Lake/Porter stuff

[szepano]

Hello all.

Just got a BC296 a few weeks ago after toiling with a old Pro90 and 2006 among others for quite a few years. The computer control, alpha tags, and new modes are like a whole new world. Awesome. I recently ran across this site while pecking around the net for tips on programming the systems. What a great web site this is.

Anyway, I have some stuff to add if I can verify with anyone happens to be from my area.

Looks like the AMOCO (now known as BP Amoco) TRS listed in the database is no longer in service. The channels are empty from my work place about 1 mile away from their refinery. They went off the air quite a while ago, exactly when not sure. I have been told that they went to a iDEN type system.

NIPSCO has a EDACS narrow site in Valparaiso that's not listed here.
(lcn1) 935.3875
(lcn2) 935.4000
(lcn3) 935.4125
(lcn4) 935.4250
(lcn5) 935.4375
A lot of the talkgroups are the same as on the other sites. I *think* the lcn order is correct.

A question about Safe-T. From my home and work, I can monitor 4 different sites from either location. At most times, I can get the Lowell, Laporte, Valpo and Gary sites. Not entirely sure how the system works, but do transmissions simulcast from the zone controller to the entire zone, or do they stay local to each site unless there's a need? It's hard to tell if I'm missing stuff from adjacent sites without using more than one scanner. Not that there's a lot on it around here anyway. ISP seems to be about it. Seems like a lot of money to spend to put up all those sites for just a handfull(literally) of state pd units pulling people over on the expressways. It doesn't seem likely that any of the other agencies are going to be in any kind of rush to utilize the system around here. This is a dense area, the cash outlay to refit a significant amount of agencies would be astronomical.

Any other interesting stuff from the NW part of the state?

 

[scannerfreak]

Basicly, how the system works....

ISP will simulcast talkgroups on sites withing their District. IE: Post 42 Versailles has towers in 3 of the 6 counties they patrol, Ripley,Switzerland, and Jefferson. They also ustilize the tower in Franklin County when they are in Batesville...All of their talkgroups are simulcasted on all those towers..

Local community talkgroups are generally restricted to their local site...There are some exceptions to this...If a user travels outside their "home" area, they are still able to communicate to their "home" area dispatch via the roaming technology.. This is kind of a short explanation, to see a more in depth explanation check out this thread

 

[jimsokol]

The system over in Michigan where I am started out the same way. The sites in Northern Indiana just got turned up in the last few months. You will gradually see more state agencies, like INDOT, migrate onto the system. Some local agencies will migrate. Some that don't will be able to be patched in. Also keep in mind that if some disaster occurs, radios will be loaned to local agencies, and those that come in to help may have radios that will operate on Safe-T. What seems like an oversized system now will be able to handle alot of traffic.

...jim in michigan

 

[jimsokol]

Hey Steve. Sorry to say, no update on those talkgroups. I haven't heard anything on the one with the 56xx units, and, although I've heard plenty on 10112, I still can't determine what prison it is. My bets are on either the state prison in Michigan City or Westville Correctional.

Yep, that was me as one of the testers of that program. I am using XP home edition here and have not had it crash when clicking the data read button. Are you using a regular serial port or USB or PC Card serial adapters??


...jim

 

[szepano]

Hmm, okay. So as far as monitoring ISP is concerned, there really is no point in trying to monitoring multiple towers unless you're in range of more than one district.. Correct?

 

[scannerfreak]

Hey Steve. Sorry to say, no update on those talkgroups. I haven't heard anything on the one with the 56xx units, and, although I've heard plenty on 10112, I still can't determine what prison it is. My bets are on either the state prison in Michigan City or Westville Correctional.

Yep, that was me as one of the testers of that program. I am using XP home edition here and have not had it crash when clicking the data read button. Are you using a regular serial port or USB or PC Card serial adapters??


...jim

Jim, I fixed it...I changed the Latency to 0 and it stoppped crashing....Go Figure

 

[jimsokol]

It's hard to say, as it depends how the system was configured by ISP. I don't believe the "ops n" talkgroups are simulcast on all towers in the district. I think Steve probably just meant the district dispatch talkgroups. If OPS were simulcast, I would always hear them on the tower I monitor after they announce the switch on the dispatch channel (I don't). You probably only will receive these talkgroups if there is at least one radio affiliated to it on the tower you are monitoring. Will be glad to explain further what I mean. Just ask.

...jim

 

[scannerfreak]

Hmm, okay. So as far as monitoring ISP is concerned, there really is no point in trying to monitoring multiple towers unless you're in range of more than one district.. Correct?

Pretty much,

You are going to hear the same thing on all of the towers that are in their district..so you won't miss any ISP (dispatch) traffic unless another ISP user is out of their "home" area and affiliates with one of the towers, then it won't be simulcasted.. The only benefit to monitoring different towers is to pick up "local" users...Or users who are out of their "home" area and affiliate with that tower.


Jim is right, the OPS channels do not simulcast, sorry I should have been more clearer on that


I hear Versailles Units calling the post from Indy all the time..It's pretty neat to hear a crystal clear transmission from that far away

 

[szepano]

Ok, so back to square one.

I was mainly trying to free up some banks. It's a waste to have 3 channels (valpo tower) in a 100 channel bank. I guess I can combine each site into banks with conventional channels.

Any of you using a 296 to monitor this? I get two talkgroups, 45696 and 48528 that repeatedly pop up and go to an empty channel. Some kind of control code that the 296 misinterprets and a tg?

I also see that 10112 tg come up now and then. I see 12272 now and then also that I don't see identified.

 

[scannerfreak]

I had a 296 for a couple of months, then purchased the pro-96. Kept them both for about 2 weeks, then sold the 296 in favor of the pro-96. I never saw anything like that with the 296, however I did not have it that long 8)

 

[szepano]

Are you happier with the pro 96? I was thinking about one, but from what I understand it doesn't handle EDACS narrowband. I'd hate to lose that, cause I have a use for monitoring NIPSCO.

 

[scannerfreak]

Ya, you don't want to lose that if it's a system you monitor often.

I am very happy with the pro-96. I was the biggest fan of the 296 until I actually got to test them side by side for 2 weeks. The pro-96 just simply does digital better, and frankly, that's why I plummed down 500 bones for a scanner, to monitor digital.

I got sick and tired of the constant volume changes in the digital audio with the Uniden, The Pro-96's AGC feature prevents this. It also has faster tone decoding.

Serach the threads here, there have been many, many comparisons of the two. In fact, there is an 'official" thread about it :lol:

 

[szepano]

Thanks for all the help everyone. I read through all those threads, but it's nice to hear an opinion from someone monitoring Safe-T like me. Hehe, I'm crazy enough to buy both anyway.

 

[jimsokol]

Ok, so back to square one.

I was mainly trying to free up some banks. It's a waste to have 3 channels (valpo tower) in a 100 channel bank. I guess I can combine each site into banks with conventional channels.

Any of you using a 296 to monitor this? I get two talkgroups, 45696 and 48528 that repeatedly pop up and go to an empty channel. Some kind of control code that the 296 misinterprets and a tg?

I also see that 10112 tg come up now and then. I see 12272 now and then also that I don't see identified.

I use both a 296 and pro-96. I echo Steve's experiences in that the pro-96 seems to do a better job, but only slightly.
I have seen some strange talkgroups pop up on the 3600 baud systems (like Safe-T is for now), but usually while mobile. I am guessing I was just marginally in range when it occurred for me.
On the two talkgroups you mentioned, the reason they aren't in the database is that they aren't confirmed. I had sent in some tidbits on them, but the moderators are no longer allowed to post unconfirmed info.
10112 appears is prison/jail type activity. I hear them off Pinola tower all the time. I suspect either the state prison in Michigan City or Westville correctional, but even though there is alot of traffic, I can't confirm it.
12272 appears to be the start of ISP district 11's (Toll Road) use of Safe-T. Don't hear them much yet.

...jim

 

[szepano]

From what I'm hearing of it I would have to guess 10112 might be Westville. I heard some stuff from what seems like the infermary and more of kind of mundane chattering. Westville has more of the mental inmates. Low/medium security. Michigan City is hard time, death row is there. I work in Lake county and am usually unable to monitor the Laporte county tower during daytime weekdays, so I haven't been able to get a good handle on it.

I don't think that's from marginal reception because that would probably cause random tg's to show up. I've had that happen before. These are always the same. 45696 and 48528. Ah well, don't matter if it's not monitorable anyway. Just curious.

 

[scannerfreak]

I'll go ahead and list it as Westville. If you guys find out it's the state, submit the change

 

[scannerfreak]

Hello all.


NIPSCO has a EDACS narrow site in Valparaiso that's not listed here.
(lcn1) 935.3875
(lcn2) 935.4000
(lcn3) 935.4125
(lcn4) 935.4250
(lcn5) 935.4375

A lot of the talkgroups are the same as on the other sites. I *think* the lcn order is correct.

Can you provide any more info on this system? Also, what do you mean by the talkgroups are the same as the other sites? Would this be them?>

http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp?licKey=2523504

I have added this system to the database.. Thanks,


Steve

 

[jimsokol]

From what I'm hearing of it I would have to guess 10112 might be Westville. I heard some stuff from what seems like the infermary and more of kind of mundane chattering. Westville has more of the mental inmates. Low/medium security. Michigan City is hard time, death row is there. I work in Lake county and am usually unable to monitor the Laporte county tower during daytime weekdays, so I haven't been able to get a good handle on it.

Other locations heard on 10112:
SSO, squad bay 1, 2, 3, school building

It is quickly becoming a candidate for lockout of the talkgroup.

...jim

 

[szepano]

Can you provide any more info on this system? Also, what do you mean by the talkgroups are the same as the other sites? Would this be them?>

http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp?licKey=2523504

I have added this system to the database.. Thanks,


Steve

No, I don't know who that is that you linked to.

This one:

http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=TRSDB&sid=869

NIPSCO = Northern Indiana Public Service Company

I've seen all the same talkgroups on the Valporaiso site that you already have listed for the other ones. I guess it's simulcasted in some way.

Great listening after severe weather. Especially while I'm sitting around in the dark waiting fot the power to come back on.

 

[szepano]

Oh, I see. You have the other NIPSCO edacs sites listed in Lake County. Valparaiso is Porter County. You have the Michigan City tower listed in there also, but that's Laporte County and that system is not listed on the Laporte county page.

Btw, this is all totally seperate from the 800mhz TRS that they use at their generating plants.