Milwaukee County OASIS Digital Trunked Radio System

[wx9kvh]

So far things sound pretty darn good on my base BCD536HP! I live in greenfield area, and I'm quite impressed how well I can hear both sides of the system. I have my Milwaukee zones programmed with just the Milwaukee towers, and for the most part it sounds good, sometimes I get that digital hiccup, but I'm sure things are still being worked out. Last night I programmed in all of the currently known Waukesha County TG's, and I was able to hear them, on the Waukesha towers just fine. I will also state that they sound good being pulled through the Milwaukee towers. With that being said, I've removed the Waukesha towers from my scanner as its a base, and it will scan slightly faster with just the Milwaukee tower information in it. Later tonight while the other half is in the kitchen prepping for tomorrows festivities, I will pull the TRX-2 out of the truck, and completely rebuild the codeplug for that with the new information as I have 70% of the legacy system still in there for listening. I spoke with a Brookfield ofc earlier today, and they said they love the system, how crisp the audio is, but joke with the female officers because the sound like men. We both had a little laugh at that one. I'm glad they are finally on a system that sounds decent! My only concern will be what happens with Greenfield, hopefully they just encrypt their tac channels, and not their main dispatch. I will highly consider relocating if I cannot hear the locals.

 

[whitethunderz28]

So far things sound pretty darn good on my base BCD536HP! I live in greenfield area, and I'm quite impressed how well I can hear both sides of the system. I have my Milwaukee zones programmed with just the Milwaukee towers, and for the most part it sounds good, sometimes I get that digital hiccup, but I'm sure things are still being worked out. Last night I programmed in all of the currently known Waukesha County TG's, and I was able to hear them, on the Waukesha towers just fine. I will also state that they sound good being pulled through the Milwaukee towers. With that being said, I've removed the Waukesha towers from my scanner as its a base, and it will scan slightly faster with just the Milwaukee tower information in it. Later tonight while the other half is in the kitchen prepping for tomorrows festivities, I will pull the TRX-2 out of the truck, and completely rebuild the codeplug for that with the new information as I have 70% of the legacy system still in there for listening. I spoke with a Brookfield ofc earlier today, and they said they love the system, how crisp the audio is, but joke with the female officers because the sound like men. We both had a little laugh at that one. I'm glad they are finally on a system that sounds decent! My only concern will be what happens with Greenfield, hopefully they just encrypt their tac channels, and not their main dispatch. I will highly consider relocating if I cannot hear the locals.

I have the 396XT, On my end it comes in choppy. I tried adjusting the P25 adjust mode and adjust level, but I am having no luck... Did you have to adjust your mode and level?

 

[wx9kvh]

I have the 396XT, On my end it comes in choppy. I tried adjusting the P25 adjust mode and adjust level, but I am having no luck... Did you have to adjust your mode and level?

No I have not, but I wouldn't be against playing around with the settings to see if maybe it gets better. I every once in a while will get the "digital hiccup", or choppy transmission, but its random, so I'm not sure if its a signal issue, or a system transition issue. Maybe later this evening I can get around to playing with it. I've also got some other antennas I can test to see if this resolves the issue as well.

 

[BrewCrew81]

I have the 396XT, On my end it comes in choppy. I tried adjusting the P25 adjust mode and adjust level, but I am having no luck... Did you have to adjust your mode and level?

I too have the 396XT and I get the digital distortion somewhat often; maybe two or three times a day at least. If anyone else has an antenna suggestion, I am all ears.

 

[djeplett]

If anyone else has an antenna suggestion, I am all ears.

Experiment. I bought an 800MHz beam off eBay a few years back for under $50 and was *somewhat* successful improving my reception of the Outagamie/Winnebago simulcast system. But my trouble was just about every tower of that system is in the same general direction from me, so focusing on one tower was next to impossible.

Something like this beam:
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/143021161747

 

[MarcusDude]

Today I started hearing University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Police Department (WISCOM TG 5001) on OASIS TG 65066. The radio IDs are all showing up as "0" indicating this is just a patch. I am not sure if this is permanent or temporary.

 

[jmsanders83]

Good catch. According to the posted MCOEM law enforcement template, UWMPD1 should be a full time patch. So hopefully it stays up. Their WISCOM talkgroup never seems to affilliate with the Milwaukee VHF or the Greenfield sites, so it’s nice to be able to hear them down on the south side now.

Now, all I want for Christmas is a full time, unencrypted MPD Districts patch. Fingers crossed on that.

 

[BrewCrew81]

Good catch. According to the posted MCOEM law enforcement template, UWMPD1 should be a full time patch. So hopefully it stays up. Their WISCOM talkgroup never seems to affiliate with the Milwaukee VHF or the Greenfield sites, so it’s nice to be able to hear them down on the south side now.

When I am near the campus, I can (obviously) get it clear as day, but as soon as I am a short distance away it drops. My best (slightly educated) guess is that there is a transmitter on the giant antenna atop one of the resident towers on the campus.

 

[jmsanders83]

Interesting. Are you referring to TGID 5001 on WISCOM or TGID 65066 on OASIS? Or are you referring to something else? Maybe the UWM LTR system - https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=1349?

The behavior you're describing would make sense if it were a low-powered single site system like the UWM LTR, but both WISCOM and OASIS are not confined to a small area around campus.

If you're referring to WISCOM, you'd be able to hear 5001 off of whatever sites a radio is currently affiliated with, so your location from campus would not be a factor, but your location to the WISCOM site carrying the traffic would be.

If you're referring to OASIS, all Milwaukee County sites are simulcast, so if the TG were active, it wouldn't be constrained to around campus.

FWIW, I haven't caught anything on 65066 yet.

 

[BrewCrew81]

Interesting. Are you referring to TGID 5001 on WISCOM or TGID 65066 on OASIS? Or are you referring to something else? Maybe the UWM LTR system - https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=1349?

The behavior you're describing would make sense if it were a low-powered single site system like the UWM LTR, but both WISCOM and OASIS are not confined to a small area around campus.

If you're referring to WISCOM, you'd be able to hear 5001 off of whatever sites a radio is currently affiliated with, so your location from campus would not be a factor, but your location to the WISCOM site carrying the traffic would be.

If you're referring to OASIS, all Milwaukee County sites are simulcast, so if the TG were active, it wouldn't be constrained to around campus.

FWIW, I haven't caught anything on 65066 yet.

I should have clarified that I get the traffic off of WISCOM. I don’t know if I updated my programmed system to reflect the latest changes on OASIS. I do also have the UWM LTR programmed and rarely hear much off of it relating to UWMPD.
It could be just a coincidence that when i am not near the campus that there is relatively little traffic as I remember hearing mostly WSP off of WISCOM on my commutes.

 

[mrfixx]

Oasis Silent On Home Patrol 1...

I see the Oasis on the scanner's screen, but nothing is heard. I even had the scanner HOLD on it, and still nothing heard. I have updated the Frequency Database just now and the firmware. Still nothing. Good antenna and my Uniden BCD436HP Hears Oasis quite well, while my HP-1 is silent. Please forgive me if this has been asked and answered or a stupid question, But i am out of ideas...

Chris

 

[wirr]

I am seeing the same problem on my HP1. I drove out of the county and started hearing a little traffic. I am thinking the problem is that the HP1 does not decode the P25 simulcast very well. Try a poorer antenna set up... :\ The 996P2 is doing much better than the HP1.

 

[crestview]

I could use some help getting the New Milw system programed

HELP....
I probably have to buy a new digital scanner first, but would like to find someone here in the Milw area that could help me on more of a personal level. I hear that some of the new digital is now encrypted and might not be ableto get it now.
You can email me at

glenng7455@gmail.com

Thanks
Glenn

 

[CrabbyMilton]

If you get yourself a UNIDEN 436HP, you can order it programmed which is a great start. However, you will find it easy to program it yourself and wonder why you thought it would be so hard.
There are several online manuals that give you step by step instructions and tips.
Study them first and you won't regret it.

 

[mrfixx]

Oasis Silent on my 536..

Ok maybe I am cursed here. My Uniden BCD536 is silent on Oasis. As with the HP-1, I updated the Firmware and the Database and it shows OASIS on the screen, but its silent. What am I doing wrong? It should work, but its not....

HELP... Please..

Chris

 

[WIscannerguy24]

I am unable to provide assistance on the Uniden home patrol units but I own a Uniden BCD325P2 and it’s working fairly well on the system, I programmed it using Butel’s ARC-XT software and have a pretty good profile for the area, the scanner it self does get some missed transmissions and garbled transmissions but it’s a scanner that doesn’t do the best on simulcast systems, the only other options are the Unication P25 pagers and the brand new scanners that are out like the Uniden SDS100 that does a better job with the simulcast distortion. I am wondering what scanners or equipment people are using to monitor the system and what results they are getting.

Thanks

Joe Curtis
Waukesha, WI

 

[mkescan]

If you have a Base / Mobile Scanner try this. Scroll to any talkgroup, very slowly move scanner or antenna while watching signal bars, if you have no luck with strong signal plug scanner in someplace else & try again. Might sound crazy but, I am a few blocks from St Lukes Milwaukee and get 4 to 5 bars for Waukesha County, only in 2 locations in my Apt. I get strong signal in 1 location in my Bedroom in only a 3 x 2 foot spot on a table, pretty much the same for the living room. Good Luck.

 

[mrfixx]

536 solved

I am almost embarrassed to say, but it was the squelch knob. I had it turned all the way to the left, and when I turned it to the right it works great on OASIS. So now at least I got 2 scanners that can scan OASIS.

Chris

PS. What got me onto the squelch, was a call to Uniden about the problem. Very nice folks there...

 

[CrabbyMilton]

Hey that's ok. We all overlook the obvious when it comes to new things.
We're here to help and it's often a step by step process to solve problems

 

[hddude]

Anybody know when Greenfield will be switching over to oasis ?