Quick Question about MPSCS

[villlythekid]

Hello y’all,
I am originally from Maryland but will be going up to St. Joseph County, MI for a few weeks. From what I understand, the county sheriff and the municipal PD’s are on another system, but I would want to program the nearest State Police post (which would be MSP Post 54- District 5) When I looked at all the sites, I knew there was no way I was going to program all those sites just for one talkgroup. In order to program just that one talkgroup, would I have to program all the sites, or just some of them?

 

[Hit_Factor]

There are only two sites in St. Joseph County. Figure out which one is close to your destination and program just that one, if you don't want both.

Don't get confused with City of St. Joseph in Berrien County.

The first one (listed below) is likely all you need.

Michigan's Public Safety Communications System (MPSCS) Site: Featherstone

Michigan's Public Safety Communications System (MPSCS) Site: Featherstone Details

www.radioreference.com

Michigan's Public Safety Communications System (MPSCS) Site: Leonidas

Michigan's Public Safety Communications System (MPSCS) Site: Leonidas Details

www.radioreference.com

 

[smithken]

Just program the sites that are closest to your location. If you're going to be in St. Joseph County then I would program the Centerville site and the Leonidas site. I would also program in the St. Joseph County talkgroups on the statewide system (MPSCS), according to a note on the St. Joseph County page in the database St. Joseph County is in the process on moving to MPSCS. Also make sure you are going to be in St. Joseph County and not the city of St. Joseph which is in Berrien County as much as 70 miles away from St. Joseph County.

 

[drdispatch]

It wouldn't be a bad idea to program any/all sites which you might be able to receive in your location. Simply put, if there are no user radios on that talkgroup affiliated with the site closest to you, and that is the only site you have programmed, you will miss traffic.

 

[villlythekid]

Just program the sites that are closest to your location. If you're going to be in St. Joseph County then I would program the Centerville site and the Leonidas site. I would also program in the St. Joseph County talkgroups on the statewide system (MPSCS), according to a note on the St. Joseph County page in the database St. Joseph County is in the process on moving to MPSCS. Also make sure you are going to be in St. Joseph County and not the city of St. Joseph which is in Berrien County as much as 70 miles away from St. Joseph County.

Thanks for that. I am seeing two different "St. Joseph County Talkgroups"-- one is in the MPSCS for "Central 9-1-1" and the other one is under the St. Joseph County system listed as "County Sheriff, County Police (which I'm assuming is a shared channel between Municipal PD's) and St Joseph 9-1-1." I'm not familiar with what the "9-1-1" channels are. If you're familiar with these channels, what are the uses for each one?
EDIT: I'm also seeing V-TAC for different cities... what are these V-TAC channels??

 

[Hit_Factor]

911 are the primary emergency dispatch channels. P911 for Police, F911 for fire. Central could mean primary or the center of the county. If there are other 911 listed, like East P911, then you know it's geographic opposed to organizational.

Com are common channels, there will be multiple PDs using that talkgroup. These are usually geographically assigned. North, South, Metro....

V-Tac are secondary channels assigned to a PD usually. A group of Officers from the same PD might use the vtac to discuss just about anything.

 

[villlythekid]

911 are the primary emergency dispatch channels. P911 for Police, F911 for fire. Central could mean primary or the center of the county. If there are other 911 listed, like East P911, then you know it's geographic opposed to organizational.

Com are common channels, there will be multiple PDs using that talkgroup. These are usually geographically assigned. North, South, Metro....

V-Tac are secondary channels assigned to a PD usually. A group of Officers from the same PD might use the vtac to discuss just about anything.

Thanks. So I should be good with only programming the Centreville and Leonidas sites since I only would want to listen to MSP District 5 South Dispatch and the St. Joseph county Talkgroups from MPSCS?

 

[Hit_Factor]

I would add any p911 TGs as well. In Berrien County there is very little use of the Department TAC TGs. Also add any UIC and special event TGs, those can be interesting when larger than normal events occur.

 

[dispatchgeek]

Consider adding the “Jones” and “Vicksburg” sites as well. Both out of county, but contribute to big portions of coverage in some of the northern parts of the county.

 

[villlythekid]

I would add any p911 TGs as well. In Berrien County there is very little use of the Department TAC TGs. Also add any UIC and special event TGs, those can be interesting when larger than normal events occur.

Last question. What type of system is it? I see it's a p25 system on radioreference, but I have the option of choosing Mot type ii/p25, p25 standard, p25 one freq, and mot 800mhz type 1.

 

[drdispatch]

It's P25. If you are using Sentinel to program the radio, it will automatically configure the system once you append it to a Favorites List.

 

[villlythekid]

It's P25. If you are using Sentinel to program the radio, it will automatically configure the system once you append it to a Favorites List.

I'm using FreeScan. I understand it's a p25, but I have those four choices I listed above.

 

[tvengr]

What model scanner do you have? If you have a 396/996XT or 325/996P2, use P25 Standard (Digital XT).

 

[villlythekid]

What model scanner do you have? If you have a 396/996XT or 325/996P2, use P25 Standard (Digital XT).

yup, i have a 996p2. Thanks

 

[Forts]

Last question. What type of system is it? I see it's a p25 system on radioreference, but I have the option of choosing Mot type ii/p25, p25 standard, p25 one freq, and mot 800mhz type 1.

P25 Standard

 

[smithken]

In some of the other counties i am familiar with central 911 dispatches everything; police, fire, sheriff, state police, EMS. I don't know if this applies to all counties.

 

[villlythekid]

It's P25. If you are using Sentinel to program the radio, it will automatically configure the system once you append it to a Favorites List.

I've arrived in St. Joseph County and the MPSCS is working fantastic. I also programmed the St. Joseph County system, which is barely coming over. A couple of questions: Do I even need the conventional St. Joseph County system if I just want to listen to the County dispatch? (for St. Joseph County sheriff and Three Rivers PD mainly) I don't know if you are familiar with St. Joseph County, but there are some transmissions coming over such as case numbers, etc. Also, what is the St Joseph County LEIN channel used for? It is very active but I don't understand if it's a dispatch channel or an Ops/tac channel. Thanks again for all the help!

 

[drdispatch]

I've arrived in St. Joseph County and the MPSCS is working fantastic. I also programmed the St. Joseph County system, which is barely coming over. A couple of questions: Do I even need the conventional St. Joseph County system if I just want to listen to the County dispatch? (for St. Joseph County sheriff and Three Rivers PD mainly) I don't know if you are familiar with St. Joseph County, but there are some transmissions coming over such as case numbers, etc. Also, what is the St Joseph County LEIN channel used for? It is very active but I don't understand if it's a dispatch channel or an Ops/tac channel. Thanks again for all the help!

LEIN is the Law Enforcement Information Network, which is the computer network used to run license plates, driver's licenses, warrants, etc.
I don't make it down to St. Joseph County much, so I'm not that familiar with what's still active on the VHF side; But if they are still using VHF, it's probably mostly fire.