Madison, Wi trunking type?

[Schnottus]

Hello all,
I live in Madison, WI (Dane County) and am considering buying a scanner to listen to the local pd, fd, and ems. I am planning on the bct15 as it seems to have all the features I want and good reviews but I am unsure what the trunking type means. I see under features for the BCT15 it states: TrunkTracker III - EDACS, MOTOROLA, E.F. JOHNSON.

I assume those three brands are types of trunking but I cannot find anywhere what type of trunking the local departments use. All i have been able to find is this site:
Wisconsin Trunking Systems

They state that it is a Type II system. I am not sure what that means so I would like to confirm with you guys that I will be able to listen in with a BCT15 before I go out and buy one.

Also I don't keep up on radio news so it would be awesome if someone here could tell me if or when the departments in this area will switch to digital.

Any help would be appreciated, thank you.

 

[cpd38]

With a BCT15 you should be good for a couple years. My understanding is that it will be a couple years before it will switch to digital. I have a BCT15 and it works quite well on the Madison system as well as all of Dane CO.

Hello all,
I live in Madison, WI (Dane County) and am considering buying a scanner to listen to the local pd, fd, and ems. I am planning on the bct15 as it seems to have all the features I want and good reviews but I am unsure what the trunking type means. I see under features for the BCT15 it states: TrunkTracker III - EDACS, MOTOROLA, E.F. JOHNSON.

I assume those three brands are types of trunking but I cannot find anywhere what type of trunking the local departments use. All i have been able to find is this site:
Wisconsin Trunking Systems

They state that it is a Type II system. I am not sure what that means so I would like to confirm with you guys that I will be able to listen in with a BCT15 before I go out and buy one.

Also I don't keep up on radio news so it would be awesome if someone here could tell me if or when the departments in this area will switch to digital.

Any help would be appreciated, thank you.

 

[N_Jay]

http://forums.radioreference.com/wi...ane-county-p25-vhf-trunking-3.html#post810380

 

[Schnottus]

Thanks for the replies, answered pretty much everything I wanted to know.

 

[bc780l]

Additional thoughts:

The City of Madison trunking system will go digital after the Dane Co new trunking system goes live--at least per current plans. The new Dane Co system has been going through an RFP process, which has just recently been awarded to Motorola. That means that starting in a year or two, you'll be wanting digital, but you'll have to make the decision for yourself if you want to spend less now on the BCT15, keep it around for the non-digital stuff (which will continue to be for a long time), and then spend more later for a digital when everything is up and running. The additional complicating factor is that the Dane Co system RFP requested APCO P25 Type II, eventually, not monitorable on any of the consumer scanners--yet.

Also be aware that the Statewide WISCOM system will be digital, but that's a few years off, too.

The only digital currently in use in Madison that I'm aware of is Truax Fire and Security.

If you wish to go for a BCT15 now, send me a PM if you're interested in one that's all programmed up and ready to go!