Sent by Rich C on CARMA, 851.5375cc, 851.7875a, 851.8375a......
Northwest Central to StarCom Update
- Thread starter Awesomeman92
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Wow. Impressive. Not sure what licenses they're using, since the state and NWCD's licenses both have not been changed and I couldn't find any applications for either. If they had been talking about this for a while, they sure did a good job of keeping it quiet. Also wonder if the site will be "renamed" 115, or remain as 149.
Are all frequencies on the system operating in both TDMA and FDMA modes? All the FDMA transmissions I had seen before the "merger" (for lack of a better term) were on a select few frequencies, including some that hadn't recorded any TDMA hits previously.
ilgrant
Member
As of today it is mixed. My interpretation of Unitrunker shows that the TDMA frequencies are listed twice and the FDMA frequencies are listed once. The same frequencies listed 3 times apparently mean that they are both TDMA and FDMA.
Just running unitrunker for a little while now, I've recorded 46 possible channels between FDMA and TDMA. In addition, I've not gotten any TDMA hits on 851.0875 but I've gotten 1 FDMA hit, but it looks like every other channel is operating in both modes. Not sure if ISP changed anything downtown, but I was receiving the Chicago south site for quite a while coming through the city today, maybe they expanded it to cover where the NWCD site can't in the city (which is a large area, basically anything east of the Edens).
Newest set of minutes are up, and one very interesting bit in them is that they were testing the effect encryption has on audio quality using Schaumburg PD's Systemwide channel (which is in the clear, as are-interestingly-several other police tac channels), due to a large amount of complaints about audio from police, and says that changes could be made after their August meeting, which would put any potential changes right about now. I'm not at all surprised about the audio complaints, my reception of the system here smack dab in the middle of the coverage area is extremely spotty at best, but I also don't think encryption is the reason behind the problems and therefore won't be removed. But there's always hope, I guess. Full minutes here (both sets are essentially the same): http://nwcds.org/pdf_files/NWCDS Exec Comm Meeting 7 18 2013.pdf
It would make sense if one of the 3 departments (Schaumburg) coming from analog raised audio issues, it's a fairly big change in something you use constantly. So, they did the nice thing and gave them an unencrypted channel to test with, and I'm sure they'll (eventually) come around and realize there's no difference. The days of encryption degrading digital audio have been over for well over ten years now.
I'd wager the departments that came from the digital side think the audio is actually a bit better.
As far as reception goes, you cannot judge the coverage using scanners - they're just not built to decode digital well, and the RF sections are terrible as well.
I'd wager the departments that came from the digital side think the audio is actually a bit better.
As far as reception goes, you cannot judge the coverage using scanners - they're just not built to decode digital well, and the RF sections are terrible as well.
I have heard the PD side of the encrypted NWCD Phase II . The audio is crisp and doesn't sound too digital But, they do have to repeat alot of transmissions because of not hearing the units or dispatch.
Here are the police/fire channel lineups, best I can tell, and based on what I've seen at NWCD itself. Fire lineup is relatively easy, they have dispatch-fireground-admin-NWCD Tac channels available. D=clear P25, E=encrypted. Channels go in alphabetical order of town (Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove, Hoffman Estates, Inverness, Mt. Prospect, Palatine, Prospect Heights, Rolling Meadows, Schaumburg, Streamwood. Add in Palatine Rural and remove Inverness & Prospect Heights for fire lineup). In addition to these channels, they also have 2 systemwide, 2 statewide, and a ranger channel (presumably for Schuamburg) available, unknown which talkgroups.
2751-2753 - Fire 1-3 - D
2754-2756 - NWCD Radio Techs - D
2758-2767 - Fireground - D
2768-2770 - NWCD Fire Tac 1-3 - D
2771-2787 - Fire Admin - D/E
2793-2829 - Public Works (Hoffman Estates/Elk Grove)
3001-3005 - Police 1-5 - E
3007-3017 - Patrol - E* (*Except D for 3007-AH, 3011-IN, 3014-PH, 3017-SW)
3019-3029 - Admin - E
3031-3041 - Investigations - D* (Have seen most traffic on these channels in the clear, which makes me doubt naming)
3043-3053 - Traffic - E
3055-3065 - Tac - E
3066-3070 - NWCD Police Tac 1-5 - E
3071-3086 - Unknown, possibly ATG - D/E
3088-3098 - Citywide - D
3117-3188 - Public Works (Hoffman Estates/Elk Grove/Arlington Heights/Schaumburg)
2751-2753 - Fire 1-3 - D
2754-2756 - NWCD Radio Techs - D
2758-2767 - Fireground - D
2768-2770 - NWCD Fire Tac 1-3 - D
2771-2787 - Fire Admin - D/E
2793-2829 - Public Works (Hoffman Estates/Elk Grove)
3001-3005 - Police 1-5 - E
3007-3017 - Patrol - E* (*Except D for 3007-AH, 3011-IN, 3014-PH, 3017-SW)
3019-3029 - Admin - E
3031-3041 - Investigations - D* (Have seen most traffic on these channels in the clear, which makes me doubt naming)
3043-3053 - Traffic - E
3055-3065 - Tac - E
3066-3070 - NWCD Police Tac 1-5 - E
3071-3086 - Unknown, possibly ATG - D/E
3088-3098 - Citywide - D
3117-3188 - Public Works (Hoffman Estates/Elk Grove/Arlington Heights/Schaumburg)
I am coming to Schaumburg this weekend and looking at this thread and the RRDB, Schaumburg is listed under the NWCD system, but is says it is depracated, and may no longer be in use or is superseded by another system? I would like to monitor them but am I looking at the wrong system for them? thanks
Yes the old P25 system is gone and replaced by a new P25 phase II system where the police is all encrypted
Ok, however I don't see Schaumburg even listed on the P25 system(I assume this is the digital NWCD system?) The description below lists them but they are not in it when I click on the digital system?
"Handles Police and Fire for northwestern communities of: Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove, Hoffman Estates, Palatine, Palatine Rural FPD, Mt Prospect, Prospect Heights Police, Rolling Meadows, Schaumburg and Streamwood. Website"
Also, clicking the "website" it does not link to anything....blank
If someone has the link that would be great or even better, a file so I can import it to GRECOM EZ Scan Digital software.
"Handles Police and Fire for northwestern communities of: Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove, Hoffman Estates, Palatine, Palatine Rural FPD, Mt Prospect, Prospect Heights Police, Rolling Meadows, Schaumburg and Streamwood. Website"
Also, clicking the "website" it does not link to anything....blank
If someone has the link that would be great or even better, a file so I can import it to GRECOM EZ Scan Digital software.
Oh and I realize the police is encrypted, I am fine with just Fire/EMS.
It's listed under StarCom21, Schaumburg FD is dispatched on TG 2753 with Hoffman Estates/Streamwood, the fireground talkgroup is 2766, the systemwide fire tac channel they'd be on is Tac 3-2770. As has been said multiple times MOST police is encrypted (not all), Schaumburg Citywide is 3097 which would be used for an event or to have fire units talk to police or public works. Schaumburg Public Works uses talkgroups all over the place in the 31xx range. All of these are TDMA mode, although I have seen the fire dispatch talkgroups revert to FDMA occasionally for some reason.
Ok, and I finally found it on the EZ Scan software and trying to import it and I have selected a site...in which I selected 5-003 Schaumburg-Intellirepeater if that is correct?
In the EZ Scan software under channel selection details I have
Trunked Radios Systems 1
Trunked site count 1
Trunked talkgroup count 23
However when I click Import channels it says
At least one of the trunked systems you have selected for import has not site selected. Trunked systems will not be imported without at least one site.
Well, I do have one site selected as noted in their software.....help please signed....confused by the NOT so EZ Scan software.
In the EZ Scan software under channel selection details I have
Trunked Radios Systems 1
Trunked site count 1
Trunked talkgroup count 23
However when I click Import channels it says
At least one of the trunked systems you have selected for import has not site selected. Trunked systems will not be imported without at least one site.
Well, I do have one site selected as noted in their software.....help please signed....confused by the NOT so EZ Scan software.
Use site 1-049, Northwest Central Dispatch. 5-003 is a site on the Cook County Sheriff zone, and only carries very selected (100% encrypted) traffic from them.
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Ok, thanks I have changed the sites and clicked on the 1-049 and the EZ Scan software still gives me that error that I don't have any sites selected..........but I do what gives?
Ok, I finally got it to work....had to click NO 3 TIMES to get it to accept the site. All programmed with the site and talk groups and I am here in Schaumburg....fired the scanner up and nada, nothing zilch for radio traffic on my scanner. Does anyone have a file I could load onto my scanner?
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