KampingAnthony1AolCo
Member
This thread will discuss how antennas changed for the ISP from now 2014 And going back to the 80's and 70's and 60's. It will include pics of how they changed.
Last edited:
the old cop cars have VHF LOW band or VHF HI, I can tell you that much, I would love to talk to some of those cops that drove those old cars. VHF low band is always been a interest of mine, sometime in the near future I want to buy some low band radios and just test out how that works for coverage and range things like that with mobiles & HTs
I worked during that era and all three pictured ISP patrol cars had a long whip VHF low band antenna mounted on the drivers side rear fender, a quarter wave VHF Hi-Band on the roof and a CB radio antenna on the trunk, commonly a lip mount.
The Hi-Band radio was the ISPERN radio which later had crystals for the District Hi-Band (HF-2) frequency. Most ISP radios were either Motorola Micor, Motrac or Syntor Synthesized mobile radios. GE high band and low band radios were also widely distributed. The state actually provided mobile ISPERN radios to local PD's and SO's for commonality during critical incidents. These photos are just prior to Troopers being issued high band GE portable radios with vehicular repeaters which started getting issued in my area around 1979 or 80. If I remember Correctly most SO's were issued 110 Watt Motorolar mobiles while most PD's were issued 80 watt GE mobiles.
Most low band radios were setup with LF-1 being the District primary LB dispatch channel, 42.50 Car to Car LF-2 and a 39.50 receive channel. We used to cross talk with local PD's via ISP talking on 42.5 and the locals talking back on 39.50.
Later the state had a similar practice to talk to ambulances, the ambulance would transmit on IHERN (155.340) with a specific tone where the ISP District had a receiver. The District would answer on statewide ISP HF-4 frequency 155.460 which was programmed into the ambulance paired to the 155.340 transmitter.
A few Districts utilized a combination of HB and LB simultaneously. In Dist 12 the western part of the District operated on Low Band while the East part of the District operated on HF-2 Hi-Band (154.680). Other Districts took priority traffic on low Band LF-1 but took drivers License, registration and criminal history checks on HF-2. Certain District's like Elgin D-2 still operate in this manner on STARCOM, 2-A and 2-B.
I just noticed the photo of the 1978 Dodge Monaco had a 2nd 1/4 wave H/B antenna on the trunk deck which would have been the vehicular repeater. The Crown Vic C-181 has a 800 antenna on the roof and a plastic stud antenna which is probably for the IWIN statewide computer. There are 1/4 wave antennas for the High band and probably in-car video system. This trooper may have a scanner in his car and a short 800 antenna for the vehicular repeater. The C-181 car also have the 4 roof antennas for the LoJack stolen vehicle direction finder.
The District 15-159 SUV appears to have the 800 STARCOM antenna and the AM/FM factory plastic roof antenna. The tollway doesn't use the vehicular Repeater on STARCOM to my knowledge. This could be an admin vehicle or it is possible the Tollway stopped installing Hi-Band VHF radios.
I worked during that era and all three pictured ISP patrol cars had a long whip VHF low band antenna mounted on the drivers side rear fender, a quarter wave VHF Hi-Band on the roof and a CB radio antenna on the trunk, commonly a lip mount.
The Hi-Band radio was the ISPERN radio which later had crystals for the District Hi-Band (HF-2) frequency. Most ISP radios were either Motorola Micor, Motrac or Syntor Synthesized mobile radios. GE Master Series high band and low band radios were also widely distributed. The state actually provided mobile ISPERN radios to local PD's and SO's for commonality during critical incidents. These photos are just prior to Troopers being issued high band GE portable radios with vehicular repeaters which started getting issued in my area around 1979 or 80. If I remember Correctly most SO's were issued 110 Watt Motorolar mobiles while most PD's were issued 80 watt GE mobiles.
Most low band radios were setup with LF-1 being the District primary LB dispatch channel, 42.50 Car to Car LF-2 and a 39.50 receive channel. We used to cross talk with local PD's via ISP talking on 42.5 and the locals talking back on 39.50.
Later the state had a similar practice to talk to ambulances, the ambulance would transmit on IHERN (155.340) with a specific tone where the ISP District had a receiver. The District would answer on statewide ISP HF-4 frequency 155.460 which was programmed into the ambulance paired to the 155.340 transmitter.
A few Districts utilized a combination of HB and LB simultaneously. In Dist 12 the western part of the District operated on Low Band while the East part of the District operated on HF-2 Hi-Band (154.680). Other Districts took priority traffic on low Band LF-1 but took drivers License, registration and criminal history checks on HF-2. Certain District's like Elgin D-2 still operate in this manner on STARCOM, 2-A and 2-B.
I just noticed the photo of the 1978 Dodge Monaco had a 2nd 1/4 wave H/B antenna on the trunk deck which would have been the vehicular repeater. The Crown Vic C-181 has a 800 antenna on the roof and a plastic stud antenna which is probably for the IWIN statewide computer. There are 1/4 wave antennas for the High band and probably in-car video system. This trooper may have a scanner in his car and a short 800 antenna for the vehicular repeater. The C-181 car also have the 4 roof antennas for the LoJack stolen vehicle direction finder.
The District 15-159 SUV appears to have the 800 STARCOM antenna and the AM/FM factory plastic roof antenna. The tollway doesn't use the vehicular Repeater on STARCOM to my knowledge. This could be an admin vehicle or it is possible the Tollway stopped installing Hi-Band VHF radios.
That picture of the 1995 Chevrolet Caprice must have been in Service for a long time. The D-22 Caprice has the Low Band, Hi-Band and repeater antennas plus the IWIN (black circular Disk) antenna on the trunk lid. I think the first car I was driving to have an IWIN installed was a 99 Crown Vic so it was around 2000 or 2001 before IWIN's were installed in the Southern Districts. The Caprice also has an in-car camera/video 1/4 wave on the trunk lid plus a the grey base loaded antenna is for the CB. The roof mounted 1/4 wave is for the VHF Hi-Band.
The 95 Caprice was one of the best police cars produced, very roomy, good handling, good brakes and the LT1 5.7/350 Cubic inch small block V-8 was a stellar performer.
I worked during that era and all three pictured ISP patrol cars had a long whip VHF low band antenna mounted on the drivers side rear fender, a quarter wave VHF Hi-Band on the roof and a CB radio antenna on the trunk, commonly a lip mount.
The Hi-Band radio was the ISPERN radio which later had crystals for the District Hi-Band (HF-2) frequency. Most ISP radios were either Motorola Micor, Motrac or Syntor Synthesized mobile radios. GE Master Series high band and low band radios were also widely distributed. The state actually provided mobile ISPERN radios to local PD's and SO's for commonality during critical incidents. These photos are just prior to Troopers being issued high band GE portable radios with vehicular repeaters which started getting issued in my area around 1979 or 80. If I remember Correctly most SO's were issued 110 Watt Motorolar mobiles while most PD's were issued 80 watt GE mobiles.
Most low band radios were setup with LF-1 being the District primary LB dispatch channel, 42.50 Car to Car LF-2 and a 39.50 receive channel. We used to cross talk with local PD's via ISP talking on 42.5 and the locals talking back on 39.50.
Later the state had a similar practice to talk to ambulances, the ambulance would transmit on IHERN (155.340) with a specific tone where the ISP District had a receiver. The District would answer on statewide ISP HF-4 frequency 155.460 which was programmed into the ambulance paired to the 155.340 transmitter.
A few Districts utilized a combination of HB and LB simultaneously. In Dist 12 the western part of the District operated on Low Band while the East part of the District operated on HF-2 Hi-Band (154.680). Other Districts took priority traffic on low Band LF-1 but took drivers License, registration and criminal history checks on HF-2. Certain District's like Elgin D-2 still operate in this manner on STARCOM, 2-A and 2-B.
I just noticed the photo of the 1978 Dodge Monaco had a 2nd 1/4 wave H/B antenna on the trunk deck which would have been the vehicular repeater. The Crown Vic C-181 has a 800 antenna on the roof and a plastic stud antenna which is probably for the IWIN statewide computer. There are 1/4 wave antennas for the High band and probably in-car video system. This trooper may have a scanner in his car and a short 800 antenna for the vehicular repeater. The C-181 car also have the 4 roof antennas for the LoJack stolen vehicle direction finder.
The District 15-159 SUV appears to have the 800 STARCOM antenna and the AM/FM factory plastic roof antenna. The tollway doesn't use the vehicular Repeater on STARCOM to my knowledge. This could be an admin vehicle or it is possible the Tollway stopped installing Hi-Band VHF radios.
That picture of the 1995 Chevrolet Caprice must have been in Service for a long time. The D-22 Caprice has the Low Band, Hi-Band and repeater antennas plus the IWIN (black circular Disk) antenna on the trunk lid. I think the first car I was driving to have an IWIN installed was a 99 Crown Vic so it was around 2000 or 2001 before IWIN's were installed in the Southern Districts. The Caprice also has an in-car camera/video 1/4 wave on the trunk lid plus a the grey base loaded antenna is for the CB. The roof mounted 1/4 wave is for the VHF Hi-Band.
The 95 Caprice was one of the best police cars produced, very roomy, good handling, good brakes and the LT1 5.7/350 Cubic inch small block V-8 was a stellar performer.
The Green Camaro was assigned to me to drive for a Couple of years. This was one of the cars purchased by DOT for the ISP to apprehend aggressive drivers. This Camaro was a 99 B4C package but the ISP also used some Mustang GT's and Camaro SS's.
I worked as a LEO in Illinois from 77 to 2013 but the last couple of years I just worked part time to help a couple of local PD's and SO's fill shifts. I was always a radio geek and had a Bearcat III scanner when I was in high school and CB's in my car. I even listened to the local PD on a service band radio before being able to afford my first scanner.
As you get older you say those were the good ole days and for me in many respects they were.
The antenna on the center of the trunk of the 78 monaco is a CB. Yes district 15 still uses VHF in their cars
I know what you are talking about. I remember when IDOT used low band but now they are on Starcom21. What is a LEO for IL?
The antenna on the center of the trunk of the 78 monaco is a CB. Yes district 15 still uses VHF in their cars