Official STARCOM21 Sticky #3

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Starcom21

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It has been reported that these are the control channels in a STARCOM21 radio:

Notes: Control Channels or Alternate Control channels on sties that aren't included in this list is likely an error, as the system radios must have all control channels programmed into them.


854.98750 855.23750 855.73750 860.21250
866.22500 866.41250 866.55000 866.70000
866.81250 866.82500 866.83750 866.85000
866.86250 866.87500 866.88750 866.90000
866.91250 866.92500 866.93750 866.95000
866.96250 867.16250 867.26250 867.27500
867.28750 867.30000 867.31250 867.32500
867.33750 867.36250 867.38750 867.40000
867.41250 867.75000 867.76250 867.77500
867.78750 867.80000 867.81250 867.82500
867.83750 867.87500 867.88750 867.91250
867.96250 867.98750 868.22500 868.25000
868.26250 868.30000 868.31250 868.33750
868.40000 774.03125 774.05625 774.28125
774.30625 774.33125 774.34375 774.39375
 

daleduke17

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More testing this morning:

0853 - TG2038 - talking about "not having to deal with the phone company when we switch the main system over" (must be a generic tech talk group, as this TG is listed in the database as a District 15 talkgroup).
 

soncorn

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USD file for BCD996T and BCD396T

soncorn said:
I expect that I will update the usd file for the BCD996T within the next few days.

The usd file for the BCD996T has been updated to the most current data. It is located here:
http://home.earthlink.net/~mustell/scanner/ILSP.usd

If you find any errors please let me know.

This file should also work for the BCD396T as the 60 control channel frequencies are programmed into the first "site".
 

cubn

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tweatherford said:
It has been reported that these are the control channels in a STARCOM21 radio:

Notes: Control Channels or Alternate Control channels on sties that aren't included in this list is likely an error, as the system radios must have all control channels programmed into them.


854.98750 855.23750 855.73750 860.21250
866.22500 866.41250 866.55000 866.70000
866.81250 866.82500 866.83750 866.85000
866.86250 866.87500 866.88750 866.90000
866.91250 866.92500 866.93750 866.95000
866.96250 867.16250 867.26250 867.27500
867.28750 867.30000 867.31250 867.32500
867.33750 867.36250 867.38750 867.40000
867.41250 867.75000 867.76250 867.77500
867.78750 867.80000 867.81250 867.82500
867.83750 867.87500 867.88750 867.91250
867.96250 867.98750 868.22500 868.25000
868.26250 868.30000 868.31250 868.33750
868.40000 774.03125 774.05625 774.28125
774.30625 774.33125 774.34375 774.39375

Just currious...Is anybody currently monitoring sites with control channel frequencies not shown on this list? On Saturday evening (9/2/06) I was picking up Site 129 - 775.33125 which is not on the list.
 

Starcom21

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It seems like a lot of control channels are not in this list.

Additional information received:


Due to the nature of an Apco25 OmniLink system like this, all channels that can be used as data channels MUST be programmed into
the subscriber fleet radios. Any other reported control channel would be an error of some sort.

The below list are ONLY control channels, there will be additional Voice channels in the system. Control channels are often repeated at
multiple sites, although they should be separated by some distance to avoid interference.

The below list also includes ALL of the StarCom21 control channels, as well as those for the related (but actually separate) St. Clair
County system.

While SmartZone limits one to 28 control channels Apco25 OmniLink systems can have more. There are 60 Control Channels for StarCom21.
 

soncorn

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Lynnville site ID change

It looks like the Lynnville site changed its site ID from 138 to 238. This site is now in line with the site numbering scheme being used throughout the state.
 

cubn

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Drill last Saturday in Leroy (McLean Co) - TG 30360

I heard some activity on McLean County Shf 4 - Starcom21 TG 30360 on Saturday that I think was related to this drill at LeRoy High School (article):

From what I can tell, these are the channel uses for McLean County Sheriff and Normal PD on Starcom21:

McLean County Sheriff Starcom21 TG's:
(1) 30358 - Dispatch
(2) 30358 - (ch2 on the portables goes thru the in-car repeater)
(3) 30359 - alternate dispatch when ch1 has "10-33 traffic"
(4) 30360 - alternate
(5) 30362 - car<>car
*I've heard the TAC channels 30350-30355 used during various disaster drills and sometimes for testing patches.

Normal PD Starcom21 TG's:
(1) 30366 - Dispatch
(2) 30367 - car<>car, alternate dispatch when ch1 has "10-33 traffic"
(3) 30368 - ?
*I believe 30369-30371 are NPD encrypted talkgroups, but I keep them locked-out in my scanner.

PS - Terry, I like the changes you made to the 'Misc System Information' portion of the Starcom21 page.
 

kkollins

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New to scanning

I have my first scanner...Pro94...I'm very green at this so please bare with me....Starcom???? I know this is a "new" system that ISP and many other departments are starting to switch over to. Is this still an analog system? Will I be able to receive it with my Pro94?
 

daleduke17

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kkollins said:
I have my first scanner...Pro94...I'm very green at this so please bare with me....Starcom???? I know this is a "new" system that ISP and many other departments are starting to switch over to. Is this still an analog system? Will I be able to receive it with my Pro94?

No you will not. You'll need a digital trunking scanner such as the Pro-96, Pro-2096, BC996, BC396 or BC296 (I forget all of the letters associated with the Bearcat models). Depending where you are located in Illinois, you'll need either the BC396 or BC996 due to the use of 700Mhz Control Channels. These are the known ones right now with 700Mhz CC's: Ford County (Site 110, Melvin-Sibley), DuPage County (Site 101, Lisle), Lee County (Site 105, Ashton), Will County (Site 113, Frankfort), Will County (Site 129, Joliet), Peoria County (Site 216, Germantown Hills), Peoria County (Site 220, Unknown city), Macoupin County (Site 301, Mt. Olive), Macoupin County (Site 312, Staunton), Marion County (Site 314, Centralia), Johnson County (Site 321, Vienna), Macoupin (Site 324, N. of Carlinville), Johnson County (Site 334, Goreville), Saline County (Site 335, Harrisburg), St. Clair (Site 353, Caseyville), Monroe (Site 358, Columbia).

Also, there are six towers in Northern Illinois that are unknown location that are 700Mhz (102, 105, 117, 133, 133, 137, 142) and one in Central Illinois (209).

I'm not trying to scare you off of listening, I'm just trying to help ya out with what scanner you will need. If you don't live within, say, 20 miles of any of those towers, one of the Radio Shack (Pro-96/2096) or the other Bearcat will work.
 

daleduke17

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TG 1026 some sort of Storm Spotter. Talked about 1800 Ropp Road, Thomas Residence (More than likely Normal, IL area). Appx 1645hrs.

EDIT TO ADD: Forgot to put it earlier, but, it could have also been "Rock Road". If it is Rock, I have no clue then. :-/
 
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Starcom21

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Updated SC21 Sites

All...

Have updated the sites with what it believed to be the correct site information.

Only made a few "major" changes.... the rest were minor, city names.
Updated with the information from the CARMA profile that has tower locations, etc.

Now, only a few remaining "unidentified" towers --- plus the unknown tollway frequencies..... not sure what is going to happen there.

Yes, many of these are probably simulcast or even possibly duplicated sites, I just haven't had the time to research it yet.

Terry

10000D05 Will (Joliet area)774.05625* 10200D02 Lake (Multiple)866.46250867.46250867.93750868.98750 10201D02 Kane (Elgin)854.98750856.23750866.43750866.93750867.88750*868.46250868.91250 10501D05 Will (Joliet)867.48750867.98750868.36250868.48750868.86250868.98750 11501D15 Cook (Chicago/Multlple)866.43750866.93750867.88750868.46250868.91250 11502D3 Cook (Multiple)854.98750856.23750 11701D17 LaSalle (Streator)866.90000* 11811D18 Macoupin (Mt. Olive)866.32500866.85000867.37500867.90000 12011D20 Schuyler (Rushville)856.23750856.93750857.93750858.73750 12103D07 Rock Island (Illinois City)866.42500866.95000*867.47500*868.88750 20001ITHA McHenry (Multiple)855.98750 20002ITHA Kane (Multiple)855.48750855.73750856.73750856.98750 20003ITHA Lake (Plato Center)855.23750 20004ITHA Whiteside (Sterling)855.23750 20005ITHA Cook (Multiple)854.98750856.23750 20006ITHA Lake (Highland Park)855.23750 21001D03 Cook (current D-Chicago EDACS North)866.46250866.88750866.96250867.38750867.46250867.88750868.38750868.46250868.88750 868.96250 21002D03 Cook (current D-Chicago EDACS South)866.41250866.43750866.93750867.41250867.91250867.93750868.41250868.43750868.91250 868.93750
 

jharris68

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Starcom Question

Still trying to figure out BCD396T and Starcom. Are control channels all that is necessary to program. Or do you program all frequencies that you expect to be in the range of reception? I'm in the bootom of the state still waiting to come on-line.
 

soncorn

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If you know what the control channel frequencies are, then you only need to program thos in. If you do not, then you program all the frequencies for a site in, and submit the data here for which frequencies are the control channels.


Also I have updated the BCD996T usd file with the latest information in the database as of today.
http://home.earthlink.net/~mustell/scanner/ILSP.usd

Also my Excel spreadsheet of data with coordinates and such has been updated.
http://home.earthlink.net/~mustell/scanner/CountyCenters.xls
 
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jharris68

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Control frequencies

I dont want to sound stupid, but what is the difference between a control channel and a regular channel? and what is the purpose of the regular channel if you dont program them in?
 

K9JLR

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I spoke with an ISP radio technician earlier this week regarding STARCOM. At this point the 12/31/06 timeline for statewide implementation that has been thrown around looks way too optimistic, at least according to this tech. He talked as if Spring 2007 may be a more realistic goal assuming all goes very well. There is still considerable testing to be completed, even downstate with some of the smaller districts. However, upgrades of base console units has been completed at quite a few HQ's as of 10/01/06.

There are still reportedly "kinks" that need to be worked out, such as talkgroup patching between multiple tower sites. While most tower sites are up and IDing, the only person(s) with active portable or mobile radios at many district HQs (not including the base units) are the techies.
 

N9JIG

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jharris68 said:
I dont want to sound stupid, but what is the difference between a control channel and a regular channel? and what is the purpose of the regular channel if you dont program them in?
Control channels carry the data needed to tell the radios the proper frequncy to use, the displayed ID etc. On Motorola systems there may usually be up to 4 control channels at a site, although on networked systems such as StarCom21 they usually tend to stay on 1 or 2.

Radios that can monitor StarCom use "Control Channel Only" trunktracking on 800/700 MHz. systems, in that they do not need to have the voice channels programmed in the radios, they derive the needed info from the datastream.

Older trunktrackers required all the voice channels to be programmed into the scanner in order to hear the conversations.

On the StarCom21 list here on RadioReference the KNOWN control channels are noted. Since data channels don't change automatically on networked systems like this the same channel can be used for control data for a year or more until a repeater fails or something before it changes to an alternate.

There are computer programs that anaylize control data and will tell you what the alternate control channels are for the current site and often neighboring sites. If you have a Pro96 or 2096 check out Pro96Comm at it's Yahoo Group.
 
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