Ongoing Changes: Marion Co. MECA System

[fire4456]

Ok folks I have submitted the changes through the proper channels by submitting them to the moderators. This list I submitted under the current meca system as this is what we will still call it. These changes will be going into effect sometime after the first of the year. I do not have any police department information. I was only privied to the fire side of things. It is going to be some major readjustment for the enthusiast and what will happen with the system. The radios that are going inot the fire apparatus and ems vehicles are xtl 5000 and our hanhelds are xts5000 with public safety mic's. So look forward to the changes and see what you all will come up with. I have no digital scanner or way to tell what is what when they start doing testing. So hope it helps. HAVE A GOOD DAY TO ALL!!

 

[SCPD]

Hey all you guys monitoring the meca changes I have some infor that I might be able to post on here. I work for a fire dept in the county and I have a printed copy of what the talkgroups will be. I have no hex descriptions or anything like that. I do hae what the channels will be named. There will be some HUGE HUGE changes to how the talkgroups are going to be done on the digital syatem. Gone are the individual ops channels for each department and also dispatching. Also we are supposed to be getting a new in house form of alerting. To what we have been told voice dispatching will be secondary to the in house system. Supposedly this new system as told to us by our admin is supposed to be like the voice in rscue me you know "engine-ladder-batallion". I am not sure of this but will post more info later. I will try to post the talkgroups as listed on this paper tomorrow when I am at work.

I realy dont see them getting rid of ops or Fire Grounds they need these for on scene with sevral depts being busy at the same time. As far as Disp they might I know some other states are using MDT data and not voice for Disp but use voice Disp for back up.

 

[SCPD]

Ok folks I have submitted the changes through the proper channels by submitting them to the moderators. This list I submitted under the current meca system as this is what we will still call it. These changes will be going into effect sometime after the first of the year. I do not have any police department information. I was only privied to the fire side of things. It is going to be some major readjustment for the enthusiast and what will happen with the system. The radios that are going inot the fire apparatus and ems vehicles are xtl 5000 and our hanhelds are xts5000 with public safety mic's. So look forward to the changes and see what you all will come up with. I have no digital scanner or way to tell what is what when they start doing testing. So hope it helps. HAVE A GOOD DAY TO ALL!!

We already know what equipment they are using and IFD is already using it along with the new MDT and data moble modem on the new data channel set up for MDTs
I wish you luck with your submission to the ADMINS it taks them a while to post or approve it. As far as first of the year that may be delayed due to APCO rejecting there freq application and still no fileing with the FCC as of todays date. See other MECA post there are links on there as to what equipment they are using and more detailed info on it.

 

[fire4456]

well it is up under system 1 right now. Not everyone has the new radios in place yet. we just had ours done. the analog talkgroups will still be in place in case of digital failure. That layout to our knowledge will still be identical to what it is now. It will be interesting to see what is out there. Sorry for no cop channels as i don't have that template. Have fun identifying the new groups. our mdts have been the same since i started here. thank god for the nice touch screen mdts. happy holidays to all that are out there!

 

[Viper43]

well it is up under system 1 right now. Not everyone has the new radios in place yet. we just had ours done.

Odd, considering the updates from MECA said that all the fire trucks had their radios installed back in March and they thanked the IndyGo bus radio techs for getting them all installed.
See here on page 2: http://www.indygov.org/NR/rdonlyres/2CCFF3F7-32BA-434F-A28D-5FF07C4C9BF5/0/marchapril.pdf

V

 

[Viper43]

The only ones that may not have been installed are those in the recently "aquired" departments and the last of those are supposed to be done by the end of the month if not already done.
The list he submitted to RR was added yesterday, however there are no TG Numbers, just the channel designations. so we'll have to figure out what numbers go with what TG ID's. They appear to have added some new things to the mix, replacing some of the Ops channels with others and the capability to use both System 1 & 2 TAC ID's So I would imagine that the PD will also be able to use both systems TAC ID's.

V

 

[jerk]

The only ones that may not have been installed are those in the recently "aquired" departments and the last of those are supposed to be done by the end of the month if not already done.
The list he submitted to RR was added yesterday, however there are no TG Numbers, just the channel designations. so we'll have to figure out what numbers go with what TG ID's. They appear to have added some new things to the mix, replacing some of the Ops channels with others and the capability to use both System 1 & 2 TAC ID's So I would imagine that the PD will also be able to use both systems TAC ID's.

V

Yes but now you know the official channel designation from an actual radio.
That' better than guessing what the channel is being called.

AL

 

[jerk]

Odd, considering the updates from MECA said that all the fire trucks had their radios installed back in March and they thanked the IndyGo bus radio techs for getting them all installed.
See here on page 2: http://www.indygov.org/NR/rdonlyres/2CCFF3F7-32BA-434F-A28D-5FF07C4C9BF5/0/marchapril.pdf

V

That article also says more/additional radios will be installed later. Perhaps this is what is happening here. However there is no need to jump all over him, otherwise he doesn't have to post anything. Now we know what some of the official designations are for the fire channels.
And we can adjust the labels in the database accordingly.

AL

 

[SCPD]

MECA has now moved there 867.7000 Data channel to 852.7000 The 867.7000 is now silent and 852.7000 Is Active. As of 12-26-2007 2:30PM

 

[fire4456]

W8 just fyi this is some more information on other things as we know them as of date. You will not be hearing much radio traffic on units marking in service or out of service on the radio. This will be done primarily on the mdt. Also much of the als to bls or vice versa status changing will be done the same way. This is due to keeping radio traffic on the network to a minimum. The only reason such activuty has been noted today is due to them working on the data channel. Our mdts did not work in the firetruck when we responded to a working fire on the westside. And while i reported on the radios and what was used as of now is still in the works. We just had radios installed in our trucks and the next deptartment to the notrth of us still has older rig radios. It will be nice to see this all done and something standard for everyone. Also I do apologize on my spelling from my post of the radio template I had submitted. It is what we have and will use. The operations channels will be as listed and who knows how things will go on that. The current analog talkgroups and template will still be used as a backup in case of digital failure. I am only submitting information as I have it. I will try my best to send anymore changes to the moderators when I see it come down. Anyway hope everyones christmas was great and happy new year.

 

[SCPD]

Todays change had nothing to do with the Radios it would effect MDT's and Pagers they Moved the radio freq from 867.7000 to 852.7000 due to FCC rebanding of the 800MHz Band so there was a period of down time when they made the change Now all of MECA's MDT Pager transmitters should be in the new part of the 800MHz band the Rebanded part. As far as System 1 and System 2 800MHz Radio part they have not gotten approval from APCO or the FCC to operate it in the new rebanded part or to start up the new Digital System yet that will be a ways off still. If you note I think I put this in this post the new freqs for the Data for MDTS and Pagers. It realy does not mean much since you cant decode it or hear any thing on those. Just posted for Information that MEACA is moving forward slowly and that Rebanding has begun in Indianapolis.
Thanks

 

[fire4456]

no problem. just nice to see progress being made. and it will be interesting to see what happens to the whole scheme of things to all the departments once ballard takes office. anyway have a good day and stay safe.

 

[Dispatch2323]

Hex Code

I heard a Motorola Tech ask for the Hex code on Meca System 1 Tac 14 today during testing...the response was.."Fire Dispatch is 27DA" What does this mean??

 

[Viper43]

Thats the hex code for the fire dispatch. There are programs that convert the hex and will give you the TG ID. But I am not sure if the new system uses 3 or 4 hex digits for the TG ID in programming the radios.
Also not sure what station that would be as none of them have 27, the closest is Perry Twp which is 25B Mode A which is analog, although it could be Wayne Twp.

V

 

[SCPD]

I know this week they are working on the FIRE MDT's and Pager System Data channles that have been moved to the new rebanded part of the 800 band and retunning some of the Fire radios and moble MDT's.
If you have UniTrunker it will convert HEX DEC and MOTOROLA so you can see between them.
I posted some 7**** numbers a while back and cought a lot of flack for it but what I posted was the TRUE Motorola system numbers and I should have converted it to DEC so every one would know what I was talking about all any one had to do is convert it just for information NOT tyring to stirr the pot.

 

[scannerfreak]

Thats the hex code for the fire dispatch. There are programs that convert the hex and will give you the TG ID. But I am not sure if the new system uses 3 or 4 hex digits for the TG ID in programming the radios.
Also not sure what station that would be as none of them have 27, the closest is Perry Twp which is 25B Mode A which is analog, although it could be Wayne Twp.

V

The built in windows calculator will convert hex to dec. The amount of hex digits depends on the talkgroup, not what the system "uses". What does the 27DA have to do with the old system?

This converts to 10202 DEC by the way

 

[scannerfreak]

I know this week they are working on the FIRE MDT's and Pager System Data channles that have been moved to the new rebanded part of the 800 band and retunning some of the Fire radios and moble MDT's.
If you have UniTrunker it will convert HEX DEC and MOTOROLA so you can see between them.
I posted some 7**** numbers a while back and cought a lot of flack for it but what I posted was the TRUE Motorola system numbers and I should have converted it to DEC so every one would know what I was talking about all any one had to do is convert it just for information NOT tyring to stirr the pot.

I don't know why you want to continue to argue this, but, what you posted were Radio ID numbers and not talkgroups..In no way can you convert them and they become talkgroups. And for the record, you didn't get "flack" for posting them, you got flack for not listening to us when we were telling you this.

 

[Viper43]

The built in windows calculator will convert hex to dec. The amount of hex digits depends on the talkgroup, not what the system "uses". What does the 27DA have to do with the old system?

This converts to 10202 DEC by the way

Well lets see here, for the present system it is 27D (they use three digits in ALL MECA hex TG's so if this is for that system it would be 27D =637 and the A would be Analog. Also 637 isn't divisible by 16 so the chances are this is not a MECA System 1 TG for the present system. So he may have found a new TG for the new system.
So actually it would matter WHAT the system uses considering the present system uses all 3 digit hex codes....

V

 

[scannerfreak]

Well lets see here, for the present system it is 27D (they use three digits in ALL MECA hex TG's so if this is for that system it would be 27D =637 and the A would be Analog. Also 637 isn't divisible by 16 so the chances are this is not a MECA System 1 TG for the present system. So he may have found a new TG for the new system.
So actually it would matter WHAT the system uses considering the present system uses all 3 digit hex codes....

V

Viper, I think you are confused.

1.The 3 digit hex ID's you see in the DB are shortened. They have the last digit (0) left off and are actually 4 digits. So for instance 207 is actually 2070.

2. The hex is 27DA, not 27D. The A does not stand for analog, lol...27DA Hex converts to 10202 Dec. Also, keep in mind P25 talkgroups start at 001 and go up in increments of 1 and not 16 like the current system.

3. I agree, 10202 very could well be a new talkgroup for the new system

 

[scannerfreak]

Also All, I have been told by several users of the system that it will still be known as MECA and not UCON. Therefore, I have decided to delete the new UCON system and we will continue with the current system 1 and 2 pages putting all new info there until the old systems go down for good. I think this will be easier anyway since they are the original pages. I hope this is ok with everyone