StarCom21 2025 Official Thread

[ILjim]

I noticed that for over an hour, Waukegan Fire's VHF freq (154.415) has been active with tone-outs and what sounded like a patch from a digital system. After turning on my SDS200, I am able to confirm that TG 33259 is indeed their dispatch channel. Unfortunately, it is fully encrypted, but at least they will patch to VHF analog.

 

[kevino]

What program (software) are you using?

Unitrunker.

 

[kevino]

Thats DSDPlus ran from an SDR

It's Unitrunker.

 

[ChicagoRadio736]

TG 162 active in the clear on the COOK COUNTY SHERIFF North site RID 5773316 all radio ids just a couple numbers up or down from 5773316.

 

[kevino]

TG 162 active in the clear on the COOK COUNTY SHERIFF North site RID 5773316 all radio ids just a couple numbers up or down from 5773316.

According to my logging notes, this would be Tinley Park PD units (RIDs 5773239-5773338).

 

[RadioDitch]

I believe there's an error in the database. The Atterbery site (2-32) currently shows a range of 225mi...

 

[cubn]

I believe there's an error in the database. The Atterbery site (2-32) currently shows a range of 225mi...

You were absolutely right. I changed it to 20 mi.

 

[tommypickles]

New talk Group, 37680 heard on site 250, Ashkum. The only uid is 8000216. Sounds like Iroquois SHF has a patch running from their conventional frequency to StarCom. Hearing units being dispatched for law enforcement activities and dispatch center is I-COM. Will update later as I hear more.

 

[APXandRailroadRadios]

I noticed that for over an hour, Waukegan Fire's VHF freq (154.415) has been active with tone-outs and what sounded like a patch from a digital system. After turning on my SDS200, I am able to confirm that TG 33259 is indeed their dispatch channel. Unfortunately, it is fully encrypted, but at least they will patch to VHF analog.

Interesting that they have a VHF patch if they are encrypted, never heard of that.

 

[Bri112233445]

Went through Grundy ETSB notes recently and found that they were/are working towards encrypting police. This is from 2024 and haven't seen anything mentioned about it again so I'm unsure how far along that plan is or if it's still being worked on. Just thought I'd share

 

[KC9UNK]

Interesting that they have a VHF patch if they are encrypted, never heard of that.

Usually it’ll happen that way if the PD side of things is encrypted. They’ll created a channel for FD to be heard on by PD. Which means PD is encrypted FD isn’t. Rockford FD does this same thing because all of the county law departments are full time encryption on starcom but all FD is VHF analog. It’s for interoperability for all agencies within the county basically

 

[Premises2972]

View attachment 184282
Went through Grundy ETSB notes recently and found that they were/are working towards encrypting police. This is from 2024 and haven't seen anything mentioned about it again so I'm unsure how far along that plan is or if it's still being worked on. Just thought I'd share

Please, if you're local to this, try to show up to these meetings on encryption and make your voice heard. You should atleast try, even if it ultimately doesn't work.

 

[Bri112233445]

Please, if you're local to this, try to show up to these meetings on encryption and make your voice heard. You should atleast try, even if it ultimately doesn't work.

Grundy dose provide there own audio feed to brodcastify so I'm surprised they were even thinking of this but that does mean a chance for a delayed feed if they do go

 

[ILjim]

Interesting that they have a VHF patch if they are encrypted, never heard of that.

It's an on-demand (temporary) patch. They had issues with tone-outs not going through SC21 at the time.

 

[kevino]

It appears that University of Chicago's STARCOM21 patch to Chicago PD Zone 7 may have changed from TG 34054 to TG 34050.

 

[werinshades]

Public Information Office

New ISP Command Vehicle A-112.

 

[scanman1958]

Sometime mid afternoon on 6-5-2025 I received a radio transmission on TG 30304 from southwest St Louis City. It came through Starcom site 358. Even on a good day I can only receive about 2-3 % of Starcom comms at my home. The signal was dropping in and out but I was able to hear that a "box alarm was being transmitted" but I did not hear enough to make out apparatus or a location. The database has 30304 as Region 2 Call. I have checked various Illinois maps and "regions" vary quite a bit throughout the state. Other than the obvious - a radio monitoring that TG was in the East StL area - and that's what I heard...could it have been some kind if skip. I read all the time that 700/800/900 freqs can skip. Could anyone verify a box alarm this afternoon on that TG or another explanation? Thanks a lot.

 

[kevino]

Public Information Office

New ISP Command Vehicle A-112.

Speaking of ISP mobile command vehicles, here's one that was used at Soldier Field when Chicago hosted World Cup soccer games twenty nine years ago.

If the 18-year-old vehicle command vehicle that the new Freightliner replaced had "antiquated technology", I imagine that the 1996 vehicle must be serving as a food truck somewhere by now (if it's still on the road). I'm sure it would make a great CARMA mobile monitoring post!

 

[Mex]

Sometime mid afternoon on 6-5-2025 I received a radio transmission on TG 30304 from southwest St Louis City. It came through Starcom site 358. Even on a good day I can only receive about 2-3 % of Starcom comms at my home. The signal was dropping in and out but I was able to hear that a "box alarm was being transmitted" but I did not hear enough to make out apparatus or a location. The database has 30304 as Region 2 Call. I have checked various Illinois maps and "regions" vary quite a bit throughout the state. Other than the obvious - a radio monitoring that TG was in the East StL area - and that's what I heard...could it have been some kind if skip. I read all the time that 700/800/900 freqs can skip. Could anyone verify a box alarm this afternoon on that TG or another explanation? Thanks a lot.

Henry County in Northern Illinois has one dispatcher that patches IFERN to RGN-2B whenever she tones out a box alarm over IFERN. That specific incident was a box alarm for a structure fire in Annawan.

 

[ChicagoRadio736]

Hearing Fire Dispatch on 34065 listed in the WiKi has it as MABAS possibly TG didn't catch any department name on the Dispatch.