Garland / Mesquite / Rowlett / Sachse P25 System

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motorola_otaku

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GMRS has structured their I/O's to mimic FWRRS. The two systems are also sharing all the I/O's with one another to assist with cross Metroplex coverage.

Rockwall intends to structure their I/O's the same and share with GMRS. FWRRS has led the charge on a structured I/O plan that works well across all agencies.
Hopefully they at least include the GCI talkgroups for future interconnection with GATRRS and TXWARN.

For those of you not from the region, every 700/800 radio in SE Texas has WARN zones 75-80 programmed, including 700/800 users not on TXWARN. Good to see the DFW region taking the same approach with disparate systems.
 

Chance

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Just tuned back in today and found lots of test calls being made. It's outlined in the RFB http://10ba4283a7fbcc3461c6-31fb518...de6fc4b53aa02900736cd89f5dc3df8.pdf?id=296198

Upon entering each grid, test calls are placed to and from Dispatch teams and Field teams for
each of the tests. The field team test message shall consist of identification of the location being
tested, as well as a short message representative of typical public safety call durations
(approximately 8-15 words from a periodical or magazine.). The test message response from the
dispatch team will consist of 8 – 15 words from a periodical or magazine.
Each successful test point must deliver audio quality of at least DAQ 3.4 both in the inbound and
in the outbound directions. For any given test point, both the inbound and outbound call must
pass for the test point to pass. A failure in either the inbound or outbound direction will constitute
a failed test call, subject to a test retry.

Each City submitted a list of "random buildings". This consists mostly of schools and other public buildings. Imagine Paul from Verizon (back in the good ole days) going to each room and keying up, "Can you hear me now?" They are in Mesquite today.

I do hear one regular user that appears to be using this new system as their primary communications. Sounds like the Mesquite Utility Department. Calls for shutting off water. Talk group 2118. Unit call signs are in the 200's such as 246.
 

PiccoIntegra

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I do hear one regular user that appears to be using this new system as their primary communications. Sounds like the Mesquite Utility Department. Calls for shutting off water. Talk group 2118.
I concour with this info..

I've logged about 128 talk groups in total over the past three weeks, none are identified as of yet. Other than what Chance noted above, all other traffic so far is conformance testing.
 

SCPD

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Oddly enough, since McKinney has gone to full secure they do not run near as much traffic as they used to. Richardson units have almost disappeared from the public eye as they not do a lot of quiet paroling of neighborhoods. Its kind of a trade off, can't hear them but now don't see them as much either.
 

Russell

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Oddly enough, since McKinney has gone to full secure they do not run near as much traffic as they used to. Richardson units have almost disappeared from the public eye as they not do a lot of quiet paroling of neighborhoods. Its kind of a trade off, can't hear them but now don't see them as much either.

Caveat
: This may not be the proper place for this message as we should keep on track with the progress of this system only, nor do I want to hijack or derail the focus of this thread ...

McKinney always is and always was boring, even when they were in the clear. I found it odd that they encrypted in the first place, except that they never wanted anyone to monitor their abuses. 100% encryption hides corruption. Perhaps the PD has matured and will at least reconsider this policy; the "old guard" must change their ways in order to operate in modern society.

Richardson PD has always been proactive. They were one of the first departments to utilize "selective deployment" units in the metroplex. A team of officers are quickly deployed to areas where increases in offenses are detected. This can be as simple as deploying the team to a rash of crimes reported 'tonight' to deploying teams to areas where crime rates have increased over time. The key is rapid deployment of units to enhance regular patrols rather than expecting beat officers to pay extra attention to problem areas.

Richardson was also impacted by a couple of key events on their EDACS system that most certainly weighed heavy on their encryption decisions. One was the bank robbery where suspects opened up on Richardson PD with automatic weapons some time after the the North Hollywood shootout. Something many said would never happen here - but it did.

The second incident occurred in north Dallas southeast of Spring Valley & Coit (between Maham an Coit) on the Richardson/Dallas border. Richardson involved in an extended foot chase in high density apartment area. People were stepping out of their apartments, scanners in hand (let's call them dumbasses) to witness or in some cases affect the chase itself; not all actions rendered aid to the police.

Police should present as much transparency as possible. 100% encryption means they're hiding something, Encrypt sensitive channels only - and that does not mean everything except dispatch. Richardson and Plano should be commended for not going 100% encrypted, I am encouraged by the professionalism and confidence demonstrated on the Dallas side of the metroplex.100% encryption exhibits lack of trust in the public and results in lack of trust in the police,

Russell
 
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hiegtx

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I'm still not having much luck hearing the new systems for Rockwall and GMRS. I'm going to try a directional antenna for those, as well as the three systems on Kaufman County. I can hear Kaufman P25 most of the time, but Forney and Terrell are hit and miss.
 

Harold

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100% encryption exhibits lack of trust in the public and results in lack of trust in the police,


Oh, I like that. I may have to borrow it from time to time.
 

motorola_otaku

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Each City submitted a list of "random buildings". This consists mostly of schools and other public buildings. Imagine Paul from Verizon (back in the good ole days) going to each room and keying up, "Can you hear me now?" They are in Mesquite today.

Slight correction... those are required buildings that the vendor is required to provide portable coverage inside of. In the rest of the coverage testing area the street teams have to locate a building that meets the 20 dB or 30 dB coverage requirement on their own, or, if there isn't one in that grid, simulate a test with a 20 dB attenuator on the portable. It's extremely tedious and I have nothing but respect for the guys who can do it day in and day out because I hated it. Schools were the worst... you had to wait on the principal, jump through whatever hoops they wanted you to jump through, wait on an escort, then test anywhere between 8 and 15 test points in a medium-size campus... while dancing around in a little circle.
 

FenrisWolf

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Listening with Trunked discover on one scanner and Garland CID 1 on another as they have been doing some steak outs, noticed they said "let go to our other channel" and I started getting traffic on GMRS on Talkgroup 25 and its encrypted.....
 

Chance

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That's why "random buildings" was in quotes. I found it funny that in the bid that was how it was listed. Of course you want the most critical buildings tested for coverage, so really it's far from random.
 

Chance

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Over the last couple of days I have heard 2051 being used for EOC operations, I believe in Mesquite, but not sure. Seems related to hurricane efforts. Mentions of the famous FEMA 213 form, generators and other shelter related items.
 

28056

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I've heard from two people in different cities that go live is supposed to be October 17.


Mesquite fire chief stated that's the date for them and PD.

Non-public safety have already switched over. Unsure about MISD. I need to remember to listen for activity on the old 800 system. I never heard any buses, just Dispatchers in their maintenance office calling a few different field units to adjust temperatures and various other things like that.

If they actually had radios in the buses, I never heard a peep out of them on any talk groups.
 

28056

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Training at Town East Mall tonight. Hearing fire units checking out on the old system but no fire/police activity on the old system (related to this, just routine comms).


Anyone listening to the new system? They are supposed to be working with various outside agencies per the city facebook post.
 

SCPD

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GMRS Public Works Groups

Not Encrypted are the following:

083 Garland Unknown
089 Garland Unknown
103 Garland Parks & Rec
125 Garland Parks or Sanitation
129 Garland Parks or Sanitation

The voice is really strange, almost sounds off frequency or over modulated. Grabbed this info driving down Plano Rd. this morning (Plano & Walnut).
 

Chance

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The following is an assumption, so please don't document in the database yet.

I'm going to make a wild guess that a majority of talk group id's have been brought over from the original Garland System. Look at the current system. Then either convert the hex number to decimal. Or divide the decimal number by 16. And you will have the P25 talk group equivalent.

Since all but public safety has moved over, I am testing this theory now.

These TG's aren't usually worth listening too, but I'm paying attention now and monitoring in Unitrunker to confirm.

83 Gar Power
85 Gar Power
87 Gar Facility
89 Gar Power
93 Gar Power
95 Gar Power
97 Gar Water 1
99 Gar Water 2
101 Gar Streets
103 Gar Fleet
107 Gar Signals
109 Gar Power
111 Gar ParksRec
113 Gar COG Admn
117 Gar Power
119 Gar Water 3
121 Gar Water Al
123 Gar Trash
125 Gar Pub Work
127 Gar Trash
129 Gar Trash
133 Gar Trash
135 Gar Landfill
147 Gar MIS IT
155 Gar Bld Insp
157 Gar PD Jail
167 Gar Health
169 Gar Wat Qual
171 Gar Animal C
175 Gar Fld Serv
177 Gar Cust Svc
181 Gar Code Enf
187 Gar WWTP RC
189 Gar WWTP DC
195 Garl ISD Sec

So far all is lining up. I would imagine in the conversion, the opportunity was used to tweak business requirements and there might be some additions or deletions.

And just now I heard Dispatch Debbie (the automated fire dispatcher) for Sachse FD testing Station 1 alerting. If so that also lines up on the above theory as Talkgroup 221.

217 Sach PD F1
219 Sach PD F2
221 Sach FD Disp
223 Sach FD 2
225 Sach Pub Wks

Rowlett Should be
197 Rowl PD F1
199 Rowl PD F2
201 Rowl PD F3
203 Rowl FD Disp
205 Rowl FD Ops1
207 Rowl FD Ops2

These were out of whack... So maybe they have been renumbered.
3093 Rowlett ICS1
3095 Rowl PD Tac1
3097 Rowl PD CID

Garland
3 Gar PD N 1
5 Gar PD S 1
7 Gar PD Tac 1
9 Gar PD Tac 2
11 Gar PD Tac 3
13 Gar PD Ops 1
15 Gar PD Info
19 Gar PD SWAT
21 Gar PD Narc
23 Gar PD SRO
25 Gar PD Traff
27 Gar PD CID 1
29 Gar PD CID 2
35 Gar PD K9
37 Gar FD Disp
41 Gar FD Ops 1
43 Gar FD Ops 2
45 Gar FD Ops 3
47 Gar FD Ops 4
49 Gar FD 5 Adm
51 Gar FD Ops 6
53 Gar FD Ops 7
55 Gar FD Insp
57 Gar FD Arson
59 Gar FD EMS 1
61 Gar FD Ops 8
63 Gar FD Ops 9
65 Gar FD Ops10
67 Gar FD Ops11
71 Gar FD BiTel
73 Gar FD IOP 1
75 Gar FD IOP 2

And these were out of whack to and maybe renumbered:
229 Gar PD N 2
231 Gar PD S 2
235 Gar PD Gangs
237 Gar PD Ops 3

Just guessing, but Mesquite might be anything > 2000.
 

Chance

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Off topic... But I must compliment Garland Solid Waste on their Customer Service. They go out of their way to accommodate people. Returning to a street to pickup a bin even though it was the customer's fault. Using sidewalk chalk to outline where containers should be placed....to those that must have a real problem comprehending. I have always had these talk groups locked out and never knew the level of care these people have.
 
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