Shared Area Radio Agreement (SARA)
- Thread starter Guldnerk
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- Mar 27, 2024
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So I am trying to figure out how the patches work. For example what exactly does Patch 14004 - 034 SysID mean? I noticed that some patches to the ISICS exist.
A Patch TG is used to broadcast to several TGs at the same time. In the example below (from ISICS), the transmission is to patch TG 64809 and is simultaneously broadcast out on TGs 21601 & 50061.
On SARA these often will contain an ISICS TG as it is generally a wide dissemination broadcast such as a BOLO.
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2024
- Messages
- 7
Are these assigned dynamically or statically?A Patch TG is used to broadcast to several TGs at the same time. In the example below (from ISICS), the transmission is to patch TG 64809 and is simultaneously broadcast out on TGs 21601 & 50061.
On SARA these often will contain an ISICS TG as it is generally a wide dissemination broadcast such as a BOLO.
Dynamically I assume....
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2024
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Can anyone see if any other metadata is being transmitted along with the signal. You would thing that there would be a way for the users to know exactly which channels are being used. My goal is to figure out a way to precisely identify who is calling.
The screenshot I posted is from SDRTrunk. As you can see, it shows the patch TG (64809) and the TGs it is being simulcast on (21601 & 50061).
There may be other solutions, but this is the only one I know of.
As you can see from SDRTrunk, you can tell where the patch originates and to what patch group, and who is in that patch group......
Unitrunker shows the same information.
So as somebody from the opposite corner of the state, I have very little experience with SARA. I was just wondering why so many users are using this system instead of ISICS. I mean, I think it predates ISICS, which might explain why it's still around. But it almost seems like it's expanding -- as if users who could choose to be part of the ISICS system are consciously choosing SARA instead. I realize each decision is different and each decision-maker or decision-making body is different -- but just for the sake of argument, why would an agency/city/county choose SARA over ISICS? Remember, I have close to zero experience with this system, so please be gentle in your reply.
There is some kind of agreement that SARA radios I know has the ISICS system in them. Their RID system mirrors ISICS RIDs. I see Cedar Co and Scott Co units using ISICS for comms on Muscatine Co incidents. I know when Muscatine Co was on Starcom they would switch over to ISICS for chases on Statewide TAC 2.
SARA was a outgrowth of the merge of Linn & Johnson Counties systems.
SARA was a outgrowth of the merge of Linn & Johnson Counties systems.
The operations and equipment in a SARA system is owned by the governmental unit that chooses to purchase it. ISICS is owned by the state. They decide what happens there. If a county was using RACOM there might have been a natural transition to local control and ownership. With the state, there are uniform operational procedures established. Such as coverage or patching procedures between entities. Two SARA units might not have this infrequently needed advantage. (I was aware of a large fire call recently when the encrypted Buchanan units could not be patched together with the Black Hawk fire talk group.)
Let me add that I'm not a big radio guy that knows a bunch of stuff. Just some of these simple things that have evolved when I was paying attention.
David
Let me add that I'm not a big radio guy that knows a bunch of stuff. Just some of these simple things that have evolved when I was paying attention.
David
simple join a system where the State controls the system or one where you operate under your operations. I don't know how true one county went to SARA because the ISICS only wanted one or two sites where SARA had five.
