Help With Finding Frequencies For My Upcoming Trip

[EastCoastSunrise]

Backstory: Ill be in Chicago next week and as someone who like to take their scanner on the road with them I plan on taking mine with me.

Being a beloved "Masshole" I have little to now idea what I should program in so I am looking for some help as the the database page for Illinois and Cook county are making my head spin with how much stuff is there, the same for Starcom. Ill be spending my time almost exclusively in the city therefore was wondering what frequencies I should program? I am looking to listen to PD/EMS/FD for the most part. Also maybe some of the statewide trunk for fun. Im open to any and all suggestions for frequencies and scanning in Chicago in general (and food spots too).

Thanks - EastCoastSunrise

 

[jaspence]

The first thing I would do is check the scanner laws, especially for the city. The second thing is watch where you go and don't get in the wrong part of the city.

 

[EastCoastSunrise]

Yeah, for sure. From what I've found as long as I dont cause interference or use it while committing a crime I should be fine.

 

[rk911]

some of the city pd districts/zones are encrypted and therefore cannot be monitored. FD/EMS is still in the clear. Cook County sheriff and communities on their system are encrypted. the state police are in the clear. the RR database should be up to date.

if it were me i would not venture out at night and even in the daytime be hyper aware of your surroundings. the city has become a very dangerous place.

 

[Elpato]

some of the city pd districts/zones are encrypted and therefore cannot be monitored. FD/EMS is still in the clear. Cook County sheriff and communities on their system are encrypted. the state police are in the clear. the RR database should be up to date.

if it were me i would not venture out at night and even in the daytime be hyper aware of your surroundings. the city has become a very dangerous place.

Pretty accurate.
The state police are usually always chasing someone around too so it's worth having programmed..

 

[werinshades]

Fire & EMS have been using the city's P25 Trunking system on the OEMC Site-1. The Conventional UHF system has limited use and no dispatch operations. As others mentioned, some of the CPD zones are encrypted, and they're being migrated to encryption on a fairly regular basis. ISP District-Chicago talkgroups and the Cook County simulcast site is all you'll need unless you venture to the burbs.