COACH USA Milwaukee area

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CrabbyMilton

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Does anybody know if COACH USA switched to a digital system fairly recently?
Their LTR TG 1-05-179 has not been heard by this poster when normally it’s fairly active .
It would make sense if they did that given that they have routes into the Chicago area so they could use a digital system down there and still be heard up in the Milwaukee and Waukesha areas.
 

whop94

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Haven't monitored Coach USA/Van Galder too too much as most I've spent a lot of time monitoring with my G5, however I know at least Van Galder, the Coach USA affiliate in SC Wisconsin switched to the Diga-Talk system, not sure if the sites are linked together and a bus in Chicago could talk to one in Milwaukee, or Janesville or so on and so fourth. Probably worth checking into though.
 

CrabbyMilton

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Indeed.
I programmed most of those DIGITALK frequencies along with a couple other systems and VAN GALDER did come up. Perhaps WISCONSIN COACH is now on there too as to put all sister operators on the same system for cost purposes.
The transmissions come in extremely clear for VAN GALDER all the way down at OHARE as if they right next door.
 

CrabbyMilton

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I know I asked this last year and there was much speculation that WISCONSIN COACH LINES(COACH USA) may be on the DIGITALK system since another COACH USA partner VAN GALDER is on this system in addition to MEGABUS.
Since WISCONSIN COACH provides SUMMERFEST service, the radio traffic is usually busier as they were when they were still on their old LTR system but they must have abandoned that system. Has anyone heard them on DIGITALK yet or on they on some other system now.
I check the database all the time and I miss them.
Thanks.
 

InspireWaukesha87

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I haven’t heard them on DIGITALK at all but I was there last year training to become a bus driver but decided to take another job before I went behind the wheel but I believe they maybe on an LTE (cellular) nationwide Push to talk system called DIGITALK PLUS since they do have buses that go all over the country, unfortunately you can’t monitor it since it’s in the cellular band and it’s digital
 

CrabbyMilton

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Hey thanks for that. It would make some sense for them to use a system like that.
Sounds similar to the old NEXTEL.
 

InspireWaukesha87

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Kind of but they look like actual radios that you think could be used on an RF system but they use the cellular band LTE for voice and data, this is the future unfortunately, it’s still aways away from Critical Communications being used on Cellular band but eventually I see public safety going to all cellular and everything is interconnected
Good info at Diga-Talk+ Nationwide PTT | Push-To-Talk for Business‎
 

CrabbyMilton

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Thanks for that.
I would still imagine that those radios have a talk around feature where cell service is spotty.
Still academic for me but interesting just the same.
 

70cutlass442

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Thanks for that.
I would still imagine that those radios have a talk around feature where cell service is spotty.
Still academic for me but interesting just the same.

They do not have an off network ability (some models offer it)... However you would be surprised at how well they work in poor reception areas. I sell Nextel and have a customer in Central IL where cellular coverage is spotty at best and have been told they work in many places that cell phones do not.
 

CrabbyMilton

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That's why I'm surprised that the original NEXTEL is no longer.
Granted it didn't use a cellular network but it sounded great for a business or group of people to have a 2 way radio without going thru the hassle of a license plus buy more equipment.
 

70cutlass442

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That's why I'm surprised that the original NEXTEL is no longer.
Granted it didn't use a cellular network but it sounded great for a business or group of people to have a 2 way radio without going thru the hassle of a license plus buy more equipment.

Yes. The problem with the old Nextel is the equipment was big and bulky. Now from a radio standpoint, iDEN is very efficient. A single iDEN channel form a single base would give you 5 simultaneous talk paths and the sound was great considering its technology dates back to the 80s. I currently have a base and site controller and access to a switch in the region and want to deploy a site in the Milwaukee area to see how well it works. I can unlock the handsets and make any of the newer generation (wider antenna) work on it. It's really cool actually. My hang up is the availability of commercial frequencies in the 800MHz range. I may look at deploying it as a test within the public safety agency that I work with so I could get a PS 800 pair, but that limits any non PS use.

In the mean time a good friend of mine got the Nextel trademark and has since started selling PTT over cellular under the Nextel name. Yes, he is being sued, yes, so far it is gong well for him, but the trial has been delayed until later this summer.

Sorry for the ramble, just drank a large coffee!
 
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