Iowa Statewide Interoperability Communication System (ISICS)

emtcasey

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Mar 9, 2004
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Muscatine
Well I worked in the Casinos for like 8 years mostly in Security and Surveillance and dealt with DCI there and they all used G before their numbers. I haven't worked there for a couple of years so It may have changed, but that's what it used to be.
 

timkilbride

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Linn Co Iowa
Well I worked in the Casinos for like 8 years mostly in Security and Surveillance and dealt with DCI there and they all used G before their numbers. I haven't worked there for a couple of years so It may have changed, but that's what it used to be.

A post from IowaGuy1603 in 2012 stated:

<<<<<According to my source in the DPS Radio..............the G cars are Federal Probation

The DOC HRU teams are usually on City or County frequencies

T is NOT transport..............It is DOT MVE >>>>>

I have no reason to doubt IowaGuy1603 as his information has always been spot on.

Tim
 

radioboy75

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Jul 31, 2004
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Rock Rapids, Iowa
Little update on the west side of the state. There is 0 coverage mobile or handheld on the west side of plymouth county. I live in Akron and I've tried more than once to get into the system using the 800 frequencies in woodbury AND the Plymouth county tower. There is 0 coverage until you get out of akron, about 10 miles east for the Plymouth county tower and a minimum of 15-20 to get into the Woodbury frequencies.

I can't remember which tower hasn't been built yet but hopefully that'll fix the coverage issue.
That would be Rock Rapids. And while it is in NW Iowa, I wouldn't think it would work all the way down to Akron, but I could be wrong.
 

radioboy75

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Rock Rapids, Iowa
What does MercyOne call their helicopters on-the-air? On the Sioux City MercyOne talkgroup just now, I heard what I thought was "AirMed 4" say they were en route to Sioux Center. That was surprising to me, as Sanford Hospital (Sioux Falls, Fargo, etc. ) calls their helicopters "AirMed X" (where X is the number of the unit.) And Sanford's AirMed 4 is the Fargo bird . . . AirMed sounds like a very generic name for a medical helicopter, so I guess it could be. Anyone know for sure? As far as I know, this is the first time I've heard a Mercy helicopter besides Mercy Air Care Sioux City years ago. And certainly the first time on ISICS.
 

tfhphoto

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Sioux City
What does MercyOne call their helicopters on-the-air? On the Sioux City MercyOne talkgroup just now, I heard what I thought was "AirMed 4" say they were en route to Sioux Center. That was surprising to me, as Sanford Hospital (Sioux Falls, Fargo, etc. ) calls their helicopters "AirMed X" (where X is the number of the unit.) And Sanford's AirMed 4 is the Fargo bird . . . AirMed sounds like a very generic name for a medical helicopter, so I guess it could be. Anyone know for sure? As far as I know, this is the first time I've heard a Mercy helicopter besides Mercy Air Care Sioux City years ago. And certainly the first time on ISICS.

There are now two air ambulance companies operating in Sioux City, one contracted with MercyOne and dispatched over the MercyOne Sioux City TG and Wings One, which is dispatched on TG 64464. It's confusing in that Wings One is the operated by the company that previously had the contract to fly as Mercy's MAC 1 (Air Methods). That's why they (Wings One) are using the the TG that falls within Woodbury County's TG range, even though they are no longer contracted with Mercy Sioux City.
 

radioboy75

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I should have mentioned that I was aware of the Air Methods and Wings One situation. So AirMed4 must be Air Methods 4, right?
 

KE0DRS

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Dec 15, 2019
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Location
Spencer, IA
I'm looking for a little advice in monitoring ISICS, does anyone have some antenna recommendations? Looking for a portable antenna as well as an easy install base antenna. Reception is pretty rough around the Spencer area and trying to pull in the state systems a little better. I'm monitoring with a TRX-1. Any input is appreciated.
 

randyh57

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Feb 9, 2012
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Location
Decorah IA
I'm looking for a little advice in monitoring ISICS, does anyone have some antenna recommendations? Looking for a portable antenna as well as an easy install base antenna. Reception is pretty rough around the Spencer area and trying to pull in the state systems a little better. I'm monitoring with a TRX-1. Any input is appreciated.
Kinda in the same shape here,River Valley of NE Iowa where even the Local Law has problems getting out in spots. No cell service where we live..I would need a 100 foot tower.
 

pm1072a

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Nov 28, 2013
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Does anyone know what the additional Unity Point Security Ops talkgroups will be used for? Thanks.
 

N0ZJT

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Oelwein, Iowa
Does anyone know what the additional Unity Point Security Ops talkgroups will be used for? Thanks.
When I've heard them active, they were being used during events going on at or near the hospitals and security staff would be on those channels to coordinate and chit chat, keeping the main ops channel free for the normal daily traffic.
 

pm1072a

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Nov 28, 2013
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When I've heard them active, they were being used during events going on at or near the hospitals and security staff would be on those channels to coordinate and chit chat, keeping the main ops channel free for the normal daily traffic.

Des Moines area only?? Thanks.
 

MCWKen

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Mar 4, 2013
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Location
Clinton, IA
What does MercyOne call their helicopters on-the-air? On the Sioux City MercyOne talkgroup just now, I heard what I thought was "AirMed 4" say they were en route to Sioux Center. That was surprising to me, as Sanford Hospital (Sioux Falls, Fargo, etc. ) calls their helicopters "AirMed X" (where X is the number of the unit.) And Sanford's AirMed 4 is the Fargo bird . . . AirMed sounds like a very generic name for a medical helicopter, so I guess it could be. Anyone know for sure? As far as I know, this is the first time I've heard a Mercy helicopter besides Mercy Air Care Sioux City years ago. And certainly the first time on ISICS.

Mercy has several helicopters working in Iowa. In Mason City, AirMed 3 (TG 52204) Airmed 2 is as mentioned, Sioux City (TG 52202) , and AirMed 4 in Des Moines (TG 52205). All are dispatched out of Des Moines.

An oddity of the system is that, for example, When AirMed 2 is flying a mission out of Sioux City, you may end up hearing them several hundreds of miles away. An example was last week, AirMed 4 was on a mission to Centerville from Des Moines, and came up on the Mason City tower. Dispatch noted this on the air, and the flight crew just went on with their traffic as normal.

Mercy has been on ISICS for at least 2 months that I recall (my older logs came up missing).
 

radioboy75

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Rock Rapids, Iowa
Interesting that both Mercy and Sanford call their air ambulance service "AirMed." In the Sioux City area, Mercy has had a bird for several years, but it was called "Mercy Air Care." I assume that's because before Mercy took over the hospital, it was Marion Hospital and "Marion Air Care." Their callsign was always "MAC-1," pronounced "Mack One." BUT, I found out recently that Sioux City's Mercy Air Care was actually run by another company, who has now parted ways with Mercy. So Sioux City now has two medical helicopter services -- the one that used to be MAC-1, which is now called "Wings," and the NEW Mercy service, which I found out here is called "Mercy AirMed." Very interesting, especially since there could easily be two AirMed helicopters from different hospitals at the same scene in northwest Iowa. (Likely Mercy's AirMed-2 out of Sioux City and Sanford's AirMed-9 out of Sioux Falls)
 

KE0DRS

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Dec 15, 2019
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Location
Spencer, IA
I got a wildcard hit today, Tg was 4204. Quite a bit of traffic, on the Estherville tower and there is partial encryption. DPS ETAC 10B was also pretty active in the same time frame. I'll add it to the wiki but thought I would see if anyone had an ideas on what it might be.
 

MCWKen

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Mar 4, 2013
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Clinton, IA
Mason City has started to transition to ISICS....today MC Fire started using TG 21929 for paging; and TG 21630.
 

MCWKen

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Mar 4, 2013
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Clinton, IA
Mason City has started to transition to ISICS....today MC Fire started using TG 21929 for paging; and TG 21630.
Also noted this evening that TG 21631 is used as a Fireground, however they did not make any reference to it's name on the air, just automatically switched to it when on a fire call.
 

Dockjockey53

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Oct 29, 2018
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Shenandoah, IA
New TG for South West Iowa. 30201. This TG is being used for Fremont County Law part time. Also heard TG's 30202,30205,30206,and30208 being tested. I would also like to know how Montgomery is coming along, they're supposed to transition anytime now. Any info would be appreciated.
 
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