!!!!!!

Brian

 

[werinshades]

Very clear monitoring this system. If this is what all Digital sounds like, can't wait till Chicago Police & Fire switch .......

 

[werinshades]

This system has been quite active for the past few days as a result of the snow and cold. I have found a bunch of new Talkgroups which I will post in the database shortly. The Talkgroups are in increments of 32 and start at 9616 and go to 10160 that i've seen so far. I haven't seen numbers lower or higher and if anyone has please let me know. I've seen quite a few I-Calls come in too. I counted up to possible 18 active channels. It appears to me Fleet Management has a majority of these Talkgroups. They break them up into different sections depending on the job their doing. TG# 9808 one day was strictly snow opearations and the next day it was TG# 10032. I was working on Sunday at Midway when the snow hit. We had 4 runs on the field and i'll tell you the visibility was down to almost nothing. We couldn't tell if we were on a Taxi Way or the Service Roads at certain points. Was able to see snow plows coming at us though as they were all over. Quite impressive operation I admit as we were watching them "attempt" to keep the runways open. I have some unidentified Talkgroups still. I will post all Talkgroups from 9616 to 10160 even though I haven't heard activity on all yet. I think they have all of these Channels utitlized, just I haven't heard activity on all of them yet. If you have additions or corrections please add them in. I know their are a few of you who are close to monitor this system, and any help we can give each other is appreciated...

 

[werinshades]

I don't want to submit changes to the TRS Databse until we switch over to radioreference. I wanted to Update some Talkgroups on this system, so i'll post in here.

I have labeled TG's 9808, 9840, 9904 as Snow channels 1,2,3 respectively. The only activity I hear on here is snow related and I heard Operations mention that they the front-end loaders on the "snow channels". Then I heard all the snow-related operations on these talkgroups...

I have already labeled 9968 Com 1, and 10000 Com 2... These are confirmed. I now have 10032 (Com 3), 10064 (Com 4), 10096 (Com 5). That's the way one of the radios I saw set up, but was not home to confirm talkgroups.

Com 3 is exclusively being used by the plow trucks and salt & sand trucks that work on the service road which goes around the airport, terminal areas, gate areas, terminal ramps, certain parking lots and anywhere else the city is responsible for in and around the airport.

Com 2 are the Brooms that service the runways and taxi-ways inside the airport. 375-385 are their radio call numbers.

Com 1 has been used for above purpose as well. I guess it just depends on what they want to switch to.

TG#9616 (Runway/Taxi-Way Maintenence). They change the bulbs, and do various activity in the upkeep and maintenence of the runway/taxi-way areas.

Hope this helps...I will make the changes in the data base when it's up and running.

 

[RADIOGUY2002]

Prox.

How close do you have to be in order to hear this system, south burbs is it reciveable. Ie: River Grove Area

 

[CoffeeDrinker]

River Grove is a West burb slightly North. Borders the city.

 

[werinshades]

I've heard this is a weak signal...something like 50,000 watts. From what I read in Carma, they had to be close to hear it.

 

[spike131]

mdw system

You guys are not even close to the talkgroups on the system

 

[werinshades]

We're not..or shall I say i'm not????? Well, by all means enlighten us.....

 

[Chicagostretch02]

MDW TG's and users

Can the user who said we are off on the TG's please compare what you have with werinshades and the rest of us who listen to this system? I listen and I have also confirmed many of these TG's but if we are wrong, help us out.

Let's represent Chicago right by working together. That's what this hobby is about, isn't it?

Also for Ryan, River Grove may be too far. I lost the system after Central Avenue on I-55 to the north and about Archer and Kedzie to the east. It's not a very powerful citywide coverage system. Basically, the airport area. Heard one guy getting called on his radio while he was on lunch somewhere around 80 something and Cicero. So, the radios work that far away.....but a scanner is another story.

Brian

 

[RADIOGUY2002]

10-99

Allright, thanks

If he can not provide the info to back up his clame, well then you know; I don't have to say it.

Could we have a UCR Code of 9309, D*-***. Break

 

[werinshades]

Re: 10-99

Well no knew Talkgroups noted on this system in awhile. Have yet to hear anything on a few of the Talkgroups I listed in the Database. I listen daily, and work the other days there, so nothing new to report.

On the Security Talkgroup: (9680) I've made a few notes of interest that I will share to those that listen: 306-Security Gate @ 59th Central 307-Security Gate @ 55th Laramie 308-Security Gate @ 63rd Laramie. 313-Fixed Post at F.I.S. Checkpoint in triangle at terminal.

Chicago Police Dept Talkgroup: (9712) 2991-Mobile unit all around airport. Any beat that ends with an A is a Traffic Aide assigned to the Terminal traffic side. (Ex. 2978A 2986B..etc.) You will hear beats in the terminal like 2974-2979. 2984-2989 are supposed to be assigned to the Parking Garage ,but i've heard them in the terminals. 2972-Desk. All Chicago Police Dept. Midway calls come through the Desk and then it's assigned out. They also get RD Numbers for reports through the Ad Desk at the 9-1-1 Center.

That's all I can think of at the moment. Feel free to add please.

 

[werinshades]

Re: 10-99

Well no knew Talkgroups noted on this system in awhile. Have yet to hear anything on a few of the Talkgroups I listed in the Database. I listen daily, and work the other days there, so nothing new to report.

On the Security Talkgroup: (9680) I've made a few notes of interest that I will share to those that listen: 306-Security Gate @ 59th Central 307-Security Gate @ 55th Laramie 308-Security Gate @ 63rd Laramie. 313-Fixed Post at F.I.S. Checkpoint in triangle at terminal.

Chicago Police Dept Talkgroup: (9712) 2991-Mobile unit all around airport. Any beat that ends with an A is a Traffic Aide assigned to the Terminal traffic side. (Ex. 2978A 2986B..etc.) You will hear beats in the terminal like 2974-2979. 2984-2989 are supposed to be assigned to the Parking Garage ,but i've heard them in the terminals. 2972-Desk. All Chicago Police Dept. Midway calls come through the Desk and then it's assigned out. They also get RD Numbers for reports through the Ad Desk at the 9-1-1 Center.

That's all I can think of at the moment. Feel free to add please.

Ok, I knew I'd forget a couple things......

Chicago Police Dept. Talkgroup: (9712) 2980-2983-Sergeants. 2997.1- Traffic Control Aid Desk/Supervisor. Traffic Control Aids are also referred to on here as T.C.A.'s Also, they may avoid the "29" in conversation and refer to units by their last 2 Beat Numbers. (" 91 to 72..give me an RD for a Type A")... 2992-93A-J..Canine Units.."Bomb Dogs".

 

[werinshades]

It's been awhile since I posted on Midway, so I thought I'd throw something out. We had a radio tech at my firehouse recently, and I was told the transmitters to the lower levels of the Terminal, have been turned off due to the interference it's been causing to Zone 6, which is the Zone for the 8th District which serves all around the airport. This would explain, to those that listen to the Midway Digital System, why it seems alot of the transmissions are breaking up or "digital choppiness" we hear. Not sure when this will be corrected, but Chicagostretch and I were listening to a bunch of radio checks about a month ago and wondered what was up.

Other than that, no major news to report. Seems to work pretty good most of the time, but their are days it sounds crappy. That's it for now.....happy listening!! 8)

 

[spike131]

Midway's system

The passive radio system in the terminal was shut down due to it causing interference with chicago police and fire department

Also there is also comm 1, 2, and 3but there is no 4 or 5

There is no FLEET MANAGEMENT talk group

Repeaters are putting out 45 watts to panel antennas

Here are a few, Security,Police,Snow, Comm1,2,3

There is a operations talkgroup

I will only verify if you are correct

 

[werinshades]

Ok glad you came back. I'm assuming you work there,as I do , so you'd be a great assistance. No Fleet Management Talkgroup you said? So I must ask who TG# 9776 is? I know they work out of the A.M.C. Building and referred to as "Dispatch" when being called to. All the vehicles that call them are the yellow trucks that have "Fleet Services" or "Chicago Midway Airport" underneath their numbers. Would this Talkgroup be better called F.S.P. Talkgroup? I know they actually handle all the maintenence in and around the airport as well as the Tow Trucks..."TT 71 to Dispatch, 10-7 for lunch"..as a regular transmission on here.. TG# 9616 correct? Or if you could give us the actual Channel assignment on the radios. As far as TG's # 10064, 10096 being referred to as COM 4, COM 5. I saw this on an Operations Radio so I know not all of the radios probably have this Channel. I have heard quite a bit of activity on COM 4 (TG#10064) recently. So, if you could let us know who they are it would be appreciated. In this group, it sounds like only a handful of people are close enough to hear this system anyway. I never said I was 100% correct, but if you and I work there, we could get this 100% correct as far as dispelling information to those that want it...

 

[werinshades]

I've been communicating off-line with Spike131 and he has been a great help. Between the both of us, we'll soon be updating the Midway Talkgroups to correctly reflect who they really are. Some notable corrections: 9776 not Fleet Management but actually M.T.D. ( Motor Truck Drivers Dispatch). For those of you around Midway, you have seen the yellow trucks. That is who is dispatched on here. 10160..not Electricians, but actually called F.S.P. Channel 1 ( Facility Service Professionals) From what i've heard on here, they're responsible for electrical and mechanical services in and around the airport. According to Spike, their should be 2 other Channels that were programmed for them. Possibly 9616 who seen to be in charge of runway and taxi-way lighting? More listening to be sure. I believe their is only one channel designated as Snow Channel. I believe the other's are M.T.D Channels correct Spike ( aka-Mike) ????? Any other contributors would be great...thanks to all for keeping this list up to date.