Scanning MARCS - Cincinnati

[KK4JW]

I plan to be visiting Cincinnati soon and would like to bring my WS1040 along. I understand Cincinnati is covered by the MARCS system, and I've spent a little time reading about it in the wiki, but just how to actually program the system for best results is a little confusing to me. I am hoping that my WS1040 can handle it. I do have ARC500 software that I use for programming. I expect to be downtown for the duration of my visit, so that may help some with site selection. It looks like site 002 is the one I'm most interested in.

Can anyone offer some programming tips, please?

1. When creating a trunked system for this site with ARC500, which type of site do I need to choose? Just MOT800/900 and let the scanner automatically do the P25 decoding?
2. Do I need to change anything with the tables, digital AGC, ARC500 "SuperTrack" or anything else?
3. As there are LOTS of talkgroups, I imagine I'm probably not going to want the scanner to do a "wildcard" talkgroup scan, so I'm going to be looking at actually prgramming in talkgroups manually. Are there specific talkgroups for the area that are worthwhile to listen to? It looks like many TG's are encrypted, and that's okay. Surely there has to be some stuff to listen to though that's interesting?

Looking forward to (trying) to monitor your radio system!

Thanks!

 

[scannerboy02]

I am hoping that my WS1040 can handle it.

The WS1040 will work but the site(s) is simulcast so that could be a little bit of a problem. Being that you will be downtown that should help cut down on some of the mulit-path issues.

It looks like site 002 is the one I'm most interested in.

Yes, site 002 is the site for everything in Cincinnati.

When creating a trunked system for this site with ARC500, which type of site do I need to choose? Just MOT800/900 and let the scanner automatically do the P25 decoding?
Do I need to change anything with the tables, digital AGC, ARC500 "SuperTrack" or anything else?

As for the above, I'm not a user of the ARC software so I'll let someone else answer those.

Are there specific talkgroups for the area that are worthwhile to listen to? It looks like many TG's are encrypted, and that's okay. Surely there has to be some stuff to listen to though that's interesting?

31 CPD DIST 1 (55649) the downtown area is covered by this district.
31 MAIN DISP (55599) is the primary channel for all fire calls in the city.
31 EMS "A2" (55615)
31 MVC "A3" (55616)
31 RIVER "A13" (21545) Used for incidents on the Ohio River.
31 CMD B "B2" (55609)
31 CMD C "C2" (55611)
31 CMD D "D2" (55613)
31 CMD E "E2" (55617)
31 CMD F "F2" (55620)
31 CMD G "G2" (55622)
31 CMD H "H2" (55624)
31 CMD I "I2" (55626)
31 CMD J "J2" (55674)
Those are probably of the most interest as far as police and fire in the downtown area.

If you want to expand out from downtown,
31 CPD DIST 2 (55650) is the area generally east of downtown
31 CPD DIST 3 (55651) is the area generally west of downtown
31 CPD DIST 4 (55652) is the area generally north of downtown
31 FD EAST (21021) and 31 FD WEST (21022) are the primary channels for fire calls outside the city of Cincinnati. These two channels are patched but you will want to add both of them to you scanner.
31 ALERT WEST (21028) is the automated dispatch channel for the west side of Hamilton County.
31 ALERT EAST (21038) is the automated dispatch channel for the east side of Hamilton County.
31 FG 4 (21029)
31 FG 5 (21030)
31 FG 6 (21031)
31 FG 7 (21032)
31 FG 8 (21033)
31 FG 9 (21034)
31 FG 10 (21035)
31 LE EAST (21071) Law enforcement channel for the east area of Hamilton County.
31 LE WEST (21072) Law enforcement channel for the west area of Hamilton County.
31 LE CENT (21073) Law enforcement channel for the central area of Hamilton County.

 

[KK4JW]

The WS1040 will work but the site(s) is simulcast so that could be a little bit of a problem. Being that you will be downtown that should help cut down on some of the mulit-path issues.



Yes, site 002 is the site for everything in Cincinnati.



As for the above, I'm not a user of the ARC software so I'll let someone else answer those.



31 CPD DIST 1 (55649) the downtown area is covered by this district.
31 MAIN DISP (55599) is the primary channel for all fire calls in the city.
31 EMS "A2" (55615)
31 MVC "A3" (55616)
31 RIVER "A13" (21545) Used for incidents on the Ohio River.
31 CMD B "B2" (55609)
31 CMD C "C2" (55611)
31 CMD D "D2" (55613)
31 CMD E "E2" (55617)
31 CMD F "F2" (55620)
31 CMD G "G2" (55622)
31 CMD H "H2" (55624)
31 CMD I "I2" (55626)
31 CMD J "J2" (55674)
Those are probably of the most interest as far as police and fire in the downtown area.

If you want to expand out from downtown,
31 CPD DIST 2 (55650) is the area generally east of downtown
31 CPD DIST 3 (55651) is the area generally west of downtown
31 CPD DIST 4 (55652) is the area generally north of downtown
31 FD EAST (21021) and 31 FD WEST (21022) are the primary channels for fire calls outside the city of Cincinnati. These two channels are patched but you will want to add both of them to you scanner.
31 ALERT WEST (21028) is the automated dispatch channel for the west side of Hamilton County.
31 ALERT EAST (21038) is the automated dispatch channel for the east side of Hamilton County.
31 FG 4 (21029)
31 FG 5 (21030)
31 FG 6 (21031)
31 FG 7 (21032)
31 FG 8 (21033)
31 FG 9 (21034)
31 FG 10 (21035)
31 LE EAST (21071) Law enforcement channel for the east area of Hamilton County.
31 LE WEST (21072) Law enforcement channel for the west area of Hamilton County.
31 LE CENT (21073) Law enforcement channel for the central area of Hamilton County.

Thank you so much!!

 

[tvengr]

Here is an ARC500 file I did some time ago. Give it a try. Save the attached zipped file to your computer and extract. Open the extracted file with ARC500 and Upload to Scanner. Scan lists as follows:

SCAN LISTS:
1. HamCo Interop
2. HamCo Fire/EMS
3. HamCo EMS/Hosp
4. HamCo Law
5. HamCo DPW
6. Cinc Interop
7. Cinc Fire/EMS
8. Cinc EMS/Hosp
9. Cinc Police
0. Cinc DPW

 

[KK4JW]

Here is an ARC500 file I did some time ago. Give it a try. Save the attached zipped file to your computer and extract. Open the extracted file with ARC500 and Upload to Scanner. Scan lists as follows:

SCAN LISTS:
1. HamCo Interop
2. HamCo Fire/EMS
3. HamCo EMS/Hosp
4. HamCo Law
5. HamCo DPW
6. Cinc Interop
7. Cinc Fire/EMS
8. Cinc EMS/Hosp
9. Cinc Police
0. Cinc DPW

Thank you so much!

 

[rcid1971]

OSP in Cincinnati is District 8

 

[radioscan]

OSP rarely come in the city limits. Sometimes they'll run on River Road (US 50) west of the city. They let the local departments patrol Interstates 71, and 75. They can be heavy on Interstate 275, but it makes a very wide 80 mile loop around the area, and really does not come close to the city. OSP Posts 13 (Batavia) for eastern area, Post 9 (Hamilton) north and west, and Post 83 (Lebanon) to the northeast cover the area. Any traffic from them you hear will most likely be well outside the downtown area.