chgomonitor
Silent Key
476.6875 477.5125 477.5625 477.6625 477.6875 477.7375
477.7625 477.7875 477.8375 477.8500 477.8625 477.9875
478.1375 478.1500 478.2125 478.4625
The above is what I have on file as far as being currently licensed for repeater outputs.
The city has made some attempts at license modifications, additional frequencies, etc. but
I don't think anything has gone through yet, though I may be wrong.
Some use at special events have taken place in single channel mode this summer by the EMS service.
Mode during those tests has been Apco P25 digital. System displayed fairly good talkout power,
but not as good as existing analog UHF repeaters.
My understanding is the plan calls for a gradual progression of services, first EMS, then
fire, then police and eventually probably CDOT (public works) at some point. Also at some
point the system will be switched from conventional digital repeaters to trunking.
I hear there's something of a "push" right now to get the system moving as its about
2 years behind schedule.
I see a great many challenges for the system ahead. Traffic loading Vs. Capacity,
in-building (very heavy building) coverage for handhelds, digital audio quaity (voice
recognition), digital delays and handheld complexity seem to me to be perhaps nearly
insurrmountable problems.
Chicago currently enjoys the finest VHF (fire) and UHF (police/DOT) repeater systems in the country,
possibly the planet. Enormous numbers of remote receive sites virtually
guarantee handheld talk-in even from inside ultra-heavy buildings. To scrap that kind
of communications infrastructure for yet another cutting edge digital trunked system
would seem the height of folly to me. And you won't find another set of users who are
more ingrained to their existing analog systems anywhere.
This one will be interesting to keep an ear on. My opinion only - the biggest digital debacle
to date is on the horizon. I hope no one gets hurt in the process. I guess we'll see...
477.7625 477.7875 477.8375 477.8500 477.8625 477.9875
478.1375 478.1500 478.2125 478.4625
The above is what I have on file as far as being currently licensed for repeater outputs.
The city has made some attempts at license modifications, additional frequencies, etc. but
I don't think anything has gone through yet, though I may be wrong.
Some use at special events have taken place in single channel mode this summer by the EMS service.
Mode during those tests has been Apco P25 digital. System displayed fairly good talkout power,
but not as good as existing analog UHF repeaters.
My understanding is the plan calls for a gradual progression of services, first EMS, then
fire, then police and eventually probably CDOT (public works) at some point. Also at some
point the system will be switched from conventional digital repeaters to trunking.
I hear there's something of a "push" right now to get the system moving as its about
2 years behind schedule.
I see a great many challenges for the system ahead. Traffic loading Vs. Capacity,
in-building (very heavy building) coverage for handhelds, digital audio quaity (voice
recognition), digital delays and handheld complexity seem to me to be perhaps nearly
insurrmountable problems.
Chicago currently enjoys the finest VHF (fire) and UHF (police/DOT) repeater systems in the country,
possibly the planet. Enormous numbers of remote receive sites virtually
guarantee handheld talk-in even from inside ultra-heavy buildings. To scrap that kind
of communications infrastructure for yet another cutting edge digital trunked system
would seem the height of folly to me. And you won't find another set of users who are
more ingrained to their existing analog systems anywhere.
This one will be interesting to keep an ear on. My opinion only - the biggest digital debacle
to date is on the horizon. I hope no one gets hurt in the process. I guess we'll see...
