distant traffic on ILEEN today

[FFPM571]

I have that manual too from about 1976 and Its not that way anymore. They dont even make a radio with a red mic.

 

[W9NES]

Times have changed since the ISPERN Manual for IL. was printed.The Red microphone housing is still available from Motorola for the older radios.You would think the State of IL. would keep if very simple for all of the radios on the VHF ISPERN system to keep the red mike.***Red means emegency***

 

[VASCAR2]

When ISPERN network was established a lot of Illinois including the State Police were primarily on low band VHF. The state provided high band VHF radios to local departments so everyone in the state LE community could communicate. My police department was issued General Electric HB 4 channel scan 80 watt radios whereas the County was issued Motorola Motrac 110 watt 4 channel scan radios. Since the primary radio was low band the high band ISPERN radio had the red mic. Most departments in southern Illinois used 39.50 and would cross talk to the troopers who talked on 42.50 (ISP car to car channel). By the time I was hired several police departments had purchased their own crystals for a high band capable channel to use when the low band skip made it near impossible to communicate. In the late 70's a lot of local departments in southern Illinois received grants and migrated away from low band to a VHF high band Motorola repeater system. This was the first time for a lot of departments to have reliable portable radio communications. My old PD had low band Federal Voice Patrol walkie talkies which were basically worthless. We felt like we were in tall cotton when we got our new Motorola HT 220's portable handie talkies with the repeater.

 

[cifn2]

WOW, the guys of "now" are amazed to know how the ones of the past functioned.

 

[W9NES]

Thanks VASCAR2 for your post.Yes IL ISPERN Radios did have a"Red Mike".They may not have them today but as VASCAR2 Posted they did have when the system was started.

 

[cifn2]

I have seen that in photos, or saw it in person a time or two..... Speaking of old stuff, remember the old Civil Defense alerting receivers, as part of the EAS, that every school had? That were only tested, never really used.