CoMIRS

[Firefox10]

The other day I heard MSP H tell a trooper to switch to SOPS 4 but change your radio to digital. Does he mean they have SOPS in both analog and digital in the new 6000s or did he change over to the comirs SOPS 1?
Hope I made sense

 

[xplorer417]

sounds like they have both analog and digital for sops chs plus all chs look at the database it’ll show u all

 

[ecps92]

The SOPS Channels [generally are Analog on the 0d14 system] but they can for events,. use the zone SOPS Dig
which forces the radio to the D14 System, which in the Boston area pushes the user over to the 700 Overlay (P25)

They did this frequently during the Brookline Golf event as the 700 overlay provided some better coverage.
to figure out the 0d14 vs D14 convertion for TGs take the Analog 33712 and divide it by 16
33712 / 16 = 2107
So TG 33712 in Analog is the same TG of 2107 in P25

CoMIRS SOPS 1 is the same as the old analog SOPS 1 use the above convertion and keep in mind you need to be in Range of the
D14 System to hear the P25, altho it will also come over the 0d14 system in analog

The other day I heard MSP H tell a trooper to switch to SOPS 4 but change your radio to digital. Does he mean they have SOPS in both analog and digital in the new 6000s or did he change over to the comirs SOPS 1?
Hope I made sense

 

[Firefox10]

if im in boston later today, better to scan MSP SOPS analog, or scan MSP on comirs?

 

[ecps92]

Better to use Sys 0D14 the Analog, your 700 CoMIRS may vary for reception in the city

Both 0d14 and D14 are CoMIRS

if im in boston later today, better to scan MSP SOPS analog, or scan MSP on comirs?

 

[Firefox10]

Thanks, everyone

 

[skybug]

Hey everyone, getting more and more hits on this system now. 2 runs attached, one from last month and yesterdays run since it was the 4th and figured it might be in use. Curious thought, on the "Digital Status" column, the PT 0 and PT 1, is that something new? haven't seen this before until I started monitoring this system.

 

[ecps92]

Likely Phase II traffic where-as much of the other has been Phase I talk-groups

Hey everyone, getting more and more hits on this system now. 2 runs attached, one from last month and yesterdays run since it was the 4th and figured it might be in use. Curious thought, on the "Digital Status" column, the PT 0 and PT 1, is that something new? haven't seen this before until I started monitoring this system.

 

[ecps92]

As more APX units get rolled out, we are going to see more Phase II appearences.
Reportedly much of the DCR [4th goes Boston] was seen with new APX's which explained folks seeing Phase II on the over-lay 700
but not on Zone 1

 

[Firefox10]

Attended for both nights. Did a previous post on equipment I saw.
Just to add, all MSP (everywhere) on both nights had APX 6000s except for brass. (majors, Lt. Cols, Col.) had 8000s.
I was getting all SOPS fine on my 5000 which is on analog (RX only - non affiliated) and my sds 100 was 80%.
The 8000s had extended batteries, which I asked one of the comms guys and they said its the battery sold by M to LAPD which purchased 800+, HAD to last 12 hrs. Its in the catalog. He hopes to get all MSP the extended very soon.
National Guard including MPs had a mix of 6000's, 7000's and 8000's.

So safe to say, they are all set equipment wise to make the switch

 

[BabaDude77]

Any news on when the system will start to roll out to the cape and islands , Plymouth and Bristol counties along the shore line? Was listening to the current system down as I was on cape visiting from CT and with the weather yesterday and driving today at times it sounded like a 1930s record player haha it’s crazy how slow MA is to roll this out. RISCON in RI is great to listen to and even our system in CT the CLMRN is great as long as you have a G series or SDS. I understand the systems arnt there for us hobbyists and it’s a privilege to be able to hear them but I just think the services in that area could benefit from better wide area comms.

 

[cg]

Last update I read, they were still working on engineering and leases for towers. First bunch of equipment for that part of the system was staged at the end of last year out at Moto HQ. Radios are almost done being issued by the state for use on the system with the 1 for 1 swap they did.
Target for the SE MA part of the contract was originally this fall (2024 Q1). Likely some delay due to the supplychain/covid/war reasons but they have recently restated that the entire system is targeted for completion in Q1 2026 (fall of 2026)

 

[ecps92]

Any news on when the system will start to roll out to the cape and islands , Plymouth and Bristol counties along the shore line? Was listening to the current system down as I was on cape visiting from CT and with the weather yesterday and driving today at times it sounded like a 1930s record player haha it’s crazy how slow MA is to roll this out. RISCON in RI is great to listen to and even our system in CT the CLMRN is great as long as you have a G series or SDS. I understand the systems arnt there for us hobbyists and it’s a privilege to be able to hear them but I just think the services in that area could benefit from better wide area comms.

Curious what you mean by "better wide-area comms"

Since if units leave the Cape they have multiple options to use, and "reading between the lines" the newer system is going be much more CELLS with less coverage area, so don't expect to be able (just like the existing system is designed now) to hear Cape Cod units from a B/C or A/H troop site

 

[BabaDude77]

Just a wider area of coverage, here in CT our local ambulance does transfers from L&M hospital to Yale or Hartford and can be heard as if they are talking across town by roaming and using multiple sites, I was u under the impression that wasn’t an option with the old analog system. Was just thinking it would be a better option since it’s already rolled out on the other side of the state.

 

[ecps92]

Just a wider area of coverage, here in CT our local ambulance does transfers from L&M hospital to Yale or Hartford and can be heard as if they are talking across town by roaming and using multiple sites, I was u under the impression that wasn’t an option with the old analog system. Was just thinking it would be a better option since it’s already rolled out on the other side of the state.

It is an Option, all depends on how the Radio Tech's and Admin's decided how to implement it
Some TG's are programmed Statewide 100% of the time, some are by Affiliation only and others, well you don't need a Cape Cod TG in the Berskshires.

honestly, does a Fire Chief from Cape Cod, need to be listening to his Department while attending a meeting in Pittsfield
and then tieing up a Voice Channel (which are limited) in that area, just because he can ?

The Admins can and do enable as needed but generally it (IMHO - as a long time listener and past user) limit it to Adjacent Zones

 

[BabaDude77]

That’s true, I’m just saying that our system works well for us down here and as a first responder myself it’s nice to have all options available to us and I could see them benefiting from better comms. Also I see from the first reply it’s in the works, was just wondering a time frame and I have that answer now.

 

[garys]

If you look at a map, MA is much bigger than CT and RI combined. The western part of the state is also much more mountainous than either state. This is going to be a large and complex system and some localities are going to be on it, but NOT most. There are some regions in the central/western part of the state that are already on the existing system and they will transition over.

The current analog and the new CoMIRS system run on the existing Astro core. As to many of the smaller systems, such as Worcester. About 15 years ago the TGs were re aligned to eliminate duplicate numbers. As a result, there is wide interoperability among the various trunk systems and that gives trunk users good roaming capabilities.

As Bill points out, the new system will be more "granular" or cell like so we won't be able to hear units on the eastern MA Zone 5 from the NH line all the way down to the RI border by putting in one set of frequencies. GPS based scanning is going to be an important tool for listening to the MSP going forward.

If I spent more time in CT than just passing through on my way to somewhere else, I'd reconfigure me CT Favorites List to use more GPS based scanning.

Side note to ecps92. After Sprint assimilated Nextel and drove itself into insolvency, they premiered a Sprint to public safety radio interface that would allow public safety users to tie into their radio system and use their Sprint phone as a two way radio. I was at a demonstration at Gillette where a chief from somewhere in the midwest talked to his dispatcher on his Sprint phone via their radio system.

It was impressive, but only in the sense that chiefs could annoy their dispatchers from anywhere in the country.

Just a wider area of coverage, here in CT our local ambulance does transfers from L&M hospital to Yale or Hartford and can be heard as if they are talking across town by roaming and using multiple sites, I was u under the impression that wasn’t an option with the old analog system. Was just thinking it would be a better option since it’s already rolled out on the other side of the state.

 

[ecps92]

If you look at a map, MA is much bigger than CT and RI combined. The western part of the state is also much more mountainous than either state. This is going to be a large and complex system and some localities are going to be on it, but NOT most. There are some regions in the central/western part of the state that are already on the existing system and they will transition over.

The current analog and the new CoMIRS system run on the existing Astro core. As to many of the smaller systems, such as Worcester. About 15 years ago the TGs were re aligned to eliminate duplicate numbers. As a result, there is wide interoperability among the various trunk systems and that gives trunk users good roaming capabilities.

As Bill points out, the new system will be more "granular" or cell like so we won't be able to hear units on the eastern MA Zone 5 from the NH line all the way down to the RI border by putting in one set of frequencies. GPS based scanning is going to be an important tool for listening to the MSP going forward.

If I spent more time in CT than just passing through on my way to somewhere else, I'd reconfigure me CT Favorites List to use more GPS based scanning.

Side note to ecps92. After Sprint assimilated Nextel and drove itself into insolvency, they premiered a Sprint to public safety radio interface that would allow public safety users to tie into their radio system and use their Sprint phone as a two way radio. I was at a demonstration at Gillette where a chief from somewhere in the midwest talked to his dispatcher on his Sprint phone via their radio system.

It was impressive, but only in the sense that chiefs could annoy their dispatchers from anywhere in the country.

I was likely at that or one very similar, no real benefit other than micromanagement

And as we (and others here who monitor both the Legacy as well as the P25 ComIRS) know there are plenty of TG's and Interops available
for all the users, from Events and LPS to the conventional V/U/8 with the Tac/Tri-Stacks and those generally can be heard Statewide, if needed (unless it is causing overload issues and the Techs/Admin - limit the coverage area aka Zones)

 

[garys]

The recent Brockton Hospital fire was interop at it's best.

I was doing an MCI class yesterday and cited that fire as an example of both an MCI and an Interop (to a lesser extent).

I was likely at that or one very similar, no real benefit other than micromanagement

And as we (and others here who monitor both the Legacy as well as the P25 ComIRS) know there are plenty of TG's and Interops available
for all the users, from Events and LPS to the conventional V/U/8 with the Tac/Tri-Stacks and those generally can be heard Statewide, if needed (unless it is causing overload issues and the Techs/Admin - limit the coverage area aka Zones)

 

[W1KNE]

The recent Brockton Hospital fire was interop at it's best.

I was doing an MCI class yesterday and cited that fire as an example of both an MCI and an Interop (to a lesser extent).

It was also a great example of a well functioning incident command. Brockton is to be commended for their leadership during it.